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JG's FSX PC Software Build

J G

By J G,
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J G

J G 927

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Hi all.

 

Those that have read my recent post, will know that I have been having problems successfully rebuilding my FSX PC. I am about to start my third complete rebuild in as many weeks, and i thought I would chronicle it here so you can all chip in with help and ideas along the way, in the hope that i will be able to write some sort of guide that encapsulates as much helpful guidance as possible at the end of it.

 

My system:

 

  • Sim Version:-           FSX Acceleration
  • Op System:-            Windows 7(64)
  • CPU:-                       Intel i7 3770 3.4GHz
  • GPU:-                       Nvida GForce GT610 2 Gb
  • Ram:-                      16 gb DDR3
  • Mother Board:-         Advent DT2 v1.0
  • Hard Disks:-            1 x 2 TB HDD 1 x 1 TB HDD (No SSDs)
  • Monitors:-                 1 x 19" DVI IBM Monitor and 1 x  42" Samsung HDMI Screen
  • Saitek equipment:-  1 x Radio Panel
  •                                 1 x Switch Panel
  •                                 1 x Multi panel
  •                                 2 x Instrument panels
  •                                 1 x Pro Flight Yoke
  •                                 2 x Throttle Quadrents
  •                                 1 x Rudder pedals
  • Home built                2 x Arduino Mega Card based switch and LED panels
  • Mini Keyboard
  • Trackball

 

So far i have had the following advice from Jaydoor, thanks James (I have added my comments in red):

 

When you are rebuilding your FSX.  Are you loading all up in one install or are you spreading the uploads out over say a week or two? I am building the install of FSX, adding Pilots Global 2010 and Orbx global. I also add a few utilities as well such as EZDOK, and FSUIPC. I have done this all at one go.  The rest I will be building up over time.

Are you also using the latest UIA file in the D/L section, as it is very important to use the correct one.  The one in the D/L section is the one ACES team used to build FSX.  Version number: 6.0.5840.16386  I haven't a clue as to where I would find this information and how to make changes to the install if needed. Some advice on this would be useful.

Also are you increasing your Virtual memory from a system managed one to one set higher yourself? No but that seems like a good idea.I will try this as soon as possible.

Are you also and this is very important.  Re-booting the computer and then running FSX after each install of a add-on before you add another? Not rebooting, but I do run FSX after each install. 

Are you using a separate drive/disk or partition for FSX? No, although I do put FS Global; 2010 on a separate partition, and FSX and it related programs live with and Windows 7 and nothing else much.

Another very important thing is you must use the FSX install disk's to uninstall.  You must first uninstall acceleration with the use of it's disk, then FSX using the install disk. With the two installs I have done this month I went back to a formatted drive so everything was blitzed.  I dont plan to do this for the next install, but will uninstall from the disks as you describe.

The reason you must do it this way, is it removes the registry files also.  If you do it any other way then the registry is still left and the new install gets confused and that cause most problems within FSX. 

I did answer your Bouncing planes issue in the other query you raised..  Yes thanks for that.  I cured the bouncing issue with a formatted HDD and total rebuild. this second total rebuild hasn't worked out.

 

So based on these comments I plan to do the following:-

 

Stage 1

  1. Reformat both HDDs
  2. Load Windows 7 (64) onto the boot drive (1TB)
  3. Apply drivers required (Chipset Ethernet etc)
  4. Set user security to minimum
  5. Load MS Security essentials.
  6. load useful tools and drivers (Siatek Drivers, Arduino drivers, Chrome, PDF reader,Link2FS_Multi  (for Arduino board devices), TrackIR.)
  7. Set up windows (Screen resolutions virtual memory etc).
  8. Reboot 

First stage of build complete

 

Stage 2

  1. Load FSX onto large disk drive (2 TB)
  2. Add cold and dark flight and backed up flight plans.
  3. Reboot
  4. Start FSX
  5. Make Cold and dark Default Flight
  6. Start C&D flight.
  7. End C&D flight.
  8. Reboot
  9. Load FSX Acceleration
  10. Repeat steps 6 & 7
  11. Reboot
  12. Apply the latest UIA from memory stick. Not applied - No  original file to update.
  13. Load utilities:- Spad, FSUIPC (licensed), FS Pilot, FSInn, EZDok, Flight1 Sound Stream and Flight Connect (for Android map s/w)
  14. Configure EZDok, Spad, Link2FS_Multi and Flight Connect to start with FSX
  15. Reboot 

Second stage of build completed

 

Stage 3

 

Configuring:-

  • FSINN
  • FSUIPC
  • Link2FS_Multi
  • EZdok for default aircraft.

