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How-To's

How To Downgrade Windows 8

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no8I’m not advocating it, but I understand some people may want to downgrade Windows 8. Here is how to do it:
See: Microsoft – Understanding Downgrade Rights

Downgrade only supported from from Windows 8 Pro to Windows 7 Pro (or Vista Biz, LOL).

Steps:
1 – You must have Windows 8 Pro (with license key)
2 – You’ll need a Windows 7 DVD or ISO.
You can download ISO’s here:
Windows 7 Professional with SP1 32-bit
Windows 7 Professional with SP1 64-bit
To create a DVD from an ISO use CDBurnerXP.
To create a bootable flash drive see: Windows 7 USB/DVD download tool. (If you have issues with this see here.)
3 – Install Windows 7 Pro. Do a clean install via instructions here: Installing Windows 7
4 – Activation. When entering key you will probably need to use the “Activation Support phone number” as per the Understanding Downgrade Rights above. Explain what you are doing. They will give you an activation code.
5 – That’s it!

Converting Vinyl Records To Digital Music – A Non-Audiophiles Guide

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vinyl_recordYears ago I had converted some of my LP’s to digital. Since then my record player (henceforth refereed to as a turntable) had died and my LP’s were stored away. I’ve recently decided to bring that music back to life.

Why?
1 – Because I enjoy both the sound and the experience of playing LP’s.
2 – To bring some of that sound and experience to my digital collection.

Why This Guide?
I’m no audio expert, though I would love to be. In the process of researching both turntables, recording software, and recording techniques I discovered a litany of conflicting and often bad advice. This guide is the solution for digitizing LPs I came up with for myself.
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openSUSE 12.3 Tips, Tricks, And Tweaks

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opensusegeekoThis page is dedicated to making your openSUSE experience a little better.
I will continue to update this page as:
– Folks send in or post tips. Please send them in!
– I find tips somewhere else.
– I write tips myself.
Please keep in mind that I do not use and have no interest in any other desktop than KDE.
last updated 30MAR2013
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The Windows 8 Freeware Machine

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freeware baby!
(last updated 31 August, 2014)
This is a Windows 8 version of the previous articles I wrote called The Freeware XP Machine,  The Vista Free Machine, and the Windows 7 Freeware Machine. This version is Windows 8 specific and has several additions and deletions of software I have tried based on recommendations of readers (and THANKS for the suggestions).
This is not a comprehensive list of freeware apps, there are lists like that all over the place. This is a list of apps I use and/or recommend. The goal of this list is to hopefully make your computing experience a little better and less expensive. I know that many of you already use a lot of these programs but perhaps this list would be something you might want to pass on to friends and family to help them out.
[Read more…] about The Windows 8 Freeware Machine

The Windows 7 Freeware Machine

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freeware baby!
(last updated 31 August, 2014)
This is a Windows 7 version of the previous articles I wrote called The Freeware XP Machine, and The Vista Free Machine. This version is Windows 7 specific and has several additions and deletions of software I have tried based on recommendations of readers (and THANKS for the suggestions).
This is not a comprehensive list of freeware apps, there are lists like that all over the place. This is a list of apps I use and/or recommend. The goal of this list is to hopefully make your computing experience a little better and less expensive. I know that many of you already use a lot of these programs but perhaps this list would be something you might want to pass on to friends and family to help them out.
[Read more…] about The Windows 7 Freeware Machine

The Freeware XP Machine

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freeware baby!(Last updated 31 August, 2014.)
This is the story of my attempt at making a 100% usable freeware Windows XP machine. It has been revised several times since I first published it thanks to feedback and suggestions from readers. I’ve done a lot of research and tried a lot of programs. There are also 2 companion articles: The Windows 7 Freeware Machine, and The Windows 8 Freeware Machine. This is not an exhaustive list of freeware programs but the result of the aforementioned research and installs blended with my own personal preference and opinion. You are free to recommend a FREE program but you must list exactly why you think it is better. i.e. – If you say it uses less resources then provide a concrete example (with stats), if you call it bloatware then show why, etc.
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