Help me choose the right OS file

[milan.rajik]

Hi

I am going to buy (assemble) a new PC. I have decided to buy Intel DQ87PG motherboard because it is the only mother board having COM port, on board audio and video. I need COM port because I do Serial communication based Proteus simulations and it requires a hardware COM port which can be mapped to V COM port using eterlogic VSPE.

I am going to put 32 GB DDR3 1600 RAM. The question is I want to use Windows 8.1 enterprise (english) as it makes me use 32 GB RAM.

I heard that Win 8.1 Pro doesn't support 32 GB RAM.

So, before buying OS I want to try it. I found this file on the net. I want to know whether this is the latest and genuine Win 8.1 enterprise x64 updated ISO file.

en_windows_8.1_enterprise_with_update_x64_dvd_4065178.iso

or is it this one

en_windows_8.1_enterprise_with_update_x64_dvd_6054382.iso

I want to know which ISO is untouched. I don't have the ISO hashes but I am downloading the two files and I have original hash for the second file. I will check the hashes of the two files once I download them and post it here. Please tell me which file is untouched.

I am not using any cracked software. I just want to try enterprise windows with 32 GB RAM before buying it.

I can't download from microsoft because it needs a microsoft account and I don't want to create one.

If anybody knows link for latest Win 8.1 enterprise VL x64 updated ISO image them please mention it here.

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Is this a genuine microsoft store link to purchase windows 8.1 Pro ?

http://www.keyonlinestore.com/

They are selling it for 39.99 USD.

I found from here that Win 8.1 Pro x64 supports 512 GB RAM.

http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-1900770/max-ram-windows.html

Is this right info ?

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Here they have mentioned the hashes.

http://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1229213-windows-81-enterprise-iso-64bit/page-2

 

[ads-ee]

You don't need enterprise to support 512 GB maximum see

This is the official Microsoft store **broken link removed**

did a quick check and the keyonlinestore.com seems to be suspicious. Scamadvisor reports the owners of the site are hiding who they are. Besides Microsoft doesn't allow re-sellers to sell Windows with that much of a discount from what I've noticed. Newegg has an OEM version, though installing and using that would be a violation of the EULA.

 

[bigdogguru]

I'm currently running a Dell T7500, Dual XEON Quad X5677 @ 3.47GHz, 48GB DDR3 ECC, PERC 6/I SAS RAID5, NVIDIA Quatro 4000, Windows 7 SP1 Ultimate x64.

I currently have Firefox with 500 tabs, Chrome with 75 tabs, Xilinx ISE v14.2, Orcad Capture v16.3, MPLAB X XC32, KEIL uVision 4 w/MDK-ARM, several large PDFs, Microsoft Outlook 2013 all currently running.

And the system is not currently utilized even 12GB of the 48GB.

I've never had a single issue running Windows 7 SP1 Ultimate x64 or the Enterprise version running on another system. As such, I have no plans to "upgrade" to Windows 8.1, I'm not sure what advantages or additional features such a move would yield.

You can download virtually any of the current Microsoft offerings in ISO form direct from their website, all packages typically run for 90 days for evaluation before requiring a valid product key.

TechNet Evaluation Center

As far as the on-board serial port requirement, forget it.

I utilize two of the Digi Edgeports, both a four and an eight port unit, as well as a Keyspan USA-19HS for on-site service with a laptop. I never experienced any issues with all three devices, they all support full hardware flow control if needed. All three devices are available on eBay for less than $50 USD.

Digi Edgeport USB-to-Serial Converters

Keyspan High-Speed USB to Serial Adapter

BigDog

 

[milan.rajik]

Ok. I will go for win 8.1 Pro.

@bigdogguru

Regarding Proteus.

I have used virtual serial port with Proteus COMPIM model for Serial communication. The COMPIM only supports COM1 to COM4 so it needs a physical COM port to be present and then it can be mapped to virtual COM port being used by TTL2USB adapter. I use Virtual Serial Ports Emulator from eterlogic to map the hardware COM port set in COMPIM to virtal COM port.

Is there any other way in which I can make Proteus COMPIM communicate with the virtual COM port being used by TTL2USB adapter ?

If yes, then I will go for a better motherboard.

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If I put this card

**broken link removed**

will I get COM port between COM1 to COM4 ?

 

[hobbyckts]

The card is just having the output of 2 serial ports how come you will get four from these. You will be having 3 com ports only 1 in the PC and 2 in this add on card..

 

[bigdogguru]

I can only recommend devices for which I have personal experience, the variation in USB-to-Serial adapters is wide ranging and unpredictable. The Digi Edgeport units come with a software utility which allows you to permanent set the COMx of one of the devices ports where x is 1 to 255, therefore you can simply disable any COM ports on the motherboard and set the first four COM ports of the Edgeport to COM1, COM2, COM3 and COM4. I have previously tested the Edgeport with Proteus' COMPIM and experienced no issues. Once set in Edgeport utility, the COMx numbering will not change even if new USB devices are added, unless explicitly changed by the user in the Edgeport utility and the software sees no difference between a physical COM port and a virtual COM port of the Edgeport. The Edgeport utility also provides a set of diagnostic and configuration settings which enable monitoring of the RTS, CTS, DTR, DSR, CD and RI control lines of each individual COM port of the Edgeport, port status logging is another available option, advanced port flags of each port can also be configured and each port can be tested individually for further troubleshooting.


BigDog

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Update:

I forgot to mention the Keyspan USA-19H has a similar utility, although I have not tested it with the Proteus COMPIM.

 

[ads-ee]

I can only recommend devices for which I have personal experience, the variation in USB-to-Serial adapters is wide ranging and unpredictable. The Digi Edgeport units

Very nice product, I'd say it better work too as it costs $303. The single port version costs $91!

But as the saying goes you get what you pay for, and if you go with cheap stuff from ebay/alibaba/etc. don't expect support, drivers, or it working with other equipment.

 

[bigdogguru]

Very nice product, I'd say it better work too as it costs $303. The single port version costs $91!

Yes, indeed.

Although, I've been able to pickup new 4 and 8-port Edgeports on eBay for about $50.

The Keyspan USA-19HS is a very nice unit as well, they also offer a 4-port device although I've not yet tested it.

Both the Digi and Keyspan devices offer great support.

BigDog

 

[milan.rajik]

Ok. I will buy the best. I just need 1 COM port between COM1 and COM4 so that I can use COMPIM. Here I found a PCI express card which gives 8 COM ports and 1 LPT port.

**broken link removed**