Hello and I am honored to be posting a question here. I can only hope I will have the favor of some responses. A new pc is on its way here and I need help to know where I should set fs2004's slider controls and other settings. Please include any suggestions for updates to fs9.cfg and even changes to WinXP Pro, disk paritioning and the BIOS, if applicable. I really need to know what kind of expectations I should have. I would like to fly with some clouds, if possible, and spend most of my time in the regular cockpit view (non-VC) because the gauges are larger and easier for me to read. I usually raise the seat a notch or two. I also love the spot plane view. Please forgive my ignorance, but I do not even know how to tell my FPS other than apparently shift-Z is involved somehow!Desciption of my new baby (there's a person here who does custom-built PCs for people but I didn't know of their existence at the time I ordered a few days ago; I beg his forgiveness):MPC Millennia 920i- Intel Pentium 4 Processor 3.20GHz w/HT (800FSB)(512K cache)- 875P chipset; 8xAGP slot- 1024MB Dual Channel DDR400 SDRAM- 2 DIMMs (PC3200)- 120GB Serial ATA-150 8MB Cache hard drive (7200RPM)- 80GB External USB2 Hard Drive (Ikebana) [previously owned]- 48x24x48x/16x CD-RW/DVD- ATI Radeon 9800Pro 256k- DVD-R/RW, +R/RW- Soundblaster Audigy 2- Windows XP Professional (I will fully update, including DirectX)- 3-piece Monsoon speaker system- Microsoft Sidewinder FF2 JoystickThanks so much in advance for any advice,sj

Woooooooooooow!Not much suggestions on the sliders, but I would try 'all the way right' and I don't think you'll have much trouble with that ;-)There aren't any tweaks in the fs9.cfg that you need to do, besides the terrain error ones, and you can find those in the MSFS forum here at avsim :)

Thanks. I can't wait until this thing comes! I'm curious is thie was a MS conspiracy to sell more PCs, Windows, etc. I need to learn how to get a frame count report. I'm a little nervous about the video card because MPC only had the 128 so I got the 256 myself. I'm not sure how to safely remove the card they'll ship (geo2 MX, their cheapest) and put in mine without leaving any bad remnants.Thanks again,sj

SJ,Shift-Z in FS will get you a framerate count. You may need to press shift-z twice....To install your new card, make sure you have downloaded the newest Cat drivers, and downloaded Det Destroyer from www.guru3d.comThen, run the nvidia driver uninstaller from the control panel/add remove programs applet. THen, reboot your computer, and finally run the det destroyer program. Reboot once more, and then shut your computer off.Switch your old card for your new one, and then turn your PC back on.Install your Cat drivers and your good to go. :)

Thanks. A couple of questions: When I do the first reboot, after the nvidia uninstall, won't xp just reinstall them? I was wondering when during the process I should physically swich cards, so your timing was perfect.sj

SJ,IIRC, XP will install drivers, but they shouldn't be a problem, because they won't be full up det drivers, which is what you don't want ;-) They will be a basic VGA driver, so you'll be ok :)

I can't wait! Thanks much.sj