What is the best way to back up FS9? I have a huge install and it would take weeks for me to go reconfiguring my installation, plus if I build a new PC I want to transfer the (especially payware scenery and aircraft as well as lots of freeware scenery) whole lot across. Is there a 'procedure for this?Would love to know. I made a Ghost (Norton) back up of my PC with FS2004 fresh install on it with this PC but I don't think a Ghost image would work on any other PC, even with the same Motherboard. I have the same Motherboard in storage (just need to build a 2nd PC) but activation won't work I think.Any ideas and suggestions, tips and of course procedures WELCOME!

Hello,http://forums.flightsim.com/vbfs/showthread.php?215440-Backing-Up-FS9&highlight=backupRegards.Gus.

This is my backup (the two folders in bold):C / Program files / Microsoft games / Flight Simulator 9C / Documents and settings / My user name / Program data / Microsoft / FS9Keeping a copy of those two folders is enough for rescue purposes. Last month I had to install a new Hard Drive in my computer. I made a fresh (CD) FS2004 install and then copied and pasted the two mentioned folders(overwriting). Everything worked except PMDG744 and LevelD767, which needed a license reactivation, but everything was simple and easy.Hope it helps.

I installed fs 5 years ago. This install - now 60+ gig - has recently been copy and pasted (the whole thing, all in one go, as with each move) to its fourth hard disk in its third machine. I've never "re-installed" fs, just reset the registry via Afcad and moved any cfg, flt files etc by hand. I've never had an OOM, just the odd CTD caused by the usual texture or landclass issue. (I guess though that maybe some over-protective payware would need re-installing). I do keep the old install handy for a few months though.....Backing up such a setup would need a tape drive or second hd. I'm not recommending this next statement to anybody, and maybe I've been (extremely) lucky, but I've never made a backup in 30+ years of computing except for truly irreplaceable documents and apps etc written by me. Never lost anything important. I've never known a hd to "crash" without warning - and I never put my main machine under threat of virus attack (or the annoying autoupdate!) by keeping it offline. Dave

I've never known a hd to "crash" without warning

I had, and by the time I saw the initial warning (see below) my HDD was already half dead and I had to use a brute force file copy program to get my stuff out. I lost some data, including a photo scenery I made using FS Earth Tiles.Whenever you see something like "delayed write failed" immediately backup your data to another drive because this one is about to die.

What is the best way to back up FS9? I have a huge install and it would take weeks for me to go reconfiguring my installation, plus if I build a new PC I want to transfer the (especially payware scenery and aircraft as well as lots of freeware scenery) whole lot across. Is there a 'procedure for this?Would love to know. I made a Ghost (Norton) back up of my PC with FS2004 fresh install on it with this PC but I don't think a Ghost image would work on any other PC, even with the same Motherboard. I have the same Motherboard in storage (just need to build a 2nd PC) but activation won't work I think.Any ideas and suggestions, tips and of course procedures WELCOME!

Check out Acronis True Image Home 2011 - with the Plus Pack you can restore an image from one machine on to a new machine with dissimilar hardware. I've used it for a couple of years and it works very well.DJ

I installed fs 5 years ago. This install - now 60+ gig - has recently been copy and pasted (the whole thing, all in one go, as with each move) to its fourth hard disk in its third machine. I've never "re-installed" fs, just reset the registry via Afcad and moved any cfg, flt files etc by hand. I've never had an OOM, just the odd CTD caused by the usual texture or landclass issue. (I guess though that maybe some over-protective payware would need re-installing). I do keep the old install handy for a few months though.....Backing up such a setup would need a tape drive or second hd. I'm not recommending this next statement to anybody, and maybe I've been (extremely) lucky, but I've never made a backup in 30+ years of computing except for truly irreplaceable documents and apps etc written by me. Never lost anything important. I've never known a hd to "crash" without warning - and I never put my main machine under threat of virus attack (or the annoying autoupdate!) by keeping it offline. Dave

Thanks Dave, I just wanted a simple 'reinstall' as it takes a loooooooooong time to install stuff from PAI aircraft to installing liveries for your payware aircraft and then sceneries. Thanks for the advice. Wouldn't there be a way to backup your licences for your payware from registry?

