One question which gets asked a lot on the PCMech Forums is if Windows licenses (i.e. CD keys) are transferable to a new or different computer. As with just about any computer question, the answer is ‘it depends’.

For a simple explanation, check out this this post where the author answers this exact question. Basically it all boils down to where you bought your PC. If it came from a major manufacturer (Dell, HP, etc.) and had Windows pre-loaded, the answer is most likely no as the CD key is tied to the manufacturer’s motherboard.

Another handy tidbit to know is how Windows Activation works and what it looks for. If all you need to do is swap out some parts, knowing this is a good way to ‘ease’ your Windows copy into accepting the hardware without giving validation fits.