Third stage of build completed

 

That is as far as I have planed so far.  The next stage will be the scenery build. Comment on  this proposed plan are welcome!

 

J.

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brett

brett 2,310

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I don't know about the rest of you but I have never changed my default flight. I save pre-loaded flights and fly them from the load saved flight button instead. I do this because I read somewhere that changing the default flight can mess up quite a few things. Now I have never had any crazy problems(knock on wood) and I would never say this would be the reason but I wonder if this is a valid theory or is it an old simmers tale?

 

Another thing is, it seems like I can load a bunch of aircraft or small scenery addons at one time, although it is not really a good idea in case one is a bad one, it makes it harder to tell what addon might have caused a problem, some others sometimes do not fare so  well doing it this way. Looking at Stage 2, line 13, I would install each of those utilities one at a time, set them up or configure them to your needs and settings, then shut down FSX and do a restart. Start with the next one and do it again. Even making a short flight in between to make sure everything is running right. Dumping all this stuff into FSX at one time might be what is causing problems.

 

I know you can't wait to get it going and be done with it, you have been going crazy with all these reinstalls but sometimes a little patience goes a long way and you can also tell which program is causing a problem when flying in between installing different things.

 

It seems as if you have a great spec PC but have you read up on it to see if others have had problems with bottlenecks and such that might cause OOM's in game playing scenarios. I am not a techie and this all might be a bunch of crap, figured I would just throw it out there anyway.

 

Good luck John, may the force be with you. :)   

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J G

J G 927

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Thanks Brett  :thum:

 

I want to increase my virtual memory, which i know how to do. However i haven't a clue as to what to increase it to.

 

With the auto settings it sets it to 16,316 MB, and recommends 24,474 MB. when I come to set it manually I need to set a min size and a a max size.

 

My gut tells me to set the recommended as the min, but I have no Idea about the maximum.

 

Any advice?

 

j.

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jaydor

jaydor 345

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Brett is also telling you to install one at a time reboot and run, before adding another, so it is important John.

Also BritFrog posed a question earlier that I answered, so I am copying you the info also:

Quote

Nigel,

It is better to use a separate drive for some programs and this is the reason why and also why you should have FSX on a different drive or partition.

Windows is the driving force for FSX. If you have FSX and all your scenery on the same drive say "C" as windows, then windows has to get the information from FSX and the scenery to place it in the memory banks and process it.

Thus windows has to write to FSX, get the info and the scenery, re-write it back to windows store it then process it. This is all done fast but it causes a bottleneck through all the writing and re-writing thus you start getting information in a queue.

Result a slowing down of the program information = causes such as in the case of FSX; stuttering blurries and the like including CTD and OOM's

Now windows can handle information faster and smoother if the program in use, is on a separate drive, because you are easing the information queue/bottleneck, because windows does not have to keep re-writing to itself.

It grabs it, stores it, processes it.

As you know , I am a MSE addict, so all my MSE is on a different drive even to FSX. Windows can grab from both the separate drives faster than if it was all on the same drive.

Hope this simple explanation helps you get a better idea of why the guide from most experienced FSX users recommend a separate drive.

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J G

J G 927

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Thanks James,  I have set the min as the recommended and 3 time the min as the max.  That's probably a bit excessive looking at your figures.  I will adjust the max down to the recommended.

 

Should I put the virtual memory on the Windows drive or the FSX drive?  it would seem to me to put it on the windows drive to allow the FSX drive seek times to be unaffected by the VM read/writes.

 

At the moment I have the same size VM on both drives.  I note that you don't. What is the value in having VM on more than one drive or all drives?  

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J G

J G 927

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Stage 1 is now complete.

 

As per the last post In have set the Max and Min virtual memory to the recommended level of 24474 MB on both drives.

 

Interestingly the boot time is now much quicker than usual after a virgin install.

 

Space used:

 

C drive 102/931 MB (931 usable)

 

D drive 1.79/1.81 TB (1.81 usable). 

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J G

J G 927

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Make sure you have windows running at it's best before loading FSX..

 

Then make a back up of windows, so that you do not have to go through the installing again..

 

Bugger! too late for that now!

 

I will take a backup after the end of phase 2 so that I can restore a virgin FSX install instead of just the windows install.

 

What would you recommend for doing this? (preferably free).

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J G

J G 927

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when you have rebooted windows at the end of stage 1 you will have to install 245 windows updates inc SP1  Enjoy!!! this will take about 3 hours

 

My version of Windows 7 has SP1 included, so only 135 updates.... 

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J G

J G 927

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I have not been able to do the UIA upgrade for my build.

