What is an Acer computer?

joeoil
joeoil Member Posts: 51 New User
in 2015 Archives

I have a Acer Aspire M3920 desktop. 

 

If I install a new motherboard, cpu and buy a new cabinet, is it still an Acer computer?

 

I'm just wondering. Smiley Happy

Answers

  • philetus
    philetus ACE Posts: 4,759 Pathfinder

    As long as you need to use drivers from the Acer site, it is an Acer. 

    As long as the serial number in the bios is an Acer serial number, it is still an Acer.

  • joeoil
    joeoil Member Posts: 51 New User

    Ok.

     

    But what is it that define the serial number in BIOS? 

     

    And if the rest of the hardware in the computer is like, Kingston, Toshiba, AMD, Samsung etc. etc, I guess there will be no drivers from Acer ?

  • philetus
    philetus ACE Posts: 4,759 Pathfinder

    "But what is it that define the serial number in BIOS?"

    Could be many factors. You can find the model with the SN. Production date? color?

    Just like a car SN(VIN #) tells you Engine, color, trans,interior,etc.

     

    A lot of things you might get by with default and some things like graphics you may have trouble with. 

    Good Luck.

     

     

     

  • joeoil
    joeoil Member Posts: 51 New User

    Thanks again.

     

    To clarify, I have nothing against the Acer. Smiley Happy

  • philetus
    philetus ACE Posts: 4,759 Pathfinder

    That's cool, I didn't think you did.

  • RevoMaxx
    RevoMaxx ACE Posts: 458 Pioneer

    My Question is what is it that your trying to do?

     

    I would say if your looking to use your old hardware? like HDD, DVD drive and other parts that you have added. But change out the MB to a Asus or Gigabyte Standalone MB then it wouldn't be an Acer? Unless it was built for Acer. 

     

    I don't know what system you have but I am going to go off something like the M3920-E4012..... 

    This was with a Intel i5 2300 CPU, 6Gig Ram, and 1TB HDD.

     

    Say your Upgade for MB was a Gigabyte GA-B75M-D3H. This could take the i5 2300 and the ITB HDD, Also could use the RAM but really if I was going to upgade to that system I would put in the Better faster Ram. Also the SATA 3.0 has 8 header and 1 SATA 6.0 Also the Ram for the Gigabyte could be upgraded to 32gb where the Acer above only 16gb. 

     

    There are many upgrades that could be done with an upgrade like that. However to be a Acer computer it would have to be a Motherboard from another acer computer. Either bought as a Replacement or from another perosn that is replacing their MB because of Upgrades they want and the system they have won't let them make them upgrades. 

     

    What is important is that if you want to keep your CPU and Ram you would need to find a motherboard that will support them. I am not 100% sure but I also think that Starting with Windows 7 once the CAO is registered with Microsoft it links it to that board (MB). Then with 8. on they are in the Bios of OEM systems. If you were to upgrade the MB you would need to buy retail OS for the new system.

     

    I don't work for Acer, I am not in IT or any other computer related field. Computers are my Hobby and have had many years working with them. I am not always 100% right but try my best to state the information that I have learned along the way

     

    Thank you

    James

  • joeoil
    joeoil Member Posts: 51 New User

    What I'm trying to do?

     

    Today I have av Aspire M3920, i3-2100, 6gb ram, 1tb hdd, dvd player, Acer mb and Amd radeon HD 6570. 

    I've installed a Samsung Evo 850 SSD 120gb in my Acer computer, running Win 10. 

     

    I have not decided yet, but I'm thinking of replacing my mb, cpu, ram and cabinet with an upgrade kit consisting of these devices:

    Mainboard: MSI B85M-E45 Socket-1150.

    Cpu: Intel Core i5-4460.

    Ram: Crucial DDR3 BallistiX Sport 1600Mhz 8GB KIT.

    And I have to buy a new cabinet, this one, Cooler Master Silencio 352, because I would like to have a USB 3.0 port in front of my desktop.

