FSX HD Communication

[Fall_guy 1]

Hi There,Just after some advice on the way FSX interacts with HD/SSD drives. This is my current set-up at the moment (New Build):SSD-1: Windows 7 64bitSSD-2: FSX + Airports and SceneryMy question is I'm running out of space on the FSX SSD drive and therefore Im looking at purchasing another drive for my FSX addons. If I aquire another drive for lets say: ASA, REX, Radar Contact etc,........... Will FSX be able to interact with this additional drive.I hope you can figure-out what I'm trying to achieve.Many Thanks guysJohn

[Guest jahman]

Yes, you can add as many drives as you wish and you can install software on any of those drives.Cheers,- jahman.

[Gary A 8]

As Jahman says you can store the installation files for those programs off the FSX drive. However anything that needed to install to FSX will still be part of the FSX file. You can get an idea of how large your actual FSX installation is by right-clicking the FSX folder and selecting properties. That is the actual size of the FSX installation so you can plan your HDD size accordingly. The storage drive does not need be an SSD.Example: I have FEX, the FEX program is on my c: drive, it could be on any drive but the cloud texturers it installed are on my FSX drive, they cannot be moved. Same with GEX, the installation file and any backup files are on my c: drive and could have been installed onto any drive but whatever files were installed to FSX cannot be moved. ASE the same, it installed on my c:" drive and could have been installed on any drive, I do not use ASE for clouds so nothing is installed on my FSX drive, ASE can be installed anywhere.

[Fall_guy 1]

As Jahman says you can store the installation files for those programs off the FSX drive. However anything that needed to install to FSX will still be part of the FSX file. You can get an idea of how large your actual FSX installation is by right-clicking the FSX folder and selecting properties. That is the actual size of the FSX installation so you can plan your HDD size accordingly. The storage drive does not need be an SSD.Example: I have FEX, the FEX program is on my c: drive, it could be on any drive but the cloud texturers it installed are on my FSX drive, they cannot be moved. Same with GEX, the installation file and any backup files are on my c: drive and could have been installed onto any drive but whatever files were installed to FSX cannot be moved. ASE the same, it installed on my c:" drive and could have been installed on any drive, I do not use ASE for clouds so nothing is installed on my FSX drive, ASE can be installed anywhere.

Hi Jahman, Gary,When you mentioned FEX installed the TEXTURES files onto your FSX drive (even though the FEX program is installed on a different drive) is this something you had to do MANUALLY or did FEX do install the TEXTURES onto the FSX drive automatically.For eg if I install RADAR CONTACT onto a different drive other than FSX. would that install the AUDIO WAV files on the FSX drive because it would require them during FSX play.?Thanks for your patience, John

[Guest jahman]

For best results I always install utility and aircraft add-ons on my FSX drive, while sceneries get installed on other drives (often copied over manually because the installers don't give me a choice).Cheers,- jahman.

[Gary A 8]

Hi Jahman, Gary,When you mentioned FEX installed the TEXTURES files onto your FSX drive (even though the FEX program is installed on a different drive) is this something you had to do MANUALLY or did FEX do install the TEXTURES onto the FSX drive automatically.For eg if I install RADAR CONTACT onto a different drive other than FSX. would that install the AUDIO WAV files on the FSX drive because it would require them during FSX play.?Thanks for your patience, John

All I was refering to was not installing the backup files and installations files to the FSX drive. Some programs must install to the FSX drive. Example, GEX is a downloadable program, I did not download it to my FSX drive I put it on my c: drive,the backup files are on my c:drive as is the installation file. Only those programs that you can choose a different directory to install to and not have it on the FSX drive.I moved nothing manually nor would I. Just me.

[Fall_guy 1]

All I was refering to was not installing the backup files and installations files to the FSX drive. Some programs must install to the FSX drive. Example, GEX is a downloadable program, I did not download it to my FSX drive I put it on my c: drive,the backup files are on my c:drive as is the installation file. Only those programs that you can choose a different directory to install to and not have it on the FSX drive.I moved nothing manually nor would I. Just me.