 

On looking in the FSX base directory there was no old version of this file to replace. The only files I have beginning with 'U' are:-

 

  • ui.dll
  • util.dll

In the example shown on the downloads site the first is there but the second is not.  So I have erred on the side of caution and not put it in.

 

I am using

Windows 7 with SP2.

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jaydor

jaydor 345

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You have to place it in the FSX root folder as it is not there,  look at the screenshots it shows it on the last shot after installing.

 

It is found in the windows directory not FSX, but the one in there is for use with todays programs and is a different version.

 

You have to place the one in the download section into the FSX root directory as shown for FSX to use it.

 

You are telling FSX to use this older version by placing it into the FSX root and  not the windows newer version

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J G

J G 927

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@Jaydor. Sorry that's me being thick.  I thought it was an upgrade and not an addition!

 

@Brett.  On the windows updates.... I spoke too soon....second batch installing this time one more at 136 updates.  :(

 

 

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J G

J G 927

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Progress so far (completed in green):

 

Stage 1

  1. Reformat both HDDs
  2. Load Windows 7 (64) onto the boot drive (1TB)
  3. Apply drivers required (Chipset Ethernet etc)
  4. Set user security to minimum
  5. Load MS Security essentials.
  6. load useful tools and drivers (Siatek Drivers, Arduino drivers, Chrome, PDF reader,Link2FS_Multi  (for Arduino board devices), TrackIR.)
  7. Set up windows (Screen resolutions virtual memory etc).
  8. Reboot 

Stage 1 of build complete

 

Stage 2

  1. Load FSX onto large disk drive (2 TB)
  2. Add cold and dark flight and backed up flight plans.
  3. Reboot
  4. Start FSX
  5. Make Cold and dark Default Flight
  6. Start C&D flight.
  7. End C&D flight.
  8. Reboot
  9. Load FSX Acceleration
  10. Repeat steps 6 & 7
  11. Reboot
  12. Apply the latest UIA from memory stick. Not applied - No  original file to update.
  13. Load utilities:- Spad, FSUIPC (licensed), FS Pilot, FSInn, EZDok (removed), Flight1 Sound Stream and Flight Connect (for Android map s/w)
  14. Configure EZDok, Spad, Link2FS_Multi and Flight Connect to start with FSX - EZDok removed
  15. Reboot 

Stage 2 of build completed

 

Stage 3

  1. Backup Install so far.

Stage 3 of build completed

 

Stage 4

 

Configuring:-

  1. FSINN
  2. FSUIPC
  3. Link2FS_Multi
  4. EZdok for default aircraft - EZDOK Removed

Stage 4 of build completed

 

Stage 5

  1. Load FS Global 2010
  2. Reboot
  3. Run FSX
  4. Load ORBX Global
  5. Repeat 2 & 3
  6. Load ORBX England 
  7. Repeat 2 & 3
  8. Load ORBX Wales
  9. Repeat 2 & 3
  10. Load ORBX Scotland
  11. Repeat 2 & 3
  12. Load ORBX N. Ireland
  13. Repeat 2 & 3
  14. Load ORBX S. Ireland
  15. Reboot

Stage 5 of build completed

 

Stage 6 

  1. Final backup of build

Stage 6 of build completed

 

Build Completed

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jaydor

jaydor 345

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Did you install the UIA into FSX?
 
As you say you left it out on stage 2/12
 
The only other need to install into your FSX cfg is the: HIGHMEMFIX=1

The HIGHMEXFIX was accidently left out of the cfg by the ACES team so that is why it is important

It goes under the [GRAPHICS] section like this

KBDELEV=64
KBDRUD=64
[GRAPHICS]
HIGHMEMFIX=1
SHADER_CACHE_PRIMED=1693500672
TEXTURE_MAX_LOAD=4096

 

One last thing, perform a defrag on each drive as you will be amazed at the state of a fresh install on each disk.. :thum:

Then no matter what, who, even the Queen tells you; you need this or that. Nothing more for at least 2 weeks. No other additional tweak twerk twark or twonk allowed just go fly.

Then only one addition at a time so that you will find the one that is destroying your build.

All tweaks and twerks in the built in settings panel of FSX only

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J G

J G 927

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@Jaydoor.  Thanks for all your help so far. Absolutely invaluable!

I am not doing so well with the backup. I have tryed to backup to an external drive but it keeps failing. Great MS software give you no idea what the problem is!

The other outstanding point MS backup is it wont allow you to take a backup to a NAS.  If I take a local backup, can I then move it to the NAS, or will this bugger it up?

 

@Brett  Thanks mate!

 

J.

 

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