Thank you for being a valued part of the CNET community. As of December 1, 2020, the forums are in read-only format. In early 2021, CNET Forums will no longer be available. We are grateful for the participation and advice you have provided to one another over the years.

Thanks,

CNET Support

Question

PC hardware issue.

Oct 21, 2015 1:32PM PDT

I've been building PCs for nearly 30 years but this issue has got me puzzled. So there I was transcoding a video and PC just went off. No flash, no bang, just off. Right first thought PSU has died. Got an old PSU and tried that - no joy. Took both PSUs and did the insert paper clip into mains plug to test if they are actually working - both PSUs came on with this test. So has to be motherboard. Bought a new motherboard, inserted CPU, RAM and connected cables, turned on got message "No display". Swapped out graphic card for an old one that doesn't need any power straight from PSU - still no display. Swapped out PSUs - same message. Right has to be CPU. Bought new CPU, installed it on new board, turned on, power light came on, heard CPU fan speeding up and down but still no display. Cleared CMOS tried again - same result, swapped out RAM from another machine, swapped PSUs (again) - same result. Machine sounds like it is trying to start but no display. Moved entire machine to a different power outlet in house - no joy. Tomorrow, out of desperation, a new PSU will arrive. If this don't work I am lost. The whole system will be new. I don't connect HDDs/SSDs when powering on as all I want to see is the POST screen.
What is going on?

Discussion is locked

- Collapse -
Here's my old story.
Oct 30, 2015 5:58PM PDT

New motherboard would not take "supported" CPUs. I re-researched it and found that the board Revision mattered but that was good, but then the maker had issued BIOS updates to add more CPU model support. Luckily I had a working CPU to do that update and then I could change the CPU up.

- Collapse -
Answer
New motherboard and Windows 10 license.
Oct 30, 2015 9:28AM PDT

Just had a long chat with a Microsoft techy. Told him I had a new motherboard and when I connected my SSD and turned on - got the message Windows 10 is not activated. Attempting to activate is useless. So MS techy told me this - Windows 10 license is tied to your motherboard, if you wish to install Windows 10 again or activate, again, your existing Windows 10 then you must buy a new license.
I argued that this is a very anti-upgrade practice by MS.
After tossing comments and apologies around I asked - Can I install Windows 7, upgrade to Windows 10 and then do a clean install of Windows 10? Will I get a new license?
He said I would. This I have yet to prove.
So beware of upgrading motherboards, if you don't have a 'backup' retail disc of Windows 7, 8 or 8.1 and want to install Windows 10 then you'll need a new license.

- Collapse -
Thanks for this. I knew this from how it worked before.
Oct 30, 2015 9:38AM PDT

There are many web articles about it but you summed it up nicely.

- Collapse -
I think I have missed something again.
Oct 30, 2015 11:32AM PDT

How could you not have a disc if it is a retail win7? What happen to it?

- Collapse -
I do...
Oct 31, 2015 8:47AM PDT

... have 2 retail discs of Windows 7 so I have to go through the process of installing Windows 7, fully updating it (seems that Windows 10 crashes the upgrade with a fresh install of Windows 7), upgrade to Windows 10 then to get rid of the 'excess fat' do a clean install of Windows 10.
You know what I thought **** it this time. I'm keeping Windows 7 on this machine.

- Collapse -
So now everything is back as it WAS...
Oct 31, 2015 9:32AM PDT

before we heard of WIN10? Do you still want to play with win10 or going to drop it like an anchor?

- Collapse -
This is the plan.
Oct 31, 2015 5:30PM PDT

Eventually, if we all live long enough, we will all be forced into Windows 10 if we decide to stay with MS... but not quite yet. From experience of motherboard dies, bye bye Windows 10 license. what I'll do is some time next year, probably close to the end of the Win 10 freebie, upgrade my system, all components, and buy, yes BUY, a Windows 10 retail disc. This way I'll have a brand new PC and a brand new Win 10 permanent license which I can use again and again regardless if my motherboard dies.
For now keeping the last motherboard I bought, an ASRock and am going to put an AMD Phenom II x 4 965 in it.
I've had it with the FX series of CPUS - never again.

- Collapse -
Wait the minute.
Oct 31, 2015 7:18PM PDT

You got a new board in that computer or are you thinking of putting a new/different board? If you have a "retail" (not OEM) win7 then I think MS is all wrong.

- Collapse -
That also happens...
Oct 30, 2015 1:26PM PDT

....if you installed windows 10 into a virtual drive instead of on bare metal.

Any change in how the virtual drive is setup and suddenly it's inactive again. Too squirrelly for anyone who changes things around at times, OS is only suited for someone who never changes anything, more sensitive than the previous versions about changes.

They will have three reactions from the buying public. Those like me who have left MS products behind as our main operating system and moved to Linux instead, and those who won't move to Linux but scream and raise a stink about it, and those who will just keep using or reverting to older windows systems until they must make a decision to knuckle under MS new methods and rules concerning "privacy" (they make that work a joke now), or decide to face Linux. I moved to Kubuntu, then to Mint MATE rather than eight. "MATE before Eight!" Cool