Build New PC with EXISTING windows 10 key?

mattyc1977

mattyc1977

mattyc1977

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201
Hi.
I had windows 7 and got my free upgrade to windows 10.
I am debating upgrading my 3770k cpu, motherboard, SSD and memory to a new broadwell express cpu, motherboard, ddr4 and new type of pci-e SSD with NVMe (about £1000 i reckon in total), I already have a 980ti so graphics card is fine but wondering what happens to my windows 10 product code as if i am reading correctly, it is linked to my existing hardware so if i change it all, it wont work? Will i need to by a new version of windows 10?

Hope that makes sense.

My main reasoning to upgrade is i have a ocz vertex 3 SSD but its only 250GB and i want a 500GB drive but want the new asus pro nvme hard drive but its not compatible with my processor and motherboard so i thought i would upgrade the lot!

Im actually debating not doing anything to be honest as im not sure whether the upgrade will bring me much more power, i only really game on my pc.
I dont need masses of storage as i have a 6TB NAS with most of my stuff on.
I know the drive will be much quicker and i will be more future proof but is it a waste of £1000 and secondly, if i do do it, will i have to purchase a new windows 10 key?
 
If its just so you can use the NVMe, then I wouldn't bother, a normal SSD is still quick unless you're looking at 1-2 seconds om boot times for spending nearly £1000. You also won't gain much in performance going from a 3770k to a 4790k etc.

Regarding the upgrade you shouldn't need a new key, they changed how they store the keys so you can install W10 fresh and activate it with your current key.
 
I just checked, i have a retail key so should be ok.
Im not going to a 4790k, i was going to go from a 3770k to a 6800k, from 16gb DDR3 2133 to 32gb DDR4 3000+ and a SATA3 SSD to NVMe SSD.
Im thinking the CPU should be much faster, the memory should be much faster and so should the SSD?
I am going to have to upgrade at some point, i am at the limits of what this motherboard can do now. I was thinking the 6 core CPU would be much more future proof?
 
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CPU will be at best about 10% faster than what you currently have albeit will have 2 more cores to play with, but wouldn't expect much noticeable improvement, and you'll most likely see a decrease in games that require powerful single core performance.

However, if you're going for an upgrade soon then no reason not too, unless you wait for Kaby Lake at the end of the year.

SSD will be faster, but again how noticeable it will be depends on you, PC startup and game loading will be a smidgen quicker but we're talking 1-2 seconds max, unless you're using the SSD as a scratch disc in rendering you'll not notice much over a traditional SSD.

32GB isn't really needed for gaming, 16GB is still good enough, however fast DDR4 can have some improvement in games.
 
Personally i'm using 3770k still and have no issues really (esp with 980Ti) i'm waiting for a good increase in processors before i do my next upgrade; this will keep me going for a little while longer!
 
also about the W10 key; aren't the locked to your motherboard now? not entirely sure you can upgrade; i guess if you call Microsoft and complain they might let you change hardware as you mention it is a retail key.
 
Yes, you will have to buy another Win 10 key unless you buy your new mobo before the 29th of July, install Win 7 +SP1 on it and then upgrade to 10
 
Or...you could install your original media, and claim another free upgrade to Win10 - the offer still runs until July 29th, unless I'm mistaken?

You'd need a retail key to do this - OEM keys live / die with your hardware and as such cannot be transferred.
 
If you have a retail win 7 key then it can be used on more than one machine but if you upgrade that retail copy to win 10 then you'll not be able to transfer the newly generated win 10 code to another machine.

Get a new mobo, install your retail copy of 7 with the new mobo and upgrade to 10 before the end of july.
 
I've just upgraded CPU, RAM, SSD and motherboard and got away with using the same original Win7 Pro Retail key on the existing Win10 Pro install.

Initially, Windows reported itself as not activated and with an incorrect key. I entered exactly the same key I'd used during the original Win10 upgrade (ie, the same one it was now claiming to be incorrect) and Windows came back telling me it had successfully activated.

This was on the original SSD with just the CPU, RAM and motherboard changed. I then cloned the OS across to the new SSD with Macrium Reflect Free and it still reported as activated and has remained that way ever since.

It clearly does work with a Retail key at present. Whether it still works after July 23rd is anyone's guess.
 
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I have done a bit of research on this and it seems if you change your pc to log in via a Microsoft account, instead of a local account, your serial code is saved to your Microsoft account so when you reinstall onto new hardware, if you set up linked to Microsoft account, it should work.
 
mattyc1977 said:
I have done a bit of research on this and it seems if you change your pc to log in via a Microsoft account, instead of a local account, your serial code is saved to your Microsoft account so when you reinstall onto new hardware, if you set up linked to Microsoft account, it should work.
Click to expand...

I think that's referring to other software that you download from the store, such as MS office keycodes and downloads.
 
It definitely works that way with office (at least 2013 version) - once I sign in with Microsoft account after the install , it automatically activates - saving a stupid phone call.

Not heard that the same thing works with Windows itself before though.
 
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