Motherboard upgrade without reinstalling windows (Win10 is KMS)

[jonnyyyl]

So I want to move to a different mobo. 

 

I have seen quite a few recent threads that Windows 10 64bit isn't like the old Windows 7. I don't have to reinstall everything. It is a plug and play, set and forget solution, PROVIDED that you link your account beforehand, replace the CPU and/or mobo. Turn it on, and "everything" is there. 

 

Here's a few threads/sites I've visited, posted in the past 3 years:

https://linustechtips.com/main/topic/1024507-motherboard-upgrade-without-reinstalling-windows/

https://linustechtips.com/main/topic/1117865-change-motherboard-without-reinstalling-windows/

https://scottiestech.info/2017/02/26/upgrade-your-motherboard-without-reinstalling-windows-10/

 

 

 

My PC is sort of center for our home theater/network, which I really depend on it given the work from home situation. It is for gaming and productivity. I don't want any additional trouble for data loss. I have designed this by having an m.2 with OS and all applications, and an SSD drive for dropbox, gaming, downloads, and then another larger HDD for long-term storage, thinking that one day if I do any upgrades, I will just move the SSDs/HDDs, and wipe the m.2 to the new machine. I only learnt of this method today. Windows has really made great strides. 

 

My PC account is a local account and I have activated it using KMS back in 2016. My question is whether/can Microsoft recognize the licence, and allow me to reactivate it (in time) during my switch to a new mobo.

Will network settings, file sharing settings and app settings (ie. anti-virus settings, accounts still signed in) be alright straight out of the box? Once I unlink it, can I run on KMS again? What if I don't unlink it? 

 

 

Thank you 

[nox_]

7 minutes ago, jonnyyyl said:

My PC account is a local account and I have activated it using KMS back in 2016. My question is whether/can Microsoft recognize the licence, and allow me to reactivate it (in time) during my switch to a new mobo.

Will network settings, file sharing settings and app settings (ie. anti-virus settings) be alright straight out of the box? Once I unlink it, can I run on KMS again? What if I don't unlink it? 

Any discussion on how to engage in piracy is not allowed.

 

[Falcon1986]

13 minutes ago, jonnyyyl said:

So I want to move to a different mobo. 

 

I have seen quite a few recent threads that Windows 10 64bit isn't like the old Windows 7. I don't have to reinstall everything. It is a plug and play, set and forget solution, PROVIDED that you link your account beforehand, replace the CPU and/or mobo. Turn it on, and "everything" is there.

By KMS, do you mean that this system was on an enterprise network with its own internal activation server? Does your setup still qualify for KMS activation based on the threshold?

 

You're making a lot of assumptions that things will work properly after this motherboard upgrade. In my opinion, just purchase a license, perform a clean install and save yourself the headache later when things start to break or give errors. You can still use the File & Settings Transfer Wizard to migrate those things, but when it comes to something as core to a PC setup as the motherboard, Windows might not play well with just a motherboard swap. I've never done this with Windows 10, so can't tell if things have changed.

 

Given that you've already organized your data on different drives, all you'd have to do is reinstall Windows and your programs.

[LogicalDrm]

KMS is considered to be in same line as cracked OS. If you have enterprise license and permission to use it for what you are using it for, then connecting back to that enterprise license manager is something you need to do. It might be fine, but at some point it needs to phone home and ask if the activation is still good.

 

If you don't have permission to use that enterprise license, we cannot help you. Buy new key, we don't take stand about how you buy it.

[jonnyyyl]

11 hours ago, Falcon1986 said:

You're making a lot of assumptions that things will work properly after this motherboard upgrade.

well yes. which is why I reached out in the forum

After years with XP and 7, I refuse to believe that Microsoft has made a plug and play solution lol

[homeap5]

I replaced motherboard with XP and win7 - it was possible (in XP harder, in case win 7 - easier). Win10 is just another step forward (no knowledge or tools needed). Even with win7 you have 80% chances that you'll not need any tools after replace motherboard.

 

You may use Ghostbusters tool after if you want to remove old unused devices. It's not mandatory but why not.

 

If you want to stay with win7 and you have bsod after motherboard change, use Paragon Adaptive Restore bootable USB and click "Adjust OS".

 

All that opinions that you must reinstall Windows after hardware change are because:

a) it was easier for Microsoft to recommend that instead of explaining how to do that (or because they don't want to people say that their system sucks)

b) because most of people don't even try to boot their system after hardware change and repeats the same crap after others.

After all it's easiest way - just try before you even consider reinstalling. Why people format their drives without even check? Is this that hard to try plug&play method?

 

The only thing you should remember is to change some specific settings if you change them manually. For example - virtual memory. If you set it manually at, for example, 2GB when you had old computer with 1GB memory, and now you have 32GB, you should change it to automatic, so Windows create new one vm file that fits your current configuration.