Solved Help changing motherboards on 2 current Win Pro systems

[trinaz]

I am going to update both my Win 7 Pro 32bit and Win 7 Pro 64bit machines...mostly each will receive a new mother board..

Here's the plan:

on the 64 bit machine it will hopefully be just setting up the system...board...etc...and then installing an Acronis image to the new drive

on the 32bit system...it will be setting up the box and then doing a clean install of Win 7 32bit.

My question(s) is/are anything tricky about either approach...and...how do I convince Windows/Microsoft that both these systems are not copies but original licensed DVD installs...not just cloning to a second/third etc machine.

I think a mother board change will cause an existing system to rebel...and also a response from Microsoft on the changed system components ?

Any advice will be appreciated ...!

TRinAZ

 

[gregrocker]

Depends on if Windows 7 came preinstalled on the machine, in which case Factory OEM license won't survive a motherboard change unless it's the same model mobo or you can get MS phone Activation to make an exception: How To Activate Windows 7 by Phone Step-by-Step Guide

If it's retail Full or Upgrade version then it can migrate to any new hardware of your choice. Retail Builder's OEM version also is restricted to first mobo installed upon.

 

[trinaz]

...If it's retail Full or Upgrade version then it can migrate to any new hardware of your choice. Retail Builder's OEM version also is restricted to first mobo installed upon.

Sounds good....both DVDs are retail upgrade versions...liscensed and registered.

Should be no problem then ?

On the 64bit machine that I want to setup up via an Acronis image restore...will the system at first startup simply read the hardware changes and adjust accordingly to the new HDD and motherboard...etc ?

Thanks

 

[gregrocker]

Do you have Acronis with Universal Restore? It should adjust the image to the hardware change.

If not to be sure you can SysPrep the HD before moving it or its image to remove all drivers, SID, HID and activation: SysPrep to move HD to another computer

It's possible that Win7 will start up anyway with a mobo change but you cannot be certain of this.

 

[trinaz]

If not to be sure you can SysPrep the HD before moving it or its image to remove all drivers, SID, HID and activation: SysPrep to move HD to another computer

Thanks for your patience...the new box will also have a new HDD to which I will transfer the current image. Do I then:

1) Create an image (via Acronis - no Universal Restore) within the old system on the new HDD

2) Run SysPrep on the new drive after cloning/imaging while still in the old system to remove drivers...etc...

3) Install cloned system on new HDD from old box into the new box and start new system

Anything in particular I should look for during this process to avoid catastrophe ?

Thanks...TRinAZ

 

[gregrocker]

If you image to the target HD you can swap it into new hardware to see if it will start first.

If not, move it back to SysPrep. The tutorial author Kari can consult if you need him.

I would not waste a whole lot of time trying to make it work when you can clean reinstall in minutes and have the best option of all: Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7

 

[James7679]

If it's retail Full or Upgrade version then it can migrate to any new hardware of your choice. Retail Builder's OEM version also is restricted to first mobo installed upon.

I have had a different experience with the Retail Builder's OEM version. Since Windows 7 was released, I have used the same Retail Builder's OEM disc on three different machines I have built for myself.

 

[gregrocker]

Did these require phone activation to get an exception from MS? This is what we've heard is increasingly happening since Win7 release.

I don't know for sure if the EULA has changed, but it seems the policy is loosening on this. Others?

 

[James7679]

I have never had to do Over the phone activation. Only entered the product key as normal.

 

[James7679]

Guess they are just getting lax on actually Policing or enforcing this rule.....

 

[gregrocker]

From Licensing FAQ

Q. Can a PC with an OEM Windows operating system have its motherboard upgraded and keep the same license? What if it was replaced because it was defective?

A. Generally, an end user can upgrade or replace all of the hardware components on a computer except the motherboard and still retain the license for the original Microsoft OEM operating system software. If the motherboard is upgraded or replaced for reasons other than a defect, then a new computer has been created. Microsoft OEM operating system software cannot be transferred to the new computer, and the license of new operating system software is required. If the motherboard is replaced because it is defective, you do not need to acquire a new operating system license for the PC as long as the replacement motherboard is the same make/model or the same manufacturer's replacement/equivalent, as defined by the manufacturer's warranty.

The reason for this licensing rule primarily relates to the End User Software License Terms and the support of the software covered by that End User Software License Terms. The End User Software License Terms is a set of usage rights granted to the end user by the PC manufacturer and relates only to rights for that software as installed on that particular PC. The system builder is required to support the software on the original PC. Understanding that end users, over time, upgrade their PCs with different components, Microsoft needed to have one base component "left standing" that would still define the original PC. Since the motherboard contains the CPU and is the "heart and soul" of the PC, when the motherboard is replaced (for reasons other than defect) a new PC is essentially created. The original system builder did not manufacture this new PC, and therefore cannot be expected to support it.

 

[trinaz]

OK..things didn't go well...could not run sysprep because the system kept saying it wasn't the original install....or something like that.

