The best way to install Windows 10 for SONAR imho...

I installed windows 10 a few days ago using a "CLEAN" install with a 5.9gig version of win 10 that includes the first two updates and auto activates itself as long as you have an internet connection available on the machine during the install. It does a great job of installing almost all the correct motherboard drivers and with a "clean" install which means not an upgrade so you deactivate all non windows included programs so all the crap on your system is deactivated. You can either wipe your hard drive or keep all the old personal (like SONAR PROJECTS) and windows files which will be place into a folder on your c drive in a windows old folder that you can move back to where they were after the install. I created a bootable flash drive with the free program RUFUS to install this custom version of win 10  , the windows 10 install took about 1 hour. You could burn a Dual-Layer DVD if you wanted to for the install but it will probably be slower to install. I then turned off all the update options of windows 10 that I could and everything is running GREAT! I love windows 10 some really cool new features with windows placement, screen recording and just a snappier faster OS/interface. If anyone wants a copy of this ISO i'll upload it to my server and walk you through install if you need. PM me if interested, just trying to help because I love everything about SONAR so I guess that means I love all you all. :) -Shawn

Well, I'm a multimedia producer so I have LOTS of programs like video editing software, web production and SONAR plus things like MS OFFICE but I have all my stuff on hard drives ready to install so that only took a few hours but it was ALOT of stuff but I'm pretty use to doing that because when I do get a virus or something crappy on my computer I can't get rid of I re-install my OS and programs because even though it takes a few hours my PC runs flawlessly for months if not longer. One thing I forgot to mention is I also turn of all the "action center"  notifications, remote op, system restore and bit defender to further optimize the performance/experience which only takes a few minutes to do and I could walk you through. Once you do this you almost have to try to get a virus (I don't use ANTI-VIRUS)  and your PC will fly. So I can re-install my OS and all my many programs and have a really optimized DAW/Multimedia workstation in about 3/4 of a day including coffee and smoke breaks. The time and headache I save by having to do this maybe twice a year is way more than worth it. Thanks Mike! -S

shawn@trustmedia.tv
Well, I'm a multimedia producer so I have LOTS of programs like video editing software, web production and SONAR plus things like MS OFFICE but I have all my stuff on hard drives ready to install so that only took a few hours but it was ALOT of stuff but I'm pretty use to doing that because when I do get a virus or something crappy on my computer I can't get rid of I re-install my OS and programs because even though it takes a few hours my PC runs flawlessly for months if not longer. One thing I forgot to mention is I also turn of all the "action center"  notifications, remote op, system restore and bit defender to further optimize the performance/experience which only takes a few minutes to do and I could walk you through. Once you do this you almost have to try to get a virus (I don't use ANTI-VIRUS)  and your PC will fly. So I can re-install my OS and all my many programs and have a really optimized DAW/Multimedia workstation in about 3/4 of a day including coffee and smoke breaks. The time and headache I save by having to do this maybe twice a year is way more than worth it. Thanks Mike! -S

I wasn't looking for any tips just asked the question about how long it took you to install all your software. But honestly, I don't want any tips from a guy who in the same paragraph talks about "when I do get a virus" and then later you say you don't run any Anti Virus software and all the talk about reinstalling OS's.
I think the last OS I had that deteriorated in performance over time was maybe win 95 or 98. If counting on reinstalling my OS and all my software twice each year I'd be looking for better advice myself.
I'm very happy with having done an in place upgrade to Win 10 and even though I thought I may do a full install down the track I don't have any performance issues to make that necessary at this time.

To me ANTI-VIRUS is a virus because it can really slow down your machine and is always bothering you with popups...so I don't use it. -Shawn

I purchased SONAR but I use bittorent all the time to download backups or other things or content and it's never give my SONAR any problems...I only have it running when I'm actually downloading something... -S

THANKS!

Scroll down the good Doktor's link until you reach the para about changing the Group Policy.

Turning off "Metered" is for laptops using wifi. If you're not, or have a desktop then you'll want to change the Group Policy.

Cheers,
Jerry

I've gone the good Doktor's route. I'm on the slow ring on Win 10 Pro and have disabled peer to peer updates. We'll see how it goes. Got an update last night.
 
My DAW is connected but I always have virus protection available. It isn't running while I'm in Sonar or at least not during rendering. The most innocuous things can have malware payloads. I downloaded CamStudio the other day and it had at least one malware embedded. 

Esp when you download and install dodgy ISO distributions of Windows off bittorrent which just happens to be running alongside your DAW ;)

The official MS DVD does clean installs as well. You can download it here:
https://www.microsoft.com...-usb-dvd-download-tool

All upgrades auto activate as MS is storing serial numbers in the cloud this time around.

Doesn't matter if you are an expert programmer or not, nobody will be able to debug zillions of lines of code of an unofficial installation. If there's any malicious code in there antivirus may not be able to detect as it could be firmly rooted. It might be impossible to know if something is in there logging your key pressing for instance.

If you are happy with this good for you, but I would freak out. Perhaps all you have is the MSDVD. You could run a checksum against it.

Cheers.

shawn@trustmedia.tv
If your like me, own windows but don't have a disk and don't worry if someone is recording your keystrokes and have no bank account or bank account info/credit card numbers on your DAW and it running poorly and your stuck, then and only then P.M. and I'll send you the download link from the server...Thank guys, Shawn.

Shawn I just don't understand, I already said you can download the DVD from Microsoft for free here:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/software-download/windows10
 
Distributing software like this is illegal you could get into serious trouble, and frankly if I was running these forums I would delete what you wrote about PM'ing, but I'm not... so whatever....
 
Please DO NOT download any distributions other than via MS official sources.
Thanks...
 

I don't have a good install with valid key of Windows 8.1 that came with my PC so how would I validate the Microsoft ISO? I paid for windows, I paid for SONAR, this is just the only way for me to it get it activated without a previous working valid install...advice appreciated! -S

shawn@trustmedia.tv
I don't have a good install with valid key of Windows 8.1 that came with my PC so how would I validate the Microsoft ISO? I paid for windows, I paid for SONAR, this is just the only way for me to it get it activated without a previous working valid install...advice appreciated! -S

For a clean install, do the in place upgrade first. Copy the license key. Do a clean install.  Personally I would run the in place upgrade to make sure everything works.