ZTR1760

I have to replace the motherboard on my old gaming rig because it kinda just blew up randomly. Now on the hard drive there is win xp pro (legit) oem I think I gave it to a different friend and he got someone to load it on there, and they put the product key on the side of the case. Now is there a way I can just tell m$ hey its a new mobo but same computer? I dont want to have to load windows again if I dont have to, and I dont have the money for a new os. What can I do?

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Blizzaro

I had this happen with vista, rang up the activation line and told them they then reset the activation so I could validate my copy.

phillipjos

if its oem it can only be activated once on a pc and once on a lap top from what i gather,but!!!

Joeking78

I did it once...I replaced my board and called MS, told them my old board packed up and they gave me a new key

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killerhz

All I did was uninstall my mobo drivers hook everything up booted fine to windows and installed new mobo drivers.

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ZTR1760

For the guys who had to call windows did u have to reinstall it? Or did you just reactivate the old installation?

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magus.tsf

If the new motherboard has the same or similar chipset to the original you should be alright. If it has a completely different chipset then your only option will be a repair install and reactivation. You shouldn't need to ring MS unless the os has already been activated 5 times. Repair install works fine, you just need the disc and licence number. The only downside is that you have to reinstall all the updates afterwards, and possibly your av, depending on which one you have.

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The Black Mesa Survivors Club

Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at an Elingsh uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht frist and lsat ltteer is at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a toatl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae we do not raed ervey lteter by itslef but the wrod as a wlohe.

phillipjos

still illegal,just because you call m$ doesnt make it rite,vista you can as long asthe same mb is in pc,imo

Mhill2029

Sadly OEM is only permitted on one system, and it is illegal to try and activate the same OEM copy on a new system (which is essentially what changing a mobo would be classed as).

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ZTR1760

Thanks, Ill just have to bring it to the guy that installed it in the first place cause I dont have any windows disks atm lol.

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