Would i need to install windows on my new pc if im keeping my hard drive

[bob741]

I’m replacing the motherboard GPU and CPU on my pc would I need to get a USB with windows on it still or would it already be saved on my hard drive when i boot it up

[phillpower2]

Welcome to PCHF bob741,

You cannot use a storage device with Windows on it if Windows was installed to the device on any other computer, two reasons, one driver related the other legal.

(1) The drivers for the MB and other hardware will be on the HDD and when Windows tries to boot it will load the drivers from the old MB for the new MB and the system will crash, you could try uninstalling all of those drivers before you removed the HDD from the old computer but there is still no guarantee that it would work.

(2) Unless your present product key is the full retail version you cannot use it with a new MB as an OEM product key is tied to the original MB it was paired with, to use an OEM key with a new MB is detected by the Microsoft servers as software piracy and therefore you get on screen warnings etc..

Exceptions to the above are 1: If your MB is replaced under warranty and 2: If your MB is replaced out of warranty with an alternative type but same brand due to the original model no longer being available, an upgraded MB however will require the purchase of a new OS licence.

If you have a full retail disk and a product key that is not in use on another computer the OEM restriction/s is/are not the same.

Bottom line is that a clean install of Windows and the MBs drivers starting with the chipset drivers first is far less likely to give you installation problems/

[bob741]

Welcome to PCHF bob741,

You cannot use a storage device with Windows on it if Windows was installed to the device on any other computer, two reasons, one driver related the other legal.

(1) The drivers for the MB and other hardware will be on the HDD and when Windows tries to boot it will load the drivers from the old MB for the new MB and the system will crash, you could try uninstalling all of those drivers before you removed the HDD from the old computer but there is still no guarantee that it would work.

(2) Unless your present product key is the full retail version you cannot use it with a new MB as an OEM product key is tied to the original MB it was paired with, to use an OEM key with a new MB is detected by the Microsoft servers as software piracy and therefore you get on screen warnings etc..

Exceptions to the above are 1: If your MB is replaced under warranty and 2: If your MB is replaced out of warranty with an alternative type but same brand due to the original model no longer being available, an upgraded MB however will require the purchase of a new OS licence.

If you have a full retail disk and a product key that is not in use on another computer the OEM restriction/s is/are not the same.

Bottom line is that a clean install of Windows and the MBs drivers starting with the chipset drivers first is far less likely to give you installation problems/

do the motherboard drivers install automatically or do i install them on the internet?

[phillpower2]

You will get the drivers on a disk that ships with the MB.