New mobo = Buy new windows / office???

TanyaC · 15 Jan 2011

I have over heating problems in my system. It has been suggested, and through extensive testing that the problem may be caused by, or contributed to by my motherboard.

If I remember correctly, when I replaced a faulty motherboard with Windows Vista several years ago it wouldn't activate - and I rang M$ to see what I could do. They said buy a new licence.

Does any one know if this is still true?

If I replace my mobo are Windows 7 and Office 2010 going to refuse to activate because the resulting algorythm is different to my old mobo, forcing my repair cost from $250 to well over $1000?

Thanks
Tanya

DocBrown · 15 Jan 2011

Is your win7 & Office, OEM versions or Retail versions ?

Have you saved & recorded your install Key Codes ?

Pirx · 15 Jan 2011

Tanyam said:

Does any one know if this is still true?

This is not and never was true. No idea who you had talked to last time, but you should have no problems obtaining a new code for activation.

ignatzatsonic · 15 Jan 2011

Ordinarily, I wouldn't expect a motherboard to cause overheating.

Does your PC perform as expected other than the heat issue? Do you have all expected functionality?

Do you see any signs of swollen or malformed capacitors on the motherboard?

Any odd smells?

Not saying it can't be, but I'd more likely expect something else for a heat problem.

Kari · 15 Jan 2011

When (or if) you change the motherboard, here's a way to assure Windows still works without problems. Method 1 applies to you.

Especially if you have a retail version of Windows, you should have no problems.

Kari

Golden · 15 Jan 2011

Very nice Kari, very nice indeed!

**cluberti** · 16 Jan 2011

Nice link. Back to the OPs question - in either case (OEM vs Retail), replacing the motherboard in an existing system shouldn't cause an activation issue or require a new purchase of product. If it's OEM, it should already be tied to the BIOS via the SLIC key, and should re-activate on the new mobo (assuming it's the same as the old, or similar, shipped or installed by the OEM) and the user would be none the wiser. If it's retail, you have the express right to remove it from one machine and install/activate on another - given that changing a mobo does indeed indicate a new system to retail Windows almost every time, you can still just re-activate on that system (the "old system" no longer exists, so your licensing rights grant you re-activation on the "new" system).

It might not be flawless, but there's no need for a new product. If you get a new computer under other circumstances, obviously the rules can be different (you can't move OEM software from one machine to another without OEM approval or due to repair on that system, for instance), but otherwise you will be fine.

TanyaC · 16 Jan 2011

ignatzatsonic said:

Ordinarily, I wouldn't expect a motherboard to cause overheating.

Does your PC perform as expected other than the heat issue? Do you have all expected functionality?

Do you see any signs of swollen or malformed capacitors on the motherboard?

Any odd smells?

Not saying it can't be, but I'd more likely expect something else for a heat problem.

We've been discussing that in the hardware and devices forums. We've been through losts of test. I just bought a new case and temp is marginally better.

TanyaC · 16 Jan 2011

DocBrown said:

Is your win7 & Office, OEM versions or Retail versions ?

Have you saved & recorded your install Key Codes ?

Windows is full retail. The keys on on the sticker with the media

Office 2010 is the Office professional academic version. It came in a M$ case and cover and has the gold shiny CD. Is that retail?

The key for office is printed on a sheet inside the case.

TanyaC · 16 Jan 2011

Pirx said:

Tanyam said:

Does any one know if this is still true?

This is not and never was true. No idea who you had talked to last time, but you should have no problems obtaining a new code for activation.

I had this problem several times over the years. More so with XP than I did with Vista, as I really didn't do much work with vista.

Install mobo, reboot, and update drivers. Windows Complains it's needs activation so go online to activate it. Activation fails and says to contact M$ by phone, which I did.

Guy asks for for first 6 characters (IIRC), of activation code, and then tells me I cannot install windows on this machine because it is already installed on another machine. AS IF!

So we argue for about 20 minutes, while he tells me in poor indian/english to buy new windows licences because I am trying to install on more than one machine.. while I tell him I just changed motherboard.

Eventually they concede and say that a mobo is a new PC, so I have to buy a new licence. I respond "No wonder people go linux or pirate windows" and then hang up on the snotty little man..

Hence my hesitation at changing my mobo.. But, it was suggested that it *might* be contributing to the heat problems, given we can't find any other explanations, so ....