Upgrading motherboard - want to keep Windows 11 install

Flogger23m · 2026-06-06T20:42:04-0400

Got a good deal on a CPU/motherboard combo (motherboard is essentially free so I may as well use it), so am deciding to upgrade my motherboard. Wanting to keep my current Windows 11 Pro install as it is only a few months old.

Win 11 versions is: 10.0.26200 Build 26200

What steps should I take to ensure I can swap the motherboards without any issues with my Win 11 install?

1) Will create system image and drive clone (I will do both as I have a spare SSD) as a backup.

2) Bitlocker is disabled on all drives.

3) Should I disable AMD fTPM in my motherboard BIOS prior to swapping motherboards? So I disable Secure Boot or anything else?

4) Should I uninstall old chipset drivers from within Win 11 prior to removing the old motherboard?

5) After I install the new motherboard, is there any setting I should disable or enable prior to rebooting into Win 11?

6) Windows 11 will require reactivation. Prior to swapping the motherboard should I remove my PC from my Microsoft account, and then re-add it after I boot into the Windows with the new motherboard? Can't quite recall how I did re-activation previously.

Will be going from one AM5 board to another AM5 board so the overall change should not be that big.

Old board: X670E PG Lightning

Planned new board: MSI Pro X870E-P Wifi

Ghot · 2026-06-06T21:11:47-0400

If worse comes to worst, and you have issues reactivating Windows, there's always Stack Social...

Win 11 Home or Pro $12.97

IMO, it's much easier than dealing with MS.

Flogger23m · 2026-06-06T21:32:24-0400

Ghot said:
If worse comes to worst, and you have issues reactivating Windows, there's always Stack Social...

Win 11 Home or Pro $12.97

IMO, it's much easier than dealing with MS.

I assume that site is at least semi legitimate for MS products? If so that is a good price, and if it does not re-activate I'll just rebuy it.

Ghot · 2026-06-06T21:41:00-0400

Flogger23m said:
I assume that site is at least semi legitimate for MS products? If so that is a good price, and if it does not re-activate I'll just rebuy it.

Yes. They're affiliated with MS somehow.

The last two BIOS updates for the motherboard (in my specs)... broke my activation.
It had updated AMD fTPM, and MS thought I got a new CPU. LOL
I run a LOCAL account. I tried everything... no joy.

Got a product key from StackSocial, kept it on storage drive for three weeks, then used.
That was back in November 2025.
Haven't had any problems.

Lots of folks on here have used SS for Windows and MS Office keys.

MisterEd · 2026-06-06T21:48:15-0400

You have nothing to lose by trying to reactivate Windows. If it doesn't a new license doesn't cost much.

BTW, I did this with two different desktop computers last December. Each upgrade had totally different new hardware. Windows reactivated OK. The important thing was that both computers started with Windows with retail licenses. Changing hardware is allowed with retail licenses. If the license is not retail then changing hardware is not allowed.

FreeBooter · 2026-06-06T21:54:16-0400

To unlink or remove a Windows 11 product key from your PC, use the Command Prompt to uninstall the key and clear it from the registry. If you want to transfer a Retail license to a new computer, also be sure to remove the old device from your Microsoft Account.

Step 1: Uninstall the Product Key from WindowsOpen the search bar on your taskbar, type cmd.

Right-click on Command Prompt and select Run as administrator.

Type slmgr /upk and press Enter.A prompt will confirm that the product key has been uninstalled successfully.

Step 2: Clear the Key from the Registry To ensure the key cannot be extracted by registry scanners, type slmgr /cpky in the Command Prompt and press Enter.

Restart your computer to finalize the deactivation.Step 3:

Unlink from your Microsoft Account (For Retail Licenses)If your license is a digital one tied to your email account, you should also remove the old PC to free up the license for your new device:

Go to the Microsoft Devices Page and sign in.

Find your current/old device in the list and click Show details or Manage.

Select Remove device or Unlink device and confirm.

Note: If your product key came pre-installed on the computer when you bought it (OEM License), it is permanently tied to that motherboard and cannot be unlinked or transferred to another PC.

How to Uninstall the Windows Product Key and Transfer to New PC - Make Tech Easier

Protect your license before selling an old computer. Learn how to uninstall Windows product key and transfer it to your new PC instead.

maketecheasier.com

Flogger23m · 2026-06-06T22:56:39-0400

For the Stacksocial Windows licenses, I assume those are OEM?

FreeBooter said:
To unlink or remove a Windows 11 product key from your PC, use the Command Prompt to uninstall the key and clear it from the registry. If you want to transfer a Retail license to a new computer, also be sure to remove the old device from your Microsoft Account.

Step 1: Uninstall the Product Key from WindowsOpen the search bar on your taskbar, type cmd.

Right-click on Command Prompt and select Run as administrator.

Type slmgr /upk and press Enter.A prompt will confirm that the product key has been uninstalled successfully.

Step 2: Clear the Key from the Registry To ensure the key cannot be extracted by registry scanners, type slmgr /cpky in the Command Prompt and press Enter.

Restart your computer to finalize the deactivation.Step 3:

Unlink from your Microsoft Account (For Retail Licenses)If your license is a digital one tied to your email account, you should also remove the old PC to free up the license for your new device:

Go to the Microsoft Devices Page and sign in.

Find your current/old device in the list and click Show details or Manage.

Select Remove device or Unlink device and confirm.

Note: If your product key came pre-installed on the computer when you bought it (OEM License), it is permanently tied to that motherboard and cannot be unlinked or transferred to another PC.

How to Uninstall the Windows Product Key and Transfer to New PC - Make Tech Easier

Protect your license before selling an old computer. Learn how to uninstall Windows product key and transfer it to your new PC instead.

maketecheasier.com

Thanks, it is an OEM. I know I somehow reactivated it in the past and had a family member re-active their Win 11 OEM Install after swapping motherboards, but I assume it most likely will not transfer. $13 is not that big of a deal if it comes to that.

Aside from activation issues, should I disable things like fTPM prior to swapping the motherboards?

Slavic · 2026-06-07T00:33:13-0400

In theory, instead of massive upgrade you can try to perform step-by-step upgrade, which doesn't break the activation at every single step. Configuration is counted as a sum of unique CPU, MB, RAM, HDD/SSD, network adapter. OEM should allow to replace only the MB (situations that it was broken happen quite often) while keeping all other components untouched. After a while, you can replace other components starting from CPU. But in any case, it would be better to create a full system backup of working old OS first.

As for obsolete device drivers, you don't have to uninstall them before upgrade. It's possible to do it later by looking in Device Manager, which of them are grey or marked by yellow triangle, and uninstall all such devices that no longer present.

zbook · 2026-06-07T01:22:06-0400

This link may be useful:

Reactivating Windows after a hardware change - Microsoft Support

Reactivating Windows after a hardware change - Microsoft Support

Learn how to prepare your Windows device for a hardware change and find help reactivating Windows after a hardware change is complete.

support.microsoft.com

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?) is linked to your Windows 11 digital license.
To find out, select the Start button, then select Settings > System and then select Activation .
The activation status message will tell you if your account is linked.

Winuser · 2026-06-07T12:32:18-0400

I have replaced the drives on my new computers with the drives from my old computers several times and never had a problem with activation and/or drivers. I found Windows 10 and 11 very forgiving when switching drives to a different computer.

KevTech · 2026-06-07T16:41:53-0400

Flogger23m said:
For the Stacksocial Windows licenses, I assume those are OEM?

They are retail keys.

Upgrading motherboard - want to keep Windows 11 install

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