In any case, if it's a retail version of Windows, you can migrate it to any PC. If it's an OEM version, I still think it won't ask for activation again, but I'm not sure.
But I bought an OEM copy of windows 7 and have activated it with no issue when I built a new PC. I even have the same copy activated on two different computers. All legit using the same serial key and activated through microsoft with no problem.
So while you can do it the way they want you too and buy a new copy every time. I wouldnt. As long as they will activate it on their site, through their system, without you having to torrent or generate a fake key, then I would use the copy you have.
Some here are champions of buying a new copy every single time. Im just not one of them. I dont encourage pirating copies at all, but if they activate your legit copy multiple times then obviously microsoft isnt that worried about it.
I went to Florida once. I actually lived there for a short while. They may have changed it by now, this was several years ago, but I'll tell the story anyway.
They have these drive through margarita/daiquiri shops. Get a tasty cocktail on the go. It was a bit shocking, coming from the middle of the Bible Belt midwest where you couldn't even buy beer on Sunday in a liquor store.
I'm pretty sure drinking and driving is still illegal - just because they will sell you a cocktail while your sitting in the driver's seat doesn't change the fact that ~if you got caught~ consuming it while behind the wheel, you'd still be in a boatload of trouble.
Anyway, just thought I would share that anecdote.
~~~~~~
I don't really care if someone pirates software or not - but I think they should be fully aware of what is expected/required of them legally - and if they chose to disregard that, oh well, that's on them.
Windows 8 changed a lot about licensing. Then Windows 8.1 changed a lot again. Actually, you can go back to Vista and see that MS has flip-flopped on licensing pretty much with each full revision.
The basic general rule (that doesn't always hold true, but does most of the time): OEM editions are locked to your motherboard, and should be replaced with each computer. Full editions can transfer, so long as you only have it on a single computer at a time. Upgrade editions (mostly phased out, thankfully) take on the license of whatever you upgraded from - if that was an OEM your upgrade is OEM, if that was Full your upgrade is Full.
My general advice - buy a licence of some sort with each computer. Sell or donate your old computer, with the OS key it had installed on it (which is legal). Your old computer is worth more if you can prove it's working and it has a valid license, your pretty much following all of the rules there, and you get to keep a clean conscience about being a working part of the high tech economy. Computer donations are ~huge~ tax write-offs, and I often save more money donating them than I do selling old hardware.
Most people have OEM editions - either it came pre-loaded on their Dell, or they upgraded Vista on their Dell (and hence the Upgrade is now OEM because that was the original license), or they bought it from Newegg because it was a lot cheaper than the Full edition.
Microsoft often will allow re-activation even in cases where it is against their own rules. That doesn't necessarily make it legal or legitimate. I can't think of any case where Microsoft has went after a single user for incorrectly reactivating a single Windows license (although they will definitely go after you if you are trying to sell or activate them en masse, or if you are a business and are knowingly skirting the rules), but I guess that goes back to your own morale compass at that point.
Comparing something that can have devastating consequences like drinking and driving to reusing a windows key is a bit much.
A more apt comparison for a company like MS would be an intern sneaking in a bagel off the table once the office meeting is over.
Could that be construed as theft? sure, I mean those bagels were for the executives. Morally wrong? sure, after all he didnt pay for that bagel. Those were bought for the guys that make millions of dollars in just bonuses each year. The intern who is working for free or min. wage has no legal or moral right to said bagel.
That comparison is pretty much the impact of using a windows key again. A multi billion dollar corp. who leaves systems in place to reuse a key ( which could easily be rectified), tells you to buy a new one each time. But puts no systems into place to ensure you dont, even goes so far as to make it easy to do and get validated off their own system. But hey. MS said you need to buy a new one and is wrong not to do so.
I guess the executive may have to skip a glass of wine while flying to europe on his G5 private jet for his 3 week vacation. They sure are missing my money for a new windows key.
And as far as moral compass goes. I guess mine will just have to be off when it comes to this. I bought and paid for the windows key, my motherboard goes poof, or i even just want to get a new MB + CPU a few months down the road. Reusing the windows key that you have already bought and paid for has no moral ramifications what so ever IMO. Thats the moral equivalent of letting a buddy borrow a PS4 game. He didnt pay for it, is not supporting the devs after all, so isnt that morally wrong too?
