"What I’d like to see is software that would re-install Windows and still retain all our old Giveawayoftheday software!"

Most importantly I think that would often violate the license terms, & certainly runs counter to the intent of developers that expect, or at least hope that users will buy products they find useful.

If you migrate an existing Windows install, complete with software, what you have to watch for is DRM that keeps track of the hardware you're using, similar to the way Windows requires activation if it detects a certain amount of hardware changes. Not so much with GOTD offers, but some more expensive software may lock you out entirely, so you can't even remove, install, & re-register.

If you reinstall Windows then reinstall software, that normally works, but you should still check with the companies that sell that software to make sure you don't have to do something special -- they may have recorded info on your old hardware, & will only activate their software on that old hardware otherwise. With software you've gotten from GOTD, more often than not that's not possible because you don't have a setup file you can run. Developers also often use date windows, where a copy of an app that's offered free but for a limited time will not activate once that time's past.

https://www.runtime.org/driveimage-xml.htm
Choose full system image. Or do you not know about system imaging? Windows has a built-in program, but this one is far better.

Mike,
I was never aware if an image restore was done on a PC to different hardware that installed software might have issues. Have you actually experienced this?
Dan

No... Actually the best way to do that is don't. ;)

Windows accumulates garbage -- remnants of updates, software you've added & later removed, maybe [heaven forbid] mal-ware [the object of mal-ware is most often to make someone $, so often great care is taken to make sure the infection is as invisible as possible]. If you run Windows Disk Cleanup, using the System files option, you'll often get a slightest glimpse of how much junk just Windows Update leaves lying around. Microsoft suggests several times in several places to re-install Windows every so often to take care of that sort of thing.

That said, the problem when you try to use a Windows install on different hardware is that the drivers Windows uses to talk to the hardware doesn't match your new hardware. If you're talking about something like the audio chipset on the motherboard that's often not critical, but if Windows tries to talk to an AMD CPU & chipset instead of the Intel hardware you've just bought, it's just not gonna happen.

What you can do is try running a Windows Repair Install, or try special Migration software from companies like Paragon, that removes existing driver entries from the registry, or try removing/uninstalling devices in Device Mgr. before you unattach the drive from the old hardware. Sometimes it works like a charm, & sometimes it'll take days to get everything working right -- longer than it would take to install everything fresh.

Mike, thank you so much for your excellent replies to questions related to this software. I have some questions that go beyond this GOTD and don't want to bother people here. Can you recommend a forum where I can place the questions?

If you were going to put together a Multiset package you'd gather all your needed installation files & have them in one place beforehand. Then you'd make everything, the setup & Multiset files available to another PC/laptop, whether stored on removable media, via a network share etc.

Purely FWIW, IMHO it's actually worse, more of a drudge if/when you've got 2 or more PCs/laptops you maintain at home, with optionally maybe a bunch of VMs thrown in. You've got stuff to do, & stuff you'd rather be doing that sitting at someone's PC/laptop watching progress bars that always seem to stall. ;)

If you're at work it's your job, & it's not [usually] like you can go raid the fridge & binge watch whatever series.

I'm not going to say it's the best way or anything, but I could see many a person in that boat at least trying Multiset to see if it helped them out.

@PCMan
This program is good for people who have a bunch of identical workstations to administer. If you are dealing with lots of different hardware, then this software might not be what you need.

Thanks krypteller but before I would be willing to pay such a high price I would certainly give Comodo Program Managers ability to create an install builder a try.
Many years ago InstallRite 2.5 C would have been my choice, not tried it recently as it does not handle the huge number of registry changes that NT makes. I think that that could be fixed by using Regshot instead but keeping the files found by Installrite.
Both the above are free.

Today's download seems to be an macro recorder that specialises in installations of Windows systems or applications.
From my work experience-the best macro program is available in my opinion is Macro Scheduler with an incredibly number of powerful commands that are made so easy to use by its design, however not cheap either. Would give that a go as a trial before purchasing today's download as its versatility makes me believe it could be more effective.

You've hit on its Achilles Heel XP-Man. Installing software takes time & hardware resources -- time unpacking setup files, expanding those files while copying them into place, then writing however many registry entries, shortcuts etc. Then you might have to set whatever permissions & or configuration settings.

In an IT Dept. they test whatever software [or should anyway] before it's deployed -- same as updates. They also tend to buy hardware in bulk, though over time they may have several herds so-to-speak, one from each buy. If you test one PC with all the needed software & configuration in place, it makes sense to clone its hard drive to use in every identical PC once everything's set. One way to do it is to simply clone however many drives, then send someone out to swap them in -- another is to propagate it over their network. It also simplifies maintenance -- no need to figure out what someone did to mess up a PC when you can just replace everything on the hard drive.

Since win7 that sort of thing's become easier. The 1st step in setting up Windows is to unpack & copy the files you'll need to the HDD, then the system reboots & Windows adds the drivers & settings that match the hardware. With 7,8,8.1, & 10, you can shorten the install time by just putting those files/folders in place, by copying or better yet, restoring a backup image. BUT, then you have individual driver installs [Windows only comes with minimal versions of the drivers, partly because of manufacturer's (C) concerns], Windows updates, & any added software.

Where Microsoft made it easier from 7 onward is those files/folders are stored in a .wim file, & you can make your own. When the IT Dept. has a PC that's fully up to date, configured & tested, rather than cloning the drive they can put everything into a .wim. And they can include added driver setup files so it will work on a PC that isn't identical, & the .wim can include software.

You can do the same thing yourself. Some folks are frequently called on to fix or setup PCs/Laptops for friends & family, & it's become popular to create a .wim file with Windows plus all the current updates plus maybe an app or three.

That's Not to say Multiset doesn't, won't have its uses, but rather that in a good many cases it's not the simplest, easiest way to go.

You've got good eyes!

I was writing a much more detailed comment, until I detected problems with Win 8. So I deleted most of what I have written before.
Here was the screenshot:
http://i.imgur.com/03mZdlg.png

Greetings from Germany

Who has UAC running? I´m not...

@ Karl
I found it here: http://i.imgur.com/k6mYhD2.png on the right hand side. I didn't download the software to test it because of the UAC issue and I have no use for it.

@ Robert
Having UAC disabled allows any application full admin rights to your PC without requiring any user confirmation. Take a look at this: http://www.7tutorials.com/uac-why-you-should-never-turn-it-off

When a program just alters the UAC without any notification, it's wrong.
It will run with admin-rights without any permission.
Therefore I dislike Chrome.
Chrome installs itself on a user with no admin rights without any notification.

UAC has never been enabled on any Windows machine I've had since UAC was incorporated and I have no need for it and my systems are always OCD spotless.

Now I am cleaning a Win7: 5045 malware files.
And just now a new AVG found 10 items to repair.
And this Windows has UAC disabled.

It should be able to read dialog boxes just fine. For years, I used a utility called, "Push The Freakin' Button" that was excellent macro recording software and you could make conditional responses with it.

I've heard of MultiSet years ago but have never seen it used; I'll definitely give this a shot.

As far as the UAC comment below: much software requires admin rights to run normally; security in Windows is an afterthought.

This software looks interesting...but from $495.95 to $99.95, i don't think it should be called (lowering) the price my friend..it's more like (a Drop!) in the price. I'm going to downloaded it for that curious reason too why? and check out its promised abilities.

If one doesn't understand how to use sysprep and xml files, this MIGHT be usable but be careful that your not preping deployment of software you only have one lic for.