I already had Windows 7, but new motherboard wont work?

stephenhawkingsrunningshoes · Jan 10, 2014

last year i bought a Lenovo computer. this xmas, i've bought a new graphics card, and a new motherboard (ASUS p8 Z77-v LX) now i've tried booting it up. i had Windows 7 on my last computer already installed. i thought because i didnt change the hard drive i wouldnt have to download windows 7 again.

now when i boot up it takes me to the ASUS Motherboard Make Disc for DOS menu.

1) intel 32bit raid/achi driver
2) intel 64bit raid/achi driver
3) Freedos command prompt

i dont know what any of this means. please help, i cant do anything

japps2 · Jan 10, 2014

the copy of Windows is tied to your motherboard, not your harddrive. Do you have the OEM install disc for Windows?

stephenhawkingsrunningshoes · Jan 10, 2014

no when i got my computer last year it didnt come with any disc. the only disc i have is my motherboard install disc but idk how to install this thing

spooky2th · Jan 10, 2014

You can fix the old comp like it was and try to sysprep the OC, then install it with the new MB. Other than that you will have to load windows from scratch and then all the new MB drivers and programs that you use. If you do not have a windows disk, you are kind of stuck. You can download a copy of windows and try the activation code that should be on the comp somewhere but there is no guarantee that it will work. You might have to buy a new copy of windows to get an activation code.

MC_K7 · Jan 10, 2014

stephenhawkingsrunningshoes :

Your motherboard CD only contains drivers for your chipset and some utilities/software for the motherboard. No Windows installation files there...

You would need to contact Lenovo to get a Windows disk from them for reinstallation. Most of the time they will give you a recovery CD instead, which is an image to put the computer back to factory default. Not sure this will work with a new motherboard. In any case, the Windows license that came with the computer is what we call an OEM license and I think this is linked to the motherboard. So if you change the board, I'm pretty sure you will have to purchase a new Windows license. But just ask Lenovo to be sure.

stephenhawkingsrunningshoes · Jan 10, 2014

so lets say, hypothetically, i could use my laptop, torrent windows, put it on a DVD, and put it in my computer and that would work? clearly hypothetical as that is illegal..

MC_K7 · Jan 10, 2014

Even hypothetical discussions about this are against forum rules.

Instead, I would suggest you contact Lenovo first, you don't have nothing to lose. Just ask them to ship you a Windows reinstallation disk because you lost yours or there wasn't any included with your PC. They'll send you a disk and you can try to install it. There should be a sticker on your PC with a Windows serial number, this is the one you need to use. That's the legal way to do it.

Y0GI · Jan 10, 2014

Even hypothetical discussions about this are against forum rules.

Instead, I would suggest you contact Lenovo first, you don't have nothing to lose. Just ask them to ship you a Windows reinstallation disk because you lost yours or there wasn't any included with your PC. They'll send you a disk and you can try to install it. There should be a sticker on your PC with a Windows serial number, this is the one you need to use. That's the legal way to do it.

Yes, that is the legal way to do it but it will not work because he has installed a new MB and the Windows Product Key is tied to the old MB. Activation will fail and he will be instructed to call Microsoft. Unless he should get a very sympathetic MS representative, he will be told to buy a new copy of Windows.

Yogi

japps2 · Jan 10, 2014

you never know...twice i had motherboards fail and called Microsoft and was able to get a new activation code. the last one was only 2 years ago with Windows 7.

Y0GI · Jan 10, 2014

The Lenovo re-installation disk will not work with the new MB either.

Yogi

japps2 · Jan 10, 2014

good point...I had a stand alone OEM copy...not an image which will trip up on the new motherboard. OP...I think the best advice you'll get from this site is to get a full OEM copy of Windows...either from Lenovo or purchase yourself (~$99).

mattck · Jan 10, 2014

You can change the motherboard without reinstalling windows, there's a few vids on youtube and quite a few tutorials about, but you will have to reactivate windows, it does work, then if you fancy a clean install of windows and re-activation its already set to your hardware.

Remember to download the right version of windows, oem/retail 32/64bit etc

EDIT: I wouldn't bother with the 64bit version if you have less than 3gb ram or if its 32bit oem, then you mite have issues with activation.

FALC0N · Jan 10, 2014

Mattck, that was true of XP, that the key type needed to match the distribution type, but not on vista, 7, and I'm assuming 8 as well. The key needs to match the edition, home, pro, ultimate, etc, but you can use an OEM key on a retail disk and vice versa.

mattck · Jan 10, 2014

I done it on windows 7 only other the week on my mothers computer, it works fine, and that was the second time, the other was about a year ago on a friends computer.

I say watch out for OEM/Retail windows because I've had issues with keys working just to install windows, I dont know about activation. ie. if you install retail windows (with a diffrent key) then change the key to OEM, I have never tryed it tbh.

And you are right about the edition, that said, u can download windows 7 (if that's what your using) which has all editions and your key will set what edition you have.

USAFRet · Jan 10, 2014

japps2 :

Windows 7 OEM is OEM. Preinstalled or not, it is licensed to the first motherboard.
Microsoft may be lenient on allowing reactivation on a new motherboard, but they are under no obligation to do so.

USAFRet · Jan 10, 2014

FALC0N :

Windows 8 licensing is significantly different. OEM or not, you can move it to a different motherboard, or whole other PC.

mattck · Jan 10, 2014

USAFRet :

I beleave this to be the case, as long as it not installed on 2 computers its fine.

FALC0N · Jan 10, 2014

USAFret, I wasn't talking about the license. I was referring to the interchangeability of the keys and disks. With XP you needed and OEM disk to use an OEM key. The retail disk wouldn't accept the OEM key. The OEM disk wouldn't accept the retail key. 64 and 32 bit keys were not interchangeable either. All these issues were corrected starting with vista.

USAFRet · Jan 10, 2014

FALC0N :

Right. And I was referring to "and I'm assuming 8 as well"
Win 8 is different.

I already had Windows 7, but new motherboard wont work?

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