Point being I wouldnt bring morality into a discussion about simply reusing a key you already paid for. It just doesnt fit.
I look at it as the Ship of Theseus. If you have an uninterrupted line of incremental changes to your box, then that box is still the original computer and the windows is good. If you go out and buy a new box or start a new computer with a new motherboard and cpu then it needs a new OEM windows.
Let's back up a bit. Why are you looking to replace the CPU and motherboard? Are you really going to replace only those two components and keep everything else the same? Or are you replacing most of your other parts at the same time?
Originally posted by centkin I look at it as the Ship of Theseus. If you have an uninterrupted line of incremental changes to your box, then that box is still the original computer and the windows is good. If you go out and buy a new box or start a new computer with a new motherboard and cpu then it needs a new OEM windows.
That's more or less how Microsoft treats it to, with the exception of the motherboard: If you replace it because "it broke" (RMA, waranty repair, etc) - they let you do that, and if the identical model is no longer available then you get whatever the nearest equivalent that is available (and if that happens to be an upgrade, c'est la vie). But if you upgrade your motherboard for the sake of upgrading, it's a new computer.
Let's back up a bit. Why are you looking to replace the CPU and motherboard? Are you really going to replace only those two components and keep everything else the same? Or are you replacing most of your other parts at the same time?
I am going to replace the board and cpu first then the video card eventually. I have not checked if my ram would work with the new board or not but I"m going to keep my hard drives.
Let's back up a bit. Why are you looking to replace the CPU and motherboard? Are you really going to replace only those two components and keep everything else the same? Or are you replacing most of your other parts at the same time?
I am going to replace the board and cpu first then the video card eventually. I have not checked if my ram would work with the new board or not but I"m going to keep my hard drives.
Exactly what hardware you do have now, and what hardware are you looking to buy? Let's make sure that you're doing an upgrade that makes sense, as it may make this whole discussion superfluous if you're not.
If I buy a new cpu and motherboard will I have to buy another copy of windows?
No, if you got the serial and the software of your Windows version, you do not have to buy a new copy.
You might trigger the Windows security by changing hardware so that you have to validate it with Microsoft, but that is usually just done over the Net or through a -free- automated phonecall where you generate a 48ish digit key on Windows which you have to enter through your phone, then you get a 50ish digit code back and you have to type that into your Windows authentication.
And you are set to go.
"going into arguments with idiots is a lost cause, it requires you to stoop down to their level and you can't win"
Comments
No.
In any case, if it's a retail version of Windows, you can migrate it to any PC. If it's an OEM version, I still think it won't ask for activation again, but I'm not sure.
Technically I think you are "supposed" to.
But I bought an OEM copy of windows 7 and have activated it with no issue when I built a new PC. I even have the same copy activated on two different computers. All legit using the same serial key and activated through microsoft with no problem.
So while you can do it the way they want you too and buy a new copy every time. I wouldnt. As long as they will activate it on their site, through their system, without you having to torrent or generate a fake key, then I would use the copy you have.
Some here are champions of buying a new copy every single time. Im just not one of them. I dont encourage pirating copies at all, but if they activate your legit copy multiple times then obviously microsoft isnt that worried about it.
Funny story.
I went to Florida once. I actually lived there for a short while. They may have changed it by now, this was several years ago, but I'll tell the story anyway.
They have these drive through margarita/daiquiri shops. Get a tasty cocktail on the go. It was a bit shocking, coming from the middle of the Bible Belt midwest where you couldn't even buy beer on Sunday in a liquor store.
I'm pretty sure drinking and driving is still illegal - just because they will sell you a cocktail while your sitting in the driver's seat doesn't change the fact that ~if you got caught~ consuming it while behind the wheel, you'd still be in a boatload of trouble.
Anyway, just thought I would share that anecdote.
~~~~~~
I don't really care if someone pirates software or not - but I think they should be fully aware of what is expected/required of them legally - and if they chose to disregard that, oh well, that's on them.
Windows 8 changed a lot about licensing. Then Windows 8.1 changed a lot again. Actually, you can go back to Vista and see that MS has flip-flopped on licensing pretty much with each full revision.
