Windows 8 swap from intel to amd based system experiment

besb

New Member
Member
Messages
116
I'm in the process of building a new system:-
Gigabyte board with amd 965 processor etc. and was about to load windows8 rp from scratch as I wanted sata3 native capability.
I then decided to first have a go at loading my previous W8, that was installed on an Asus board with a q6600 processor. Apart from being a totally different chipset for the board, no other item other than the hard drive was the same.
I fully thought that it would fail along the line but after some 10 minutes "getting devices ready" it rebooted into the start menu with all previously installed programs and customization working.:eek:

However I doubt whether such a change will pass registration/activation tests if done after the final release.
I think they are going to track the inbuilt mac address on a board as part of the activation process; which will however allow you to swap out other major components without a problem.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    xp , 7Pro, 8RP, Android phone, Tablet
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Custom
    CPU
    q6600@3Ghz, amd 965 etc etc
    Motherboard
    gigabyte
    Memory
    8gb per
    Graphics Card(s)
    gts450 ,560gt etc
    Monitor(s) Displays
    3xsamsung 24in
    Screen Resolution
    3, 1920x1200
    Hard Drives
    To many! spread across 4 desktops,3 laptops 1 netbook
    ssd, sata 3's ide etc
    PSU
    Hyper Modular 600W
    Case
    lian li
    Cooling
    artic
    Internet Speed
    60Mb
    Other Info
    Basically the house has 4 desktops 3 in the study + the wifes,
    3 laptops 1 netbook 2 android tablets 2 android smart phones
    and ipad and iphone
I'm in the process of building a new system:-
Gigabyte board with amd 965 processor etc. and was about to load windows8 rp from scratch as I wanted sata3 native capability.
I then decided to first have a go at loading my previous W8, that was installed on an Asus board with a q6600 processor. Apart from being a totally different chipset for the board, no other item other than the hard drive was the same.
I fully thought that it would fail along the line but after some 10 minutes "getting devices ready" it rebooted into the start menu with all previously installed programs and customization working.:eek:

However I doubt whether such a change will pass registration/activation tests if done after the final release.
I think they are going to track the inbuilt mac address on a board as part of the activation process; which will however allow you to swap out other major components without a problem.

Interesting, because I also tried this experiment going from an AMD system to an Intel system. I'm surprised it booted and worked as well as it did.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 RTM (Retinas taking damage...)
    CPU
    i5 2500
    Motherboard
    msi p67a-g43
    Memory
    16 GB DDR3 1333
    Graphics Card(s)
    2x Nvidia 9800 GTX+
Sometimes this works and sometimes it doesn't. By changing out the entire motherboard your really throwing the HAL for a loop :D Sometimes it recovers and other times no...

To try to help it I usually boot into safe mode first on the new hardware to minimise driver loading while it finds out it's no longer sitting on the hardware it used to be. Then after it reinstalls all the safe mode drivers I reboot normally.

This will probably work best NOW when the OS is new and fail more and more as time goes on because new hardware will require drivers it does not know about and it won;t get far enough booted up for you to change them by hand...

You are right though, on a normal version you would definitely be hit with a reactivation notice, which if using an OEM or "System builder" install will then fail :(
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7/8
Yep! just rebooted today and it asked me to activate, although it had been activated on the intel system.
The changes were enough to prompt re-activation.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    xp , 7Pro, 8RP, Android phone, Tablet
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Custom
    CPU
    q6600@3Ghz, amd 965 etc etc
    Motherboard
    gigabyte
    Memory
    8gb per
    Graphics Card(s)
    gts450 ,560gt etc
    Monitor(s) Displays
    3xsamsung 24in
    Screen Resolution
    3, 1920x1200
    Hard Drives
    To many! spread across 4 desktops,3 laptops 1 netbook
    ssd, sata 3's ide etc
    PSU
    Hyper Modular 600W
    Case
    lian li
    Cooling
    artic
    Internet Speed
    60Mb
    Other Info
    Basically the house has 4 desktops 3 in the study + the wifes,
    3 laptops 1 netbook 2 android tablets 2 android smart phones
    and ipad and iphone
I have to ask, was this not known before? As I've done this countless of times, I've swapped hard drives around with different systems and everything boots up fine. Drivers just take a while to install. Using a Windows 8 To Go drive does the same thing.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    ASUS
    CPU
    AMD FX 8320
    Motherboard
    Crosshair V Formula-Z
    Memory
    16 gig DDR3
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS R9 270
    Screen Resolution
    1440x900
    Hard Drives
    1 TB Seagate Barracuda (starting to hate Seagate)
    x2 3 TB Toshibas
    Windows 8.1 is installed on a SanDisk Ultra Plus 256 GB
    PSU
    OCZ 500 watt
    Case
    A current work in progres as I'll be building the physical case myself. It shall be fantastic.
    Cooling
    Arctic Cooler with 3 heatpipes
    Keyboard
    Logitech K750 wireless solar powered keyboard
    Mouse
    Microsoft Touch Mouse
    Browser
    Internet Explorer 11
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender, but I might go back on KIS 2014
Back
Top