Can you switch motherboards with a system builder OS?

[pwuest2]

I have a system builder version of windows and i was wondering if i could upgrade my motherboard without having to repurchase windows. Because i know system builder OS's are a little different and i wasn't sure if it would let me upgrade to another motherboard without repurchasing a "full" version of windows. I have a Gigabyte z-97 HD3 and i was looking for something 2 way SLI comptable, and good for OC'ing/gaming. Looking at the Gigabyte GA-Z97X-Gaming 7 but if you have any opinions on which mobo is better feel free to offer. 

[Wirbelfeld]

As that stuff is stored on your hard drive it shouldn't be affected by the motherboard. I don't think windows recognizes motherboards at all

[pwuest2]

That's what I thought, but I read somewhere online that it was somehow tied to your motherboard for life. Maybe I was mistaken when I read it or something, thanks. 

[insayan]

As that stuff is stored on your hard drive it shouldn't be affected by the motherboard. I don't think windows recognizes motherboards at all

Wrong, it's very likely your windows won't even boot anymore when you install a new motherboard. 

 

 

That's what I thought, but I read somewhere online that it was somehow tied to your motherboard for life. Maybe I was mistaken when I read it or something, thanks. 

 

No you are correct, even if you get it to work you'll run into the "windows is not genuine" problems. 

[soup]

. I don't think windows recognizes motherboards at all

Eh?

 

I have always been told/thought that there is some sort of secret (dun dun dun) algorithm that takes all the hardware and produces some sort of number which is used to authenticate your copy of Windows, if too many of the pieces of hardware change it (Windows) 'sees' the whole shebang as a new system and you have to reauthenticate.  Changing the motherboard produces enough changes in a oner to trigger this 'new system' reaction.

  Asd the system builder edition is meant for one system you may be SOL replacing a MoBo.

 

ADDITIONAL : -  Some say this number is related to the controller on the MoBo not the MoBo itself and as a lot of MoBos use the same controller this "new system" reaction is not triggered if the MoBo is swapped

[Wirbelfeld]

Eh?

I have always been told/thought that there is some sort of secret (dun dun dun) algorithm that takes all the hardware and produces some sort of number which is used to authenticate your copy of Windows if too many of the pieces of hardware change it (Windows) 'sees the whole shebang as a new system and you have to reauthenticate. Changing the motherboard produces enough changes in a oner to trigger this 'new system' reaction.

That is stored on your hard deive

I've reinstalled windows on new mobos before and it works for me

[Wirbelfeld]

That's what I thought, but I read somewhere online that it was somehow tied to your motherboard for life. Maybe I was mistaken when I read it or something, thanks.

You do however need to reinstall windows since the drivers are tied to your mobo. It should work however you need to make sure to reinstall windows to get tthe drivers onto the new mobo.

[insayan]

You do however need to reinstall windows since the drivers are tied to your mobo. It should work however you need to make sure to reinstall windows to get tthe drivers onto the new mobo.

That's exactly his problem, he got an OEM version of windows. You can only activate that on one "computer", replacing the motherboard makes it another computer by Microsoft's standards.

[LogicalDrm]

As that stuff is stored on your hard drive it shouldn't be affected by the motherboard. I don't think windows recognizes motherboards at all

That is stored on your hard deive

I've reinstalled windows on new mobos before and it works for me

 

You are bit off target there. You can use some windows licenses again, mainly retail and non-branded OEMs (Win7 and older). For rest, mainly things used on laptops and other prebuilds, its either impossible or much harder. There's change that license will work on new mobo, but none of us can guarantee that.

 

Since windows uses online check for their licenses, they can and will read mobo serial for identification. With newer mobos there is actual chip which stores the license information.