I'm swapping out my motherboard but keeping the same CPU, GPU, and SSD. Do you think I need to reinstall Windows or will it work just fine after the upgrade?
6 Answers
You probably won't need to reinstall Windows, but there’s a chance you'll have to manually uninstall old drivers and install the right ones for the new motherboard.
Just run Windows Update after the swap to grab the drivers for your new motherboard. It usually handles that pretty well.
Honestly, there's no definite answer until you try it. Just make sure to back up your important files. There's a possibility you might need to buy a new Windows key too.
I replaced both my motherboard and CPU not too long ago and Windows 11 handled everything seamlessly. I downloaded all the drivers beforehand just in case, but it booted without any hiccups. Just make sure your Windows license is tied to your Microsoft account to avoid activation trouble.
With Windows 10 or 11, it's generally not a big deal. The OS should recognize your new hardware and disable any drivers related to the old motherboard.
From my experience, changing my motherboard didn’t cause any issues at all. I made the switch and everything worked smoothly.
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