Dinosaur in need of confirmation

hello all

i have recently had to replace my motherboard and cpu on my desktop. What im after is confirmation about my next steps.....
will i have to rebuy windows and install it? will this delete my hard drive?
I created a backup a while ago so do i then reinstall all that stuff after ive bought a new os?
Also is there somewhere i can get a copy of windows for less than $113(microsoft site) and create a boot usb.

Sorry for newbiness but stuff happens!

New motherboard is
Gigabyte GA-H81M-S2H
cpu= intel pentium g3260

thanks

Dragonstorm

 

Connect the HDD. If windows doesn't boot, you'll have to do a repair of Windows. Which version of Windows are you using, and do you have the installation disc?

 

Hi

I have windows 8 however the discs are long gone.:cry

Dragonstorm

 

There's a media creation tool from Microsoft for Windows 8 on this page. Follow the instructions and you'll be able to create an ISO that you can burn to DVD and use it to re-install Windows 8. Make sure you have your Product Key.

 

Thanks to child and a house move i dont have the product key.
well i blame the kid for not recording the key somewhere safe.....rolleyes

 

I used something like this for my Product Keys for Windows 8.1 and Windows 10. All the keys I purchased activated without problem and since they're retail keys, I don't have the issues I would have had using an OEM key. Plus, the retail versions don't have the "bloatware" that the computer manufacturers install.

The key I linked you to IS for Windows 8 and once you receive it in your email, you can use it for the media you'd create using the info I linked you to in my previous post. Plus, you can archive/save that email so you never lose the key.

 

Most likely - to be 100% legal, yes. It depends on your original Windows license. If it came pre-installed on a factory made computer, then it is almost certainly an OEM/System Builder's license and OEM/SB licenses are NOT "legally" transferable to a new computer under any circumstances.

If you purchased the original license separate from a computer, you need to see what you bought - but since you don't seem to have the disks, my guess is it is OEM because you would not need to record the code - it would be on the package. And note full retail licenses are considerably more expensive.

You can replace anything inside your computer and NOT need a new Windows license EXCEPT the motherboard - unless it is an exact brand and model motherboard replaced as part of a repair action (or recommended replacement by the same maker if original model is no longer available).

A new motherboard, for licensing purposes, is considered a new computer and new computers must have new licenses.

The only other exception is with full retail licenses that came with disks, and as noted above, were considerably more expensive. But they can be transferred.

Note when you decided to keep using this license with your old motherboard/computer, you agreed to the terms of the license so that made it legally binding.

Just because you can technically move your hard drive to this new computer and get it to work, that does not make it legal.

Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64-bit for $99. Note the terms for this new license (my bold underline added),

While this is about W10, the EULA terms were the same with all previous Windows versions.

 

So in the end i replaced the motherboard and cpu as stated before. then bought a key, installed win8 64bit, lost everything on my hdrive(thought that might happen). went to install from back up then found out i had xp on the drive and nothing loaded.
now onto another forum to seek more answers.
Bright spot is my son now can stop bugging about him not being able to play bloody minecraft.
Thanks for all your help.
Dragonstorm.:wave