Motherboard Replacement

[FJRPilot]

I have a system I built several years ago. It runs great and is faster than some factory built PC's I have seen. The other day I found a MB and an AMD CPU just like what I have, new in the box and at a decent price. My question is if I need to replace the MB and swap it for an identical model does that require a total reinstall of the OS and programs? I am thinking of grabbing the parts as spares.
Thanks for any input.

 

[Tim Locke]

I think MS will not be keen on that without a new licence. The mobo and cpu may be the same except for some magic number embedded in them. But you can call MS when you have done the install and try it. Rumor has it that the call works sometimes.

 

[BigFeet]

If it's the retail version of the Windows 10 it should be fine. If it's an OEM version of Windows 10, it probably won't activate. If the motherboard is different then chipset and other drivers could be a problem.

 

[FJRPilot]

Interesting. I had server errors earlier each time I tried to post. Nothing like repitition!!

Back to the subject. I have been on the Windows Insider program for a long time. According to MS my Win10 is tied to my account so authorizing should not be aproblem. Ptograms I worry about.

 

[BigFeet]

You should be ok then. I moved my insider account to a couple different PC's. It'll all come down to drivers, whether you can just swap motherboards without reinstalling. Sometimes Windows can "repair" itself if it detects a different chipset.

Yeah, I've been getting server errors too. But it still posts, even with the error. I've seen a lot of double and triple posts the last few days.

 

[Grizzly]

I agree with BigFeet. With the Insider edition you should be fine with the hardware exchange.

I have noticed a lot of multiple posts recently, however I have yet to experience server errors here....

 

[BigFeet]

I've had the server error happen a couple times, but after refreshing the page, the post appeared anyways.

 

[ubuysa]

I believe, will be hesitant to do so without a new license. Except for some magic number embedded in them, the mobo and CPU may be identical. However, once you've completed the installation and given it a try, you can contact Microsoft. The call is said to work on occasion.

Convert your existing license to a digital license by linking it to your Microsoft account. Microsoft created this license type specifically for people making mobo or CPU changes. See https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/activate-windows-c39005d4-95ee-b91e-b399-2820fda32227