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niyoko

FSX on Win8 : Lessons Learned

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I though I'd share few thing I've learned from getting FSX up and running on my Windows 8 PC. At the moment I have FSX running smoother and better graphically than I did on Windows 7. I'll try and add to this if I encounter anything new.

 

Lesson #1: A Clean Install is Still the Best Option

 

What Happen:

I preformed an in-place upgrade from Windows 7 to Windows 8. After a fresh install of FSX I had missing textures on planes, terrain, and a SimConnect error.

 

I tired to reinstall SimConnect with no success. I resorted to deleting all of the SimConnect folders from the WinSxS folder and reinstalling FSX. The reinstall fixed my missing terrain textures and missing textures from stock FSX planes, but I was still getting a "SimConnect dll not found" with LevelD 767 and missing textures on the PMDG NGX exterior model and VC.

 

After quite a few reinstalls of FSX SimConnect never got reinstalled by FSX, SP1, or SP2. The only thing that was found in the WinSxS folder was a set of files with the proper file names for simconnect, but they were not a folder with a dll inside.

 

Being exhausted from trying to get things working I concluded that something is blocking the proper re-installation of SimConnect and the PMDG NGX textures. So I just gave up, and I did a clean install of Windows 8.

 

Conclusion:

After a fresh install of Windows 8, I installed FSX, SP1, and SP2. They worked great. I installed LevelD's 767. It worked fine. I installed PMDG's NGX, and everything was there. It appears that there was something carried over in the Windows in-place upgrade that was causing texture issues and preventing SimConnect from being reinstalled.

 

At this point there were some nagging performance issues, but nothing serious. The major issues were all solved.

 

What I Learned:

It's a pain, but a clean install is the best thing to do. Also in hindsight, keeping my applications installs and windows installed on it's own hard disk was a great idea.

 

======================================================================================

 

Lesson #2: Windows 8's Windows Defender is not FSX's best friend.

 

What Happened:

After solving the previous issue with SimConnect and missing textures, I proceeded to install a few more add-ons. I started with REX Essentials, FSDreamteam's Honolulu Intl., and MegaScenery's Oahu. I needed a vacation after the previous lesson.

 

What I came to still find was an increasingly a long load time for FSX, long load times between menus and long pauses/freezes in-flight. I also wasn't seeing the "Addon Manager" option in the"Add-on" menu.

 

I tracked down the culprits to be FSUPIC and other and Windows Defender. Thankfully these were much easier to fix than the previous problem.

 

Conclusion:

I forgot to install FSUPIC, so I install that application and it helped make the "Addon Manager" option appear. I was still getting the loading problems after the install. I then found Windows Defender through Windows Search, and excluded my FSX folder and REX folder (This is advised in the REX documentation). The load times were immediately fixed!

 

What I Learned:

With Windows 7 I had not noticed a difference in performance with MS Security Essentials not excluding my FSX and REX folders. Windows 8 combines many of the previously serparate Microsoft sercuirty solutions into Windows Defender. Windows Defender really hampered FSX performance. I learned that excluding FSX from scans by Windows Defender to be a must for FSX on Windows 8.

 

 

*** Extra:

While not specific to Windows 8, I did learn a few things I previous had no idea about with FSX. I learned that FSX doesn't work well with hyper-threaded CPU cores. I bought a new AMD FX-8320 8 core CPU. The FX-8320 has only has 4 physical cores but 8 logical cores. Because of the 4 virtual cores, and Affinity Mask of 14 will cause all sorts of performance issues. I found that an Affinity Mask of 84 to be the sweet spot on the AMD FX-8320. FSX runs great on it now.

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Hi Derek,

 

Thanks for this good advice. I tried my first experience with Win 8 last weekend, I installed a clean Win 8 instance and followed the instructions I found on the 'web to get a multi-boot back to my existing Win 7. The multi-boot menu never happened, and after much cursing I found some good advice on the "Eight forums". Basically, by installing a piece of freeware "EasyBCD" I could add other OS's to the boot loader which also invokes the multi-boot menu. I haven't had much of a chance to do any more since.

 

My biggest issue in Win 8 was navigating around it. Even when going to 'desktop" mode, the lack of a "start button" really frustrated me. With the "advanced" things that we simmers do in setting up the system / OS to work best with FSX, I got really frustrated (of course I thought I might not get back to Win 7 for a while too). Is there a "cheat sheet" for those of us that prefer Win 7-style navigation?

 

On the HT cores, yes- this has been known for some time, invoking HT just dissipated more heat in the CPU for no outcome. More heat is an issue with overclocking, of course.

 

One question- I never got as far as installing a new FSX instance. Did you have the issue with the FSX controls that I have read about here? (joystick/throttle/yoke, etc) ?

 

 

Thanks again, Bruce.

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Hello Bruce,

 

regarding your problem with the start menu, for that you can go to Iobit site and download a startmenu button from there and it works also, or you can just google it for WIndows 8 start button and you can have many other options from there

 

Hope this helps

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One question- I never got as far as installing a new FSX instance. Did you have the issue with the FSX controls that I have read about here? (joystick/throttle/yoke, etc) ?

