noiseredux wrote:hypothetical question: If I ever wanted to upgrade my i3 to an i5 or i7, but keep my same mobo (and everything else), will I still be forced to reinstall Windows?
I just recently built my mother-in-law a PC and used an application to find her Windows 8 license from her old pre-fab PC. After installing W8 on the new PC I got an error saying the license was already used on another PC, there was a number to call for a manual activation so I called it. It asked how many PCs this license was already on and I said "one". The automated system then had me read it a set of numbers on the screen and it then gave me an alternate set to input. Then it was activated. Whole process took about 10 minutes.
This same scenario may apply to you if you change the hardware configuration. I've never had that happen to me, but I've heard about it before. I just changed the CPU in my PC from an i7-920 to a Xeon X5650 and nothing happened regarding my Windows license.
Frag Mortuus wrote:
This same scenario may apply to you if you change the hardware configuration. I've never had that happen to me, but I've heard about it before. I just changed the CPU in my PC from an i7-920 to a Xeon X5650 and nothing happened regarding my Windows license.
There's some threshhold on hardware changes that can trigger it. Usually a 1 or 2 piece upgrade doesn't do it. I think in the case of that old laptop it was that it hadn't been used in quite some time, possibly before MS got more strict with serials and activation.
Frag Mortuus wrote:
This same scenario may apply to you if you change the hardware configuration. I've never had that happen to me, but I've heard about it before. I just changed the CPU in my PC from an i7-920 to a Xeon X5650 and nothing happened regarding my Windows license.
There's some threshhold on hardware changes that can trigger it. Usually a 1 or 2 piece upgrade doesn't do it. I think in the case of that old laptop it was that it hadn't been used in quite some time, possibly before MS got more strict with serials and activation.
I wonder if it has to do with either a reinstall of Windows or maybe the motherboard chipset being changed. I know that PSU, GPU, RAM, secondary HDD's, or CPU changes don't trigger it. But, the primary HDD change would require a reinstallation and then would more than likely be the culprit. But I also know that if you take a HDD with the Windows installation and try to use it in another PC it will trigger it too.
Possible with a new HD in an existing machine. As for popping a HD in a different machine, then yeah, basically all of the hardware has been changed at that point.
Hobie-wan wrote:Possible with a new HD in an existing machine. As for popping a HD in a different machine, then yeah, basically all of the hardware has been changed at that point.
Putting a HDD in an identical machine, or pushing a HDD image to identical machines, still requires reactivation. My assumption is that it's pulling the motherboard model/serial at least, if not predominately using that.
What are your thoughts on upgrading to 16GB RAM. Doesn't seem necessary for games, but I've been thinking about it. Just a week ago I got a GTX 980 as well.
Hobie-wan wrote:Possible with a new HD in an existing machine. As for popping a HD in a different machine, then yeah, basically all of the hardware has been changed at that point.
Putting a HDD in an identical machine, or pushing a HDD image to identical machines, still requires reactivation. My assumption is that it's pulling the motherboard model/serial at least, if not predominately using that.
I can second that. In the xp days, I had no issue doing that, but now with 7 it needs a reactivate everytime.
ZenErik wrote:What are your thoughts on upgrading to 16GB RAM. Doesn't seem necessary for games, but I've been thinking about it. Just a week ago I got a GTX 980 as well.
It's not really needed for games but you did just buy a 980 so you might as well go and stick more ram in too.
You'd be surprised at how much memory Windows and other crap will eat up, even at idle. I run 8GB, and Task manager usually tells me my memory usage is at like 20%. I want 16GB myself.
