Hi y’all, i used to be so prolific at the whole pc building thing. but now i’m out of the game with age and not buying stuff in a while. so here’s my question:

my PC is fine and i upgraded parts of it during the years. but it may be time for a new motherboard, since mine only supports 32gb of RAM which isnt enough anymore.

what do I need to do to replace my motherboard? I guess, i’d have to re-install everything, right? Isn’t windows and all the software kinda bound to my motherboard?

since i’m fine with my 2060Super, i guess getting a new PC is not worth it, my case and hard drives are fine. i will need new RAM and SSDs. So what should I look for in a motherboard?

thanks for reading this ramble

  • Tippon@lemmy.dbzer0.com
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    1
    ·
    edit-2
    6 months ago

    I’m not sure about Windows 11, but I’ve transferred a licence on Windows 10. If OP gives the existing computer an unique name it will make transferring the licence slightly easier.

    You need to install the same version of Windows on both computers - home or pro, not the version number

    Build the new PC as usual and start the Windows installation. When it asks if you have a licence, select the option to add it later (I can’t remember the exact wording). Finish the installation and install your drivers. Either click the activation popup, or go into settings and click on the ‘This computer isn’t activated’ box. Open the activation troubleshooter.

    There should be an option in there to transfer the licence from your old computer to the new one. If you have multiple licenses, having the unique name for the old computer makes it easier to see which one is the correct one.

    @Mighty@lemmy.world hope this helps :)

    • Mighty@lemmy.worldOP
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      2
      ·
      6 months ago

      i’ll save this comment to look back on it when it’s actually time. this all sounds so well-thought-out. i’m really humbled by your thoughtful advice