Thanks.  I already have FS2004 installed and it's working just fine.  CFS2 never gets to the point of installing.  "Calculating hard disk space" is the last message I see before the error.  I'm guessing a video or sound card incompatibility.  I'll get the info on that on my next post.

I'll run diagnostics on the hard drive.  Another thought:  since I've already installed FS2004 using the Bicycle Games installation interface (what's up with that anyway??), I also suspect that, since the CFS2 is older, there might be an issue trying to run an earlier version of the BC installation SW.  I'm thinking of uninstalling the FS2004 and Bicycle Games interface completely, installing CFS2, then FS2004, which would then be an upgrade.  Any thoughts?

And what the heck is up with the De Havilland in FS2004!  It flies like a cow!

ref the DH Comet:  I'm using a new Logitech Extreme 3D joystick and I couldn't hardly keep it off the ground, esp at lower RPM.  Back stick wouldn't help in the turns or keeping the nose up.  I also agree, it was difficult to handle after landing.  But then, it's my first twin engine flight and the thing does seem to have a lot of mass/enertia.

Sorry, next time I'll post this comment to the FS2004 forum.

What the boss thought...
The following, from de Havilland's autobiography, Sky Fever, recounts his experience of the Comet:

"[The Comet] had the first retractable undercarriage we had made, and the first variable pitch propellors we had used. We built the Comet Racer because it looked as if American aircraft might be easy winners unless something out of the ordinary was designed.

"We offered the racing Comets at a nominal figure of £5,000 each (they naturally cost us far more than this) and we had orders for three.

"Aeroplanes are seldom ready for delivery on the promised day, but this Comet had to be ready for the day of the race or all the work and time and money we put into them would be wasted. I don't think any of us would care to live again through the weeks of agony that preceded the start of the race. Economic conditions were unfavourable, the stakes were high, and we were not accustomed to gambling like this.

"Hubert Broad, our test pilot, was forced to do the work which normally lasted many months in only a few weeks, and instead of prolonged flight tests he had to limit each to ten or 15 minutes, landing frequently for a series of minor adjustments.

"By the time we arrived at Mildenhall for the start we were half dead from exhaustion, yet tremendously excited by the tension that built up during those last days."

It looks like it's going to install card games, but when you continue through it, the files being copied/created are for the fligh sim.  The sim installs under the Bicycle Games diretory.  Wierdest thing.  After all this discussion, I'm going to uninstall the FS2004 and try to install the CFS2 package.

Thanks for all the replies.  Looks like a good group.  Is CFS2 online capable??  If so, maybe I'll meet some of you in the skies over the Pacific.  If so, watch your six.