Old Windows 10 with new hardware will it work?

[kieran_read]

Basically I may be forced to get a new PC (Power surge now it's not looking promising)

My hard drive is fine as is my copy of Windows, but I have read somewhere that MS restricts the amount of hardware changes you can make to your computer.

It will essentially be a new computer with only the Hard Drives and Gfx card being moved over.

Just wondering if i shove my old hard drive in if it will run right away or if i will have to do anything.

Thanks

 

[Disco_P]

It depends on the license for windows 10.

OEM versions or upgrade versions may get iffy with you. However I think you can move an OEM license across as the old one will get deactivated (which is null as the old motherboard isn't going to be used anymore). Upgrade might require you to install windows 7 or 8 and upgrade to get it to activate again.

 

[kieran_read]

I can't remember what it was, I think it was a retail version as i had a disk, but this was Windows Vista in 2008, Paid upgrade to Windows 7, then free upgrade to 8 then 10.

I don't have the original disk any more as it was for Vista. So I guess I will have to just got for it see what happens.

 

[GAM8LE]

Considering you went via the upgrade route you should be able to get on the app/phone to Microsoft and give them your current windows seriel to disable. They will then give you a windows 10 key in return.

As long as its retail its transferrable. I got rid of my 8.1 key this way, got a w10 key in return and now can change hardware as much as I want and just need to input my key to activate again.

 

[Finners]

Considering you went via the upgrade route you should be able to get on the app/phone to Microsoft and give them your current windows seriel to disable. They will then give you a windows 10 key in return.

As long as its retail its transferrable. I got rid of my 8.1 key this way, got a w10 key in return and now can change hardware as much as I want and just need to input my key to activate again.

What app is this? I have a windows 8 key I'd love to exchange for a 10 so I can keep hold of it for future use.

 

[kieran_read]

Considering you went via the upgrade route you should be able to get on the app/phone to Microsoft and give them your current windows seriel to disable. They will then give you a windows 10 key in return.

As long as its retail its transferrable. I got rid of my 8.1 key this way, got a w10 key in return and now can change hardware as much as I want and just need to input my key to activate again.

That sounds great....

But what if i can't get on the computer to get the key? At the moment it's looking unlikely.

Either way that sounds like a good method as it means no jumping through hoops after.

 

[GAM8LE]

What app is this? I have a windows 8 key I'd love to exchange for a 10 so I can keep hold of it for future use.

Its the contact support app built into w10.

I changed my motherboard a month or so ago, and had to do this process to get a w10 key. Quote from another thread I posted in about it:

Yes as I did it last night when I changed my motherboard/CPU etc

If you change any hardware which results in windows getting deactivated with error code ending C003 I think it is, then you can ring/use the app to get in touch with Microsoft and advise them that you wish to generate a windows 10 key and replace whatever key the original OS had before upgrading to windows 10.

However...you will need to tell a white lie.

It took me two attempts last night, first one the person said a motherboard change was too much of a significant change and they wouldn't give me a key for windows 10.

Second person, I told that I updated my bios and it deactivated and I got my windows 10 key.

It is in the EULA also.

And here is a quote of the first person who informed me how to word it to the Microsoft team:

my windows 10 deactivated after i did a firmware update on the motherboard
my windows 8 key was Key: **************************************
i had windows 10 clean installed and activated, did bios update and then it de activated
it is a full retail key
windows 10 upgrade was from within windows 8.1
it activated
i then did a clean install
and again it activated
, i changed gfx card
the motherboard had to have a firmware update to make the gfx card work
once i had updated bios and installed card windows deactivated
Error code: 0xC004C003

i had a full retail version of windows 8.1, i am entitled to a windows 10 retail key as per the EULA section 4b

also please see this link

https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/windows-10-faq

in particular this text:
Yes. Once you’ve upgraded to Windows 10 using the free upgrade offer, you will be able to reinstall, including a clean install, on the same device. You won’t need a product key for re-activations on the same hardware. If you make a meaningful change to your hardware, you may need to contact customer support to help with activation.

I have been advised to re-install previously, this is unreasonable as I have a fully licensed 8.1 Retail Key I would like the same to replace the Windows 10 key that is no longer working

That sounds great....

But what if i can't get on the computer to get the key? At the moment it's looking unlikely.

Either way that sounds like a good method as it means no jumping through hoops after.

Hmm, damn. This im not sure about to be honest. You "may" be lucky and be able to ring them and see if anything is visible on their end tied to your Microsoft ID(assuming you logged in using a Microsoft account)

Do you have the key on any old boxes or anything?

 

[kieran_read]

Its the contact support app built into w10.

I changed my motherboard a month or so ago, and had to do this process to get a w10 key. Quote from another thread I posted in about it:



And here is a quote of the first person who informed me how to word it to the Microsoft team:






Hmm, damn. This im not sure about to be honest. You "may" be lucky and be able to ring them and see if anything is visible on their end tied to your Microsoft ID(assuming you logged in using a Microsoft account)

Do you have the key on any old boxes or anything?

Yeh I'm logged into my MS account so hopefully that will be enough, they will at least know I have it.