How to re-install FSX?

[WestAir 2,522]

Hey guys,Alright, I've reached that point where I'm having enough trouble with FSX that I'm going to re-install it. Before I do, though, I was wondering if any of you guys had a "system" for installing FSX. For instance, I was planning on installing the simulator, the patches, then starting with aircraft + fs2crew, then important programs like FSUIPC, then scenery programs like UTX, FT KLAX, finally ending with non-crucial programs like Active Sky Evolution or FSPassengersX.Obviously there are people on this forum with a lot of technical experience, and I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions as to the best order to install all your programs for a stable FSX build - or at least a build that won't be prone to CTD's/glitches/etc.So, how do you guys prefer to install your FSX? Any order-of-operation? Suggestions?

Example of a possible order-of-installation:1. FSX to Standalone F drive2. SP13. SP24. FPS Limiter--Services--5. FSUIPC--Aircraft--6. PMDG 737NGX + Liveries--Scenery/Programs--7. UTX' date=' GEX, REX, ASE8. Airport Sceneries (FlyTampa KTPA, KBOS - Flightbeam KSFO - FSDT KLAS, KLAX, KORD V2)9. Ultimate Traffic 210. FSPassengers X11. Radar Contact 4[/quote']

[Lynxboy 0]

I have just reinstalled FSX because I've just bought a SATA3 64Mb cache 750Gb HDD which I've dedicated solely for FSX use. I was getting fed up of such dire performance and couldn't OC my computer with the stock fan so bought a new cooler too.I have never followed NickN's guide before so read it and took the bare bones from that and decided to do the following:Install FSX and Acceleration, then GEX, then UTX and then other scenery, finishing with aircraft. I don't have use software such as FSPassengers etc though once I get FSX running as I like it, I may invest.I have still to finish installing scenery as I started last night but as NickN said, reboot in between installs. So far so good, however, there's still plenty of tweaking to be done as I've still a fair amount of blurries. I did a flight into FSDT Geneva last night with a default aircraft and whilst performance is good, I'm not overly happy with how the textures look.Hope this offers some help or insight.Adam

[dburne 2]

Correct me if I am wrong, but doesn't GEX make some enhancements to UTX?If so, I would think one would want to install UTX prior to installing GEX.But then, I can certainly be wrong!

[Lynxboy 0]

Correct me if I am wrong, but doesn't GEX make some enhancements to UTX?If so, I would think one would want to install UTX prior to installing GEX.But then, I can certainly be wrong!

I thought it was the other way round? I'm happy to be proved wrong though as I've not yet fully installed all my add-ons.I've installed GEX, then UTX, then I'm sure there's a UTX upgrade feature in GEX.Or am I doing the long winded route when I should install UTX, then GEX and enable both install options including UTX?Adam

[Guest]

I've reinstalled FSX numerous times, too often to count, and I've tried the cautious NickN routine a few times where I'd restart the pc after every install of every patch and addon and whatnot. Imho it's a waste of time and utterly useless. And so is the order in which you install addons. I do run FSX after installing it, run FSX after installing SP1 and run FSX after installing SP2 but I've also done it without all that and I can't remember having problems afterwards. The last time I did a complete reinstall of FSX I installed REX, ASE, the Katana 4x and ALL my Orbx sceneries in one go before I started FSX SP1 (so no restarting of ANYTHING) and things run great.NickN's guide is a bit (understatement) over the top imho. Rebooting after every install of every addon is nonsense. Even all his Windows tweaks aren't necessary anymore on a new PC. I reinstalled Windows 7 and FSX about 5 times the last six months alone and the 2nd or 3rd time I gave his guide (yet another) try just to see what happened: I had a new PC and things weren't performing as well as I thought they should. Well, it didn't make a difference. In fact, it felt as if I crippled Windows 7 too much by changing all kinds of things so one day later I did another reinstall... (BTW Tip of the day: I always write down every step I do when I install Windows, so reinstalling is done very easilyy and quickly.) My latest reinstall was done a week ago. I don't even care anymore about turning services off and FSX runs great...About UTX and GEX. I am sure a lot of people have bought GEX after using UTX for a while and a lot of people have bought UTX after GEX for a while. It would be very odd if those addons HAD to be installed in a certain order... Did you ever hear of someone reinstalling FSX from scratch again because he had to installed GEX before UTX...? I didn't. Only PATCHES have to be installed in a certain order (obviously): addons can be installed in any order you want to.Well, that's my take on it... If you want to be really sure.... restart after every install... Summary: my order of installation is as follows:- install FSX, start FSX, start a flight and quit- install SP1, start FSX, start a flight and quit- install SP2, start FSX, start a flight and quit- install whatever I want to use first

