[Ml33tninja]

Okay Ill try to make sense of this, I ended up buying mostly new pc parts this Black Friday and I need to switch OS systems it seems. Should I switch to Windows 10 before changing my CPU and Motherboard? I want to keep my files intact and Im wondering if its possible at this point
Im changing to a Intel i7 7700k and asus h270 plus Motherboard.

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If you have a OEM version of Windows installed on your current setup, according to Microsoft a new, completely different motherboard constitutes a new computer which will require a new OEM version of Windows.

 

If your current setup has a Full version of Windows, no problem.

 

Same with an exact replacement motherboard, no problem.

 

To see if you're running an OEM version of Windows, press [Winkey][Pause|Break] (or click Start, right-click Computer and select Properties). Down under "Windows activation", if the Product ID string contains "OEM", it's an OEM version of Windows. (Meaning it can only be installed on one computer. And when it dies, so does that OEM version of Windows).

[SpywareDr]

If you have a OEM version of Windows installed on your current setup, according to Microsoft a new, completely different motherboard constitutes a new computer which will require a new OEM version of Windows.

 

If your current setup has a Full version of Windows, no problem.

 

Same with an exact replacement motherboard, no problem.

 

To see if you're running an OEM version of Windows, press [Winkey][Pause|Break] (or click Start, right-click Computer and select Properties). Down under "Windows activation", if the Product ID string contains "OEM", it's an OEM version of Windows. (Meaning it can only be installed on one computer. And when it dies, so does that OEM version of Windows).

[Ml33tninja]

Im sure I have a full version of Windows 7. Ill install the new motherboard and cpu and see if I can copy my files and then switch over to win 10.

[SpywareDr]

Before you do anything else, recommend doing a backup (with verify). That way, if anything does go wrong, you can restore your backup and be back in business.

[Ml33tninja]

Ive got an external drive backup set. Its not the most current but my current board is done for so it will have to do. Ill finish replacing everything this afternoon and see where I stand

[phillpower2]

If I may chime in folks 

 

Ml33tninja

 

A clean install of Windows 10 and the motherboard drivers would be the best and most stable option but if for some reason you really must boot from the drive with Windows 7 on it I would suggest that you boot into Safe Mode only (no networking) and uninstall the drivers for the previous MB that has failed, if you don`t Windows will try and install the old MB drivers for the new MB and cause you all sorts of problems, this though only if you are able to get that far without the system crashing.

[Ml33tninja]

I figure as much I just didnt want to lose any files as my external drive backup isnt as current as I would like. Ill go and see if I can find a windows 10 disk before putting in my motherboard just in case

[phillpower2]

I ended up buying mostly new pc parts this Black Friday

 

 

Don`t suppose one of the new parts was an SSD or HDD by any chance, would save you a lot of hassle if it was.

 

Ill go and see if I can find a windows 10 disk 

 

 

Thought you already had this, see Create Windows 10 installation media you can create the media on another computer ready to install on yours but you will at some point be asked to insert a valid Windows 10 product key.

[Ml33tninja]

Lol its really the only item I didnt buy. I have two HHD one is newer that the other

[phillpower2]

Can you use either of the drives to do a clean install or do they both have data on that you need.

[Ml33tninja]

Both have data but my 2TB drive is mostly gaming files. I can write it off as a lost or just buy a 1TB to do the clean install

[phillpower2]

Would suggest an SSD just for Windows 10 and your favourite game or two, once Windows and your MB drivers have been installed, fit your HDDs and access your data at your leisure and wipe Windows 7 off the drive to free up some more storage space.

 

Samsung 250GB 850 Evo 

[SpywareDr]

Ditto on the SSD suggestion. Amazing the difference it makes.

[Ml33tninja]

Okay plan b is I will be using this 500gb SSD to clean install and use the other two for storage. Question will the other HDs need to be reformatted? And will I lose my data if so?

[SpywareDr]

1) Windows 10 will be able to recognize and use the HDs you used in Windows 7.

 

2) Formatting erases access to the data that was on a HD.