It's been 4 years, and finally I am getting round to a completely clean install of operating system, and therefore FS too.I've forgotten loads in a recent 1 year break, so I'm just reminding myself of the essentials ahead of the big dayLoad on XP and update to service pack 2Install FS2004Patch FS2004Install and register FSUIPCThen I'll be able to start loading on my addons.Am I missing anything essential here?

It's been 4 years, and finally I am getting round to a completely clean install of operating system, and therefore FS too.I've forgotten loads in a recent 1 year break, so I'm just reminding myself of the essentials ahead of the big dayLoad on XP and update to service pack 2Install FS2004Patch FS2004Install and register FSUIPCThen I'll be able to start loading on my addons.Am I missing anything essential here?

Good Luck! We, the great unwashed masses of flight simmers have no idea what you have on your system but:- if you have the hard drive space, perhaps back up your entire, yes entire FS2004 folder.- I would run through all my payware items to ensure that I have key codes, security codes, serial numbers whatever to ensure that I can reinstall them again, as often its difficult to find where you thought you had them. Most of mine were via download and emailed key codes etc and I lost the works a year ago with a totally corrupted HD and reformat....the pain still lingers.- many payware move backup textures etc elsewhere, UT, FS Addon, all those scenery config managers.- even freeware, is it copied or available somewhere? Be sure you have yourselve organized, run through your folders and make a checklist of what you for sure want to reinstall.- I have a complete, 110 gig backup of my FS2004, all sceneries, textures, gauges, freeware and payware, I just wont risk it anymore, too much time and stuff to contemplate a loss.

Between install and patch I think it best to start FS9.You might take a look at this - http://library.avsim.net/esearch.php?DLID=123907it has some good ideas in it

Between install and patch I think it best to start FS9.You might take a look at this - http://library.avsim.net/esearch.php?DLID=123907it has some good ideas in it

This time when I reinstalled FS9 I did so on a dedicated partition which I image whenever I make a big change.This after I uninstalled FSX and it damaged my FS9. So I'd recommend a separate partition.

This post is also worth a read through: http://forums1.avsim.net/index.php?showtop...tasks&st=30I have the main parts of it printed out and use these tweaks for most XP computers I work with...Geoff

Good idea to start fs9 once before then patching. Maybe I'll even fly around a bit to remind me what it used to be like before all those addons!It's a new drive and I am keeping my old drive so have my original FS9 to hand.I have some flight1 software with the keys, but you still need to put in the card number you used to buy them to reinstall the product, and that card has long gone. Guess I'll have to contact them directly. Some vendors download systems are much easier than others.Thanks for the links.

Well all went smoothly, including new Gigabyte mobo, Intel core2 duo and a 9800gtx card.A clean install of FS9 takes 3 seconds to load! 85fps minimum with all sliders maxed.Marvellous.Now to start clogging it up with my addons.

A word to the wise. Be sure to run FS after each add-on install to make sure that things haven't gone to pot. You'll at least have a snowball's chance in hell of figuring out which add-on caused you a problem if one occurs.Kim

A word to the wise. Be sure to run FS after each add-on install to make sure that things haven't gone to pot. You'll at least have a snowball's chance in hell of figuring out which add-on caused you a problem if one occurs.Kim

Wise words!!I made the mistake a good while back of loading a shed load of add-ons then running the sim It was a disaster and that is being polite :( Sometimes a shortcut is just a shortcut to troubleMark

Yep, I decided to do that. Patiently one by one, actually enjoying each new addon before adding the next too.Flight1 win the prize for the worst reinstall sequence of downloaded products. No more flight 1 products, or maybe only on CD, for me.

Mole_Man.I did not see any reference to Service Pack 3 on your list, or anything related to Direct X either.These two are also worth wile installing, but I fear that it might be a bit tricky for you now that you have installed FS again.I know of some people that have had issues when they installed SP3 because of some of the FS Add-Ons and also with .Net Framework 3 and 3.5 etc.Sorry if this is too late, but at least you are now aware of this for the future, and anyone else that might be about to do what you have just done will see this now.Best regards.