win8.1 Windows product key question

[DrakeN2k]

I am getting a new SSD, CPU and Motherboard for my pc tomorrow so I will be removing my old one and reinstalling Windows 8 on the new one.

 

Will my old product key work with my new pc build?

[leesmithg]

Yes, if doesn't register via internet just phone activation number for your country.

[LimeMaster]

Yes, you are allowed to use the same product key twice. :)

[firey]

I've activated machines 4, 5, 6 times no issues.

[Brandon H Supervisor]

yes

 

only if you change something such as the mobo or the cpu will you have activation issues

[LimeMaster]

I've activated machines 4, 5, 6 times no issues.

You must have went through phone activation quite a few times then. :laugh:

[0sit0]

You can always do an image of the drive and you probably won't have to worry about activation at all.

[DrakeN2k]

yes

 

only if you change something such as the mobo or the cpu will you have activation issues

 

Ah, I am upgrading other parts of my pc like CPU and motherboard also.

[Brandon H Supervisor]

Ah, I am upgrading other parts of my pc like CPU and motherboard also.

you should still be fine if you've only activated once before. at most you'll just need to do the phone activation

[FloatingFatMan]

Ah, I am upgrading other parts of my pc like CPU and motherboard also.

 

Just as an aside, it's no longer necessary to re-install Windows when doing this.. It will boot up just fine and install generic drivers; you then just install the proper ones.  Went through it over the weekend with my new rig; was thoroughly painless!

 

You will still have to reactivate Windows though.

[leesmithg]

You must have went through phone activation quite a few times then. :laugh:

I have activated 6 times via the net.

 

3 reinstalls and 3 times after restoring an image due to bad install.

 

Word though once via the telephone and no problems.

[xankazo]

What happens if your fail phone activation but pass activation assisted by a human on the phone? Does your license gets flagged and not applicable for future phone re-activations? The phone activation failed because of a misunderstanding when asked "how many computers have Windows installed?". I answered 2 (it was late into the night and I was tired).

[FloatingFatMan]

What happens if your fail phone activation but pass activation assisted by a human on the phone? Does your license gets flagged and not applicable for future phone re-activations? The phone activation failed because of a misunderstanding when asked "how many computers have Windows installed?". I answered 2 (it was late into the night and I was tired).

 

Shouldn't make any difference; hasn't when I've done it.  It's quite easy to fail the automated phone activation anyway, due to the large number of numbers you have to enter.

[exotoxic]

this maybe useful to someone http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_8-windows_install/how-can-i-deauthorize-my-windows-8-license-to/cb81ac80-579d-4b2c-93a2-7bef1f670746

[riahc3]

You will have to problably reactivate thru phone. It happened to me with Office 2013.

Just as an aside, it's no longer necessary to re-install Windows when doing this.. It will boot up just fine and install generic drivers; you then just install the proper ones.  Went through it over the weekend with my new rig; was thoroughly painless!

You moved a HDD from one PC to another and it worked? :/ Seems strange.

Sysprep is avaliable for this.

Besides that, I dont know, leftover files/drivers/etc. from your old PC hardware is something I wouldnt want left behind.

[FloatingFatMan]

You will have to problably reactivate thru phone. It happened to me with Office 2013.

You moved a HDD from one PC to another and it worked? :/ Seems strange.

Sysprep is avaliable for this.

Besides that, I dont know, leftover files/drivers/etc. from your old PC hardware is something I wouldnt want left behind.

 

Yup, moved from E8400 Core 2 Duo to an i5 4670; new motherboard, RAM, GPU everything. Worked flawless. Apparently, Windows 7 can do it as well, but I've never tried it on that.  All I did after was run the install disc that came with my new mobo, to make sure it had the right drivers.  Leaving old drivers on Windows really isn't a problem considering a huge part of a Windows install is 1000's of drivers you'll never ever use.

 

Saved me a crapton of work, that did.

 

Admittedly, I was pretty gobsmacked that it worked; I fully expected it to BSOD on boot and had a USB stick all prepped and ready to go for reinstalling.