alright boys i got me a computer question
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Author Topic: alright boys i got me a computer question  (Read 1195 times)

TheScout

August 17, 2017, 04:33:56 PM
my current PC is old and loud and slow as balls so i've ordered a bunch of new parts. essentially i'll be keeping my current hard drive and graphic card, and replacing everything else. but here's the Big Problem: i'm using an AMD CPU/motherboard and switching to an Intel CPU/mobo.
from what i've read i need to reformat my hard drive, but that would involve deleting everything off of it including my OS. the whole reason i want to use my old hard drive is so i don't have to spend days reinstalling windows and all my games and stuff. but im also reading things that say maybe i don't have to?
the main reason i want to ask beforehand is that i'm going to be gutting my current PC to complete the new one, and if i just bluescreen on startup then i'm up stuff creek

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Pecon

August 17, 2017, 04:49:08 PM
If you switch motherboards your Windows activation may be invalidated. You'll want to back up your current activation key (or find where it is written down, it's sometimes on a sticker attached to the computer if it was a prebuilt). I wouldn't anticipate any  issues with using your current OS installation unless the machine is running a 16-bit OS (windows ME/CE or older).
« Last Edit: August 17, 2017, 04:51:01 PM by Pecon »

General

August 17, 2017, 04:49:34 PM
You do not need to reformat your hard drive. You may get an error when trying to load windows, but if I remember correctly you can re-setup your copy of windows from the windows installation image without losing any files or installed applications. I'll look into this when I have more time tomorrow.
« Last Edit: August 17, 2017, 04:51:26 PM by General »

TheScout

August 18, 2017, 02:24:58 PM
Quote from: General on August 17, 2017, 04:49:34 PM
You do not need to reformat your hard drive. You may get an error when trying to load windows, but if I remember correctly you can re-setup your copy of windows from the windows installation image without losing any files or installed applications. I'll look into this when I have more time tomorrow.
alright, that sounds good and i think i still have the activation key lying around.
but my main fear is that it's just gonna bluescreen. in the past i have borrowed a friend's computer and plugged this very hard drive into it, and the computer would just bluescreen a couple of seconds into the "Starting Windows" screen every time. eventually we plugged in his original hard drive and SSD and used my hard drive as a secondary, and it worked. but now i don't have any other hard drives or SSDs to rely on

Steve5451²

August 18, 2017, 05:15:12 PM
Quote from: Pecon on August 17, 2017, 04:49:08 PM
If you switch motherboards your Windows activation may be invalidated. You'll want to back up your current activation key (or find where it is written down, it's sometimes on a sticker attached to the computer if it was a prebuilt). I wouldn't anticipate any  issues with using your current OS installation unless the machine is running a 16-bit OS (windows ME/CE or older).

Switching between Intel and AMD with Windows is always hit and miss for me. Sometimes it works, but often times it just bluescreens.

OP I'd back your stuff up just in case but don't format and see if Windows accepts the new hardware configuration. If not you're probably best off reinstalling.
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