Hi, First of all, please note, if you're intending to help me (which I really appreciate), please read everything! In the past I have defragged several times, and I always regretted it afterwards. My loadtimes did not increase, and lots of stutters suddenly appeared, and fps got reduced slightly. But after watching Turbine777's great tutorial on how to use Ultimate Defrag 3, I decided to give it another try. Well, what he explains in his video, is mostly how to use it, and wat everything does, but he doesn't really explain us what settings to use for FSX. I just tried to think logicly, and using the settings that I thought would be good for FSX. I'm using the same defragger as him, Ultimate Defrag 3. Which is one of the best (if not the best). So is no need to recommend me any other defraggers! Alright, these were the settings I used.Defrag mode: FOLDER/FILENAMEOptions:I checked: "Respect High Performance", "Respect Archive", and "Put directories close to MFT"I unchecked: "Complete high performance then stop" and "Complete archive then stop"Settings:At the High Performance section, I chose "Custom" and unchecked "Automatic". I clicked "Select files...", then I ticked C:/FSX and moved it over to the left using the << symbol. After this I clicked OK. Back in the High Permance section, I chose the "Strict Placement Sorted By..." option. I chose Folder/Filename, and left the setting on the right on Asc (I could choose between Asc and Desc). Right under this, was the Archive section. Right here I wasn't entirely sure what to do. But again, I unchecked "Automatic" and checked "Custom". I chose the "Strict Placement Sorted By..." option, and in the drop down menu right next to it, I didn't choose the Folder/Filename option, because I didn't want it to archive my FSX directory, so I simply left it on "Default". Last thing I did was unchecking "Respect Layout.ini". Then I defragged, and after it was finished in around 3 hours, I started up FSX. I loaded up the NGX with Aerosoft Amsterdam, clear weather, and daytime. These are the settings I always use when testing performance, same time, same weather, same airport, same airplane, and same runway. While before I was able to achieve around 22-23 fps, I was now only able to achieve 20 fps. This is no illusion, I'm not mad! When taking off, I immediately noticed there were several stutters, a little bit like those stutters when not using an FPS limiter. When flying straight on, they didn't happen too much, around every 10 seconds FSX stuttered a little bit. But when making turns, or suddenly looking around, There were a lot of stutters for a few seconds, I could also see objects being loaded, not even that far away from me. When on final approach after doing a simple traffic pattern, I could see trees suddenly being loaded up around 2 miles in front of me! I've never seen this before, and FSX has been working much better before defragging. I really don't understand what the point is of doing it. Everyone is always saying that it's very good for FSX, and increasing your performance, so why is it doing more harm than good for me?! I think (I'm almost sure) I must be doing something wrong in my defragging settings, but I just can't figure out why. I'm not sure first of all, whether to use Asc or Desc, and also I'm not sure what to do with the Archive section. I just chose Strict Placement Sorted By and left it on default. Or shouldn't I use the Archive option at all? Also, I'm not sure whether to check "Respect Layout.ini". I hope you guys can help me. It might also be my harddrive, not sure. I have a 5400 rpm WD Caviar Green, which is not bad, but certainly not the best.

Do you have a seperate hard-drive for FSX?I recomend at least a 7200 rpm,Did you order your 580 yet?

Do you have a seperate hard-drive for FSX?I recomend at least a 7200 rpm,Did you order your 580 yet?

No, I have a single HDD for FSX. But this single HDD comes out of an old Acer PC, and has two sections, C: and D:. However, those C: and D: are both on the same drive, not sure if this will make a difference.If I'm ever gonna upgrade, I'm gonna buy an SSD right away.About the GTX 580, no I didn't order it yet. I decided to keep saving money until I have 465 euros, for the EVGA GTX 580 DS Superclocked. I think this will be within the next 3 weeks. Btw, my fps are ok, I can achieve around 20-25 fps in heavy scenery in most cases. And easily 30 in cruise (not more than than due to an FPS limiter). But my problems are those stutters that suddenly started top happen after defragging. But do you think that a GTX 580 will also reduce stutters, instead of only increasing fps? But even with my current GTX 320, this shouldn't be happening, as I have this problem only after defragging. If you can recommend me any settings in UD3, you're welcome to tell me!

Edited January 3, 201214 yr by arjenfsx

I'm probably wrong here, so correct me if I'm wrong, cuz I'm not a tech guru, but aren't those stutters happening because all textures and objects have to be recompiled or something ,after having defragged? Those this means you have to load up FSX several times to make sure it's all recompiled again?

