Free Windows 10 Upgrade, from Window 7 or 8.1 - For RM 3.0

  • So far, I only had to upgrade a driver for a gaming controller. My games and other programs seem to working fine. I still need to try my Blu-ray disc writing software.


    All-in-all, this was the quickest and easiest uprgrade/full install I have ever done. Thankful for that.


    One thing I like off-the-bat was how easy it is to use the new-ish taskbar volume mixer for doing cover songs. I can have the DAW output to studio monitors while the youtube playback is going out to my desktop monitors with just 2 mouse clicks instead of opening several pages of settings like before on WIn 7.


    That Windows 10 start menu is just awful though. <X


    I would highly recommend the upgrade.

    Larry Mar @ Lonegun Studios. Neither one famous yet.

  • That Windows 10 start menu is just awful though. <X

    That's easy to solve. Install "Open Shell". Done. Then you have your Win7 menu back with almost all details.


    Personally I thought similar in the beginning with Win10 but meanwhile I like the start menu in Win10 better. Sometimes the change needs some time. But overall I was certainly one of the guys who did the upgrade quite late but like it now super much. Stable and convenient for me, especially on my music production machines :thumbup:8)

  • For those interested, I often have issues with Windows updating itself and breaking things (DAW, Adobe Apps, random off things I use.)


    I installed a small firewall called Tinywall that stops all internet traffic unless I explicitly allow it. Therefore I can allow my Audio programs to call home if they need to, I can use the browser if I need to, but Windows cannot call home and cannot update, period.


    I've tried MANY other ways to get Windows to not update and all have failed eventually. My desktop machines that I use daily for audio and video production have not updated for at least 2 years and still work just like they did when I got them running.


    Windows 10 is fine, I don't notice it any better or worse than previous versions. I dragged my feet updating from 8 because of the auto updates and they screwed me more than once. Now I'm in control of that again and it is working fine.

  • Very interesting. I can't get used to auto update. Maybe I'm too old, but I don't like machines acting by themselves.


    The cheap Windows 10 tablet I got for Rig Manager and Atomic Amps apps crashed when updating

  • Like you, I periodically have Windows update break things that were working just fine before MS decided to "fix" things for me without my consent. I truly dislike automatic updates and can't imagine why there aren't people in front of MS offices with torches and pitchforks.


    I've often wondered about doing this exact sort of thing but thought it would become a massive time suck of constantly fighting with Windows over blocking their phone home tactics (ala, "I fought the law and the law won..."). If a whitelist firewall philosophy doesn't break Windows, I may have to give that a shot myself.


    Thanks for the tip!

    Kemper remote -> Powered toaster -> Yamaha DXR-10

  • I have not had a "broken DAW cos of windows updates" in almost 2 years,
    i turn off all feature updates and only have the important microsoft and security updates.
    on top of that i turn off everything that has not to to with audio and i use recommended Windows10 DAW optimization .
    the one from avid is good and ill leave the link bellow.
    i also turn of every " C states" in Bios.
    and lastly, i like using the tool from O&O called ShutUp10,
    i am lazy and would rather spend time as a musician than an IT personnel digging into registry and firewalls and watnot to stabilize my DAW.
    so this tool comes in handy for that. ill leave the link bellow.

    https://www.oo-software.com/en/shutup10
    https://avid.secure.force.com/…shooting/Windows-10-Guide

  • I went to link and it reads: "To get started, you will first need to have a license to install Windows 10". and:

    "If you don't have a license to install Windows 10 and have not yet previously upgraded to it, you can purchase a copy here:"

    It's not free apparently.

  • I went to link and it reads: "To get started, you will first need to have a license to install Windows 10". and:

    "If you don't have a license to install Windows 10 and have not yet previously upgraded to it, you can purchase a copy here:"

    It's not free apparently.

    I tried to update from 8.1 to 10 and it was free. But be careful, I had some major problems with drivers and compatibility issues. I'm back to windows 8.1 but now its not working ok. Fortunately I can still record and use rig manager lol. I'm not very good with computers so maybe it was my fault. But be careful because it did more bad than good for me.

  • I tried to update from 8.1 to 10 and it was free. But be careful, I had some major problems with drivers and compatibility issues. I'm back to windows 8.1 but now its not working ok. Fortunately I can still record and use rig manager lol. I'm not very good with computers so maybe it was my fault. But be careful because it did more bad than good for me.