The box was originally an HP unit...but when we went to Win 7 Pro 32bit I beleive I did a clean install and then reinstalled programs from scratch.

The system always had a C: drive and E: drive (system reserve)...I guess left over from the original HP set up

( http://www.sevenforums.com/installa...increase-system-reserve-partition-100-mb.html )

I am in the process of changing mother boards on two systems ( http://www.sevenforums.com/installa...g-motherboards-2-current-win-pro-systems.html )

I could not get sysprep to run on either machine...got an error message saying:

"Sysprep cannot run on a computer that has been upgraded to a new version of Windows. You can only run Sysprep on a custom (clean) install version of Windows"

So I tried to just change MB's and hope for the best...

After starting up system with new MB...Windows will not start...the Windows logo appears and the little things start to circle...but then the PC reboots.

Have notice tho that the system is trying to boot to "E" above...and NOT the "C" drive ?

I can get to startup disk/command prompt...can I change the 'system' disk from "E" (causing boot failure) to "C" thru Command prompt...will that solve my problem and allow Windows (old same HDD but new motherboard) to boot

Thanks....

 

[gregrocker]

Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7

It's a superior install anyway.

 

[trinaz]

OK...a little confused....

This was an old HP media center PC....2 years ago we purchased the Win 7 Pto 32bit upgrade DVD

All original HP stuff and C: drive was wiped and replaced with new Win 7 isntall

Installed as a clean install and then reinstalled all programs that we wanted to keep...nothing left over from HP's origianl OS and Media Center PC setup

Why do i need the :

Write down the Product Key from COA sticker located on back or side of PC tower, bottom or under battery of notebook. Make sure you get the characters correct as this is a main cause of activation failure. You can input or Skip the key during install then afterwards activate at Control Panel>System which may require a quick robocall. The COA sticker looks like this:
​

I have the original upgrade DVD and a current iso DVD with SP1 included ?

The original install of Win 7 Pro 32bit went with out a hitch and my DVD upgrade product key was registered officially...why would I deal with the COA sticker then ?

Are you saying there is no way out now but to a clean install and re-install everything on the PC ??

There's nothing at all left over from the original HP Media Center PC we originally purchased !??

Only project here is/was to replace the motherboard and/or new case...all other hardware staying the same


Still have to do a "clean install" ??

Thanks

 

[ignatzatsonic]

As I understand it, you have a retail Windows installation disc, with its own Product Key?

If that's correct, you don't need any other product key that may be found on the PC. You can do a clean install with that retail disc and its product key, bypassing anything connected to HP.

You don't need to have that "system reserved" partition at all.

Install with just 1 disc connected.

 

[gregrocker]

If Win7 won't start up on the new hardware then you'll have to clean reinstall unless you can SysPrep it on the old hardware, find a Paragon Adaptive Restore CD to run on it on the new hardware, or reimage the old OS using Acronis with Unversal Restore. That's all.

No you don't need the previous Windows Product Key which came with the HP if it isn't Win7. Just clean reinstall with the Product Key that came with the Upgrade disk, or if it will start on the new hardware change the Key at Control Panel>System to reactivate with the new hardware signature.

When you boot the installer to Clean Reinstall, it will see another OS on the HD to allow use of Upgrade verison key during install. If you have a new HD or wipe HD before install, leave the Product Key blank then after install do the quick registry workaround given here to activate Upgrade version on blank HD: Clean Install with a Upgrade Windows 7 Version

 

[trinaz]

Thanks again for all you efforts on this...since I have the same issue with my Win 7 Pro 64bit drive....it appears that SysPrep will not work on a Windows installation that was installed with the upgrade version of Windows.

"SysPrep cannot run on a computer that has been upgraded to a new version of Windows. You can only run SysPrep on a custom (clean) install of version of Windows"

​

Looks like I'm locked into reinstalling all programs on both the Win 7 Pro 64 bit and Win 7 Pro 32 bit systems because of the two new motheboards...

I "started a conversation" with the SysPrep author on the Tutorial page...but can not figure out how to get back to it. Didn't use a post to the tutorial..but I believe the link was "start a conversation" with the author ?

Have any idea on how I get back to that conversation in case he responds ?

Thanks again for all your time...TRinAZ

 

[gregrocker]

You'll be notified when Kari replies if you clicked on his profile message.

It sounds to me like you're due for a superior clean reinstall if you've already in-place Upgraded from Vista. However one of the other options to remove all of the drivers and prepare HD to boot on new hardware might work.

 

[trinaz]

Thanks all...had to reinstall all programs on the Win 7 32bit system...that's OK cause she had puts lots of junk in this box and a clean install was probably best...had to resort to option '3' in the tutorial...but system is up and running fine !!

My Win 7 Pro 64bit however fired right up after new MB...only issue at all was Microsoft Office would not activate...online activation wouldn't work...phone activation wouldn't work...but finally figured out how to get a live person and that went smootly...

You guys are great...not to mention amazingly patient with the uninitiated

Thanks...TRinAZ

 

[gregrocker]

Thanks for reporting back. You can mark thread Solved at top.