Check out Acronis True Image Home 2011 - with the Plus Pack you can restore an image from one machine on to a new machine with dissimilar hardware. I've used it for a couple of years and it works very well.DJ

http://download.cnet.com/Acronis-True-Image-Home/3000-2242_4-10168093.htmlThe reviews ain't pretty. Are you sure it works?

This is my backup (the two folders in bold):C / Program files / Microsoft games / Flight Simulator 9C / Documents and settings / My user name / Program data / Microsoft / FS9Keeping a copy of those two folders is enough for rescue purposes. Last month I had to install a new Hard Drive in my computer. I made a fresh (CD) FS2004 install and then copied and pasted the two mentioned folders(overwriting). Everything worked except PMDG744 and LevelD767, which needed a license reactivation, but everything was simple and easy.Hope it helps.

Thanks. That makes it quite simple.

Hello,http://forums.flight...ighlight=backupRegards.Gus.

Thanks Gus!!!!Daniel

I had, and by the time I saw the initial warning (see below) my HDD was already half dead and I had to use a brute force file copy program to get my stuff out. I lost some data, including a photo scenery I made using FS Earth Tiles.Whenever you see something like "delayed write failed" immediately backup your data to another drive because this one is about to die.

Yes it has taken me quite some time to rebuild my FS after doing a fresh install around a year ago. I want to keep a nice backup!

http://download.cnet.com/Acronis-True-Image-Home/3000-2242_4-10168093.htmlThe reviews ain't pretty. Are you sure it works?Thanks. That makes it quite simple.Thanks Gus!!!!Daniel

I read the reviews and I use the 2010 version - it works for me and on the occasion when I needed it, it worked. I do not allow it to embed itself into the boot manager, but elect to control it myself and use the boot disk it creates to initiate the restoration process.DJ

I read the reviews and I use the 2010 version - it works for me and on the occasion when I needed it, it worked. I do not allow it to embed itself into the boot manager, but elect to control it myself and use the boot disk it creates to initiate the restoration process.DJ

Thanks.OK. And how can it be used on other computers? If it is activated with MS then it won't work properly on another system, especially if it just an image of the HD.

Hello,

OK. And how can it be used on other computers? If it is activated with MS then it won't work properly on another system, especially if it just an image of the HD.

Acronis® True Image™ Home 2011 Plus Pack is an add-on module for Acronis® True Image™ Home 2011 featuring enhancements for advanced home users. It includes the flexibility to restore files, applications and an operating system to dissimilar hardware as well as providing support for dynamic disks and Microsoft® Windows Preinstallation Environments (WinPE).

Check here:http://www.acronis.eu/homecomputing/products/trueimage/#featuresAnd there for the Plus bonus !http://www.acronis.eu/homecomputing/products/trueimage/#plus-packAll explainedAcronis is great .. never failed on me :( Regards.Gus.

Hello,Check here:http://www.acronis.e...image/#featuresAnd there for the Plus bonus !http://www.acronis.e...mage/#plus-packAll explainedAcronis is great .. never failed on me :( Regards.Gus.

Thanks for the heads up.

Thanks.OK. And how can it be used on other computers? If it is activated with MS then it won't work properly on another system, especially if it just an image of the HD.

You will probably have to reactivate anything that uses a hardware generated key if you put the image on new hardware - on the other hand, that should be all you have to do. Most addons haven't been keyed to particular hardware setups; that's a fairly recent phenomenon.DJ

Dont beat yourself up over this backup business. A second hard disk (£30 will do) + a (freeware) file sycronization programme is really all you need. Remember though, whatever media you backup to, it is liable to failure just the same as your main HDD. If an HDD starts making strange noises, goes into scandisk for no apparent reason on bootup, reads and writes start taking longer or throw errors, programme or system load times increase - all signs a disk is on its way out. DONT wait until the glaringly obvious warnings come up before you think about a new HDD. They're very cheap and only really reliable for 2-3 years anyway. Even the event of an accidental complete reformat is easily recovered from (for FS anyway), if noticed quickly enough.Above all, remember computing, especially gaming, is very transient. Brilliant though FS2004 is(and FSX), its well past its 2-3 year design life. There's still vast scope for improvements to graphics, ATC response, AI handling etc. When the next properly thought out and marketed flight sim comes along, you'll want to play it for sure, and dont think the stuff you have now will be even remotely compatible - it wont. (It mightn't even be written by MS!)For now save your time and effort for flying, enjoyment is what its supposed to be about.Dave