Move DAW contents and OS to new computer - confused

  • Thread starter Thread starter rob aylestone
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Rob, how old is the MB you have? Even if you find an identical board, you may have trouble finding a current processor that will fit the socket. Both Intel and AMD have a habit of changing socket architectures, which usually doesn't include backwards compatibility! Intel has released at least 8 different LGA type sockets in the past 10 years. That's not including mobile styles. AMD had done about the same.

If it's recent, (less that 2 years or so) you might be able to get a new processor.
 
Err? Don't MOBOs have a unique ID burned into them to stop peeps using the same Windows disc on scores of "identical" machines?

Dave.
 
Yep - I discovered that last night. 18 months seems a huge passing of time, so that one's out.

All I am trying to do is find a way to duplicate a perfectly working machine so it is working at less than the stress level of the current one.

I could clone the C drive and increase it's size and simply carry on using it - but I like the idea of a working full specified backup. Maybe I'm being silly, and a bigger drive and the old one put on the shelf for emergencies is the best solution? The paranoia I'm developing gets worse as I de-camp for ten weeks each year and the system is built into a flight case, and despite being in a carillon rack, which is very tough - banging it around worries me. Having a duplicate seems to me sensible. I'm just looking for a foolproof method of having safety and as little downtime as I can.
 
ecc83 said:
Err? Don't MOBOs have a unique ID burned into them to stop peeps using the same Windows disc on scores of "identical" machines?

Dave.
Click to expand...

Yes and no.
If you gotta Windows disc, it'll install onto "scores of machines" just fine. It doesn't care about MOBO numbers.
But such an install can't phone home without the black screen reaction.

The control is not in your machine, the control is at MS servers that once they detect an anomaly will squirt code into your install, crippling it.

There's patching available for that. Not MS authorized, but it works just fine.

Yes, I know because I had something similar: platform change that ended in black screen. Rather than wring my hands about it, i decided I had had enough of the Microsoft Overlords and cut the cord that way.
 
Ponder5 said:
Yes and no.
If you gotta Windows disc, it'll install onto "scores of machines" just fine. It doesn't care about MOBO numbers.
But such an install can't phone home without the black screen reaction.

The control is not in your machine, the control is at MS servers that once they detect an anomaly will squirt code into your install, crippling it.

There's patching available for that. Not MS authorized, but it works just fine.

Yes, I know because I had something similar: platform change that ended in black screen. Rather than wring my hands about it, i decided I had had enough of the Microsoft Overlords and cut the cord that way.
Click to expand...

Or no and yes? If two MOBOs were in fact identical, how would the servers know you were trying to use multiples of them?

Just ASKIN' BTW! Just an old valve amp jockey here.

Dave.
 
ecc83 said:
Or no and yes? If two MOBOs were in fact identical, how would the servers know you were trying to use multiples of them?

Just ASKIN' BTW! Just an old valve amp jockey here.

Dave.
Click to expand...

Board serial numbers, network mac addresses...There are a few ways to uniquely identify a computer.
Waves use a combination of these things if you store your licenses on the system.
 
ecc83 said:
Or no and yes? If two MOBOs were in fact identical, how would the servers know you were trying to use multiples of them?

Just ASKIN' BTW! Just an old valve amp jockey here.
Click to expand...

Windows "phones home". It does this as a "verification step". During the install, there's an option to install offline, where you're granted a 30 day grace period. But sooner or later, Windows has to go online and talk with the mothership.

When it talks with its servers (remember Billy Gates thinks your software is still his) it will notice this key number has had prior communication. Hey! what's up with THAT? If it's not happy, it declares your install persona non grata.

Identical MOBO, to my knowledge, don't exist. It's not a Windows thing, it's just a manufacturing serialization thing no different than any other serialized product. Whether Windows accesses and utilizes that serial during its phone home cycle, I can only speculate. It certainly could, but i've not erected a development monitor to find out because it's honestly not that important for me to know.

I think this post covered it:

Steenamaroo said:
I'm reading this like 'my system disc is running out of space. How complicated can I make it?'
Click to expand...
 
rob aylestone said:
The paranoia I'm developing gets worse as I de-camp for ten weeks each year and the system is built into a flight case, and despite being in a carillon rack, which is very tough - banging it around worries me. Having a duplicate seems to me sensible. I'm just looking for a foolproof method of having safety and as little downtime as I can.
Click to expand...

Ok, I hear you now.
It makes sense to have a working backup in the event your computer goes missing, or takes one bang too many.


So...
If you like the idea of just cloning your drives and having a duplicate of your system as-is then sure, trying to find the same mobo + hardware probably makes that a little easier.
Personally, in the hope that you never need it, I'd go for something simpler.
I keep my DAW+plugins on a capable laptop so if anything ever happened my main machine I'd have a working second.
Sure, I might not want to use it all day every day, but I'll not have to cancel a session over it.
 
Ponder5 said:
Windows "phones home". It does this as a "verification step". During the install, there's an option to install offline, where you're granted a 30 day grace period. But sooner or later, Windows has to go online and talk with the mothership.

