What do I do if i change my motherbored and add a SSD

JoshSteakFarm

New member
When I change motherboards do i have to completely wipe my previous Hard Drive including all the programs and the OS, if its just the OS How do you wipe it without deleting the programs. :confused:
 
I believe so yes, since the OS and it's key is bound to the motherboard itself... whenever I've changed my motherboard, I've reinstalled Windows and had to call Microsoft in order to re-activate my Windows key, due to a new "PC", ie the motherboard.
 
I've changed motherboards (and chipset) with no effects on the windows installation. I just had to re enter the key and it was good to go again. But it could be problematic, the best thing to do is make a back up and I always save a copy of my files just incase that fails. See if you can literally swap in the motherboard, if that doesn't go well reformat the drive and re-image it. Worst case you have to install the programs again and copy your files back.

It could be easy but just make sure you have everything backed up nicely before you start pulling motherboards out.

JR
 
depemnds on the os. for a mother board swap you can usually
run sysprep. > shutdown (you would tell it to shut down in the options)

after that you would change your mother board.

when you power on windows will run through the finishing install/ running through windows for the 1st time.. You need to make a new user account. your old one is still there but you need to make a new one with a diferent name. "reinst" is a name i often use.

A word of caution I have had sysprep fail to work twice which meant i had to format to recover so data back up is reccomended 1st.

With a new ssd its better to do a fresh windows install "duall boot" then manually move user account contents to user accounts you just created on the ssd. And you can also back up key registry entries and export them to the new install..

"thats probably the safest way"

Now to cover your question fully.

In theory! (although never tried this my self.)
you can do the following:
clone your hard disk to the ssd
configure bios to boot from the ssd.
reboot to test it is booting to windows using the ssd.
Now when in windows run sysprep > shutdown
let the system shut down.
replace the mother board.
boot up
"windows Should run through windows is running for the 1st time prompts"
create a new user account that you never had before again i reccomend the name "reinst"
once loged in to windows. Change user to your old user account that is still there.
Delete the user "reinst"

all done.

I cannot stress enough that you should back uup your data 1st..

if it works as intended you save hours if not days of reinstalling times due to apps and games and you dont lose your save games and so on.
If for some reason it fails "it has for me 2 times out of probably 30+" then you are looking at a format to be able to get windows back on there"

i have never had to re activate after using sysprep.
but if you do it a number of times you do have to change some registry entries so it will let you sysprep. again
(im thinking it only lets you sysprep like 3 times, it keeps count of how many you have done in the registry, on the 4th attempt it will fail untill you edit the registry valuse that keep count of how many times you have used it.)
 
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So in general All I have to do is when i install my new mobo and cpu and hook up the sata cables, run the bios so i can put the OS on the SSD? and do the os settings then put in the key (or call microsoft?)
 
Also a note to point out, are you using OEM or Retail License for Windows? as OEM is technically bind to that particular hardware.
 
Using Full version liscences 64 bit. And when i boot up windows my disc usage at 100% and crashes sometimes.
 
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