Hey everyone! I really appreciated the help you gave me on my previous post, and I'm back for more advice! I have a retail license for Windows 10 that's currently on my PC, but I'm about to upgrade everything except the storage. I'm curious if I need to reinstall Windows when I do this (not counting the upgrade to Windows 11). Is it as simple as building my new setup and turning it on? Also, do I need to get a new license to upgrade to Windows 11, or can I use my current one?
By the way, I'm putting together an RTX 5070 Ti with a Ryzen 9 7900 (non-X since it came with a cooler) and I'm wondering how that combo is going to perform for gaming. Thanks a bunch, cheers!
5 Answers
You won't need to buy a new license or reinstall Windows unless you make changes to the storage itself. Changing your hardware (like the motherboard) might prompt Windows to ask for activation, but you can just re-enter your existing license key when that happens. Sometimes it stays active without any fuss, so hopefully, you'll be good to go!
You shouldn't need to reinstall Windows. It's a bit hit or miss though; some people have had to buy a new license when swapping out the motherboard, while others haven't needed to. I didn’t have to when I upgraded my system, so I'd suggest giving it a shot without a fresh install first. If it does ask for a new license code, you can just skip that and run Windows unactivated for a bit before deciding what to do next.
Your SSD should be fine, but I personally recommend a fresh install of Windows. You'll need your activation key for that. If your license is tied to your Microsoft account, you can sort that out after the install. It will boot fine, but you might have leftover drivers and files, so a clean slate could help. Also, just to confirm, everyone who has Windows 10 can upgrade to Windows 11 for free, so make sure to grab that when you reinstall! And remember to check the compatibility of your new parts before you swap everything out.
Are you building this mainly for gaming or will it double as a workstation too?
Hey! It'll be for both lighting 3D programming and gaming.
You could try using your current disk and version of Windows, but just be ready for a possible clean install on your new build. Since you have a retail license, you shouldn't have to buy a new one, which is a relief!
Haha, sounds like a lottery! Thanks for the heads up!