I don't like them either.

In reply to a post by Deadbeat:

That's good news and thank you. As said before, it will might save me some work.

No problem

In reply to a post by Deadbeat:

If you run the eiconfig removal tool, you'll have access to all 64bit versions from the same DVD. Your product key will determine which version is installed.

Oh right, cheers, i will have a look at that, not that I am going to install Windows 7 back on here, but useful if I have to for someone else as long as they got the key.

i have got a retail version of 7 myself anyway, in a box with two disks and the code, ok three disks now as a Windows 8.1 disk is in there as well.

In reply to a post by broadband66:

W8, 8.1 and 10 are rubbish.

Windows 8 was awful, Windows 8.1 was better and once you got a decent start menu on it, got rid of the metro apps, it is not a bad Os as Microsoft operating systems go. I push my computer hard sometimes with HD video rendering and windows 8.1 copes with it an do not crash, saying Windows 7 did not either, but I do find that 8.1 is snappier than 7

My problem with 10 is the forced updates, the extra spying, the problems I had with my soundcard and also it looks awful. I also do not like being pushed into things, so the more MS insist on me updating the more I will resist.

In reply to a post by zyborg47:

... i have got a retail version of 7 myself anyway...

There is no difference between the retail and OEM DVD. Your retail DVD will accept valid OEM keys. Again, removing eiconfig will make all versions available to you.
In general though, OEM disks can't be used for a retail or a different OEM installation as they contain extra software installations, specific scripts and they are often pre-activated.
Usually, deleting the contents of the \sources\$OEM$ folder allows the DVD to be used as a general installation disk but this can't be guaranteed.