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Installation after a new system build


domenic

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Hi Guys,

I have just had my last part delivered for my new system. I am planning on doing a complete re-installation of Windows 7 and FSX and ORBX add-ons along with it.

Does anyone have any advice they would like to impart before I peform the new install, barrign the obvious transfering of any importnatn data etc.

I plan to just do a fresh installation on top of my existing build. I have noted the issue with windows 7 UAC rights etc and plan to install FSX in it's own directory outside that of MS games.

Any hints and tips would be appreciated.

Cheers

Dom

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Install the OS turn UAC OFF update ALL that needs updating like Net framework and so on, visit Black Viper and turn OFF everything that you not going to use. Move you User files and ALL programming OFF "C:\" Move you My Pictures, My Documents, My Video's All to their OWN drive.

Much easier to resurrect your PC IF or WHEN it fails.

Make an image of your OS after all this has been done so that you can restore (NOT the Useless Windows Tool either)

Now you can start on the important stuff like FSX.

I don't know that there is any particular order but do a Virgin FSX install on a separate partition and then make a backup copy AFTER you have the MS update and Acceleration etc you BASE install.

This is then your backup (NO Re-Install required)

Add to this all your orbx sceneries and airports, then any Add on Aircraft and lastly the orbx Libraries and their updates. (Then make a backup copy - you may never need it but you will have it available)

IMHO any Simmer that doesn't have at least 1 or 2 1Tb or larger drives internally in their PC as a backup repository is completely nuts.

That should have you on the way to a reasonably easily rebuild-able machine.

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Yes mate we do mainly because the Microsoft OS that we are using and it would seem so many other software manufacturer's blindly believe that "C:\" is the only Drive in the system etc IE is the only browser, and that every PC user is a complete idiot , unfortunately the latter is not to far removed from the truth. The average Gamer and Flight simmer is by their very nature much smarter than that and this is why many install their FSX and many other simulations and games on a dedicated drive. (much easier to both control and to backup)

Why you ask well because WE control our PC's and know just how we want things set up. The biggest reason for segregating all my programming from the OS is to allow a very fast rebuild if the OS on my "C:\" SSD fails.

I make a point of ALWAYS making a regular backup of my registry and editing this to reflect the NEW location of my Program Files, User Folder (Windows User Name) and Common Files so that these files are NEVER in danger of being lost due to a "C:\" failure the OS can be reset in as little as 1 Hour if the SSD

All your personal data like Desktop installed programimg etc is stored within your user profile so it makes sense to protect it as best that you can.

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Thanks for taking the time to answer.

I am doing a system rebuild and cruising around researching before I reinstall next year (travling for the holidays).

A couple of other things I did not know but I have read about in the last couple of days. Disclaimer - I just read this and know not of what I speak - just wanted to share and recieve feedback :)

RAID 0 Impact on FSX

Many gaming PC companies are offering RAID 0 performance

configurations. This is a good configuration for PC GAMES, but

not Flight Simulator Programs. Onboard RAID 0(pairing hdd's)

can significantly reduce FSX performance.

Setup dual hard drives in your system.

The primary hard drive is a traditional rotational drive installed

with an additional 64GB SSD to work as a high performance cache

Once installed, Windows boots and runs up to 6 times faster than

a standard HDD giving your computer close to the speed of an SSD

with the capacity of a traditional drive at a great price.

I asked this else where:

From what I understand the gain from dropping my 2600K and going to a 3770K would not be significant. What do you guys think?

Currently I OC to 4.6 - 4.8 on my 2600K. I am on water cooling.

I am on an 1155 MB designed for OC (specs below). At around $300 us for a 3770K that is not that expensive so if I could see any significant increase in a 3770K - say %20 - it would be worth it.

Word on the street is in around 4 months Intell has something new launching....but that will be an expensive upgrade. Posted Image

Most feed back has said that no I would not achieve a 20% increase. One person says the 2600K withstands heavy OC better than an Ivy Bridge.

BTW - I do also backup daily - requirement of my job.

Would creating a clone of your C drive also create a good enough backup in case your system crashed? Currently I use Acronis (also required by my job). As well as Norton Ghost.

Take care my friends!

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One more thing, once you have FSX installed, "clean", copy the whole FSX folder to another drive than you will have a clean backup if anything goes wrong.

Not to mention a backup copy of your FSX folder that hangs off the User files folder.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Nick`s FSX guide

RULES WHEN SETTING UP STORAGE:

DO NOT PARTITION A DRIVE AND PLACE A OS OR FSX ON A PARTITION OTHER THAN THE FIRST PHYSICAL PARITION OF THE DRIVE

ALWAYS MAKE SURE THERE IS A MINIMUM OF 40-50% FREESPACE ON ANY PERFORMANCE DRIVE OR PARTITION (OS or FSX)

NEVER PARTITION A RAID ARRAY - EVER!

BEST SETUP IS TO PLACE FSX ON ITS OWN DEDICATED DRIVE WITH NO 2ND PARTITION

MYTH: NCQ and advanced BIOS SATA functions such as AHCI increase FSX performance

TRUTH: TRUE for network servers and workstations, UTTERLY FALSE for high performance drives such as the Rap, Vrap and gaming system use.

A Western Digital VelociRaptor is the best investment you can make for a FSX system. Even without an expensive controller card those drives will deliver the goods where others can fall short under very high LOD scenery file calls.

Here is a chart which shows how the WD VelociRaptor fairs against SAS drives and typical SATA drives... the RED is the winner but note the READ/WRITE RANDOM ACCESS time... its equal to SAS, AND... FSX is a RANDOM READ application, not SEQUENTIAL READ which is what most benchmark programs such as HDTUNE and HDTACH use to test HDD speed and performance. Those mentioned benchmark speed tests are NOT indicative of what MSFS needs from the storage solution.. I/O meter results, are:

www.simforums.com/forums/setting-up-fsx-and-how-to-tune-it_topic29041.html

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Interesting as I have been debating about re-installing FSX after only having P3D for the past year or so.

Sorry to diverge but I'm now wondering maybe putting FSX on the same 500GB Momentus XT Hybrid Drive I have P3D installed with 75% free space rather than my WD Green 1.5TB HDD that has less than 1/2 its capacity as it gets used for backups & storage. What do the guru's here think of this approach?

Are there any pitfalls or things to note if FSX & P3D are on the same drive?

However if I were to install FSX onto the 1.5TB HDD should I install it onto a separate partition?

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Hi, Flinty

You should be fine. ..no need to partition, FSX and P3D have there own registry just make sure to put FSX in it's own folder. .

You may also want to consider a good program that keeps the games folders in order. ..

This program is call Ultimate Defrag its awesome.. I have no ssd and i can load FSX in seconds I have been using it for years.

www.disktrix.com

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