Need helpful answer about Mobo upgrade

I'm going to be upgrading my AM2+ mobo. to a AM3 MSI 890FXA-GD70 & 8.0 gbs. G-Data DDR3 1600 r.a.m.next week and have a few questions I need help with. I already know to download the current mobo. drivers, instead of using the cd-rom's drivers that come with it. Question #1. I know the higher end mobo's come with extra utilities. Which for this board are safe to install & use ? Question #2 I have 2 W.D. Caviar Black 1.0 tb. hard drives. One has Windows and Programs on it. The second drive has Contacts,Documents,Downloads,Music,Pictures,Saved Games,Searches and Videos on it. I know I need to reformat the 1st drive and leave the 2nd drive unhooked until Windows is reinstalled. Will everything from the 2nd drive with my personal files be okay, if I don't reformat it and just reconnect it's cables after Windows is installed ? If so, is there anything on that drive (i/e: hidden files) that I'll have to delete or take ownership of ?

drive 2 will be fine. ive done many installs like what your are asking

Hello there, fellow similar-specs user.

What extra utlities are you referring to? Diagnostics? (CPU-Z, HWMonitor) Maintenance? (CCleaner, TuneUp Utilities) Personally, I think it's best to just use diagnostic software as I think Windows 7 is an OS designed to run 'by itself' without the need for extra maintenance software and that it performs best this way (I know firsthand that both CCleaner and TuneUp Utilities has the ability to mess up your system).

Your second drive should remain fine and untouched unless you used a different file system for that (which I doubt and I assume you've used NTFS on all your drives). Just reformat your first drive and leave the second drive alone, I don't think you even need to disconnect the second drive.

I'm refering to MSI Live Update 5,MSI Control Center,I-Charger and this last one I also downloaded, but don't think it applies to my Phenom 2 965 cpu (BIOS Code Unlocked Technology). I'm planning on overclocking with the MSI board, but I'm a newbie at that aspect of it. I'm also going to upgrade the r.a.m. to an additional kit of the same 8.0 gb. kit of r.a.m. a month after the mobo and first r.a.m. kit. Then in late summer or fall I'm going to get a Phenom 2 1100 BE cpu. I need to decide which sound card I want to get before the new cpu.

TuneUp Utilities FUBAR'ed my the OS that I was using for folding@home (XP Media Center). It was running good, but it was mentioned on this site as a good program to have, and I fell for it.

It never ran good again, it was completing a WU every 18 to 20 hours. The HDD was already at 36% of it's health level, see specs after the final format.
HDTune_Health_HTS541010G9AT00.png

Another program (Acronis Drive Mointor) calculated the 36% HDD health, but after having to reformat my drive, the health dropped to less than 1%. It was only after using TuneUp Utilities that the reformat became necessary. I had already used Hitachi's drive tools disc to repair 42 bad blocks once, but it wouldn't accomplish it a second time. I'm now running it through a USB drive.

I highly advise everyone to avoid TuneUp Utilities as though it were a plague, it can really screw up a computer badly.

EDIT: The Reallocated Event Count (as was the Current Pending Sector) was also climbing rapidly by the day after the use of the program, although it passed in this picture, it was reported as a critical parameter by the Acronis Drive Monitor, that drive failure was imminent. The final reformat took over 27 hours to complete, on a 100GB HDD, but was an effort for nothing. It may have screwed up my RAM too, as I'm now running MemTest86 v4.00, it's reported 260408 errors, and it's not complete yet.



Cat

Yeah I'm never installing stuff like that again, learned my lesson well. CPU-Z, PowerISO and HWMonitor are the only utilities that I have installed and my PC's performance has never been smoother and faster.

I've learned mine, too. Although I do use CCleaner daily for deleting temporary internet files, I use it sparingly, most of the pre-checked boxes, I uncheck.

Especially when you run VM's, you must be careful in what you're deleting. I don't have negative issues with CCleaner, but have been burned by a few others. Some of these "cleaners" or "optimizers" are way more potent than many realizes.

Cat

No, I was talking about the various MSI software for the motherboard, not the drivers. I know I need those. Specifically, the MSI Live Update, Control Center, I-Charger and BIOS Code Unlocked Utility. MSI obviously pulled OC Genie that runs inside Windows. Guess, I'll have let the BIOS automatically overclock it for me.

Not meaning to throw a wrench in here but, understand the motherboard is the heart of a computer and as such, when you elect to "upgrade" your computer by installing a new board, you are in effect, building a new computer, even if all other parts were pulled off an older computer. And as a new computer, it MUST have a new Windows license. You CANNOT transfer a OEM/System builder Windows license to a new motherboard. Only the "full Retail" license, which most people do not have, can be transferred. So make sure a legitimate license is in the budget.

The question (and often heated discussion) of the legality of transferring OEM licenses to upgraded or new computers comes up a lot. So I have created the following canned text with links to sources to settle any questions - until the next unfamiliar person comes along.

