Do I need to purchase a new key for windows if I upgrade my Motherboard?

[Draconid]

Hello, 

This may be a silly question, but lately I've been looking to upgrade my old (pre-built) PC to a Ryzen 5 1600, therefore I had to purchase myself a new Motherboard and DDR4 RAM along with the CPU, so my question is: Do I have to purchase a new key for windows if I change out my Motherboard, CPU, and RAM??? 

[thenastyjbenny]

Nope.

[Draconid]

Just now, JR8 said:

Nope.

Okay, thanks alot: got a bit worried there

[Gaurav S Rao]

6 minutes ago, Draconid said:

Okay, thanks alot: got a bit worried there

Was it prebuilt by a shop or a manufacturer by Dell,HP/Compaq,etc? If by a shop,then chances are 50/50 (they could have used a OEM license,or maybe a Retail license,OEM licenses can't be transfered) and if by HP/Compaq,etc,other manufacturer's,then yes,you have to buy another product key since there is no chance the license is retail

[Draconid]

Just now, Gaurav S Rao said:

Was it prebuilt by a shop or a manufacturer by Dell,HP/Compaq,etc? If by a shop,then chances are 50/50 (they could have used a OEM license,or maybe a Retail license,OEM licenses can't be transfered) and if by HP/Compaq,etc,other manufacturer's,then yes,you have to buy another product key since there is no chance the license is retail

I originally bought the PC from Ebuyer A very long time ago (4-5 years maybe?)

[ashypanda]

only if you've linked your key to your MS account, as it'll have an option in the activation menu to say you've made a significant hardware change, to transfer the key.

[Draconid]

Just now, ashypanda said:

only if you've linked your key to your MS account, as it'll have an option in the activation menu to say you've made a significant hardware change, to transfer the key.

Oh,  I've linked my key to my Microsoft account and while back.

[Gaurav S Rao]

1 minute ago, Draconid said:

I originally bought the PC from Ebuyer A very long time ago (4-5 years maybe?)

Easiest way is to go in System Properties and scroll down untill you see the license thing where it says "Windows is activated" and check if there is any word as "OEM" in the serial number/whatever is below it

[Gaurav S Rao]

1 minute ago, ashypanda said:

only if you've linked your key to your MS account, as it'll have an option in the activation menu to say you've made a significant hardware change, to transfer the key.

I don't think a OEM key can be transfered,a Retail one can,and there is no need to link it to the MS account (AFAIK)

[ashypanda]

Just now, Draconid said:

Oh,  I've linked my key to my Microsoft account and while back.

then when you install the new motherboard, or reinstall windows just install it without entering a key, then you can find the option when installation and setup has finished.

[Draconid]

1 minute ago, Gaurav S Rao said:

Easiest way is to go in System Properties and scroll down untill you see the license thing where it says "Windows is activated" and check if there is any word as "OEM" in the serial number/whatever is below it

1

Yeah I'm pretty sure I have an OEM version of windows

https://gyazo.com/01aca74a87a89d8ef1015b62aec1d5a7

[ashypanda]

1 minute ago, Gaurav S Rao said:

I don't think a OEM key can be transfered,a Retail one can,and there is no need to link it to the MS account (AFAIK)

it can do as i got a digital entitlement key from an OEM W8.1 install, as that's the key you get when you upgraded to W10 from W7, and W8.1.

[Draconid]

Just now, ashypanda said:

it can do as i got a digital entitlement key from an OEM W8.1 install, as that's the key you get when you upgraded to W10 from W7, and W8.1.

This is exactly what pops up in my systems information

https://gyazo.com/01aca74a87a89d8ef1015b62aec1d5a7

[ashypanda]

ah you're still running W8.1, you can only transfer keys with W10.

[Gaurav S Rao]

Just now, ashypanda said:

it can do as i got a digital entitlement key from an OEM W8.1 install, as that's the key you get when you upgraded to W10 from W7, and W8.1.

If you upgraded to Windows 10 from Windows 8.1 using that key or from the free upgrade offer,it will work either way,you don't need to link the key to the MS-Account,it is not STORED in the MS account or whatever to UPGRADE to Windows 10,you can use a unlinked legit Windows 7/8/8.1 OEM/Retail key to install Windows 10

[Draconid]

1 minute ago, Gaurav S Rao said:

If you upgraded to Windows 10 from Windows 8.1 using that key or from the free upgrade offer,it will work either way,you don't need to link the key to the MS-Account,it is not STORED in the MS account or whatever to UPGRADE to Windows 10,you can use a unlinked legit Windows 7/8/8.1 OEM/Retail key to install Windows 10

I was thinking of purchasing one of Kinguin https://www.kinguin.net/category/19429/windows-10-professional-oem-key/

[ashypanda]

Just now, Gaurav S Rao said:

If you upgraded to Windows 10 from Windows 8.1 using that key or from the free upgrade offer,it will work either way,you don't need to link the key to the MS-Account,it is not STORED in the MS account or whatever to UPGRADE to Windows 10,you can use a unlinked legit Windows 7/8/8.1 OEM/Retail key to install Windows 10

you need to link it so the key can be used through different motherboards, as when i had to change my motherboard my new board wouldn't activate because it didn't have a key assigned on MS's activation servers, so i had to create a user account with my MS account to be able to transfer the key from my old motherboard to my new motherboard.

[Gaurav S Rao]

Just now, ashypanda said:

you need to link it so the key can be used through different motherboards, as when i had to change my motherboard my new board wouldn't activate because it didn't have a key assigned on MS's activation servers, so i had to create a user account with my MS account to be able to transfer the key from my old motherboard to my new motherboard.

You used a retail key or a OEM key

[ashypanda]

it was an OEM key with W8.1 which got converted to a W10 digital entitlement key when i upgraded, but the key is linked to the HW ID of the motherboard used to upgrade from.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/help/12440/windows-10-activation

[Draconid]

2 minutes ago, ashypanda said:

it was an OEM key with W8.1 which got converted to a W10 digital entitlement key when i upgraded, but the key is linked to the HW ID of the motherboard used to upgrade from.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/help/12440/windows-10-activation

So should I buy myself a new key? I decided not to upgrade to Windows 10 as I didn't like the look of it and the idea of everything changing, but now I realize that was a big mistake >.< 

[ashypanda]

Just now, Draconid said:

So should I buy myself a new key? I decided not to upgrade to Windows 10 as I didn't like the look of it and the idea of everything changing, but now I realize that was a big mistake >.< 

you should have upgraded to at least get the key, as you could have always rolled back to W8.1, but you can always get a free key from the insider program or you can try to get the upgrade through here https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/accessibility/windows10upgrade 

[Draconid]

2 minutes ago, ashypanda said:

you should have upgraded to at least get the key, as you could have always rolled back to W8.1, but you can always get a free key from the insider program or you can try to get the upgrade through here https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/accessibility/windows10upgrade 

Okay, I think the link you sent me has worked, so now when I put in my new parts and I sign in with my account it should allow me to install windows 10? Oh and thanks for the help

[ashypanda]

1 minute ago, Draconid said:

Okay, I think the link you sent me has worked, so now when I put in my new parts and I sign in with my account it should allow me to install windows 10? Oh and thanks for the help

also read the bottom of this page https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/help/12440/windows-10-activation as it says what to do in  the case of hardware changes.

[ashypanda]

2 minutes ago, Draconid said:

Okay, I think the link you sent me has worked, so now when I put in my new parts and I sign in with my account it should allow me to install windows 10? Oh and thanks for the help

one last thing do NOT enter a key when doing a clean install.

[Draconid]

Oh okay thanks :p, Um what do I do if it does ask for one?