    After posting that I read how to get it for free but I was just wondering for my work computer that is on 7. I don't run RM on it so I'll leave it alone. I don't know what I'd gain going to 10 except possible headaches and incompatibility.

  • If you are installing Windows again - or upgrading to Win 10 - on the same machine you should be able to use your old key code. This has worked up to the present time as far as I know but I guess MS could screw this up if they chose.


    There are various approaches to obtaining your key code.

    There is a vbs script discussed here:

    https://www.techspot.com/guide…your-windows-product-key/

    Also a free app:

    https://www.lazesoft.com/lazesoft-windows-key-finder.html

  • Just on the driver compatibility thing. If you have a machine esp a laptop - that came with Win 7 or 8, the manufacturer would have chosen a set of compatible drivers for that hardware configuration.


    If you are updating to Win10, MS will supply their recommended drivers for your hardware but you might also find that your manufacturer has a set of Win 10 drivers recommended for your specific legacy machine. Eg Toshiba tech support used to have packages of drivers like this available for use with their older models and Win 10 (they sold their laptop division to another company some years back).

  • Just on the driver compatibility thing. If you have a machine esp a laptop - that came with Win 7 or 8, the manufacturer would have chosen a set of compatible drivers for that hardware configuration.


    If you are updating to Win10, MS will supply their recommended drivers for your hardware but you might also find that your manufacturer has a set of Win 10 drivers recommended for your specific legacy machine. Eg Toshiba tech support used to have packages of drivers like this available for use with their older models and Win 10 (they sold their laptop division to another company some years back).

    Thanks, but if it ain't broke, I won't likely fix it. Just like I don't need a Kemper II. I do 3D modeling and design as well as run a large prototype shop on a powerful windows 7 computer. Everything works and it's never locked up. If I Change the OS, there's a better chance it will make things worse than better. I have a Win 10 computer at home and I don't see anything I can do on it that I can't do on a 7 computer. Just like with my Kemper, I can make it sound exactly like the profiled amp to the point nobody can tell in a blind test so I'm not changing that either. I will do bug fixes an updates though if it makes improvements.

  • @Dyno - not trying to push Win 10 onto anybody. Just mentioned a tip for those upgrading as I will soon have to myself and using this thread for info.


    Also, Tony G. mentioned issues with drivers after a Win 10 upgrade. It is possible that a component driver is newer or delivers higher performance but is less compatible with running audio apps on a particular board/bios/set of peripherals. Therefore, see what the manufacturer recommends wrt to drivers for that model and maybe you can get a set of drivers that works fine with Win 10 on your older machine.

  • @Dyno - not trying to push Win 10 onto anybody. Just mentioned a tip for those upgrading as I will soon have to myself and using this thread for info.


    Also, Tony G. mentioned issues with drivers after a Win 10 upgrade. It is possible that a component driver is newer or delivers higher performance but is less compatible with running audio apps on a particular board/bios/set of peripherals. Therefore, see what the manufacturer recommends wrt to drivers for that model and maybe you can get a set of drivers that works fine with Win 10 on your older machine.

    I knew you weren't, I was just being opinionated. I appreciate the help from everybody. Thanks.

  • Also, Tony G. mentioned issues with drivers after a Win 10 upgrade.

    I'm back on Windows 8.1 and here is where this computer stays. With the recession here and the price of food at double its usual price I'm not buying a new computer yet and I'm not spending any more time on it because I rather play my guitar lol. But if you live in Ontario Canada and want to give it a try I will buy you a beer eh!

    I also must say that in my lifetime 62 this Saturday, Kemper even without using a computer is by far the best sounding collection of amps I have ever tried or heard.

  • Thanks, but if it ain't broke, I won't likely fix it.

    My main recording PC was Win 7 Pro. I ran a 2nd computer with Win 10 for a period just for Rig Manager. Finally bit the bullet and went Win 10 and everything got messed up. Should have stayed with Win 7 8o


    Moving to Win 10 was a nightmare also with downloading 3rd party apps to resize the bios partitions etc.


    My main daily computer I pushed up to Win 11 and it drops sounds all the time. :thumbup:


    I hate Apple. But I have been tempted just for recording. but I see them falling apart with OS updates all the time also. :wacko: