Looking to build a new pc

[trents]

What is your budget now for the motherboard? Seems like you have expanded your budget horizons as this thread has progressed. I got the impression that at first you were trying to avoid spending anymore than possible to get a significant upgrade in performance over your present system. That isn't hard to do but seems like you have expanded that some.

 

[Vibatrex]

The budget came from saved up money, not necessarily a set thing, just didn’t want to go too overboard. I expected to go over, but didn’t want to go too far. I don’t want to go above $150

 

[trents]

Okay, here's what I would recommend when it's back in stock and it's a board I wish I had gotten in the b450 generation: https://www.newegg.com/msi-b550m-pr...m_re=B550m_motherboard-_-13-144-331-_-Product

Edited: The Mag mATX is an even better board and I was seeing it earlier this week for around $168. If the price comes back down, get it if your budget will allow. It looks like a very well-built mid/upper mid range board. And the Mortar mATX adds Wifi to the Mag for about $10 more under normal pricing regimes. Much of what you see left in stock is outrageously priced by third party vendors rather than NewEgg or Amazon themselves.

 

[Vibatrex]

I’m getting a broken link

 

[trents]

MSI B550M PRO-VDH WIFI AM4 AMD B550 SATA 6Gb/s Micro ATX AMD Motherboard was the product linked. It's not going to be a good overclocker but should be just fine for most all CPUs being run at stock.

 

[Vibatrex]

Yeah that’s the one I got saved on my auto notify for newegg

 

[trents]

Looks like this one is back in stock and should be a good board: https://www.newegg.com/asus-tuf-gam...813119314?Item=N82E16813119314&quicklink=true

 

[Vibatrex]

Yep, ordered. Much appreciation. Also, I believe that is the last piece. Although I am confused about the OS part. Is the link you provided for a code or what?

 

[trents]

Operating system? The link should take you to this. See picture. Are my links not working for you? Have you tried copying and pasting the address?

 

[Vibatrex]

Yeah the link worked, I’m just confused on how it’s normally $100.00+ and that’s under $17

 

[trents]

Oh, I see where the confusion is between us. I was not realizing you were not talking about something in the NewEgg ad.

The OS. These are "OEM" keys for Windows, not retail packages. They are licensed for use by system builders. You are purchasing a key, not media. You build your own installer media using an 8gb or larger USB flash drive from here: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10. You would click on the "Download tool now." Make sure the USB stick is plugged in and then click on the downloaded media creation tool file. It will create a bootable Windows 10 installer on the USB stick.

Then, you use the USB stick to install Windows. I would suggest not using the OEM license key until Windows is installed and then using the "Change product key" option for activation. During the install process you have the option to choose, "I don't have a key" to bypass the need for entering a key in order to proceed with the installation. Once the installation is finished then you can activate using Control Panel>System. There is a link in the System window for activation or changing the product key. Choose the latter and then use the automated phone attendant to complete activation. Some consider using these cheap activation keys to be a gray area as the source for them is unknown. Were they originally purchased by a tech company who went out of business and is now selling them dirt cheap to clearing houses like URCDKEY? Are they pirated? You have to decide for yourself if you want to go this way.

- - - Auto-Merged Double Post - - -

One thing to consider here about the OEM Windows keys. These clearing house companies like URCDKEY have been in operation for years in full view of everyone on the Internet and Microsoft has not closed them down. It it's illegal, why hasn't Microsoft gone after them?

 

[Vibatrex]

Okay, that makes a lot of sense. So after all that, the USB could be used to install Windows again?

 

[trents]

Yes, the USB can be used to install Windows again but it will only activate on the same machine it was originally installed on without buying another key. The Windows key is associated with the motherboard of the system and thereafter will automatically activate when reinstalled on that same system. This association information is recorded and retained by Microsoft somehow.

 

[Vibatrex]

Oh okay. I understand now, thanks! That doesn’t seem too bad.

 

[trents]

Also, I would make the purchase of the key the last purchase. On occasion I have gotten cheap keys from Ebay that were apparently pirated or reproduced. I waited months to use it and by that time it was no longer valid and would not activate. Apparently, Microsoft had enough time by then to catch up to the repeated use of the same key and invalidated it in their data base. But that was ebay and you know how risky that is. Just saying that it's wise not pack it away when you can't be totally sure of the original source supplier used, even by URCDKEY.

- - - Auto-Merged Double Post - - -

I should say that these keys are delivered via email by URCDKEY and usually within a couple of hours.

 

[Vibatrex]

Okay. That was my next question. I plan to get it built, then go ahead and purchase the key.

 

[trents]

Yes, many people don't realize that with Windows 10 you actually don't need a product key to install the OS. That can be done after the fact and will remain fully functional for quite some time until you get around to it. It's no secrete that Microsoft has wanted to move everyone over to Windows 10 so bad that they have been very relaxed about how you do it. Remember when Windows 10 was about to debut and Microsoft said you had one year to upgrade free from Windows 7 or Windows 8? They never enforced that. You can still do it four years later.

 

[Vibatrex]

Yeah in college we used VMWare and had to install windows many times and we did the same thing, except we just sued a file on the host. Same concept, just goes to a flash drive instead of a file on the server

 

[Tír na nÓg]

Yes, many people don't realize that with Windows 10 you actually don't need a product key to install the OS. That can be done after the fact and will remain fully functional for quite some time until you get around to it. It's no secrete that Microsoft has wanted to move everyone over to Windows 10 so bad that they have been very relaxed about how you do it. Remember when Windows 10 was about to debut and Microsoft said you had one year to upgrade free from Windows 7 or Windows 8? They never enforced that. You can still do it four years later.

Yes, and you can even upgrade from an unlicensed windows 7

 

[trents]

Vibatrex, please give us an update when you get the system assembled, up and running.