Simviation Forum - Advice please on reinstalling FSX

Mar 7^th, 2011 at 11:06am

whitley Offline
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Up until a few weeks ago I was quite happy flying in FS9, which had taken me best part of 6 years to set up just about as perfectly as I could get it, but then came a hard drive problem and I lost the lot, so I installed a new, bigger and faster HD,slapped on Windows 7 (64 bit) SP1 (I was on XP) and bought a copy of FSX Gold which came with Acceleration.

Since installing FSX I have one problem after another and it no under statement to say I am not happy with what I am thinking is a waste of money. Nearly everyone who has FSX is happy with theirs, so I assume it is just a question of patience and setting it up correctly.

I have read in many forums, including this one, that it is better to install FSX somewhere other than the default install destination and that it is better, given the choice to install it on a 64 bit system.

So here are the questions:

1/. I have been told that having a 64 bit system with less than 4GB RAM is pointless as "it" won't work and will default to 32 bit, is this true? and could have a bearing on why I have been experiencing problems? Apart from the extra expense of having to buy another 2 GB RAM, it won't be a problem, but I could do without further unnecessary expense, if I have to buy more I will, but I would prefer to wait if I can.

2/. I have ordered JF UK VFR photo scenery. I have been advised to install this either on another HD or in a different partition rather than in FSX itself, is this true? If so what is the best way to install it.
I know the Horizon Gen X scenery is supposed to knock spots off the JF product, but I have been using the FS2004 version quite happily for years and moreover, I was offered the complete FSX set, brand new for less than £30 just because the box was damaged.

3/. Is the British Airports scenery designed for use with Gen X compatible with JF VFR scenery? I hope so because I have just bought a second hand DVD of vol 1 for £8.

I am sure I will find plenty more problems that will need to be sorted, but that will do for now. Thanks for any help and advice.

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Reply #1 - Mar 7^th, 2011 at 2:42pm

EVVFCX Offline
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Hi Whitley,

Were you running xp 64 before you installed the win7 64? I have to assume that you were.

As fas as not installing in the default location there seems to be the tendancy for others to say install but not in default location, mine is installed in default location on win 7 for amonth now since getting new laptop and so far as not had any major problems with installing.

Search the forum for a link to having your fsx.cfg modified for you, saves the effort on your part of tweaking the settings.

As far as your memory, on win 7 you can extend your system memory by using usb 2.0 readyboost memory sticks/flash drives, so it can be done without great expense.

Not sure if we can publically mention other sites, try google for ready bost memory.
I got 16GB in 4 X 4gb of memory for various uses for around £18 from an online store.

1. my win7 system came with 4GB and had no other choice but I've seen loads of systems with less than 4 gb in the stores.
There are guys on here that will know better about the memory issues.

I haven't seen the vfr scenery for years, a friend had it on fs2004 and it gave him no end of trouble.

I'd expect that you can install the scenery anywhere, when you use the scenery library you'll just have to remember where you installed it to add it.

As I've mentioned elsewhere, you'll have to be carefull when downloading programs that are needed by various addons.
You may have noticed there are 2 program file folders.
The X86 folder is for your 32 bit programs while the program file folder is your 64 bit folder.

If you goto to Sun Java site for example and do an update, it will automatically install the 64 bit version on 64 bit systems but you'll need to manually download the 32 bit version for the addons to work as they will be written for 32 bit systems.

May the Mynd be with you.
So far my number of landings either passenger or pilot equal my number of takeoffs, but that is due to change

13/07/11 Passed BMFA Fixed Wing 'A' test.
FSX Gold

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Reply #2 - Mar 7^th, 2011 at 3:31pm

whitley Offline
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Buckinghamshire UK

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Hi EVVFCX, thanks for the reply. Prior to my old hard drive playing silly b's I was using XP home 32 bit, but when I fitted the new HD I installed W7 64 bit, then installed FSX, which automatically went into the X86 folder. I did wonder why there were two program files folders, so now I know. My wife has W7 on her newer PC and as we work together it seemed better for me to upgrade while I had the opportunity.

I was going to worry about modifying the CFG file when I had FSX reinstalled along with the photo scenery. As I like to fly low and slow, I much prefer to see the real world rather than the world according to MS. I used to fly for fun in real life years ago and the standard scenery just doesn't 'do it' for me.

Once I had all sorted out I had my old photo scenery in FS2004 running sweetly and smoothly with no blurries and good frame rates usually 60-100 fps except over London etc. even flying at over 300kts at 3000'

So if I add more RAM I could install FSX in the 64 bit program files folder, otherwise it goes into X86 where it is now. My motherboard came with 2GB installed and one spare slot. I will have a look to see what is available, then look in the wallet to see if moths have left me anything to play. with.

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Reply #3 - Mar 7^th, 2011 at 5:14pm

EVVFCX Offline
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Been there done it-well
most of it.
Pontefract, West Yorkshire

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Hi Whitley,

No point in forcing it to install in the 64bit folder, either leave it where it is or install elsewhere but not the 'program files' folder.

I'm a bit confused over the xp 32 bit to win 7 64 bit you mention.

I don't think a 32 bit system could use a 64 bit OS.

I can see the point of flying visually and low and slow with decent scenery, years ago I found my previous house on vfr scenery.

Maybe some other users here who are more upto date with modern systems can help a little more.

May the Mynd be with you.
So far my number of landings either passenger or pilot equal my number of takeoffs, but that is due to change

13/07/11 Passed BMFA Fixed Wing 'A' test.
FSX Gold

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Reply #4 - Mar 7^th, 2011 at 5:53pm

whitley Offline
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I am not young enough
to know everything
Buckinghamshire UK

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Posts: 72

EVVFCX wrote on Mar 7^th, 2011 at 5:14pm:

Hi Whitley,

No point in forcing it to install in the 64bit folder, either leave it where it is or install elsewhere but not the 'program files' folder.

I'm a bit confused over the xp 32 bit to win 7 64 bit you mention.

I don't think a 32 bit system could use a 64 bit OS.

I can see the point of flying visually and low and slow with decent scenery, years ago I found my previous house on vfr scenery.

Maybe some other users here who are more upto date with modern systems can help a little more.

My hard drive went belly up, so I had to replace it. The old OS on the dead HD had XP 32 bit on it, but I installed W7 on the new HD, it just happened to be a 64 bit version that I bought.

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