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Working on PCs since the days of The Shat selling VIC 20s with his TJ Hooker hair you learn that its the little things that can make your day sooo much easier. From WSUS Offline allowing you to update any version of Windows via DVD or flashstick (as well as having your own Windows Update on a network drive) to Ninite allowing you to install most of the "must have" third party software without any toolbars and fully unattended by simply checking the boxes, its the little tools that really take out the drudgery. Tools like Driver Booster to get rid of the always "fun" driver hunt for old or weird hardware drivers or Comodo Cleaning Essentials to get rid of bugs take out the work for the Fixit guy or those that end up stuck doing the job for their family.
With this in mind allow me to introduce a tool many here may not have heard of which can be extremely nice to have, WinSetupFromUSB or as I like to call it "Every OS in my pocket". Do not let the name fool you, this tool works with not only Windows but also Linux ISOs and even preinstall environments like BartPE or the Linux based recovery environments used by many disc imagers like Paragon B&R Free. So with this one tool you can install OSes, run different Live CDs, restore backups using recovery CDs, all from a single flashstick, VERY handy.
So I hope these little tools help somebody out there stuck doing the "family IT GUY" role and I hope to learn in return what tools do YOU use to make your life easier? What tricks and little pieces of software do you use to make your day run smoother? I'm sure with as many different walks of life represented here we can make this a most enlightening and informative post!
(Score: 2) by Geotti on Wednesday October 22 2014, @02:35AM
Your quote actually supports my argument. Thanks.
It's a licensed copy of Windows XP SP3.
Whether you use it on a system with a real Key or one from an "unsanctioned" keygen is a whole different story.
You can use this link to create a Windows Preinstallation Environment [wikipedia.org], usually referred to as WinPE.
From the aforementioned link:
it is now widely available free of charge via the Windows Automated Installation Kit (WAIK).
Further, it can be used as:
(Score: 2) by FatPhil on Wednesday October 22 2014, @01:56PM
And you are yet again confusing the copyright owner distributing something freely, and the copyrighted material being freely distributable.
Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people; the smallest discuss themselves
(Score: 2) by Geotti on Thursday October 23 2014, @01:09AM
Go look for yourself, and find the relevant sources, if you want.
confusing the copyright owner distributing something freely, and the copyrighted material being freely distributable.
Fact remains that you can download both necessary parts and create the same thing absolutely legally. Also, if you do have a license for XP, not even Hiren is breaking a law. 'mkey?