What version of Windows 10

[WhiskeyJack]

What version of windows 10 is everyone running?! Is home adequate?! Advantages to pro over home as far as DAW stiff goes?!

The harddrive in my daw went kaput and i had to do a new clean install of windows so i figured id just bite the bullet and load windows 10 on it.

Two things.

My previous OS was windows 7 home premium OA. I have a key for that. According to a number of sources it s a 50/50 split that i can or can not use that same key for a windows 10 home install and have it get W10 hone activated for free. also it is clean install. Not a stright upgrade from 7 to 10.

Failing that i figured i might try to do a W10 pro install. If i do that id have to come up with a key as, again, ive read 50/50 results of my existing windows 7 home premium OA key able to do that upgrade.

If i need a new key what kind do i get and where from?! I found a place called keysoff.com that can sell me one for about 9CAD. Best buy is 270CAD.

Whats up with that?

Also OEM or Non OEM?!


Oh one last thing, i already went the process and Windows 10 Home is already installed but mot activated. If i chose to go with W10 Pro can that be done as is or do i have to format my drive and start the OS install again?!

[rayc]

I'm running W10 home on my main DAW comp (the other one is XP). It works fine. I've turned off all the background stuff I can &/or have been advised to.
I'm pretty comfortable with 10 now BUT the number of VSTs that only run in bridged, (and therefore slightly crippled), mode is large and those that don't run at all is huge. I gather than these VST issues are more me than the common prob.
My wife did the free download and install of W10 on her older laptop...no worries at all and no key asked for (I think it seeks & finds) BUT we couldn't finish that process on the comp. I'm now typing with...eight times it has gone through the download and install process only to throw up an error message in the last minute.

[Tadpui]

I only went with Pro for 2 features that were arbitrarily omitted from the home version:

- Pro allows the computer to be remote controlled via Remote Desktop (home can run RD, but can't be set as the target of a RD session)
- Pro allows me to use a network location as the destination for Windows File History for my backup, so I can back up to a NAS instead of a local external drive.

Both of these features might have eventually been included in the home edition, but I can't remember. Windows File History has proven itself to be a pretty terrible backup utility, so that's one less reason for me to stick with Pro. But remote desktop is awesome for a setup involving more than 1 computer on a network.

[musicturtle]

@WhiskeyJack

You should be able to upgrade from Home to Pro without having to do a clean install. It just adds the features for you.

As for OEM vs Retail, I am linking an article that explains the differences very well.

Mainly it seems with an OEM license the software is tied the machine you install it on, and lacks Windows support(but that's why we have @Tadpui!)

Do Cheap Windows Keys Work?

Also here is a list of the differences in features between Pro and Home, seems big differences are network related.

Pro vs. Home

[Greg_L]

I'm using whatever Tad put on this computer. No idea. I'm sure its Windows something.

[WhiskeyJack]

Cheers @musicturtle those were both great articles. Based on those and the input from @Tadpui it looks like i should be fine with W10 home. I don't really need any kind of remote capabilities with this thing nor am i overly interested in much network stuff. I don't think it is worth the hassle of chasing down a pro license. It looks like even if my current key didn't work I can get a W10Key on the cheap and from a more reputable vendor than the Keysoff dot com site i was looking at.

I will pick away at this today in-between work stuff.

@rayc I don't have a very big library of VST's actually. I mostly just use what is in the box with reaper, a few virtual instruments the stuff that comes with the focus rite stuff and that is pretty much it. The odd bit of free vst's i do have I am hoping will work with W10.

I am pretty excited about getting onto the newest reaper though!!! Holy Smokes.

[vomitHatSteve]

I'm on Win10 Pro. Pretty sure it's an OEM license.

As the article said, OEM keys are technically tied to your hardware, but I've never really had problems upgrading. On one occasion, I had to call MS to manually activate my license because I'd changed too much hardware, but that was years ago. On XP, I think.

[WhiskeyJack]

I'm on Win10 Pro. Pretty sure it's an OEM license.

As the article said, OEM keys are technically tied to your hardware, but I've never really had problems upgrading. On one occasion, I had to call MS to manually activate my license because I'd changed too much hardware, but that was years ago. On XP, I think.