When it talks with its servers (remember Billy Gates thinks your software is still his) it will notice this key number has had prior communication. Hey! what's up with THAT? If it's not happy, it declares your install persona non grata.
Click to expand...

It's a little more forgiving than you make it out to be.
You can technically do the authorization step with the computer offline the entire time. It just requires manually going to their site and typing an ugly authorization key into your new install.
If you have installed with the same key multiple times, you can contact microsoft to tell them that all previous installs are de-authorized or destroyed ("press 1 to swear on your mother's grave that this is the only extant machine running this"), and they'll allow authorization.
So a deep copy of your disk to a new computer won't immediately brick your install. You're fine unless you're trying to run 2 copies simultaneously.
 
"I keep my DAW+plugins on a capable laptop"

And you can always plug in the monitor and keyboard from the defunct PC.

Dave.
 
The Windows licensing specifies for one machine only. If you build a new machine, transfer everything and buy a new license, everything should be good to go. The programs would be intact, and the only thing different would be the Windows serial number. If you buy a new machine with a working license, you should be good as well.

The only issue that I used to run into, was if I had to rebuild a machine which had a legitimate key, but had to install Windows from scratch. Often times, the "version" of Windows I had would not accept the key. You had OEM keys (with different formats) from Dell, HP, etc, plus the generic off the shelf version. It was fine when manufacturers would include an install disc, but when they went to the "install partition" scheme, things went south. Once the HD crashed, you could no longer get to the install partition, and of course, the person probably didn't make any recovery discs when they got the machine.

I haven't tried to rebuild any Win10 systems, but it was a pain for WinXP and Win7.

After a while I gave up trying to fix everyone else's computers. They were all buying laptops so it wasn't easy to fix them anyway. I'm one of the few dinosaurs who only has one laptop and 3 working desktop machines.
 
The cool thing is that you don't need to license Windows 10 at all. You can run it un-activated indefinitely. At least, until MS decides to patch that out of the OS. But for the time being, MS is more interested in people using Win10 rather than paying for it. The only penalty for running un-activated is a nag watermark in the lower right corner of the desktop, and you can't do much customization. But it'll run fine without a license.
 
whome said:
Tell us more about where to get the cord cutter.
Click to expand...

If you knew my friend Larry, he'd give it to you on a thumb drive, like he did me.
He didn't write it, but was skulking around on certain areas - places where a gulf of similar things are found - and got several similar programs on the same theme. This one was kinda fun because now when I do a System check, it comes up with a silver Apple OSX logo. Y'know, because it can.

I don't remember the exact title, but someone will.
Windows Authentication
Windows Certification
maybe Delete is in there somewhere; maybe Terminate.
"WAT" maybe.
Pretty self explanatory and many of them exist.

Now, before someone brings in the word "trust", just remember that MS is the very least trustworthy corporation extant. Windows 10 (and 8 and 7, etc) keeps journals on everything that happens on your computer, what it did and who dunnit, and without some serious 10-fu, you won't get it removed.

What it sends home, brings back, initiates, or simply stores, you have no idea about. So yeah, i'm always good with cutting a cord.
 
Steenamaroo said:
Pretty sure we've move into piracy territory now... :D
Click to expand...

Indeed and no resposible forum can condone that. I have just one piece of cracked software and I know exactly when I was given it. On my birthday almost nine years ago. My best mate, now saddly no longer with us, had a small computer repair business and for my BD wife got him to build me a pretty decent desktop. It came with a disc with Abobe Audition 1.5 which son and I found very useful (AA will play almost ANYTHING!) .

I felt a wee bit guilty but "payed them back" if you like by recommending their DAW/editor at every opportunity!

It still works on W7 but not as well, will only play a track if it is "Inserted into multitrack" . If there was a cut down but up to date version around for about a nifty I would buy two! One for me, one for laddo in France.

Dave.
 
Steenamaroo said:
Pretty sure we've move into piracy territory now... :D
Click to expand...

Pretty sure we're not.
And i don't take kindly at such an accusation.

I will admit, however, that piracy can certainly be accomplished in such a way.
In the same way your girlfriend has the equipment to be a prostitute.

But potential is not the act nor the advocacy. And the potential is no cause for accusation.

But... yeah... it probably happens.
 
Steenamaroo said:
Sounds like it.

It was a lighthearted remark; Not an attack.
Click to expand...

You're right. Now that I reconsider it definitely was lighthearted.
After reading the next post, it felt like a gang-up - which is why I kinda got on my hind legs a bit. Not your fault.

No worries. I'm cool. I can take a jab or two..... probably.
:-)
 
whome said:
Sorry , but using a legal program while protecting your privacy is not piracy.
Click to expand...

That's an interesting distinction.

Using a 3rd party cracker to stop communication with MS is definitely a violation of the EULA, which might have some legal ramifications (tho I'd agree no ethical ones)
However, if you didn't also buy a license to the OS, then it's piracy.

So for purposes of not angering mods, it's probably useful to clarify "my friend Larry gave me this software that blocks callbacks to MS. If they're uncooperative about recognizing your already valid and bought license key, you can use that." :D
 
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