# Good guide for moving Windows 8.1 to another board



## puma99dk| (Sep 12, 2014)

i haven't had much luck with moving Windows 8.1 to another motherboard not even same chipset without having trouble.

what i did was removing chipset driver, network, driver and so on but ended up with having a Windows that didn't shut down, reboot properly other then that it worked fine.

so anyone got an idea on how i can do this, bcs i don't want to reinstall my Windows 8.1 Pro going from Z87 to Z97 chipset.


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## newtekie1 (Sep 12, 2014)

Bite the bullet and re-format.  It is always the best thing to do when replacing a motherboard, you'll be happier in the long run.


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## TRWOV (Sep 12, 2014)

If you have a retail key you can generalize your current installation, it will remove drivers and device IDs so that you can move the disc to another motherboard without Windows freaking out.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh824938.aspx

step by step guide: http://windows7easy.wordpress.com/2011/01/25/transfer-your-windows-7-installation-to-a-new-pc/

the guide is for W7 but applies to W8 as well. Use "Method one".


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## puma99dk| (Sep 12, 2014)

i got a original OEM key, i wasn't a millionar to buy a retail key so i got a OEM key


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## TRWOV (Sep 12, 2014)

ummm... OEM keys can only be re-used on the same hardware but, in my experience, MS doesn't seem to enforce this policy on end users.

Either if you generalize or do a fresh install, since the OEM key was used on another computer previously you'll have to call MS for activation. If you tell them the board got damaged and got a new one they might activate your install. I'd recommend you to only change the motherboard first, activate by phone, and then change the rest of the components.


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## puma99dk| (Sep 12, 2014)

TRWOV said:


> ummm... OEM keys can only be re-used on the same hardware but, in my experience, MS doesn't seem to enforce this policy on end users.
> 
> Either if you generalize or do a fresh install, since the OEM key was used on another computer previously you'll have to call MS for activation. If you tell them the board got damaged and got a new one they might activate your install. I'd recommend you to only change the motherboard first, activate by phone, and then change the rest of the components.



i never had problem moving my OEM keys don't even need to call MS activation, not even last time that i moved from Asus Maximus VI Gene to my MSI Z87I Gaming AC board where i did a clean install, i just typed in the key and hit activate and it activated no problems


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## Jetster (Sep 12, 2014)

With OEM it depends how many time you have done it. After a particular number of hardware changes it requires a call to MS. It will still work you just need to go threw the phone activation


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## puma99dk| (Sep 12, 2014)

Jetster said:


> With OEM it depends how many time you have done it. After a particular number of hardware changes it requires a call to MS. It will still work you just need to go threw the phone activation



honestly never hit that limit with my own OEM keys for Windows 7 Ultimate or Windows 8.1 Pro 

and i used my Win7 Ultimate a ton of times...


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## Frick (Sep 12, 2014)

It was actually pretty satisfying talking to people who "had trouble activating their key" and finding out they had activated it dozens of times on different machines. I miss MS tech support tbh.


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## puma99dk| (Sep 12, 2014)

Frick said:


> It was actually pretty satisfying talking to people who "had trouble activating their key" and finding out they had activated it dozens of times on different machines. I miss MS tech support tbh.



last time i called MS in Denmark, they didn't knew shit, had to talk with one from sweden, he knew mere then the danish ppl all together


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## Jetster (Sep 12, 2014)

Ive only had to use the automated activation were you enter like 16 digits and then it give you 16 back to enter. I had to start calling MS after the 4th motherboard and 20th format about. At the end of the call it asks how many PCs do you have it installed on


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## puma99dk| (Sep 13, 2014)

TRWOV said:


> If you have a retail key you can generalize your current installation, it will remove drivers and device IDs so that you can move the disc to another motherboard without Windows freaking out.
> 
> http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh824938.aspx
> 
> ...



Thx you alot TRWOV it works perfecly, i can even reboot, now and i installed all Intel drivers again, and removed some old RST and so on


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## stinger608 (Sep 16, 2014)

TRWOV said:


> If you have a retail key you can generalize your current installation, it will remove drivers and device IDs so that you can move the disc to another motherboard without Windows freaking out.
> 
> http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh824938.aspx
> 
> ...



I wonder if this would be the best idea for changing hard drives as well. I am going to be going from a mechanical hard drive to an SSD in the next couple of weeks. 
Do the generalize with 8.1, shut down, make an image on an external drive, and then install the SSD.


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## THE_EGG (Sep 16, 2014)

TRWOV said:


> If you have a retail key you can generalize your current installation, it will remove drivers and device IDs so that you can move the disc to another motherboard without Windows freaking out.
> 
> http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh824938.aspx
> 
> ...


oh mah gawd. You saved me soooooooooo much money. I have to change the motherboard for our home server to upgrade to a better cpu and expand my pci-e options. I was looking at having to shell out over $400 for another server 2012 essentials but this saved me.


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## OneMoar (Sep 16, 2014)

in most cases you can just plop the drive down in the new system and it will be fine windows will pickup the new hardware on first boot tho it may be necessary to install some drivers by hand
as far as the activation bullshit there are several "tools" to get around this 
you already own a vaild-key weather or not you chose to use it is your call


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## TonyB (Jan 14, 2015)

OneMoar said:


> in most cases you can just plop the drive down in the new system and it will be fine windows will pickup the new hardware on first boot tho it may be necessary to install some drivers by hand
> as far as the activation bullshit there are several "tools" to get around this
> you already own a vaild-key weather or not you chose to use it is your call



Wanted to ask a question here i upgraded my windows 7 to 8 and then 8 to 8.1 can i use System Preparation Tool  i was following a guid to try and use it that said you had to edit something in the regedit area but i did not have anything in there that said i was a upgrade, so i'm not sure why as i did upgrade to windows 8.1. but if i don't have this in the reg area does that mean i'm not a upgrade?. on page one in my thread over at windows 8 forums you will see a guid posted by a user that sad what to do, but i have none of this in my reg area. (http://www.eightforums.com/software-apps/59278-software-driver-fusion-safe-use.html) can anyone tell me if sys rep will work on my system?. it was a thread i asked about a driver software and they guy recommended i do sysprep instead.


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