Hello,I plan buying a PMDG 747 -400 by internet down load although it is available in CD alsoJust wondering ... what happens in case of crash /formatting of hard disk on a later date and the down loaded software is gone... I mean, can I download the software from PMDG site again OR Can the downloaded software at the first instance be backed up in a CD and reloaded when required. Is there any difference between the CD and net down load version of softwareRegards,Dinesh

You can spend a small amount and buy the extended download option. Then all you need to do is send them a note and they will reactivate the link for you.I don't have the CD version in anything, so I am guessing that the only difference is the installer. I do know that functionally the application is the same. Given the choice between the two I prefer the download, so I don't have to go to a third party for updates. Having had several failures, I try to make sure everything is backed up not only by the OS backup utility but that a copy of downloaded installers exist on a different harddrive. Some folks will burn CDROMs for an even better backup strategy... I should but never seem to get that far down my todo list.

You can back up the installer to a cd or DVD. When you need it, just copy it back to my documents and re-install it from there. You could probably run the installer straight from the CD, it's just the way I do it. Also you might want to invest in a back up drive. I picked up an IOmega NAS for around 100 bucks. Reason being that my WD Mybook external died LOL.. so....Just incase of somewthing like that I back up everything to DVD's anyways. If you find yourself in a real bind without a backup handy, you can get the link re-activated for $3 I think..Thats what it cost when I needed it. Check their webpage for exact price.Larry Falcone