     

    The only devices I would be keeping is the HDD, SSD, Amd Radeon HD 6570 and the Fsp PSU. 

     

    I was just curious about how many devices that had to be replaced before it was no longer a Acer computer. 

     

    I have had computers in more than 20 years and always it have been a standard Acer, Dell, Hp or other brands so this is the first time I'm thinking of doing a upgrade more than only buying more RAM.

     

    We'll see what I end up with.  Smiley Happy

     

     

     

  • RevoMaxx
    RevoMaxx ACE Posts: 458 Pioneer
    Sounds like nice upgrades. Only problem I would see is you would need to buy a retail windows. Microsoft has linked the up grade to your motherboard. The person you give/sell your old one to say like if I was your friend and was to buy or be gifted the mb cpu and what not. When I put in a hdd I would bee able to do a clean install of 10. I have done this now on 2 systems of mine, one upgraded from 7 and one from 8.1. Both added new hdd and installed win 10 clean both show they are registered.
  • joeoil
    joeoil Member Posts: 51 New User

    Regardign OEM OS.

     

    I've been talking to a person working as a Microsoft community moderator and he says I have to call a special phone number to Microsoft and tell them I've bought a new mb and cpu. Then Microsoft will activate my OEM licence for Win 10 against my new mb and cpu. 

    This information is confirmed by a technician working for Microsoft so I guess this wil be no problem. 

  • philetus
    philetus ACE Posts: 4,759 Pathfinder

    That is correct on getting the Windows activated.

  • RevoMaxx
    RevoMaxx ACE Posts: 458 Pioneer
    Well that is great. I guess then the mb one that had the old lic would be deactivated? I Am sure they could do that it's really the only thing that makes since? I mean if it was a case of bad mother board then the old one would be tossed. But it being an upgraded unit to the one installed means if they couldn't deactivate the old they would be losing business by giving the new mb a good lic. They didn't get where they are today over lost revenue. That information is good to know for buying used mb off the bay in future. Makes them less attractive offers now.
  • philetus
    philetus ACE Posts: 4,759 Pathfinder

    Actually if you buy a used mother board exactly like yours and use activate by phone, you just might get it activated.

    If the laptop the board came out of was factory installed with the same O/S as your's , you will get a screen with numbers that represent specs of the computer, like this,

     

    2658932.png

     

    and they would be very close to what you would get from your board and since you have the (new) board, no one would be using that boards Windows key. When it asks how many computers are using it, you say 0 and I think it will give you an activation code.

  • RevoMaxx
    RevoMaxx ACE Posts: 458 Pioneer

    While I was looking around I found an Post from a Tech Sight that talks about Windows 10 the Upgrade and also doing a Clean install...... 

     

    From what it says Installing a NEW motherboard into your system would make it where it wasn't OEM unless it was installed with OEM replacemnet and a new Copy of Windows 10 would need to be bought...

     

    The Posting states they contacted a Microsoft Product Manager and was told the Registeration is to the Hardware (Motherboard) and not Registered to the User.

     

    This can be found here.... http://www.techrepublic.com/article/windows-10-will-microsoft-charge-you-if-you-need-to-reinstall/ 

     

    So as my Post stated before if you change out your MB and isn't replaced with one that is OEM or one that has already had Windows 10 installed before then you most likely would need to Buy a new OS.

     

    James

  • philetus
    philetus ACE Posts: 4,759 Pathfinder

    The key word there is OEM. The hardware in any of a series is pretty much identical. When you search for a MB for, say, a V3-551, all the different types in that series are going to use the same motherboard.A  V3-551 uses the same MB as a v3-551-8469,8887,8454, etc. so a used MB will be OEM.

  • RevoMaxx
    RevoMaxx ACE Posts: 458 Pioneer

    That is why I stated my update info from my first post. Then the OP stated the UPGRADE would be  as they stated "Mainboard: MSI B85M-E45 Socket-1150"  So that wouldn't be a OEM. 

     

    Was only trying to help aswer the OP question with the Facts that they offered. 

     

    Thank you 

    James

Categories