Hi Gary, everyone,In your opinion would it be to any advantage if I installed MY Photographic Scenery (Generation X) on a seperate drive (NOT the FSX drive) or is it best to keep Scenery files on the same drive as FSX.Many ThanksJohn

[Guest jahman]

You can install your scenery in as many HDDs as you want (the more the merrier, within reason), as long as it's on an HDD different from the HDD you installed FSX on (so FSX can load files from both HDDs at the same time).A good strategy for loading scenery onto four different HDDs so you get the most simultaneous accesses to the HDDs (concurrency)could be:

1. FSX and aircraft
2. Meshes and Landclass
3. Ground Textures and PhotoScenery
4. Airports

Cheers,- jahman.

[Fall_guy 1]

You can install your scenery in as many HDDs as you want (the more the merrier, within reason), as long as it's on an HDD different from the HDD you installed FSX on (so FSX can load files from both HDDs at the same time).A good strategy for loading scenery onto four different HDDs so you get the most simultaneous accesses to the HDDs (concurrency)could be:

1. FSX and aircraft
2. Meshes and Landclass
3. Ground Textures and PhotoScenery
4. Airports

Cheers,- jahman.

Thanks Jahman,I guess I'll have to purchase another HD.Many Thanks for your HelpJohn

[Guest jahman]

You're welcome!Cheers,- jahman.

[Gary A 8]

Hi Gary, everyone,In your opinion would it be to any advantage if I installed MY Photographic Scenery (Generation X) on a seperate drive (NOT the FSX drive) or is it best to keep Scenery files on the same drive as FSX.Many ThanksJohn

It is best to keep everything on the FSX drive if you can. I thought the purpose of your post was that you were running out of room? I do not use photo scenery, but if you install photo scenery to another drive make sure that drive is as fast as the FSX drive.

[Fall_guy 1]

It is best to keep everything on the FSX drive if you can. I thought the purpose of your post was that you were running out of room? I do not use photo scenery, but if you install photo scenery to another drive make sure that drive is as fast as the FSX drive.

Hi Gary,Will do,..... thanks for that.I think Ive pretty much decided to go ahead and purchase another SSD to match the one I have for FSX. Futhermore I'm going to back of my current scenery off the FSX SSD and install it along with ALL my other scenery on the NEW SSD when it arrives. That way the FSX drive will only have FSX installed plus a few bits.Will report back if this creates any problems, but Im not really expecting any as Ive been really impressed with the speed of FSX and these Drives.Kind RegardsJohn

[Guest jahman]

It is best to keep everything on the FSX drive if you can...

Why would that be?Cheers,- jahman.

[Gary A 8]

Why would that be?Cheers,- jahman.

I refer to anything that need to actually run within FSX JAhman like photo scenery. In a mechanical drive situation the second drive would induce latency and head CPU cycles as the program would have to wait and seek the scenery calls. On an SSD latency would be less of an issue but you would still induce CPU cycles calling scenery from the second drive.I am not referring to storage items. Those could go anywhere even on a mechanical drive.

[Guest jahman]

I refer to anything that need to actually run within FSX JAhman like photo scenery. In a mechanical drive situation the second drive would induce latency and head CPU cycles as the program would have to wait and seek the scenery calls. On an SSD latency would be less of an issue but you would still induce CPU cycles calling scenery from the second drive.I am not referring to storage items. Those could go anywhere even on a mechanical drive.

But HDD latencies are there regardless of whether you use a single or multiple HDDs, yet with multiple HDDs you increase the maximum available bandwidth (100 MBy/Sec vs. 300 MBy/Sec for 3 drives) so you don't get the blurries because your scenery is not getting loaded fast enough. The case for SSDs is similar, except of course SSDs have no latency.Cheers,- jahman.