Upgrading Motherboards Need some Help

[blewerwes]

Curretnly running a lynnfield core i7 860 w 8 g of ddr3 dual channel 1860 ripjaw ram, 1 tb hd, 2x unlocked 6950s, and a 1000w bfg psu. My motherboard is currently the GA-P55-UD3P-rev 1, an older board..... I currently have it at 4 ghz on air w the oc thermaltake frio heatsink fan. Running windows 7 64 bit. I have a MSI Big Bang Fuzion Motherbaord in route back from its rma, it was doa. So what I am wondering these boards are both 1156 socket, and im keeping all the same components cept my mobo. WIll i need to reintall or revalidate windows. Im in the dark, and every site says something differenet. I would like people with vast knoledge to answer, and plase no guess work, this is my gaming rig, used for work, etc

 

[treefrog07]

The boards have different chipsets, so the motherboard drivers will be different, and cause windows to demand you reactivate it within 3 days.

I would re-install the hardware to the replacement motherboard, do a clean install of windows, install the new drivers, programs, etc. before trying to reactivate windows.

Whether or not you can reactivate windows depends on the version of windows you have. If it is an OEM version, MS says you cannot activate it on another motherboard - it dies with the motherboard it was first used on. You MAY be able to re-activate if you telephone MS and explain the situation to the representative.

If you have the full retail version or the upgrade version of windows, you should be able to re-activate without problem.

The product key code you have will identify your version of windows as OEM, Upgrade, or Full Retail to MS when you try to activate it.

 

[blewerwes]

In taking the steps you mentioned tree, would I need to delete previous drivers for the old motherboard, or just redo windows?