I punched in my activation key off the side of my tower for W7 Home Premium and Windows 10 Home accepted it with out issue. Upwards and onwards.

I was up until 1a.m. installing some of my vst's and doing applicable upgrades and what not. I have Reaper 6 Installed and man it looks so slick. Really excited to get going on it. Paid for a new license to cover a bit more ground version wise. I think it would have lapsed after 6 anyways. I really do not mind giving Cockos another 60USD so long as they keep sticking around.

One thing that really irked and has me a little uneasy is unpacking some of the EZD2 Expansion zip files. Seemed unrealistically slow compared to what I was used to seeing. I had assumed I would see a bit of a difference upgrading this machine in particular to W10, a little slower and maybe a bit more ram hungry, but i didn't anticipate on seeing the HDD write speed decrease. Which may be problematic as i was writing to my secondary HDD that all my audio get's written to.

C: OS / Windows = SSD
D: Audio = 7200RPM HDD
E: Audio Sample Library / Downloads / File Storage 7200HDD

Drives D and E are the same hard disk just two different partitions. This is the one i felt was moving a little slowly.

I am no where near done installing all my tools and i haven't even begun tweaking W10 for audio yet but i shall keep an eye on it. I think i will pull the pin on a memory upgrade for this as well to see if it makes a difference.

[musicturtle]

I'm on Win10 Pro. Pretty sure it's an OEM license.

As the article said, OEM keys are technically tied to your hardware, but I've never really had problems upgrading. On one occasion, I had to call MS to manually activate my license because I'd changed too much hardware, but that was years ago. On XP, I think.

I punched in my activation key off the side of my tower for W7 Home Premium and Windows 10 Home accepted it with out issue. Upwards and onwards.

I was up until 1a.m. installing some of my vst's and doing applicable upgrades and what not. I have Reaper 6 Installed and man it looks so slick. Really excited to get going on it. Paid for a new license to cover a bit more ground version wise. I think it would have lapsed after 6 anyways. I really do not mind giving Cockos another 60USD so long as they keep sticking around.

One thing that really irked and has me a little uneasy is unpacking some of the EZD2 Expansion zip files. Seemed unrealistically slow compared to what I was used to seeing. I had assumed I would see a bit of a difference upgrading this machine in particular to W10, a little slower and maybe a bit more ram hungry, but i didn't anticipate on seeing the HDD write speed decrease. Which may be problematic as i was writing to my secondary HDD that all my audio get's written to.

C: OS / Windows = SSD
D: Audio = 7200RPM HDD
E: Audio Sample Library / Downloads / File Storage 7200HDD

Drives D and E are the same hard disk just two different partitions. This is the one i felt was moving a little slowly.

I am no where near done installing all my tools and i haven't even begun tweaking W10 for audio yet but i shall keep an eye on it. I think i will pull the pin on a memory upgrade for this as well to see if it makes a difference.

Yeah I use XLN Addictive Drums and Addictive Keys. They take a while to update or install. Maybe it is the sample heavy stuff included in those type of programs.

Also, I am not so sure whether partitioning helps or hinders in a case like this. I am no expert, but I did read differing opinions on whether it slows down or speeds up a drive when I was setting up my system. As long as it runs fine after installing or extracting is what matters to most to me though.

[vomitHatSteve]

I can't really see how partitioning a drive will make it faster. Either way, the read head has to get where it's going and the data can only move so quickly.

I could picture it making it slower because it could interfere with the disk's built-in optimization tools

[WhiskeyJack]

I can't really see how partitioning a drive will make it faster. Either way, the read head has to get where it's going and the data can only move so quickly.

I could picture it making it slower because it could interfere with the disk's built-in optimization tools

this all makes sense. I didn't notice any performance issues with my windows 7 machine. In fact that was likely the best rig i ever owned. DAW and audio recording wise it was amazing. Was a shame I put a lemon SSD in there as the main OS drive. Kinda sucks. Oh well i think it is just my older parts and pieces trying to play along windows 10. I haven't touched it since Monday night becasue my work is currently a gong show but i am on the hunt for ram and will resume installing and optimizing over the weekend assuming i meet my goals and see what happens.

I may just need to get a whole new rig who knows?