Upgrading motherboard/windows 7 reinstall Qs

[singh_uk]

I will be shortly upgrading my P45 e6600 pc to a i7 rig. I already have Windows 7 installed (w7 pro upgrade from a previous install of XP) and had three questions:

1. Can I just do a repair of Windows 7 after upgrading or is a full reinstall required?

2. If a full reinstall is required, will I have to deactivate my old Windows and reactivate it? Since my current copy has been activated already, will Windows be confused if another copy of Windows is attempting to be activated with the same key? Thanks

3. I no longer have my copy of XP so will this matter when using the W7 upgrade disc when doing a clean install?



THanks

 

[bledd]

If the XP was oem, then you'll need a new Windows 7 licence

 

[matthab]

Its the old trick you pull when you do a mobo swap on a OEM license.

1) Stick the upgrade disc in it will find the previous install and just wipe it clean and start again.

2) attempt to activate, if all else fails ring MS up and try the phone activation. If that fails itll divert you to a operator and just say the pc has been back to the manufacture and had its mobo changed and your now trying to reactivate it.

 

[SiriusB]

If the XP was oem, then you'll need a new Windows 7 licence

A clean install would be the better option after such a major upgrade [it is for all intents a new computer] but Windows 7 is very good with drivers. Either way you can only do this if, as bledd points out, the XP install was Retail.

If it was Retail then reactivating won't confuse Windows. At worst you have to make a phonecall.

 

[singh_uk]

Thanks everyone

Any way to find out whether or not my XP I previously had was retail based upon the current state of the PC?

And to confirm - i will not have to 'deactivate' my current copy of Win 7 - just install straight overi t?

 

[SiriusB]

Well, where did your PC come from?

If you built it yourself, did you buy an OEM copy of XP or Retail?

If it was pre-built by someone else it is highly probably it is OEM.