Will upgrading Motherboard/Processor wipe my Hard drive and OS?

[Kharzack]

Hello,

I'm upgrading my motherboard, processor and RAM this christmas. The only things I'm carrying over that are in my current set up will be my graphics card and my hard drive. However I want to keep my OS (Win8.1), will I keep it when using a new motherboard/processor and when I install my current hard drive to the new PC will the data be wiped?

 

[Sapphire Thunder]

It won't, but there is a high chance that you will need to do a fresh Windows install.
Most of the time, even if the pc still boots with old Windows installation, it will work sluggish due to old driver incompatibilities.

But there are work-arounds for it if it boots. It just needs a lot work.
You would need to run several different cleaning programs.

 

[Kharzack]

It won't, but there is a high chance that you will need to do a fresh Windows install.
Most of the time, even if the pc still boots with old Windows installation, it will work sluggish due to old driver incompatibilities.

But there are work-arounds for it if it boots. It just needs a lot work.

I'm planning on upgrading to Win10 soon anyway, so would it be worth it to install Win10 with these new components, or to install now and hope for the best? And I'm guessing all files and data in my hard drive would be safe.

 

[Sapphire Thunder]

I'm planning on upgrading to Win10 soon anyway, so would it be worth it to install Win10 with these new components, or to install now and hope for the best? And I'm guessing all files and data in my hard drive would be safe.

It would be best to do after the upgrade. Because even if you upgrade to Win10, it would still most likely require a fresh install.

However, fresh install will of course delete ALL files on the hard drive.
So you need to save everything important on external hard drive/usb flash drive.

 

[boosted1g]

It wont wipe your hard drive and files but it will not boot.

Your windows install is for your current compoenents and wont just work with your new ones
At best it would be highly unstable to flat out not boot.
Not to mention that you would be in violation of windows license agreement.

Backup your files to another disk and just plan on doing a full reinstall with you new parts.

 

[Kharzack]

I'm planning on upgrading to Win10 soon anyway, so would it be worth it to install Win10 with these new components, or to install now and hope for the best? And I'm guessing all files and data in my hard drive would be safe.

It would be best to do after the upgrade. Because even if you upgrade to Win10, it would still most likely require a fresh install.

However, fresh install will of course delete ALL files on the hard drive.
So you need to save everything important on external hard drive/usb flash drive.

Thanks for help, Sapphire and Boosted. Just to confirm what I'm going to will work: Install new components, use free upgrade to Windows 10 through using files from a USB, once Win10 is installed, I'll transfer all of my data and files from my hard drive backup to my new setup (if my hard drive was indeed wiped).

 

[Sapphire Thunder]

Thanks for help, Sapphire and Boosted. Just to confirm what I'm going to will work: Install new components, use free upgrade to Windows 10 through using files from a USB, once Win10 is installed, I'll transfer all of my data and files from my hard drive backup to my new setup (if my hard drive was indeed wiped).

Yes, pretty much like that.