[zippyTWS 0]

NickN's guide is a bit (understatement) over the top imho. Rebooting after every install of every addon is nonsense.

Its my understanding that PC Pilot Magazine confirmed Nicks install list which he ran past Phil Taylor some years ago in that Aces expected the user to install updates, boot a flight and then the computer would have been rebooted before the next patch was installed.On reboot the Windows registry reloads with the correct expected entries with file locations, far more files and entries than the location of fsx.exe. For the same reason one would start the sim, start a flight and quit FSX.. files are written and updated, and so is the registry.When Aces made the SP1 patch it was designed with the mindset that a user already had RTM installed for months during which the system was rebooted, and the same with SP2 after SP1 was installed months before... or Acceleration for both. PC Pilot wrote about all this after testing themselves over and over to confirm what they saw in the way of less issues and better performance with 3PD products in SP2 and Acceleration was factual and not a fluke and since those tests PC P Mag has endorsed the same install routine. I do not remember which issue the article was printed.I can speak to this subject from personal experience too. I have been a long time lurker in this and other forums. When I purchased the Flight1 Mustang I had nothing but crashes and performance problems until I started over and installed FSX using Nicks lists. I have yet to see any problems nor have I had to reinstall FSX for any reason since that fiasco almost 2 years ago. Between my personal experience and that of what I have read, to me Nicks guide should be the base if every installation. Tweaking is something different.I follow the experienced people who blazed the trail for FSX by weeding out the nonsense posted in forums for years. Everyone has opinions. For me to assume I know better than someone who is highly experienced with hardware using this software and with the confirmations about that knowledge presented if I advise someone to ignore that it would be like the blind leading the blind. Which is usually what happens in forums like this.Zip

[Guest]

Ok, could be... athough as I said I can't remember having problems after not rebooting in between installing. It is common practice that when an installer actually NEEDS a reboot to work, the installer tells you to do so...! There are patches and updates that require a reboot, and that's always implemented in the installer... If SP1 and SP2 really needed a reboot, the installer would have told us so. And since they do not tell me to reboot, I won't need to reboot. It is very odd to presume a required reboot has already taken place, as you say Aces says. They knew people would reinstall an entire computer every now and then and also FSX with all the patches...Anyway, even if this is so, then it only is so for the SP's and not for addons. Unless the installer tells you so.

[zippyTWS 0]

Nick explained to me that Aces should have included a reboot request in their installers and didn't.All I can tell you is what I have seen on my personal setup. I would not install FSX any other way. Before I was directed to Nick I had nothing but problems and was just about ready to give up on FSX.He actually called me on the phone and walked me through setting up Windows and FSX because I am not computer savvy. Something he did not have to do and I am very grateful for.Zip

[Guest]

Nick explained to me that Aces should have included a reboot request in their installers and didn't.All I can tell you is what I have seen on my personal setup. I would not install FSX any other way. Before I was directed to Nick I had nothing but problems and was just about ready to give up on FSX.He actually called me on the phone and walked me through setting up Windows and FSX because I am not computer savvy. Something he did not have to do and I am very grateful for.Zip

Well, okay, better save then sorry: in that case I stand corrected as far as installing FSX, SP1 and SP2 goes.

[dburne 2]

The below is directly from the GEX manual, regarding UTX. Not sure if this really means anything in regards to an install order..."UTX USERS: (Ultimate Terrain X, any version)If you install UTX or install any new version of Ultimate Terrain at a later date you will need to run or re-run the UTX option fromthe GEX interface. This is done to backup any additions that may have been added and to be sure the GEX matched UTXversions of their textures are indeed installed. Past that, you are welcome to use any UTX feature you like."