# Does Windows 7 require reactivation if...



## Kantastic (Nov 28, 2009)

My computer:

I'm planning a few up/downgrades in the future that involve changing my HDD and motherboard which poses issues with the Windows license. I plan on downgrading to AM3, thus I have to change my motherboard. I also plan on using my WD 640 as a media drive (I constantly delete downloaded videos(half pr0n hehe) so I might as well not sell it) and replacing my main OS/game drive with a 300GB Velociraptor. 

The main concern is whether or not Windows 7 (like XP and Vista) asks for a registration key when it detects the motherboard is changed? And if it does, can I use the original key?

Another question just for the heck of it:

Family computer:

I'm replacing the HDD on that soon since my old man's been complaining about the 7200.9's terrible grinding noise. All I have to do is clone the drive as I'm not replacing anything else right? I won't have to deal with any keys or anything?


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## theonedub (Nov 28, 2009)

Someone correct me if I am wrong, but I don't think its going to ask you for a key. If anything it will ask you to reactivate, which you can do online, or at the worse- over the phone. Should be no issue. 

I have changed MBs in the past (and been too lazy for a fresh install) and Windows Vista and 7 RC updated the drivers and did not even require reactivation.


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## MRCL (Nov 28, 2009)

theonedub said:


> Someone correct me if I am wrong, but I don't think its going to ask you for a key. If anything it will ask you to reactivate, which you can do online, or at the worse- over the phone. Should be no issue.
> 
> I have changed MBs in the past (and been too lazy for a fresh install) and Windows Vista and 7 RC updated the drivers and did not even require reactivation.



It did when I changed the mobo. However this was the RC, dunno how the final version acts.


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## theonedub (Nov 28, 2009)

But you were able to reactivate through the online method, yes?


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## Jstn7477 (Nov 28, 2009)

If you change enough hardware at once, Windows will deactivate and you will need to reactivate it, which you may or may not be able to do online. When you change over to AM3 you should do a fresh install, since that is a major hardware change and you don't want your computer to run like crap because it was used to running on different hardware with different drivers. If you call Microsoft because your online activation failed, you will probably talk to a robot and it will give you a code to put in to activate windows after you give it your information. Easy to do.

As for the other computer that you are just swapping HDDs on, you should be fine cloning it since it is just 1 hardware change.


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## Kantastic (Nov 28, 2009)

So there's nothing to worry about, or nothing serious, awesome thanks a lot guys.


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## [Ion] (Nov 28, 2009)

About the family computer, use Clonezilla, it's pretty self-explanatory, I've used it several times to clone the drive in my laptop before it fails.  I go through a lot of laptop drives


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## MRCL (Nov 28, 2009)

theonedub said:


> But you were able to reactivate through the online method, yes?



Yeah without a problem, and with a key from google because I lost mine  That won't work in the final tho I guess


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## Jstn7477 (Nov 28, 2009)

MRCL said:


> Yeah without a problem, and with a key from google because I lost mine  That won't work in the final tho I guess



Yeah, that won't work in the final version.

Anyways, if you are prompted to activate again, try online first. If that fails, call the activation number that Windows gives you for your country, Windows gives you a bunch of numbers to tell robochick, and robochick gives you an activation code. Of course, when robochick asks you questions like "Is this copy of Windows installed on more than 1 PC?", don't be an idiot and say "yes" (although you shouldn't be doing that anyway ).


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## kg4icg (Nov 28, 2009)

He's going from a Intel to AMD, yeah it's going to need to be reactivated, totally different systems entirely, especially chipsets.


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## Kantastic (Nov 28, 2009)

But I won't have to pay for Windows again right?

Would I be able to use the same key + activate if I did a completely fresh installation on the Vraptor?


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## kg4icg (Nov 28, 2009)

no you have up to 5 activations


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## AsRock (Nov 28, 2009)

kg4icg said:


> no you have up to 5 activations



WOW,  Really.


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## zithe (Nov 28, 2009)

http://techrepublic.com.com/5208-11...?forumID=48&threadID=175110&messageID=1778488

For XP, but worth a look. Might work in 7, too.


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## Boyfriend (Nov 28, 2009)

kg4icg said:


> He's going from a Intel to AMD, yeah it's going to need to be reactivated, totally different systems entirely, especially chipsets.



He is using AMD already. He wants downgrading to AM3. Don't know why??

If you change HDD + RAM simultaneously, Windows 7 needs to be reactivated. Only HDD cloning shouldn't require reactivation. As you are changing mobo + HDD (prehaps RAM upgrade too), you will surely require reactivation. If you have genuine license, you should reinstall OS (you might use Windows Easy Transfer). If you don't want to reinstall, you need to uninstall HDD, interfaces/system devices, and numerous other drivers (USB, HID, Portable devices, etc.), else your OS will be unstable.
I will highly recommend to reinstall Windows 7 and enjoy your migration.

A simple trick might be like this to avoid reactivation:
1. Clone your HDD first and boot into Windows
2. Use it for at least one week
3. Replace mobo only without any other hardware change/upgrade and boot
4. Use it for at least one week
5. Do any other upgrade (RAM, Graphic card etc.)

Don't do two simultaneous downgrades/upgrades to avoid reactivation.


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## kg4icg (Nov 28, 2009)

Boyfriend said:


> He is using AMD already. He wants downgrading to AM3. Don't know why??
> 
> If you change HDD + RAM simultaneously, Windows 7 needs to be reactivated. Only HDD cloning shouldn't require reactivation. As you are changing mobo + HDD (prehaps RAM upgrade too), you will surely require reactivation. If you have genuine license, you should reinstall OS (you might use Windows Easy Transfer). If you don't want to reinstall, you need to uninstall HDD, interfaces/system devices, and numerous other drivers (USB, HID, Portable devices, etc.), else your OS will be unstable.
> I will highly recommend to reinstall Windows 7 and enjoy your migration.
> ...



Then why does it say fs/ft i7-920  in his tag and he wants to downgrade to am3 system? to go from a am2/2+ to am3 isn't a downgrade last time I checked


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## Boyfriend (Nov 29, 2009)

kg4icg said:


> Then why does it say fs/ft i7-920  in his tag and he wants to downgrade to am3 system? to go from a am2/2+ to am3 isn't a downgrade last time I checked



Check out his system spec. I have followed that.


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## KainXS (Nov 29, 2009)

If you swap most of the hard drive, it will boot with a message saying the pc has changed very much and needs to be reactivated just like XP and Vista

I only saw that once after swapping everything but the hdd.

unless its pirated it should reactivate.

but an easy way to avoid activation period on a legit system is to dump the system files required for activation and copy them back in when it asks to activate and reboot, it will confirm it and your done.


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## Basard (Nov 29, 2009)

All's you gotta do is call them guys, I've reactivated the same OEM copy of xp about 15-20 times, handed it down to other people, called and activated it for them, NEVER had a problem.  

As far as I'm concerned MS will give you infinite activations by phone, as long as you give them the right answers.  They just want to make sure you PAYED for your windows.  If you payed for windows, and have to call them to activate, they will activate for you.


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