Nick Needham says after installing FSX boot the default flight and then shut down the sim before installing SP1. Does he mean click *Fly Now* before shutting down? Or just boot the sim with the default flight showing in the preview window and shut down? (I think he means just boot the sim in the default mode with the default flight showing in the preview screen)Second ? Does SP2 include SP1? Or do I have to install 1 first and then 2? (I think both)Thanks!Bruce

I would defrag before and after loading FSX.I never "use" it before loading SP1 and SP2 (yes you need both unless you have the Acceleration pack, that contains both).Then defrag again, then fly.I believe the load should be as pristine as possible for loading the patches.

I would defrag before and after loading FSX.I never "use" it before loading SP1 and SP2 (yes you need both unless you have the Acceleration pack, that contains both).Then defrag again, then fly.I believe the load should be as pristine as possible for loading the patches.

Yes, I have already defragged and the drive that FSX will occupy all by itself has been formatted.I will defrag again after FSX is loaded and again after SP1/SP2 and each scenery addon is re-installed as well.Thanks.Bruce

I will defrag again after FSX is loaded and again after SP1/SP2 and each scenery addon is re-installed as well.

All that defragging seems like a waste of time to me... Defragging after installing EACH scenery addon too...? I'd install the complete lot and defrag only after that. If you really want to. When you are using the default Windows defrag, you might as well forget about it altogether, because I've never seen any real benefit after a defrag session... Maybe some thid party payware defragger might do a better job, but somehow I can't believe it will be worth the money.

if you are using default windows defrag, then defrag incrmentally as in asfter each install.If you are using payware defrag like ultimateDefrag or O&O defrag then its best to only defrag after all is installed.Becuase these payware defrag have options to allow you to place fsx files in fastest part of your hard disk, windows defrag does not have this option.Doing too much defrag is not good for the disk, you much better off with payware defrag. Better for your disk, and you can also place folders of your choosing like fsx in fastest part of the disk, regardless of installation order.In the case of ultimatedefrag which i use, just tell it the folders you want to be High Performance and it puts them on edge of disk, having this ability means its pointless doing defrag of FSX till all stuff is installed.On this note, i noticed that 80% of disk access while cruising in fsx is to the FSX\Scenery folder. so i placed this folder on fastest part of my FSX drive.

On this note, i noticed that 80% of disk access while cruising in fsx is to the FSX\Scenery folder. so i placed this folder on fastest part of my FSX drive.

I learn so much from these posts! Never realized you could place certain folders in the fastest part of the drive. Makes sense. Two questions....how do you know which files are being accessed by the hard drive? Is there software that monitors this and if so, which software would you recommend for this....Sounds like NickN prefers O&O defrag. Does anyone know if O&O allows you to place the most used folders on the fastest part of the drive. If so, how do you do it?Thanks

I learn so much from these posts! Never realized you could place certain folders in the fastest part of the drive. Makes sense. Two questions....how do you know which files are being accessed by the hard drive? Is there software that monitors this and if so, which software would you recommend for this....Sounds like NickN prefers O&O defrag. Does anyone know if O&O allows you to place the most used folders on the fastest part of the drive. If so, how do you do it?Thanks

I am new to vista , and i stumbled on the tool called resource monitor, which you access via the task maneger in vista. This tools shows among other things disk activity and what files and folders are being accesed. This is how i noticed 80% of disk activity in FSX is reading from FSx\scenery folder. Use vista resource monitor to check.I use ultimatedefrag and it does good job, i also read that O&O can do everything required as well. I recall reading that O&O also allows you to do folder placement on edge of disk.Note that defrag is pointless if you using SSD drive, cause the device works more like ram than a disk where having stuff on edge is faster.I find it works best to have a drive for vista(C:) and seperate drive for fsx and addons (D:) This way your C drive could be set to put the most frequently accessed files on the edge of C:And on FSx D: drive Fsx/scenery folder goes on the edge followed by other frequently accessed folders like, simobjects, textures,gauges,sound rc4, fspassenger, etcOn my system i observed disk access on another monitor while flying, then used this info to decide what goes on edge of disk, and in what order.In terms of how to place what where on the disk, you just have to follow the options provided you by the tool. In the case of ultimatedefrag, any folder you add to the list of what is called "High Performance" automatically goes on edge of disk.Any folders you add to list called "Archive" goes to the slowest part of disk inner most tracks that is, this is where my REX is installed. I dont use rex weather just the textures. Rex installs the textures i want to fsx/scenery folder which i placed on outmost part of disk.Both O&O and UltimateDefrag have good reputation, but i have only used ultimate.