IMPORTANT (I think!) re FS2004 performance

[barryward12345 0]

I have started a fresh thread regarding FS2004 performance because it has struck me that this particular issue may be VERY important!>Game Performance:>http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?...kb;en-us;823629THIS is a very interesting link!! I have yet to install FS2004 -- but it is obvious that many people are having game performance issues.As I am a computer expert!!! :) and have installed hundreds of games and other software, I generally do not use the so-called "typical" setting for installing software but prefer to chose the "custom" mode and then select what I want from there. BUT!!!!!! -- in the case of FS2004, it appears that there is a TRAP FOR YOUNG PLAYERS in doing this. There are actually 3 installations that can be selected - the first, EXPRESS, needs around 3.5 Gig of memory, the second two, COMPLETE and COMPACT, which are installed via the CUSTOM selection require lesser Hdd space of 3 Gig and 1.7 Gig respectively.SO!!!--- if you are like me and do not use the so-called "TYPICAL" or, in FS2004, "EXPRESS" installation choice -- then you are NOT getting the method of installation which leads to the fastest performance.Barry Bazza in Brisbane

[Guest JonP01]

G'day Barry,Good pick up. I'm hoping to get the game today. No one has it down my way yet, but I have to head up to Sydney's North Shore today for other reasons. Hopefully I will score one before the weekend, but retailers seem to be about as interested in it as they would be watching paint dry.Maybe I should go back to grade 1 English classes, but the naming choice of their installation options seems bizarre to me. I always felt that "complete" mean't, well, "complete". But it seems according to that kb article, that "complete" actually means "incomplete". I would NEVER consider a software application completely and properly installed if a large number of files STILL remained uncompressed. And over the years, software I've bought that had "Express" installation options usually had to be subsequently "fiddled" with to ensure the installation was set up correctly. Again, according to the kb article, Express would seem to be the most complete installation of all.Had you not pointed this article out, I would have intuitively selected the "custom" option followed by the "complete" option. I then would have thought I had the fastest and most complete installation.But reading that article, I have to wonder whether the article is wrong. It just doesn't make sense that an "Express" installation is more complete than a "Complete" installation. In any case, I'll be looking hard for any uncompressed files after installing it.edit: I guess I should qualify that I have always interpreted the word "express", when in the context of computer software, to mean a the quickest and most streamlined way of actually installing the software - for example, a number of options and defaults are pre-set for you, and / or optional features are left out. If seems in this case, MS are referring to the final speed of the product and not the installation process itself. So it still doesn't make any sense to me.

[barryward12345 0]

>Had you not pointed this article out, I would have intuitively>selected the "custom" option followed by the "complete">option. I then would have thought I had the fastest and most>complete installation.>>But reading that article, I have to wonder whether the article>is wrong. It just doesn't make sense that an "Express">installation is more complete than a "Complete" installation.>In any case, I'll be looking hard for any uncompressed files>after installing it.PRECISELY!!! I am now left wondering whether I have been using FS2002 in an "uncompressed " kind of mode. I know that the FS2002 XML gauges are in CAB form and will work also if you individually uncompress them into a folder with the same name -- but what about other FS2002 files??Barry

[Jimmy Angel 19]

I suspect that both the express and complete installations are 3GB.The "additional 400 to 500 megabytes (MB) of space to decompress the compressed files." that it mentions is probably the space that is used during decompression, and the original uncompressed files are then deleted. The compressed files are probably copied to the hard drive first, rather than decompressing them from the slow CD-ROM. This would leave the express option at 3GB. I would think that the custom option does the same thing--they just didn't detail that other than saying it is a "full installation to the folder and to the partition of your choice".I think they just didn't make this very clear.This quesiton could be ansered by anyone who as an express installation of FS9 (without any add-ons). They can just right-click on that directory and select "properties" to find the size.

[Cruachan 705]

Hi,The on disk size of my "complete installation" is 2.75GB and I am not aware of any performance/loading speed problems. Indeed I am impressed at how much quicker this sim loads as compared to its predecessor.MikeP4 2.4GHz (400FSB), 512MB PC2100 DDR Crucial, ATI Radeon 9800 Pro 128MB (Catalyst 3.5), Gigabyte GA-8IRXP MoBo, Ultra-Quiet PSU 400W, WinXP Home (SP1), DirectX 9.0b

[barryward12345 0]

>I suspect that both the express and complete installations>are 3GB.>>The "additional 400 to 500 megabytes (MB) of space to>decompress the compressed files." that it mentions is probably>the space that is used during decompression, and the original>uncompressed files are then deleted. The compressed files are>probably copied to the hard drive first, rather than>decompressing them from the slow CD-ROM. This would leave the>express option at 3GB. I would think that the custom option>does the same thing--they just didn't detail that other than>saying it is a "full installation to the folder and to the>partition of your choice".>>I think they just didn't make this very clear.>>This quesiton could be ansered by anyone who as an express>installation of FS9 (without any add-ons). They can just>right-click on that directory and select "properties" to find>the size.You may be right -- but it would be nice to know for sure. Anyway, as for me , I will certainly use the EXPRESS method of installation. At this stage , I am still suspicious that the CUSTOM/COMPLETE does not give the best installation. It would be interesting to know - from thse people who are suffering performance issues - what method of installation they used.Barry

