Motherboard swap around


  1. Ivan the SoSo
    Posts : 2,562
    windows 10 pro 64 bit
       New #1

    Motherboard swap around


    Quick question...can you change motherboards without reinstalling Windows 7? Anybody done it?
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  3. LiquidSnak
    Posts : 2,259
    W7 Professional x64
       New #2

    As long as it's not OEM you are fine. And I'm not so convinced about OEM, since I've taken stock hard drives and ran them on an entirely new system.
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  4. Zepher
    Posts : 2,164
    Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit
       New #3

    I've done it 4 times so far and it worked each time.
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  6. gregrocker
    Posts : 50,642
       New #4

    The mobo is often too much of a change for Win7 to be able to start without being SysPrepped first on the old hardware, removing all drivers, hardware ID's and activation specifically so it will start on new hardware: SysPrep to move HD to another computer

    Another option is to boot Paragon Adaptive restore CD and run it on Win7 once the mobo is changed. It does the same thing except with a GUI and full automation to "Adapt OS to new hardware."

    The mobo is the major change affecting the hardware signature linked to the OS activation. You'll need to reinstall the key at Computer>Properties to overwrite the old signature in MS activation servers.

    If this is builder's OEM it's supposedly a deal-killer but MS has been making exceptions using phone Activation, factory OEM requires help from the maker who will swap the same mobo or use a workaround.
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  7. Ivan the SoSo
    Posts : 2,562
    windows 10 pro 64 bit
    Thread Starter
       New #5

    The motherboard has arrived....A BiostarA770E3, it came bundled with the Athlon X2 2.9gig CPU....was expecting junk but seems to be a nice board...I'll reuse my Black quad core and cooler with it....Two 4 gig sticks of Mushkin DDR3 1333 ram, all that minus the Athlon goes in my system.....

    Then my old board goes to my son...his board has integrated graphics, that are unused....but he will go up to 6gigs of ram.....

    Then my daughter will get a system with a, M3A76-CM motherboard, AMD X2 2.9 gig CPU, 4 gigs DDR2 677,all in a lovely PINK case....not too shabby for a THREE year old to run Reader Rabbit Kindergarten on.....

    But I will have to do all this on the weekend.....
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  8. gregrocker
    Posts : 50,642
       New #6

    Let us know how it goes.
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  10. Ivan the SoSo
    Posts : 2,562
    windows 10 pro 64 bit
    Thread Starter
       New #7

    Didn't have to run SysPrep....just three reboots everything's the same, maybe a tad faster.....Installing catalyst on my Son's system....His went even better than mine....(I forgot to plug in a 6 pin in the video card).

    Thanks for all the help
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  11. gregrocker
    Posts : 50,642
       New #8

    Nice work.
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