Then, use the following info to help you successfully prepare for a hardware change and reactivate Windows. Open Activation settings. If you're not activated, complete the activation process with the steps you see on the Activation page. If you experience an error while activating, see Get help with Windows activation errors. In Windows 11, it is essential that you link your Microsoft account with the Windows 11 digital license on your device.
Linking your Microsoft account with your digital license allows you to reactivate Windows using the Activation troubleshooter whenever you make a significant hardware change. First, you'll need to find out if your Microsoft account What is a Microsoft account? The activation status message will tell you if your account is linked.
If your Microsoft account is not linked to your digital license, follow these steps to Add an account :. Sign in as an administrator to add your Microsoft account. Go to Your info in Settings. Confirm that the administrator account is also your Microsoft account by checking to see if an email address is displayed above Administrator. If an email address is displayed, this is a Microsoft account.
After your Microsoft account has been added, the message on the Activation page will change to: Windows is activated with a digital license linked to your Microsoft account. Make sure that the edition, Windows 11 Home or Windows 11 Pro, is the same before and after your hardware change.
Your digital license and product key will reactivate only if the edition remains the same. You can see your edition on the same Activation page where you checked your activation status. See your edition of Windows. To find out how to locate your key, see Find your Windows product key. For more info about product keys and digital licenses, see Activate Windows. When you're ready to reactivate, make sure that your device is connected to the internet and then follow the steps for either a digital license or product key.
After linking your Microsoft account, run the Activation troubleshooter to reactivate Windows Sign in as an administrator. For more info, see Create a local user or administrator account in Windows.
Sara Your files, system are stored in the hard drive, changing motherboard don't loss your photos, windows etc. If you replacing the hardware like hard drive, you have to backup your data, even clone the whole drive disk. Certainly regularly backup your data is essential. To avoid the loss, please do another copy for your files whatever you do. If you are using a bit Windows there is no change in hardware that will enable you to use more than 4GB of memory.
You do need to switch to a bit OS which will require a re-installation plus the hardware needs to support it. If you were to use e. Windows 7 Home Basic even the bit version won't allow you to go beyond 8GB of memory. Switching the motherboard does not harm your data. Everything will remain on the hard drive. Whether you will be able to just boot up after the switch and continue using your system is a different story.
Replace the data and power cables in the same spots. Check them as you proceed:. Replace the GPU, if you have one.
Install it with the reverse process: place it back in the longest PCI-Express slot, press down, and lift the plastic tab to lock it in place. Replace the screw that holds it into the back of the case, and plug in the power rail from the power supply. Now do the same for any other expansion cards you have.
Follow the same steps as the external installation above, with any adaptations you may need for its specific design. Replace the access panel from the case, and screw it into place on the back of the case with its retention screws.
You can now move your PC back to its normal position and power it up. Browse All iPhone Articles Browse All Mac Articles Do I need one? Browse All Android Articles Browse All Smart Home Articles Customize the Taskbar in Windows Browse All Microsoft Office Articles What Is svchost. Browse All Privacy and Security Articles Browse All Linux Articles Browse All Buying Guides. Best Portable Monitors. Best Gaming Keyboards. Best Drones. Best 4K TVs.
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Verizon Selling PS5. Windows 11 SE Explained. Windows 11 SE. Tuck the cables neatly out of the way, using tape, cable ties, or tiewraps to secure them to the case. If necessary, temporarily disconnect the cables to route them around other cables and obstructions, and reconnect them once you have them positioned properly. The next step is to reconnect the power connectors from the power supply to the motherboard. The Main ATX Power Connector is a pin or pin connector, usually located near the right front edge of the motherboard.
Locate the corresponding cable coming from the power supply, verify that the cable is aligned properly with the connector, and press the cable firmly until it seats fully, as shown in Figure The locking tab on the side of the connector should snap into place over the corresponding nub on the socket.
A partially seated connector may cause subtle problems that are very difficult to troubleshoot. The power supply also has a 4-pin connector very similar to the ATX12V connector with matching tabs or rails that you can snap or slide into the pin connector, thus converting it to a pin connector. I've seen people reject this kind of power supply because they don't understand how it works: either they need a pin power supply and the 4-pin connector is unlatched or they need a pin power supply and the 4-pin connector is latched.
In either case, they don't figure out the combination mechanism, and so think the power supply is incompatible with their motherboard. Many recent motherboards are designed to accept the newer pin ATX Main Power Connector rather than the original pin version of that connector. If the new motherboard is pin and your power supply is pin, you may be able to connect the pin cable to the pin motherboard, leaving the extra four pins unused. If the motherboard has components too near the connector, the pin cable may not seat.
In that case, buy an adapter cable that adapts the pin cable to fit the pin motherboard connector. Conversely, if the motherboard is pin and your power supply pin, the motherboard may require more current than the pin cable can provide.
In that case, the motherboard will have a standard Molex hard drive power connector. After you connect the pin ATX Main Power Connector cable to the pin socket on the motherboard, connect one of the Molex hard drive power connectors from the power supply to the auxiliary power connector socket on the motherboard.
Failing to do this may cause boot failures or other problems. The ATX12V connector is keyed. Orient the cable connector properly relative to the motherboard connector, and press the cable connector into place until the plastic tab locks, as shown in Figure Failing to connect the ATX12V connector is one of the most common causes of initial boot failures on newly built Pentium 4 systems. If nothing happens the first time you power up the system, chances are it's because you forgot to connect the ATX12V connector.
To do so, align each adapter with the corresponding motherboard slot. Make sure that any external connectors on the card bracket clear the edges of the slot. Carefully align the card with the slot and use both thumbs to press down firmly until it snaps into the slot, as shown in Figure When a newly built system fails to boot, the most common cause is that the video adapter is not fully seated. Some combinations of adapter, case, and motherboard make it devilishly hard to install the adapter properly.
It may seem that the adapter is fully seated. You may even hear it snap into place. That's no guarantee. Always verify that the card contacts have fully penetrated the slot, and that the base of the adapter is parallel to the slot and in full contact with it. Many motherboards have a retaining bracket, visible in Figure as two brown tabs to the lower right of the heatsink.
This bracket mates with a corresponding notch on the video adapter, snapping into place as the adapter is seated. If you need to remove the adapter later, remember to press those tabs to unlock the retaining bracket before you attempt to pull the card. After you are certain that the video adapter is fully seated, secure it by inserting a screw through the bracket into the chassis, as shown in Figure If the video card has an externally powered fan or requires an external power connection, make sure to connect a power cable to the video adapter before you move on to another task.
Install any other expansion cards in the same manner, making sure to connect any power or data cables they require before you start another step. At this point, the motherboard upgrade is nearly complete. Take a few minutes to double-check everything. Verify that all of the cables are connected properly and that there's nothing loose inside the case. We usually pick up the system and tilt it gently from side to side and then front to back to make sure there are no loose screws or other items that could cause a short.
Use the following checklist:. Power supply set to proper input voltage see Chapter Memory modules full seated and latched see Chapter 6. Front-panel switch and indicator cables connected properly.
Hard drive data cable see Chapter 7 connected to drive and motherboard. Optical drive data cable see Chapter 8 connected to drive and motherboard. When you turn on the rear power switch, the system will come to life momentarily and then die. That's perfectly normal behavior. When the power supply receives power, it begins to start up. It quickly notices that the motherboard hasn't told it to start, and so it shuts down again.
All you need to do is press the frontpanel power switch and the system will start normally.
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