Will I keep all my files after installing windows?

[Sho Co2]

So tomorrow when I receive my final component I'm going to upgrade my Fx-4300 to a Ryzen 5 1600x. Of course, I had incompatible socket types so I also bought a AM4 motherboard to go with it. I read online that when switching motherboards that I would have to reinstall windows, but if I do, will I keep all my files and settings since I'll still be using the same HDD? Or will I need to put my files in a backup external drive then export them back in later?

 

[USAFRet]

So tomorrow when I receive my final component I'm going to upgrade my Fx-4300 to a Ryzen 5 1600x. Of course, I had incompatible socket types so I also bought a AM4 motherboard to go with it. I read online that when switching motherboards that I would have to reinstall windows, but if I do, will I keep all my files and settings since I'll still be using the same HDD? Or will I need to put my files in a backup external drive then export them back in later?

You should absolutely put your critical files on a different drive during this process.

All the promises in the world of "Keep your files and settings" means a hill of beans if the house power bleeps during a reinstall.
And if you're doing a clean install, your applications will need to be reinstalled anyway.

Which OS is this?

 

[USAFRet]

And if Win 10, read and do this before you change any parts:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/20530/windows-10-reactivating-after-hardware-change
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/id-3164428/windows-build-1607-activation.html

 

[Sho Co2]

So tomorrow when I receive my final component I'm going to upgrade my Fx-4300 to a Ryzen 5 1600x. Of course, I had incompatible socket types so I also bought a AM4 motherboard to go with it. I read online that when switching motherboards that I would have to reinstall windows, but if I do, will I keep all my files and settings since I'll still be using the same HDD? Or will I need to put my files in a backup external drive then export them back in later?

You should absolutely put your critical files on a different drive during this process.

All the promises in the world of "Keep your files and settings" means a hill of beans if the house power bleeps during a reinstall.
And if you're doing a clean install, your applications will need to be reinstalled anyway.

Which OS is this?

And if Win 10, read and do this before you change any parts:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/20530/windows-10-reactivating-after-hardware-change
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/id-3164428/windows-build-1607-activation.html

Yeah, Im going to be running windows 10 on it. Thanks for the reply, Ill read into it

 

[Sho Co2]

And if Win 10, read and do this before you change any parts:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/20530/windows-10-reactivating-after-hardware-change
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/id-3164428/windows-build-1607-activation.html

Also, will any documents or content from %appdata% be saved after a windows install on a new motherboard using the same HDD?

 

[USAFRet]

And if Win 10, read and do this before you change any parts:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/20530/windows-10-reactivating-after-hardware-change
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/id-3164428/windows-build-1607-activation.html

Also, will any documents or content from %appdata% be saved after a windows install on a new motherboard using the same HDD?

You install on the drive, not the motherboard.
Consider anything on that specific drive to be gone during the install.