Immediate Windows 10 After CPU/Mobo/RAM Upgrade?

[CDHoward]

So I've read that, after upgrading your motherboard, CPU and RAM, you turn on your computer and Windows 10 is still there just as it was before you changed your hardware.

 

(As long as you ensure your Windows copy is digitally linked to your Microsoft account).

 

May I ask if this is correct? 

 

Thank you.

[amusedschrodinger]

Yup

[CDHoward]

4 minutes ago, amusedschrodinger said:

Yup

When I bought my copy of Windows, I got the retail, boxed Windows 8.1 (this is before Windows 10 came out, of course). I then upgraded it Windows 10 when Microsoft had their free-to-update offer.

 

This doesn't change anything, does it? All I gave to is ensure my Windows is digitally linked to my Microsoft account?

[Syme89]

Make sure you have your product key before you go ahead as the is sometimes a limitation on how many activations a product key can do and you have to ring ms support and tell them the issue and product key. They will usually reset your count and you're fine

[Nocte]

You might still wanna do a clean install because drivers won't play nice with the new hardware.

I guess you can give it a shot and see if you run into any issues.

[CDHoward]

17 minutes ago, Nocte said:

You might still wanna do a clean install because drivers won't play nice with the new hardware.

I guess you can give it a shot and see if you run into any issues.

What's the best way to do a clean install, whilst leaving your personal files unaffected, mate?

 

EDIT: I can't believe I just even said that, really. The entire point of a clean install IS removing everything, isn't it.

[Nocte]

3 hours ago, CDHoward said:

What's the best way to do a clean install, whilst leaving your personal files unaffected, mate?

 

EDIT: I can't believe I just even said that, really. The entire point of a clean install IS removing everything, isn't it.

Well, you can keep your files by storing them on a cloud platform or other storage devices you have.

[Syme89]

On boot up windows will detect and install the new drivers, this has even been shown in some ltt videos

[Kalm_Traveler]

I wouldn't worry about it, the old days of Windows BSOD after swapping platforms are gone. 

 

I've moved drives between x99 and x299, x99 and z370, z370 and z390, and most impressively from my 2017 Razer Blade to an H270 gigabyte board with a 2 core Pentium G3930 and no video card. 

 

 

Took a few minutes to boot in each case, but worked fine. 

[pstarlord]

Here's what I do, there may be an easier way, but I know this works.

 

-Backup any important files/media that you'd like to keep.  (i.e. your music library, or important documents)

-Write down your Product Key

-Do a fresh install on the new system, using your product key to activate

-Transfer any necessary files/media back onto your new machine.  

 

I like doing it this way because it A: Makes a backup of anything important B: you'll find that you're  backing up a lot of stuff you don't necessarily need on your machine taking up space, and C - A clean install of Windows is always nice to start a new machine with. 

[SolarNova]

Yes, unfortunatly you will still be running W10 after a hardware upgrade if you have it linked to an account.

[nick name]

If you can afford to -- I like the method where you install a fresh drive into the new machine that you install Windows on and then take the old drive and remove its boot sector and put it into the new system.  That way you can migrate your files at your leisure.  Eventually getting to the point where you feel safe enough to then begin deleting everything off the old drive that were old program installs and system files.  

 

And for the Windows activation I have seen that linking it to a Microsoft account allows you to easily re-activate the old key with new hardware, but I know it isn't something you need to do.  It may be easier though if there are hiccups.  It took me a couple attempts after switching motherboards, but it was  wasn't difficult.