New mobo. Have to buy Windows now?

[Chingylol]

Replacing my stock Asus motherboard with another, and heard that since Windows is tied to the mobo that I would have to buy a brand new key for it? The Asus motherboard is stock and came with my PC. Any info on how to keep my copy of Windows if possible?

[JakeMonkey]

Where did you hear that? Absolutely not true. It's stored on and locked to your hard drive.

[Deleted]

You might have to re-activate it, that's all. You just need your serial number and - perhaps - a phone.

[Nalnik]

It may make you reactivate it (because it might think that it's on a new computer). That should only take a few minutes at most. There's no need for a new key (or shouldn't be).

[JakeMonkey]

You're all crazy. Put in the new motherboard and go. Putting in a new motherboard will change literally nothing.

[Deleted]

You're all crazy. Put in the new motherboard and go. Putting in a new motherboard will change literally nothing.

Windows isn't locked to a harddrive and never has been, but a new motherboard can but not always ask for a re-activation and if it was a OEM license then it will locked to a motherboard.

[theWocky]

Where did you hear that? Absolutely not true. It's stored on and locked to your hard drive.

No, it's not... It's locked to your main-board - depends on the license - If it's DSP or OEM, once activated, it's locked to a specific PC mainboard.

Microsoft considers a new main-board a new PC.

You can keep your key and probably re-activate Windows (by lying), but not "legally" so. If it's a "retail edition", you can use it on your new machine.

I am a Microsoft Reseller, Clean Dealer & Partner - in my IT Business

[Shyzhi]

Where did you hear that? Absolutely not true. It's stored on and locked to your hard drive.

Not completly true, I changed my motehrboard and have to phone windows to allow me to install W8 again on my new PC.

It dont take long just make sure you have a pen a paper and your golden. Everytime you change Mobo you will have to phone windows.

[Jakerel]

Some companies will embed an OEM coding into the BIOS of the Motherboard, so it has an auto detection system should there be a problem with your Windows installation and you must reinstall or use a Recovery system loaded on to the HDD. If that is the case with your setup there, replacing the Motherboard will only lose that auto detection measure. You should still have your Windows code anyway, so should it ask for you to reactive Windows, it won't be hard to solve it.

[Schadow]

As many have said, it depends on the license.

OEM: It's tied to the motherboard
Retail (Store): It's tied to the CD that came with it.

However, if you are replacing your motherboard with a new one that is not the same type, it would be better to re-install it anyways due to possible drivers issues that may occur that may prevent it from booting. It can boot fine without troubles or it can't boot at all or it works in diminished value.

[chazus]

Sigh. Lots of misinformation here.

-Your license key is never, ever, ever, tied to the CD. You can use any proper* CD/DVD to reinstall windows.

-Your license key is not locked to the hard drive, either. However Windows may recognize too many hardware changes (There is a list, but it's around 3-4 parts, HD, GPU, CD) as a 'new system' and may require a call-in.

-Your license -may- be tied to the motherboard on first install, in that it recognizes that part as 'the computer'. Legally, Microsoft states that if you replace the motherboard, you need to buy a new copy of windows. However, not only do they pretty much not enforce it, but 9 times out of 10 you can just reinstall and activate without an issue. Otherwise, you just phone in and say you replaced the motherboard (even if its a new computer)

-Your license -may- be specifically hardcoded to the motherboard, especially in the case of Windows 8 and laptops. My recent laptop purchase, I have no code available, no sticker, nada. The only way I can seem to access it is listing in BIOS. A smart move, but annoying. I suppose I could try to pull it from BIOS, and try on another system, however I don't feel the need to try that. This situation is pretty rare.

OEM or Retail, you can usually switch boards, or even computers, without an issue.

[Faithh]

The license is just tied to the serial number of your motherboard, so if you replace a motherboard with the same model you have to reactivate it.