Why are you simply not using your systems defrag and manually entering the command in the command prompt. defrag c: -v -w and it will clean everything quite nicely. Try not to defrag to often, its not good.

Edited January 3, 201214 yr by Emcott

Hello Arjen,I use a seperate sata 7200 drive for FSX, might be good to use a single drive using a single drive letter too :)I bought the GTX 580 last week from Amazon,but €-£ exchange rate was very bad, on the other hand,it was delivered in two days (free shipping).I now get about 40 fps in mid-flight (using REX) and about 18 fps in Aerosoft EHAM.Defintely smoother than the GTX 460 I was using previously, (stopped using CTRL + Z) - some small stutters now and then but ******* Tweak helpswhere before with the 460 a clean fsx.cfg helped - Very Strange.Let me know how you get on with defrag c: -v -w

Why are you simply not using your systems defrag and manually entering the command in the command prompt. defrag c: -v -w and it will clean everything quite nicely. Try not to defrag to often, its not good.

What does -v -w stand for?

Why are you simply not using your systems defrag and manually entering the command in the command prompt. defrag c: -v -w and it will clean everything quite nicely. Try not to defrag to often, its not good.

Why is too much defragging not good? Is it because it just wears out the drive? JB

Hello Arjen,I use a seperate sata 7200 drive for FSX, might be good to use a single drive using a single drive letter too :)I bought the GTX 580 last week from Amazon,but €-£ exchange rate was very bad, on the other hand,it was delivered in two days (free shipping).I now get about 40 fps in mid-flight (using REX) and about 18 fps in Aerosoft EHAM.Defintely smoother than the GTX 460 I was using previously, (stopped using CTRL + Z) - some small stutters now and then but ******* Tweak helpswhere before with the 460 a clean fsx.cfg helped - Very Strange.Let me know how you get on with defrag c: -v -w

Alright, I first need help with this. I don't know where Command Prompt is located firstly. And is this the command I should enter? "defrag c: -v -w" (without the quotes)And, if you're only getting 18 fps in Aerosoft EHAM with a GTX 580 (!) (as I'm even getting better fps with a GTX 320 which is a very bad card, at max settings), then your FSX.cfg is certainly not configured properly. Make sure you use HIGHMEMFIX=1 (and not HIMEMFIX=1), under your graphics section, also make sure you choose "Conservative" at www.venetubo.com/fsx.html. Hope this helps, but let's stay on topic. If you want me to help you with this you can PM me.Guys let's please stay on topic please. All I need is some correct advice on which settings to you in Ultimate Defrag 3 to get FSX working properly again (or even better if possible). If you have other questions about defragging for FSX, please make another thread. :-)

Edited January 3, 201214 yr by arjenfsx

Start menu button/all programs/accessories, then click on command, enter defrag c: -v -w. The defrag will be very efficient and fast. Do it once a month or if you have done allot of installs and removals, more often. But not too frequently. And don't forget to do your disk cleanups.

What does -v -w stand for?

it stands for defrag all.

Edited January 3, 201214 yr by Emcott

btw, I don't see a "-w" option for defrag. -v stands for "Print verbose output containing the fragmentation statistics". I'm on Win7 64, so maybe the -w parameter got taken out.

Guys, just one question. Isn't it normal that I'm seeing stutters, because it's the first time I enter the sim after defragging. Do all files need to be reloaded for the first time again or something? Recompiled?

You do know I answered your question in the 1st thread you asked, right?Yes, you may see stutters after a defrag no matter how perfect. Try watching the video I made again and pay attention to the whole layout.ini part. Also explained again in your initial post in the general forum.

btw, I don't see a "-w" option for defrag. -v stands for "Print verbose output containing the fragmentation statistics". I'm on Win7 64, so maybe the -w parameter got taken out.

Then your not looking correctly. Just enter what I wrote and allow the defrag, all is good.

Edited January 3, 201214 yr by Emcott

You do know I answered your question in the 1st thread you asked, right?Yes, you may see stutters after a defrag no matter how perfect. Try watching the video I made again and pay attention to the whole layout.ini part. Also explained again in your initial post in the general forum.

Oh, sorry, I didn't notice you replied because you didn't quote my post, but I just read it and replied with some questions and answers. And about the stutters; My fps is good, but the thing is, that I didn't have those stutters at all before defragging, but suddenly started to happen after defragging.