New
#1
When i upgrade my motherboard and cpu will i need to call microsoft
to get windows 7 full to work with new motherboard and cpu
When i upgrade my motherboard and cpu will i need to call microsoft
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New #2
A new MB is the usual criteria used by MS to determine if you are installing on the same computer. A call will have to be made. From other posters, I have learned that the process is painless and you will be permitted to use the OS. The reps are friendly and cooperative.
Activate Windows 7 by Phone
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New #3
The Activate by Phone link Rich has suggested will usually work just fine.
If not, a call to MS and tell them whats up will be needed.
And I can confirm, they are very helpful with this type of situation and it doesnt take long.
Just tell them what you have done, and that it is indeed the only PC it will be activated on and they will get you going again no problem.
Provided your copy is a Upgrade or Retail.
If OEM, there may be a problem.
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New #4
I just got my PC back yesterday after it had to have both a new Motherboard and processor so had to activate over the phone.
Go to control panel, all items then system. Click on the activate link and it will tell you that it cant activate online and to activate by phone. Follow the instructions and you'll be done in no time. It's all automated and quite painless. Only takes a couple of minutes.
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New #5
I have replaced the Motherboard in Two different computers running Windows 7 and did not have to call Microsoft.
I just activated online with no problems.
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New #6
After a couple of upgrades (CPU, then CPU and motherboard), I have had to call the automated system twice, and it was totally painless.
When my Vista machine's board fried on me, I had to reactivate the same way but with a different model board, and it was an OEM copy. No problems there, either.
The weirdest thing though, we have a machine at work, that was running XP, and all we did was add more RAM, and we had to reactivate. Our IT guy was scratching his head over that one...
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New #7
Hi there
Sometimes you wont get asked to activate either --I swapped a Mobo and CPU board from a DUAL to an Intel QUAD processor -- No squeak of re-activation required. However adding a SATA DVD device and another 4GB of RAM DID require re-activation.
No probs as other have said use the activate by phone and just say you have got a new machine and you are re-installing the OS.
This will normally only work for Full retail copies of Windows or Technet downloads.
What triggers activation seems to be a fairly random selection algorithm.
Cheers
jimbo
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New #8
Heh the algo is not random, but any sufficiently complex one can look random.
I believe that there is a timeout value added to the mix. I.e. if you have a full retail version that you installed a month ago and you need to change the MB, CPU and video card, hen you have to call. But if you have had the OS installed for 6+ months with no hardware changes, then it will time out and you can change a significant portion of the machine without needing to call MS. They /expect/ that every X months you will be upgrading a machine and allow for it. But if it's every few weeks then it starts to look "suspecious" (At least in the average case).
I don't know what the exact thresholds are but they are designed to not bother peoples upgrading cycles in 90+% of the cases...
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