I believe 3 total installations, at least that is what it used to be. I actually was able to increase Vegas Pro 11 installations "by a considerable amount" last week when I upgraded over half my PC and decided to install everything fresh. I believe if their chat is open you can do this almost instantly. I did it by email because chat was closed over the weekend and by Monday morning they had responded and increased my license after I stated my case. So, even if you go over, there is still hope.

USUALLY - I use a disk image as you stated above. How? I use Acronis True Image. Basically I would spend a good 8-10 hours installing a PC from scratch and making sure all software is installed correctly and updated. It sounds like you do similar with a re-install of windows. Using True Image, once I get my PC set how I like it, I set it to back up my system drive. To restore, you just find that image again and BOOM like magic you can go immediately back to that fresh PC feel.

I use SSDs for all my internal drives. No matter what your PC will restart to restore an old saved system drive, even if you start the process while windows is running (it does not have to restart to create the image). However I found this week actually if I start the True Image from the USB drive during startup, the transfer process is about 3x faster, or at least it was for me. My system has over 50GB used on it while fresh, including Adobe CS6, Vegas Pro 11, Vegas Pro 12, Microsoft Office and many more smaller programs. When I run True Image as stated, within 5 minutes my PC is back to a nice fresh state. Otherwise if I run it starting in Windows, it takes closer to 15 minutes. Either way you do it, it is a win win situation. 15 minutes to a fresh PC is well worth the money of the program.

If you want to really be picky, Create an image immediately after you install windows. This way you have a clean windows slate if you decide to do anything drastic to your system and takes minutes to go back to that state.

Next I would update windows (over and over and over and over again) until there is nothing left to update. Then Create an image from that!

Next start installing software. Again if you really want to be picky, you can create an image after each bit of software is installed. The images are compressed so do not take up as much space as you would think. My 50GB system fits into a 26GB image file. Fresh windows installations take far less.

Then once you have everything set how you like it, create that last image!

Personally I keep the fresh install windows image, then the updated windows image, then the final image of all the software I currently need.

99% of the time I will only need that last image.

If you ever plan huge changes to your system, I would load that last image first so you know you are doing so on a clean(ish) slate then create another image from there once you are done again.

Yeah I am picky! Another great thing about doing this is any time my PC starts to run the least bit funky, I restore to my best image. This also does a much better job of cleaning out your system than any anti-virus or anti-adware or anti-spyware program will ever do. Not that you should not install such software, but if you ever feel it is compromised, hit the nuke option with the disk image!

Lastly be sure you have all files you need backed up on other drives! If you have project files etc saved on your system drive, they WILL vanish after restoring the image. Just be in the habit of never saving anything you will always need on the main drive.

i BELIEVE 4, BUT OVER-INSTALLS WHEN THE cOMPUTER id HAS NOT CHANGED *MAY* NOT INCREASE THE INSTALLS COUNT.

d#MN - Capslock - sorry !

geoff

Whether it is 3 or 4, you can still run on multiple computers to allow for network rendering.

Also if you go over, you can get installs increased very easily. Mine were just increased by a "significant amount" when I explained I upgraded over half my PC, and they agreed with me no problems.

Network rendering disappeared several versions ago, no ?!!!

geoff

According to EULA, you are allowed to use it on 1 computer simultaneously, if it's not trial version.
http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/corporate/eula
Sony grants you a limited license to use the Software only on one (1) computer or mobile device, as applicable, and you may create one (1) back up copy of the Software. If you received a trial version of the Software, subject to your compliance with the terms and conditions of this EULA, Sony grants you a limited license for a limited trial period to use one (1) copy of the Software to evaluate the Software, and only for your personal, noncommercial use on a single computer or mobile device, as applicable.

Number of computers you can install software on is limited by common sense
https://www.custcenter.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/455/kw/Running%20program%20on%20more%20than%20one%20workstation


Network rendering is gone. As far as I remember, it allowed 3 machines for network rendering back in Vegas 8 times.