The basic general rule (that doesn't always hold true, but does most of the time):
OEM editions are locked to your motherboard, and should be replaced with each computer. Full editions can transfer, so long as you only have it on a single computer at a time. Upgrade editions (mostly phased out, thankfully) take on the license of whatever you upgraded from - if that was an OEM your upgrade is OEM, if that was Full your upgrade is Full.
My general advice - buy a licence of some sort with each computer. Sell or donate your old computer, with the OS key it had installed on it (which is legal). Your old computer is worth more if you can prove it's working and it has a valid license, your pretty much following all of the rules there, and you get to keep a clean conscience about being a working part of the high tech economy. Computer donations are ~huge~ tax write-offs, and I often save more money donating them than I do selling old hardware.
Most people have OEM editions - either it came pre-loaded on their Dell, or they upgraded Vista on their Dell (and hence the Upgrade is now OEM because that was the original license), or they bought it from Newegg because it was a lot cheaper than the Full edition.
There is a semi-easy way to tell if you have OEM or Full, if you are in doubt:
https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-windows_install/how-to-tell-if-windows-is-retail-or-oem/ea57d733-716d-4c9e-ba86-233be13545de
Microsoft often will allow re-activation even in cases where it is against their own rules. That doesn't necessarily make it legal or legitimate. I can't think of any case where Microsoft has went after a single user for incorrectly reactivating a single Windows license (although they will definitely go after you if you are trying to sell or activate them en masse, or if you are a business and are knowingly skirting the rules), but I guess that goes back to your own morale compass at that point.
Comparing something that can have devastating consequences like drinking and driving to reusing a windows key is a bit much.
A more apt comparison for a company like MS would be an intern sneaking in a bagel off the table once the office meeting is over.
Could that be construed as theft? sure, I mean those bagels were for the executives. Morally wrong? sure, after all he didnt pay for that bagel. Those were bought for the guys that make millions of dollars in just bonuses each year. The intern who is working for free or min. wage has no legal or moral right to said bagel.
That comparison is pretty much the impact of using a windows key again. A multi billion dollar corp. who leaves systems in place to reuse a key ( which could easily be rectified), tells you to buy a new one each time. But puts no systems into place to ensure you dont, even goes so far as to make it easy to do and get validated off their own system. But hey. MS said you need to buy a new one and is wrong not to do so.
I guess the executive may have to skip a glass of wine while flying to europe on his G5 private jet for his 3 week vacation. They sure are missing my money for a new windows key.
And as far as moral compass goes. I guess mine will just have to be off when it comes to this. I bought and paid for the windows key, my motherboard goes poof, or i even just want to get a new MB + CPU a few months down the road. Reusing the windows key that you have already bought and paid for has no moral ramifications what so ever IMO. Thats the moral equivalent of letting a buddy borrow a PS4 game. He didnt pay for it, is not supporting the devs after all, so isnt that morally wrong too?
Point being I wouldnt bring morality into a discussion about simply reusing a key you already paid for. It just doesnt fit.
Piracy is no joke, it hurts everyone.
Let's back up a bit. Why are you looking to replace the CPU and motherboard? Are you really going to replace only those two components and keep everything else the same? Or are you replacing most of your other parts at the same time?
That's more or less how Microsoft treats it to, with the exception of the motherboard: If you replace it because "it broke" (RMA, waranty repair, etc) - they let you do that, and if the identical model is no longer available then you get whatever the nearest equivalent that is available (and if that happens to be an upgrade, c'est la vie). But if you upgrade your motherboard for the sake of upgrading, it's a new computer.
Any other part - yeah, Ship of Theseus.
I am going to replace the board and cpu first then the video card eventually. I have not checked if my ram would work with the new board or not but I"m going to keep my hard drives.
Exactly what hardware you do have now, and what hardware are you looking to buy? Let's make sure that you're doing an upgrade that makes sense, as it may make this whole discussion superfluous if you're not.
No, if you got the serial and the software of your Windows version, you do not have to buy a new copy.
You might trigger the Windows security by changing hardware so that you have to validate it with Microsoft, but that is usually just done over the Net or through a -free- automated phonecall where you generate a 48ish digit key on Windows which you have to enter through your phone, then you get a 50ish digit code back and you have to type that into your Windows authentication.
And you are set to go.
"going into arguments with idiots is a lost cause, it requires you to stoop down to their level and you can't win"