Windows 10: Replacing MB, what do I need to install Win10 (my previous Win7 disk)?

I'm going to replace the motherboard on my home-built computer. My computer is currently running Win10 x64 upgraded during the free "upgrade to Win10" period.

I know I can download the Win10 ISO (USB version) to do the install.
What will I need to "activate" Win10 once the new MB is installed?

Should I install and activate Win7 first, then upgrade to Win10?
Or
Do I just need my old Win7 product registration code?

If so, do I need the "specific activation code" I used on this computer for the original Win7 install for this computer? I have four computers upgraded to Win10 (during the free upgrade period), so somewhere are four Win7 product/activation codes in my office.

:)

 

Windows 10 and a new MB

I have 8 boxed retail versions of Windows 7. Most of them from scrapped PCs.

I have over 60 applictions installera on my Win 7 computer so I would hate to have to do a clean install (34 apps I use frequently). I need to upgrade my MB and CPU. (Asus Z170A MB and I clone the disk before each try)

I tried this:

- start the new MB with the old disk (Win 7) and make a repair. Failed. Did not accept any of my DVDs.

- upgrade to Win 10 on the old MB and then start the new MB with that disk. Works perfectly. But then I can't activate this version.

I spent well over an hour chatting with Microsoft support. Shortly before we closed the chat she asked if I was running build 1511? (Version is more correct) No I was not. Then she said that if I had had 1511 I could have used my old Win7 key to activate
Win10 on the new MB.

Presently I have three versions on my disk. Old MB: one Win 7 and one Win 10. New MB: one Win 10.

What can/shall I do? As I see it I have three options (clean install is NOT an option):

1. Install old MB with win7 (reverted from Win10) and try to download 1511.

2. Install old MB with win10. Wait 31 days until it is upgraded to v1511.

3. Install new MB with win10 and spend $200 on a new key.

1 and 2 includes moving the disk to the new MB and registering it there.

Will any of these methods work?

Microsoft lost almost all goodwill with Win 8/8.1 but gained it back tremendously with Win 10 and the free upgrade. But with all this fuss with activation they are loosing it rapidly. Forcing our retail versions into an OEM version is stupidity. Market wise
MS has a lot to learn from Apple.

Kjell K

 

WINDOWS 10 PRODUCT KEY

I successfully upgraded to Win10 from win7 and activated Win10 online. My win7 product key was valid and activated. The upgrade process did not ask for a product key. The clean install did.

If in the future I replace my hard drive, I have the following questions:

1. Would I need a Win10 product key?



2. Could I use my valid Win7 product key since I upgraded to Win10?

3. If not. how can I obtain a valid Win10 key?

4. In general, What is the procedure for users who upgraded from Win7 to Win10 and wants to do a clean install in the future.?

 

You will need to buy an new copy as it's a new system so it won't activate you could try an install and ring Ms see if they will do it but being a new job it's not likely

 

Err ... umm ... I dislike contradicting peers and fellow Forum members, but there's a good chance that simply replacing the mobo WON'T require purchase of a new license. That's because a new feature introduced with the Anniversary Update for Windows 10 is something called the activation troubleshooter. If you try to activate your system after making the hardware change, and it fails, you'll see a link to Troubleshoot show up on the response page that reports said failure. This is all nicely covered in a TenForums tutorial:
Activation Troubleshooter - Use in Windows 10 - Windows 10 Forums

Try it out if you need to and it's highly likely you'll be able to activate your new install environment.
HTH,
--Ed--

 

If I can't reactivate Win10, can I just reinstall Win7 (or did I somehow give up my activation rights to Win7 when I upgrade to Win10)?

 

As @EdTittel says, the Activation Troubleshooter is there to help those who make significant hardware changes (the disk isn't significant, the motherboard is). The first step is to link your Digital Licence to your Microsoft account rather than your hardware. From the Tutorial link...

 

One big factor in all of this is if the Windows on the old computer (motherboard) was OEM or full retail. OEM Windows cannot legally be transferred to a new computer (motherboard) as the license if for only the original computer (motherboard) it was installed on. The only legal exception to that is if the new motherboard is a direct replacemen, same make/model, as the old motherboard replaced because the old motherboard died.

If the Windows on the old motherboard was full retail then you have multiple options, in order of preference: 1. Use the activation troubleshooter built into the newer build of Windows 10 to transfer the activation via you Microsoft account. 2. Use your Windows 7 product key to activate the Windows 10 as an upgrade (last I heard, Microsoft was still doing this for free). 3. Call Microsoft and explain to them that you are moving your full retail Windows to a new computer.

 

It is a retail version.
But I doubt I will be able to get the exact same MB since the computer is a couple of years old now, however I do plan to buy a new MB that will support my current DDR3 memory and CPU (i5), so it will most likely be the same chipset (or the latest chipset that still supports my mem/cpu).
Thanks.

 

hello, i have a simular problem only this is the situation; i upgraded to windows 10 from windows 7 then hard drive crashed from that got a college kid to work on it he installed windows 7 that can't be activated and i don't have a disk on 7 or 10 i found where you can still get 10 but you have to activate the system you are running. what might i do to get windows 10 back?

 

I have been looking at MBs over at Newegg and compatibility with my existing hardware, since starting this thread. I currently have a MB with the LGA 1155 CPU socket, H67 Intel chipset, and an i5-2500K (Sandy Bridge) CPU. My memory is DDR3-1600. They don't have much in the way of a H67 (I believe I found two MBs with H67 chipset, but not same make/model as I currently have).

So now I thinking of upgrading to a LGA1150 socket with the H97 chipset. I would have to get a new CPU, but I can reuse my memory. Of course this is no longer just replacing one hardware component that failed with a direct replacement.

So if I do upgrade the MB and CPU, can I just reinstall my pervious Win7 (retail version) OS?
I want to be sure my Win7 has not be deactivated or something. If it has, I guess I'll need to buy another OS.

 

You can always reinstall windows 7 as retail. However you can transfer the digital licence as original OS was retail as others have said.

The steps are well explained in the tutorial section but really it is this simple.

1) Make sure current mb is running AU version and you are logging in with an MS account. Make sure digital licence is linked to MS account.

2) Install AU version on new PC

3) Use activation troubleshooter to transfer digital licence to new pc.

I would do this anyway so you can be certain the digital licence now applies to new mobo. Then if you reinstall W7, you can also reinstall W10 at any time in the future.