Consider updating your system. Replacing the motherboard often requires reinstalling Windows.
Consider updating your system. Replacing the motherboard often requires reinstalling Windows.
Hey there! Welcome! No worries if this is your first time asking. Your setup has an older ASUS board from about seven years ago, with an AMD-8350 and GTX 1060 already installed. You're thinking about moving to a Ryzen 5 3600 and an RTX 2070, but the new board only supports AM4 sockets. So you're planning a big overhaul.
You've swapped the CPU and GPU before, and Windows seems to work fine with those changes. Now you're considering a fresh hard drive setup. People say Windows 10 is pretty good at handling new hardware, but it does have its limits.
If you want to keep your SSD in the same motherboard, you’ll need to replace the hard drive entirely. You can’t just drop the old one in without updating the BIOS or firmware. Also, if you decide to reinstall Windows, you’ll likely need to remove all current drivers.
Regarding activation, starting from Windows 10 and using a backup USB should let you install it without a license key, but you might still need to verify your account details.
Overall, swapping everything is doable, but make sure you back up important data first. Let me know if you need more details!
Typically, switching between CPUs from different generations requires reinstalling Windows to prevent driver issues. However, if it's from the same maker, you might manage without it, though I’d go ahead and reinstall for simplicity.
Reinstall Windows. Updating drivers helps, but it’s not a complete fix. Restarting and setting up again is simpler than dealing with potential conflicts later. You’re using the same activation code, but since you’ve lost it, link it to your Microsoft account for activation.
I would reinstall it. It’s not essential, but it does help remove any lingering problems. Otherwise, you’ll keep worrying that the issue could stem from outdated drivers or other factors.