[barryward12345 0]

Further to the above discussion - here is the EXACT wording from the MS guide==============================================**Express Installation**This default installation requires approximately 3 gigabytes (GB) of free hard disk space and an additional 400 to 500 megabytes (MB) of space to decompress the compressed files.This installation installs the complete program to DRIVE:Program FilesMicrosoft GamesFlight Simulator 9.This installation decompresses all the compressed scenery files after they are copied to the drive.**Custom Installation: Complete**This installation requires approximately 3 GB of free hard disk space.You can use this installation to perform a full installation to the folder and to the partition of your choice.====================================================You will notice that it is only for the EXPRESS Installation method that they specifically say that the compressed scenery files are decompressed after being copied to the HDD. This is not mentioned at all for the COMPLETE method of installation.Either MS is extremely sloppy in their use of the English language - or there is something significant in this.Barry

[Guest JonP01]

Hi again Barry,I actually finally bought the sim early this afternoon at Electronic Boutique at Hornsby. There was actually a few people there already buying it, so all I said when I got to the counter was "I'll have what he just bought!". The guy at the counter was demoing it at the shop. He said he was just running the Cessna to see how far it would go before it ran out of fuel. Whatever amuses I guess.Anyway, because of this thread I intend to do two installations. An Express one when I get home tonight, and a Complete one, probably over the weekend. I will be checking the files and file sizes carefully to see if there is any differences between the two installs.

[barryward12345 0]

>Anyway, because of this thread I intend to do two>installations. An Express one when I get home tonight, and a>Complete one, probably over the weekend. I will be checking>the files and file sizes carefully to see if there is any>differences between the two installs.Great stuff -- that way we will be able to get a definite idea as to whether something strange is afoot! :) It does seem weird to me that there is such a wide divergence between those who say they have performance problems and those that say that they do not . There are people with very powerful machines complaining about FPS. Who knows?- maybe there is something in this. I can imagine that, if there is an installation wherein the scenery textures are installed in the Hdd in an uncompresed format , then that could very well be their problem.If not, then MS just need to employ someone who has a finer appreciation and understanding of the subtle nuances of the Queens' English. I'm not sure though where they would find that somebody in the US.Barry

[jacsantos 0]

I too did a complete install of the sofware (both fs2002 and fs9) I've noticed that the complete one in FS2002 caused after the instalation a fase of "decompressing the scenery database" or word to this efect. In FS9 I've not seen this fase upon instalation, whoever I do not have any performance problems, in fact it runs much better than FS2002 even with some add-ons I've instaled....Jos

[peppy197 165]

I always check on the size required stats before going ahead, this way I always get the largest install as some installations use different words.I would think a lot of tempered keyboardist do tbis.Allen

[Guest JonP01]

Hi Bazza,Well I'm not sure if or when I'll have an answer. I've been trying all night to install the darned program and have had no luck. It's suffering from the dreaded "splash screen" syndrome, and none of the suggested or published fixes have worked.This is the first computer game I have ever bought which hasn't even worked at all, so I can't say I'm too impressed. I did, at first, try the express install. I noted that at the end, it decompressed the scenery files as was the case with the FS2002 full installation. But as the express installation has clearly failed me, I'm now trying a complete one as we speak. I'll be taking note if the complete one gives the decompression messages at the end. I notice the express install did not let me choose my own drive and path. Whether this confused the installer on account of my partitioned hard drive, I'm not sure.Whether I'll be actually be able to run this thing to see if there is any performance difference between the two installs is another question though.

[Guest Barney1]

My take on these instructions was also mixed and for the same reason as you point out, the english baffled me! Besides the discrepency you quote, I noticed that the Custom Installation mentions ".....folder and to the partion of your choice" and that was why I decided upon this type of install. I have two partions, C and D. C is formatted FAT32 and D is in NTFS. C is only 5 GB in size, and nearly full now; thus there isn't space available to install to C. The Express choice does not state a choice of drive and/or folder and my fear was that it would insist upon placing everything in C, without an option on my part and naturally, this wouldn't be feasible and I'd only encounter difficulty.I suppose, in retrospect, I should have tried the Express option to begin with, and if left without choice of using D drive, then I could have stopped the procedure and then opted for the Custom method in a fresh install.As someone has stated further down, a "test" between the two methods seems warranted and the results may demonstrate a preferred option. Should this be the case, I would certainly try a re-install.

[Guest Barney1]

I quote from your message: This was the "fear" I was concerned about!! I guess there's no reason to consider any other installation choice now.....I apparently made the best one for my situation already.

[Guest JonP01]

btw everyone. The express and complete installs both decompress the scenery files at the end of the installation. Not that it solved my problem of getting past the splash screen though.