1. First time turning on the disc and choosing an operating system, will the OS boot and then notify me that I have so many days to activate with a windows key?

2. Will my current windows 8 key work for the W8 OS on the disc?

3. Will my current W8 key work for the W10 OS's on the disc? (No internet connection active on PC)

4. Will I be able to load and run the Ram Boot Disc W8 OS into memory too? If so how does that sound compared to the various versions of  W10 running from Ram?

Thanks!

I assume you mean here the disc in the music server. This should not be a problem because my usb hub is located next to my listening chair. Should I want to save something to a Demo gallery I have to connect it, and all --mouse, keyboard, music external drive-- will connect at the same time.

For various reasons I do not use a separate server for music or an RDC connection. My NOS1a-75b is plugged directly into a MB USB port. I also use a USB hub for keyboard and mouse (connected to USB3 MB port) which I disconnect, along with the monitor,  for best SQ once music begins to play.  My plan with the new Ram Boot Disc is to have the music stored  on an external drive plugged into the USB hub where the keyboard and mouse are currently connected. So assuming all is working after installing the Ram Boot Disc and OS/XXHE are running from Ram, I will unplug the RAM Boot Disc and the USB hub/monitor once playback begins. So, at that point nothing except the DAC will be connected to the PC. Will this work? Will it take too long for music to load if it is connected this way? Thanks in advance.

Thanks Peter, will download the latest version tonight. Was hoping you would set the program so the SFS could go lower than the .02!

Set SFS to .02 --lowest setting possible-- and I was able to play redbook at 8x upsampling without an issue. Sounded fantastic. Have to increase the SFS for Hi Res. In the past when I went lower than .36 with red book I'd have issues, clicking noises, but they have, it seems disappeared????

Joachim, interesting you do not have room treatments. I thought you did based on prior comments you made, but maybe that was someone else. Addressing points of first and second reflection really improved things here. Also I notice your choice of tuning feet under your NOS1a, I use Daruma 3-II's. I guess we are the only ones using 8x upsampling instead of 16x? Funny I usually listen at an average SPL between 75 and 77 (A). I used to think that 16x upsampling sounded better at higher volumes but not anymore.

So I've noticed that I and one other in this forum, Joachim, use 8x instead of 16x upsampling. As Joachim recently posted, 8x sounds tonally better and, for me, there is a greater texture or presence to the sound. Am wondering if there are other folks who, with the NOS1 or 1a, use sample rate other than 16x? My theory on why 8x sounds best here is that I use significant room treatments in my man-cave and I believe Joachim does too. I believe the room treatments eliminate most of the high frequency hash in the room which is similar to using 16x upsampling. However, the sound with 16x lacks weight and tone in a "treated room." As you know I am no expert, just going by what sounds best here. Just wondering what others might think about this.

I did not like the sound of the Silverstone either isolated or not. Today I use one of the usb2 MB ports and switch three "up," meaning the NOS1a-75b black ground wire is "disconnected." Here Silverstone adds a flavor that renders the sound no longer neutral.

Regarding the disconnected black wire in the DAC, I was the one who originally reported waking up to booming noises one night after I disconnected the wire without using an isolated Silverstone card. BUT that was with the NOS1. Since the NOS1a, I have played as described, switch 3 up (black wire disconnected) and have never had a problem. Leaving switch 3 up takes a bunch of grain or noise out of the sound.

 It is important to use Peter's findings as a guide but, given that all systems and ears are necessarily different, some deviation is sometimes required. 

Thanks Peter, l was hoping lwouldn't need to install the driver!

 Finally got around to installing an isolated Silverstone card yesterday. I was motivated by Peter's recent comments about the MB usb3 connection sounding dull compared to Silverstone. Several years ago I threw out the Renesis card I had been using in favor of the MB connection because the sound was so much better, less noisy and more natural sounding, with the MB connection. After installing the Silverstone card yesterday I did not have to install the driver on the small disk that came with the Silverstone; rather the PC automatically used some native windows driver or maybe the Renesias driver that I never uninstalled. Anyway, my question is should I use the driver that came with the card? 

Out of the box it sounds pretty good, cymbals shimmer even more, but am letting it burn in a few days before doing serious listening. Eva Cassidy's voice decides all. 

For the longest time I used a data only cable from YFS. Sometime in July my NOS1a-75b totally broke in and I noticed that my mids had a bit of a weird bloated/distortion sound. Switched to Clarixa and was amazed at how solid, clear, sweet and distortion free the mids became.

I've been using two Jitterbugs the last month: one on Clarixa usb cable and the other in empty mb usb 2 port. Clarixa is also on mb usb 2 port.

I'm with Joachim: much cleaner, natural sound, especially when using 8x sample rate and not 16.

Thanks Peter, can't wait to hear it! Though I downloaded the original 1074 ISO I never got around to installing it. Honestly, since about the middle of July my system has sounded so good--I think the NOS1a finally "broke in" after all the changes- I've been unable to imagine it sounding better. But now, I am so looking forward to unplugging the hard drive!

Hi Peter, does this mean that the hard drive clones you anticipate providing for us will use W10-1074?

Count me in, though I'll have tons of questions when it comes to getting it up and running--fast shipping. Thanks for all your efforts!