Moving Windows 8 from one PC to another

matherem

Honorable
Dec 30, 2013
8
0
10,510
I am building a PC and have all the parts but an operating system.
The current PC I'm using is a prebuilt computer I bought from Best Buy and is running on Windows 8, is it at all possible to move Windows 8 from this computer to my new one when I am done building it?
My old plan was to just take the HDD from this computer and move it over to the new one but after some research I heartbreakingly found out that will not work. I'm a Highschool student and very short on funds so I plan on reformatting this HDD and reinstalling Windows 8. As I said before, is this possible or will I have to buy a copy of Windows?
 
Solution
Not possible within law. You'll need a retail copy of Windows 8 to install on your new build.
OEM licenses are integrated at BIOS level, and due to the new Activation 3.0 protocol from Microsoft, any workaround will likely have repercussions.
Sorry, a new license is required.

joesklar

Honorable
Sep 17, 2013
358
0
10,960
Not possible within law. You'll need a retail copy of Windows 8 to install on your new build.
OEM licenses are integrated at BIOS level, and due to the new Activation 3.0 protocol from Microsoft, any workaround will likely have repercussions.
Sorry, a new license is required.
 
Solution

matherem

Honorable
Dec 30, 2013
8
0
10,510


Well thanks anyway, at least now I know