Hi Peter -
Thanks!
Although changing the date backwards would solve the expiration problem, who knows what other problems it may cause.  Very hard to predict with people using different hardware, different environment and doing slightly different things.  I guess we'll know after 10/10/15 ;-) 

We maybe passing each other - agreed, by having the OS in RAM you have no writes unless other provisions are made.  So if I change settings in the Windows 10 for networking (e.g. set a static network address) how do they get saved when the OS is in RAM, hence no writes?

Also, you'll notice the link Jud sent has Windows 10 build 10074 is set to stop booting on 10/10/15.  Perhaps by changing the BIOS date, this can be verified...

I found I can connect a NAS directly to a computer using static IP addresses.  My question is if the OS is always loaded into RAM how do I make configuration changes in Windows that will be saved.  I'm obviously missing something.
thanks,
dave

Hi Peter,
So XXHighEnd knows to save your changes to the hdd (very cool).  In essence this PC really can only be used for xxhighend and nothing else.  I say this as no other application is going to ask you to re-attach the hdd ;-)

I don't know much about lans, so a few simple questions - are we talking a wireless lan or hard-wired?  Can I get a NAS and just do point to point wiring or do I need to get a router?

With a stripped down version of the PC I would think some of things I mentioned like grounding would have less of an impact.  Perhaps a stripped down version of a motherboard would also help.

FYI -
I've been looking into products that people have put in their computers to help clean the power supply -

Bybee Rails (second link is someone who installed them in there computer, need to scroll down a bit)

http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/equipment/0111/bybee_music_rails.htm

http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f8-general-forum/bybee-music-rail-question-14278/

AudioMagic Pulse Gen ZX (second link is someone who installed them in there computer)

http://www.audio-magic.com/Prod-PulseGenZX.html
http://www.audioasylum.com/cgi/t.mpl?f=tweaks&m=154427

I have no affiliation with either company.  I have added both of these to components I have already owned with excellent results. 

Hi Peter,
A few questions -
Do you plan on using the official Windows 10 version when it is released?
Can you plug in a USB drive instead of using a NAS - is there sound quality difference?  I'm not sure what you mean behind the LAN, doesn't a NAS or another computer need to be part of the same LAN as the XXHIghEnd PC?
If you make changes to settings I assume you need to boot from the physical hard drive, run XXHighEnd from the physical hard drive, make changes, save to the physical drive and then reboot the OS into RAM.
Anything else you experimented with - grounding, clocks, separate USB cards?
Many thanks,
Dave

For the novice, non-technical user - for a NOS1a owner how would the filters benefit me over using AP?  Do I set a filter per CD I play?

thanks,
dave

Joachim,
You'll be able to turn off updates in Windows 10, just a few more magical clicks -
http://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/8013-windows-update-automatic-updates-enable-disable-windows-10-a.html
Dave

I just installed a RAMDrive and was surprised at such a positive difference it made with the NOS1a.  I'm running an Alienware laptop with 16 gigs of memory.  The other thing which made a significant improvement in sound quality is placing Synergistic Research MIGS under the laptop.  If anyone has a chance, try it. I'd be curious if you have the same result.
Cheers.

Peter,
I have no words of education - I have been thinking about it and if I were to try I would probably do something like the following -
- boot into DOS mode
- create a very large RAM drive
- copy the OS from an external drive into the RAM drive
- start Windows
this would be pretty slow...
I'm not sure on shutdown how things would get saved back to the external disk. 
I tip my hat to you once again.

For you crazy ones...
http://whyyouhearwhatyouhear.com/

dave

Hi Peter,
I am very intrigued as it sounds like a lot of research went into this.  Another possible approach is to use WindowsPE (https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc709665(v=ws.10).aspx).  Just reading about it, I have my doubts it would work as you would need to figure out how to load the drivers you need among other things.
Do I sense a new version of the XXHighEnd PC...

Not sure if this is what Peter is doing, but link on how to run Windows in a RAMDisk, watch the video.
http://reboot.pro/topic/16646-run-windows-7-from-ramdisk/

cheers,
dave

Mani,
You called the whole hifi hobby a real joke - Care to expound a bit...
Don't feel like you need to 'hold back', lol.

Cheers,
Dave

I don't post here much, but am an avid reader and have searched through the archives many times trying to connect nuggets of information together.  I would like to add to your suggestion, if possible it would be really good to segment anything around xxhighend software and the computer to the NOS1 or NOS1a.  What might of been true of the NOS1 may not be true for the NOS1a...  It is really hard to differentiate this in the posts over the years.  Perhaps some categories specifically for the NOS1a (e.g. NOS1a - PC and configuration) could be added.

Lastly let me thank everyone here as I find this site to be inspirational as well as the most cutting edge audio site on the web.  I believe over the next few years, this group will push the sound quality even further.  A special thank you to Peter who is the driving force behind all this.

-Dave

I've been researching out different computer builds.  After looking at many parts / configurations and comparing them it becomes pretty obvious that Peter's PC is very well thought out.  michaeljeger PC although different is also very well thought out.  I also really like acg's computer that he has listed in his signature.

The v4 Pipeline seems to have every bell and whistle - separate USB card, linear PS, passive cooling case all of which makes the computer expensive.  It isn't clear from the article how the different components impact the sound.  With the NOS1a these things may not matter as much.  From reading Peter, a more powerful chip would be better.  michaeljeger PC is closer to the v4 pipeline, but much cheaper to build.  it is more like a minimalistic build of the v4 pipeline with a better CPU and picoPSU.  looking forward to hearing about it.

In doing my research a question has come up for Peter - Why use the I7 over a Xeon?  The Xeon has a lower TDP, doesn't have on board graphics, more cores and supports ECC RAM.  All these things seem like pluses for a Xeon over an i7.  Certainly a response from anyone else is welcomed as well.

thanks,
dave