experience with Micro Center open box and refurb? (2024)

I'm piecing together a build now where I need everything besides a GPU and an HDD, for $700 or less INCLUDING TAX.

I've got so far

i7-4790K (New)
212 Evo (New)
Asrock PRO 4 (Open Box)
Corsair 400R (Refurb)
Sandisk SSD PLUS 120GB (New)
EVGA 750W B2 (New)

Including tax it comes to $627.42
I'm purchasing 16GB of G. Skill 1600mhz from a friend for $45 as he just upgraded.

$672.42

That leaves me money to spare(I also had an additional $50 reserve budget for replacement fans and other things) so I'm pretty happy. I'm just curious if Micro Center has a good reputation for their open box and refurb'd items? I know it's hard to gauge overall, but maybe some individual experiences would help ease my mind.

Also side note.

I'm retaining my 290X and WD Blue 1TB(windows 10 installed) for the new build. What steps would I need to take to remove windows 10 from my current computer, so that I can use my windows 8.1 install disk and key on the new? I asked a question very similar to this once before here, but got VERY mixed answers from various people with Windows, Mobo & Storage badges next to their names.

Some said I couldn't reuse the same key and would have to purchase new. Others said if I uninstalled it from my current system, fully, I could reuse is as long as the new computer is the ONLY computer it's on.

Thoughts on both topics?

Thanks!

1. Microcenter. I've never had a problem with their refurb or open box things.

2. The OS.
You just need to remove/delete/wipe the partition the OS is on
Install clean on the new system. It may choke at activation. In which case, you go through the phone robot to activate.

There is no real 'deactivation'. Some will say "Yes, cmd blah blah". But all that does is tell that particular PC and Registry it has no OS. It does not phone home and tell the activation servers. So it really does nothing.

Same key or new? That depends a lot on what license you actually have. If it is a Retail license, then you can install on new hardware no problem. Only one at a time, of course.
If it is an OEM license, it is licensed to that original motherboard. Activation may choke. In which case you go with the phone robot. MS is usually lenient on this, but they are under no obligation to allow it.

I'm not too familiar with their openbox/refurb policy on paper, but generally they'll return or exchange parts that have a problem (like something is DoA or crashes right away).

Side note, I've had amazing luck with openbox (Warehouse Deals) at Amazon. Click on the item and where it shows the price, under that you should see a link for new and used. Click used and see if any of them have a Warehouse Deals stamp on it. It's still shipped from Amazon, and it gives a short description of the item... damaged packaging, opened packaging, small scratch, etc. If microcenter is near you, then awesome, but with me it's a 3 hour drive. Amazon will accept returns for anything not working and you can send it back and get a new one if needed. It's just another option to consider ;-)

OEM Windows Software-May only ever be installed on 1 PC. Once installed its license cannot be transferred to another machine. (you can call Microsoft and plead with them, they might give you a new activation string on the new PC, they might not.)

Retail Windows Software- This is why it costs more than OEM software. Can be installed as many times as you like, on as many different PC's as you like, as long as it is only ever activated and in use on 1 PC at at time. When you install to a new PC and reactivate it, that license information is basically updated to the new machine. The old license on the old machine is marked as "invalid" on the Microsoft Servers.

As far as open box items, I have never had much luck with any of it, from anywhere. Cannot remember if I ever bought anything from MicroCenter open box or not, but I gave up on that stuff years ago. I only buy new.