about upgrading mainboard with win 8.1 pro??

OK so when i first got my alienware it was a good machine had win 7 on it i upgraded it to win 8 with a retail copy of win 8 from walmart, i then went from win 8 to 8.1 pro with media center, i had a question if i upgrade my mainboard as i have since gutted my alienware and put it in a new case, and now have room to upgrade my mainboard if i chose to do so, but my old win 7 that was on this machine the product key label is unreadable now and i cant even make it out. not sure if that matters or not, as i now have win 8.1 pro on here. but when i upgraded to win 8 i have its key and when i went to 8.1 i dont remember getting a key i think it just updated. So how will i go about updating a mainboard will i need to re-install windows if i stick with intel. and how will i go about doing that ? just install win 8 and upgrade again but will my win 8.1 pro with media center be there or will i need to buy it again. Any help appreciated.

Keys are one per PC (defined primarily by the Mobo's hardware ID) - thus once activated it is bound to that Mobo.

You can try phone activation on the new installation, if 'Robo-lady' complains, just speak to a support rep and explain you have upgraded and hopefully they will transfer your licence.

It was my understanding that win 8 was not mobo bound.

As you upgraded your Dell Windows 7, the Dell product key will stay with that Dell PC for all time.

The factory Windows 7 install stays with that original motherboard as it was most likely an OEM version. Your Retail Windows 8.0 Pro can be moved to another PC as long as it's uninstalled on the first PC. It can only be activated on one PC at any one time. You could install 8.0 Pro on the new motherboard with your 8.0 Pro key, not the Media Center key, and then upgrade to 8.1 Pro. Or you can install 8.1 Pro with a generic key and then activate with your 8.0 Pro key. http://www.eightforums.com/installa...retail-windows-8-1-windows-8-product-key.html As far as I know the Media Center key once used is tied to the PC it was activated on. If you try it on the new motherboard it may not activate, especially if its still being used on the other PC. Media Center doesn't try to activate until the install/upgrade is finished and the PC reboots. If it then fails to activate you will have to go back to 8.1 Pro. Which is not easy and may require you to do the install all over again. Don't say I didn't warn you.

what about a option like a universal restore from one those back up programs will that work better? if i decide to upgrade my mainboard, and how do i get around the windows 7 thing will i need that key again or can i simply re-install over win 8.1 pro and call it good?. and if i understand you correctly i will need to repurchase media center?. The win 7 thing is going to be a issue as the stupid key thing is unreadable, i sure hope i dont have to have that key again if i decide to move to a new mainboard that is going to be a pain in the but.

Are you planning on reinstalling Windows 7 on the original motherboard? If it was a factory OEM install it never used the key on the sticker. It would have used the OEM SLIC Table in the BIOS. To redo that you need custom OEM install media. If your Retail Windows 8 is an upgrade version then just do this. http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/13375-clean-install-windows-8-upgrade.html?

oh ok cool i thought i could do that i plan on upgrading my mainboard as this one was out of my old dell alienware and for some reason my video card in the pci e slot hits a board cap, but it dont affect anything that i can see.

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