 

I haven't had any issues at all with input controllers yet on Win8. Everything controller wise on WIndows 8 has been working like WIndows 7 for me so far. I'm still just using a Logitech "dual-shock" like game controller for FSX on Windows 8 at the moment, because it had been my primary controller since I moved overseas a few years ago. I used a Microsoft Sidewinder Force Feedback 2, after shipping it over, for while on Windows 7, but I haven't gotten around to trying it on Windows 8. I'll see how it goes tonight.

 

My biggest issue in Win 8 was navigating around it. Even when going to 'desktop" mode, the lack of a "start button" really frustrated me. With the "advanced" things that we simmers do in setting up the system / OS to work best with FSX, I got really frustrated (of course I thought I might not get back to Win 7 for a while too). Is there a "cheat sheet" for those of us that prefer Win 7-style navigation?

 

I can't recommend any of the "fixes" that bring back the start menu, but I would like to say that a lot of the "windows key" shortcuts that I used in Windows 7 work like they should. I'm a big user of "win + ".

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Hello Bruce,

 

regarding your problem with the start menu, for that you can go to Iobit site and download a startmenu button from there and it works also, or you can just google it for WIndows 8 start button and you can have many other options from there

 

Hope this helps

 

Thanks, much appreciated. Bruce

 

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Where do u download the FSUIPC from I keep trying and I cant find it if u could help with this it would be helpful thanks

 

Hello

 

It would also be helpful if you would stop murdering the English language and spell "you" properly

 

Typing Fsuipc into Google will get you

The Official Peter Dowson Page

 

where unsurprisingly you can download Fsuipc.

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Just a note, if I may: Microsoft Security Essentials replaces Windows Defender as the security app for W7 and I would assume this is true in Windows 8.

 

 

In case Defender is not disabled - go into Services and disable it manually. To find Services in Windows 8 go here.

 

From the Microsoft Community:-

 

Q: Is Microsoft Security Essentials designed to replace Windows Defender?

A: No but if you are running Microsoft Security Essentials, you do not need to run Windows Defender. Microsoft Security Essentials is designed to disable Windows Defender in order to manage the PC’s real-time protection, including anti-virus, rootkits, Trojans and spyware.

Q: Does installing Microsoft Security Essentials disable Windows Defender

A: Microsoft Security Essentials should disable Windows Defender on Vista and Windows 7 and uninstall it from XP. In some cases, this does not happen automatically.

Q: What happens if I do not disable or uninstall Windows Defender if I am using Microsoft Security Essentials?

A: If Microsoft Security Essentials and Windows Defender are both running, your system may experience performance degradation and other problems caused by the conflict of two services providing real time protection simultaneously.



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Just a note, if I may: Microsoft Security Essentials replaces Windows Defender as the security app for W7 and I would assume this is true in Windows 8.

In case Defender is not disabled - go into Services and disable it manually. To find Services in Windows 8 go here.

 

Got Windows 8 or Windows RT?

Windows Defender for Windows 8 and Windows RT provides the same level of protection against malware as Microsoft Security Essentials. You can't use Microsoft Security Essentials with Windows 8, but you don't need to — Windows Defender is already included and ready to go.

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would assume this is true in Windows 8.

 

What I see in Windows 8 (actually installed, not assumed) is that MSE has been replaced by Windows Defender which combines both applications, not the converse. I believe there is a place in Windows Defender settings (in Windows 8) where the Defender part (malware monitoring) can be disabled.

 

Rick

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Hmmm.. Interesting... sounds like a good plan on MS's part. :smile:



i7 4790K@4.8GHz | 32GB RAM | EVGA RTX 3080Ti | Maximus Hero VII | 512GB 860 Pro | 512GB 850 Pro | 256GB 840 Pro | 2TB 860 QVO | 1TB 870 EVO | Seagate 3TB Cloud | EVGA 1000 GQ | Win10 Pro | EK Custom water cooling.

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Is there a step-by-step guide to configuring Windows 8 to best run FSX? I looked around tonight at the Nick_N instructions (somewhat dated now but still good advice), and he seems to have not added any Win 8 amendments to his original work. I've read through most of the threads here at AVSIM Win 8 forum, and lots of claims of success (along with some posts of negative experiences that seem to be related to upgrading the OS and trying to run an old Win 7 install of FSX.

 

I've read of some tweaks in Win 8 to make it look more like Win 7, modify UAC to a less constrictive mode, etc., but wondered if someone had a complete list of what worked for them?

 

Thanks, Bruce.

 

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Just add your FSX path (c:\fsx) to the Windows Defender exclusion list. Also do this for any other FSX related apps (c:\program files x86\REX) ect.

 

Also Windows 8 will automagically install drivers for your FSX hardware so uninstall those drivers manually (2 usually for a joystick) and then manually install drivers from your hardware manufacturer. This has solved my joystick disconnecting during flight.

 

Cheers

jja


Jim Allen
support@skypilot.biz
SkyPilot Software home of FSXAssist / P3DAssist

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Thanks jja,

I might investigate this,as I had a disconnection last night,even with FSUIPC


Jude Bradley
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ATC: Yeah, it's OK. He's not hungry.

X-Plane 11 X-Plane 12 and MSFS2020  🙂

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I did a fresh install of Windows 8 and I still cannot get the LevelD 767 to run properly at all. Can you do a long flight in it without any issues? It doesn't freeze up on you in flight?

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