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I may be part of a new small business soon.
The plan at the moment will be to gut the innards of the existing machines, donate used parts, and rebuild with new parts.
The element I've never done before is this: Have enough legal copies of the existing windows operating system(s) so that if/when one computer goes bad, I can gut, reformat, donate, and reinstall another copy on a machine in a legal way that keeps us in good form legally and ethically, without requiring a single-copy purchase; and can do so right there and then on that very day when we need it.
A significant part of this scheme is that we will have real business computers with the apps we need. i.e., minimized crap-ware; quite possibly zero. (Every fully constructed computer that I've seen in the past ten years came preloaded with crapware, to an astounding degree.)
So, what's the stupid way to avoid, and the smart way to proceed, along the path toward...
-- Several (more than 2, less than 15) fully legal copies of windows
-- Clean computers with just the apps we want
-- Ability to reformat and reinstall on a moment's notice.
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C-P-User-3 wrote: -- Several (more than 2, less than 15) fully legal copies of windows
Contact Microsoft and discuss the possibility of buying an OEM or multi-user licence.
C-P-User-3 wrote: -- Clean computers with just the apps we want
Build them from the ground up, install Windows and add only the software that you require.
C-P-User-3 wrote: -- Ability to reformat and reinstall on a moment's notice.
Most manufacturers do it by having a pre-built image which they raw-copy onto the HD of each new system. I'm not sure what other software you need to do this but no doubt MS can help you.
Use the best guess
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+5... a few related notes...
0. I've always done the disk imaging, it really saves a lot of time.
1. I've done the OEM for embedded versions of Windows and it was actually a pretty smooth process to get setup. I imagine it may be a bit more involved for full-blown Windows but at least you know they have a pretty smooth process in place already and they'll get you setup in no time.
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Thanks. I have not actually done this myself, but one of the IT team at my last job showed me how they did it.
Veni, vidi, abiit domum
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Added some notes onto Richard's solution...
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For hardware reasons, I need to go back to Windows 7.
I Put the Win'7 installation DVD into the drive.
The Machine will not boot from the DVD
I Rebooted the machine, did an "F2" and went into the BIOS.
The DVD ROM is supposed to boot first. That's what the BIOS setting says. Nope, Doesn't happen.
Can someone please explain to me how to get Windows 8 to let me boot the Windows 7 installation DVD ?
Or, more to the point, how do I go back to Win'7 ?
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I can't recall where but I read that win8 does not really shut it's self off compleatly. Something to do with fast reboot.
Frazzle the name say's it all
Always code as if the guy who ends up maintaining your code will be a violent psychopath who knows where you live.
John F. Woods
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Yes. Win8 saves the Kernel state to the HDD (if there is enough space), and reloads that on the next boot. Then all that has to be done is create the user state. This allows for quick startup times.
Gryphons Are Awesome! Gryphons Are Awesome!
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Some PCs have F11 key for boot menu.
Also check bios, to see if the splash screen is enabled. disable it. (if you watch lot of porn re-enable it  )
Might be worth disabling quick POST (power on self test) to give you more time to intercept boot screen.
"It's true that hard work never killed anyone. But I figure, why take the chance." - Ronald Reagan
That's what machines are for.
Got a problem?
Sleep on it.
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Thank you for your suggestion.
There is no windows 8 driver for this card.
There never will be.
At this moment, the answer appears to be "No, you can't revert".
Once you put windows 8 on a machine, you have to get a screwdriver, and install a new motherboard and hard drive in order to revert back to windows 7.
That's a pretty slick trick they've done, making it impossible to use the BIOS to avoid booting the OS.
Warn your friends about windows 8.
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Yes, I wasn't suggesting you stick with Win8 suggestions were to get your PC to boot to dvd. 
You should be able to boot from the windows 8 DVD into Recovery Console (via F8 / dvd setup)
start up Diskpart, typing everything in bold followed by [Return]
diskpart
list disk
select HDD with win8 on it (probably disk 0)
select disk <n>
clean
create partition primary
active
exit
Replace Win8 DVD with Win7, type exit to reboot,
and it should automatically boot to dvd without intervention.
I've removed windows 8 and windows server 2012 this way, so it is possible.
"It's true that hard work never killed anyone. But I figure, why take the chance." - Ronald Reagan
That's what machines are for.
Got a problem?
Sleep on it.
modified 16-Apr-13 17:05pm.
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Where is that documented ?
I have been looking for it, but have never found it.
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Unless you are a Enterprise admin/PC builder/OEM it's unlikely that you find out this info.
Originally there used to be a commercial product called Partition Magic, Microsoft acquired it and some features were assimilated into diskpart. Such as growing and shrinking partitions.
It's been part of Windows recovery tools since 2003
technet.microsoft.com/en-gb/library/cc766465
"It's true that hard work never killed anyone. But I figure, why take the chance." - Ronald Reagan
That's what machines are for.
Got a problem?
Sleep on it.
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Windows 7: Two monitors worked perfectly.
Windows 8: Only one works
Google, Yahoo, Bing, YouTube; have not guided me to an answer yet.
What setting do I change to put my second monitor back into operation again ?
modified 8-Apr-13 12:19pm.
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I am currently developing a Window's store game and trying to decide on an advertising model.
My Question's:
1)Is this a good or bad idea? eg. Can this be a viable revenue stream?
2) Is bing the only source of ad's allowed? (That might be a problem from some of the forum post's on the site.
Frazzle the name say's it all
Always code as if the guy who ends up maintaining your code will be a violent psychopath who knows where you live.
John F. Woods
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Right now I'm experiencing a really low fill rate from PubCenter. I used to get thousands of impressions a day, since 4/1 they have been <200 and no ads when I launch my app on a few of my machines. I have a ticket open with support, but a few things they've said so far have made me think they just don't have the ads to serve.
The eCPM has been good though.
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This tread on PubCenter forum[^] is depressing!
Maybe I should change my mind about using ad's and change to in app purchase. 
Edit Maybe google will add an api for AdSense.
Frazzle the name say's it all
Always code as if the guy who ends up maintaining your code will be a violent psychopath who knows where you live.
John F. Woods
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Hi,
I wanted to figure out the DNS of my RT machine, through programatically, I didn't find any useful API for that.So please help me on this.
thanks in Advance.
Venkat.
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Do You mean ip address?
Frazzle the name say's it all
Always code as if the guy who ends up maintaining your code will be a violent psychopath who knows where you live.
John F. Woods
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Nope.. i need DNS server address...
"ipconfig /all" display the DNS server addresses...
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The link you shared is using the .net framwork of desktop app. My requirement is for metro app.
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Did you try it to see if it works?
Use the best guess
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yes... i tried... not giving the needed info..
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Well I guess it's back to Google then.
Use the best guess
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