Solved: ripping the guts out of HP Pavilion

Thought that this title would get someone's attention.

I have a Pavilion a250n desktop PC that has hardware issues. It has XP home installed.

What I would like to do is replace the original motherboard, cpu, and memory with:

Biostar K8M800 Micro AM2 motherboard
AMD Sempron 3400+ CPU
2GB ram

But I want to keep the original Hard drive, OS and files. I have already replaced the PSU to a 400W, with no problems.

Will there be a significant issue when I try to boot up?

From what I've read on other forums is that most PC companies (HP, Dell, Gateway etc.) don't put full OS versions on the machines, and that the product key code on the machine might become invalid.

Can anyone elaborate on this?

 

Well I did do something similar to what you're speaking about. What happened was I built my new system with a HD from my HP computer. What happens is it asks for the product key again when you boot the system up. The probably is, if you try to reformat, which I tried to do, it doesn't let you use the same key again. And anyways when you do have to re-validate it when it boots up you usually have to call some microsoft number to get it validated first.

 

The preinstalled version of windows you are speaking of is known as an OEM vrsion of Windows. EULA (End User License Agreement) for OEM is Different than that for a retail copy of Windows. THe OEM EULA states that this copy is licensed to be installed and run only on the system it was provided with or originally installed on. When you change the mothrboard you are in essence creting a new and different computer. Legally this violates the EULA for that copy of windows. Unless you install the same model motherboard into the system because of a repair or to replace the same blown motherboard. THe retail EULA staes that a copy of windows may only be installed on one computer at a time. Regardless of what system it is, you can move it from one system to another as long as it is not installed on more than one machine at a time.

So if your windows installation is the one the HP came from the factory with it would not be legal to use it on the system with a new and different motherboard installed.