Will I lose my software programs by installing a new motherboard?

arris

Honorable
Sep 9, 2013
1
0
10,510
My motherboard went bad on my computer (says the repair man). My hard drive is fine. I have a lot of software installed on my computer like Adobe Photo Shop, Microsoft Office, Corel Video, and Norton. Where are these programs? Are they on my hard drive or my motherboard? If I purchase a new computer, can I install these programs from my hard drive? Some of these programs have a limited number of installations from my cd, so I do not think these will work on my new computer.
My repair man said that he can replace my motherboard and my software will be fine. He said that my computer will be just as it was before it crashed. Others are telling me that if he replaces the motherboard, I will lose my programs. Which is correct?
I am confused and do not know if I should buy a new computer or just a new motherboard. I do not know what I can take from my old hard drive if I buy a new computer. Some programs, like my genealogy program, was a download that I added info to, and I do not know if this program is on my hard drive or what?

Thanks in advance for your time and help.
 

Tradesman1

Legenda in Aeternum
If Win7, most of the time can simply install the new mobo hook up the drive and it will boot into Win, Win will then load it's drivers for your mobo, you then want to load the latest drivers for your mobo, run a good registry cleaner (wise has a free version) and then go through MS and get a new number which is no big deal - go on-line, they'll give you a error number and phone #, call pop in the number, they'll ask how many computers is the copy installed on, answer truthfully - one - and they basically always give you a new number