OEM (System Builder) licenses are not transferable. A new motherboard, as seen below, constitutes a new computer. Therefore, when you "upgrade" the motherboard, if your current Windows license is an OEM or Upgrade license tied to a qualifying OEM, you MUST purchase a new Windows license, or use one of the many free Linux alternatives. You can replace everything else (case, CPU, PSU, RAM, graphics card, HDs) and not require a new license. Just not the motherboard. This applies to OEM (System Builder) and Upgrade licenses. Only "full retail" licenses can be transferred to another computer, but only if all previous installations have been removed.

The only exception to this is if the original motherboard failed and you are replacing it as part of a repair action with an identical motherboard (or a suitable substitute as recommended by the original motherboard or PC maker if original board is out of production and no longer available). If it is not an identical replacement board for one that has failed (or a recommended substitute from the same maker), and it is not an official "full retail" license of Windows, then a new Windows license MUST be purchased! OEM (System Builder) Licenses are not transferable to another computer.

Note the following:

Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 824125, near the bottom under More Information (my bold added),

Quote:

Users who run a Microsoft Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) operating system may upgrade or replace most of the hardware components on the computer and still maintain the license for the original Microsoft OEM operating system software provided by the OEM, with the exception of an upgrade or a replacement of the motherboard. An upgrade or a replacement of the motherboard is considered to create a new personal computer. Therefore, Microsoft OEM operating system software cannot be transferred from another computer. If the motherboard is upgraded or replaced for reasons other than a defect then a new computer is created, and a new operating system license is required. If the motherboard is replaced because of a defect, the user does not need to acquire a new operating system license for the computer. The motherboard replacement must be the same make and model, or the same manufacturer’s replacement or equivalent, as defined by that manufacturer’s warranty.

Microsoft OEM Licensing FAQ, under System Builder Licensing, 8th Q&A,

Quote:

Q. Can a PC with an OEM Windows operating system have its motherboard upgraded and keep the same license? What if it was replaced because it was defective? A. Generally, an end user can upgrade or replace all of the hardware components on a computer—except the motherboard—and still retain the license for the original Microsoft OEM operating system software. If the motherboard is upgraded or replaced for reasons other than a defect, then a new computer has been created. Microsoft OEM operating system software cannot be transferred to the new computer, and the license of new operating system software is required. If the motherboard is replaced because it is defective, you do not need to acquire a new operating system license for the PC as long as the replacement motherboard is the same make/model or the same manufacturer's replacement/equivalent, as defined by the manufacturer's warranty. The reason for this licensing rule primarily relates to the End User Software License Terms and the support of the software covered by that End User Software License Terms. The End User Software License Terms is a set of usage rights granted to the end user by the PC manufacturer and relates only to rights for that software as installed on that particular PC. The system builder is required to support the software on the original PC. Understanding that end users, over time, upgrade their PCs with different components, Microsoft needed to have one base component "left standing" that would still define the original PC. Since the motherboard contains the CPU and is the "heart and soul" of the PC, when the motherboard is replaced (for reasons other than defect) a new PC is essentially created. The original system builder did not manufacture this new PC, and therefore cannot be expected to support it.

For more information about the differences between OEM and full retail licenses, see this FAQ and note question 11.

I understand this is counter to what many have long believed, but it has always been this way - read your EULAs. OEM - Original Equipment Manufacturing - licenses are for just that, "Original Equipment". It is important to note too that OEM versions are sold at substantial discounts. If transferability is important, you must buy a full retail version.

If you have purchased other software, it may not be transferable either. The exception for Windows is IF your current version is a "retail" full (not upgrade) copy, and you completely remove it from the old computer.

So, to be clear, if your current version of Windows is an OEM (also called "System Builders") version of Windows that came with or was purchased for your old computer/motherboard, you cannot legally transfer that license to your new computer. This applies to Upgrade licenses too as they are directly tied to the license they are upgrading. This means you cannot install it (or the old drive it is currently installed on) on the computer with the new motherboard.

NOTE - While technically installing an OEM version on a new computer is possible, it is NOT legal and is considered stealing. "Intellectual Property" laws are universal. This means if you live in the United States, a member country of the European Union, and/or a member country of the United Nations, it applies to you. Check your EULA. In all cases, it will say something similar to this seen for Windows 7 Professional, (their bold),

Quote:

By using the software, you accept these terms. If you do not accept them, do not use the software. The software license is permanently assigned to the computer with which the software is distributed. That computer is the “licensed computer.” The software may include more than one version, such as 32-bit and 64-bit. You may use only one version at one time.

It is important to note you do not own the software, you own a license to use it. And by using it, you agree to the terms of the license.

Note this is an industry policy, not just Microsoft's. And please note, I am just the messenger!

*****

Yes all that is true , I however have done it New CPU, New MB old hardware and memory, I made call to MS explained the situation, explained I was a home user and that this OEM was only on this machine, they took me step by step giving me a series of numbers to insert and I was up and running. Will this happen every-time I would guess not but if you do not try you will never know.