For anyone interested. I've just moved my ORBX scenery files to a separate SSD drive, outside of FSX and created 'symbolic links' to the files.

 

Loading is faster and flight is smoother. Well pleased;-)

 

Sweet! 

 

 

I've just moved my ORBX scenery files to a separate SSD drive

 

Can I ask, where did you have scenery installed previously?

 

I did a fair amount of inquiry prior to my new build as to the whether or not the old wisdom to install OS on one HDD and FSX on a 2nd HDD still applies now in the age of affordable SSD storage.  The conclusion was that it really doesn't matter much if any beyond theoretical now because of the way data is read from SSD compared to HDD.  So for my new build which runs FSX super smooth and fast now I opted for a single large SDD to facilitate easier backups, and I must say it's quite fast & quite smooth.

 

The only thing I'd like to try, though again not sure if I can improve on smooth and fast since it's pretty much there already, is to put part of FSX on a ram drive since I have plenty of ram to do that with and found a great freeware driver.  I thought maybe of putting audio files (ATC for example) on a ram drive, however not sure how to make a pointer for that.

Can I ask, where did you have scenery installed previously?

It was previously installed as per Orbx instructions, within the primary FSX installation.  Didn't reinstall.  Just moved folders then created symbolic link. Windows and FSX both still 'see it' as within FSX.

Hi,

What's this "symbolic link" business?

Jim F.

Hi,

What's this "symbolic link" business?

Jim F.

I'm not techie enough to explain how it works, other than say that an example would be your 'library' links in Windows are classed as symbolic links.  Google will supply many answeres and lots of free apps to do it with.  Someone else will no doubt be able explain better.

 

All i can tell you is that it works quite well;-)

Hi again,

Let me be more specific in what I'm asking. Normally, I add scenery to where I'd like it and then within the "Scenery Library" I "Add" the location.

Once you re-located the ORBX scenery how did your procedure of adding "symbolic links" differ from this? In other words, exactly what did you do when you say that you "created 'symbolic links' to the files"?

My question is not just idle curiosity. "FTX Central" must know the location of the scenery in order to modify the parameters and if the scenery were simply moved to a different location it seems as though there would be a problem.

Jim F.

Hi again,

Let me be more specific in what I'm asking. Normally, I add scenery to where I'd like it and then within the "Scenery Library" I "Add" the location.

Once you re-located the ORBX scenery how did your procedure of adding "symbolic links" differ from this? In other words, exactly what did you do when you say that you "created 'symbolic links' to the files"?

My question is not just idle curiosity. "FTX Central" must know the location of the scenery in order to modify the parameters and if the scenery were simply moved to a different location it seems as though there would be a problem.

Jim F.

 

AFTER installing Orbx (or any) scenery to its normal directory (usually default), I then MOVE it entirely to my SSD drive.  I then create a new EMPTY folder of the same name where it was originally installed. I then run the software to create a new symolic link (or 'Junction').  Windows and FSX now do not know it's been moved. I found this to be the only way that FTX Central will work correctly.

 

Look for 'Junction' softawre.

Was your primary FSX drive also an SSD?  Is the scenery smoother due to the Symbolic link or the fact that the files are on an SSD?

Was your primary FSX drive also an SSD?  Is the scenery smoother due to the Symbolic link or the fact that the files are on an SSD?

No, that's the whole point.  My FSX install is too big for that.  I have it on a VelociRaptor.  So, the links are in the FSX folder, pointing to the SSD

Hi again,

 

I'm glad I persevered as I wasn't aware of symbolic links and may be able to profit by using them. My situation is rather the inverse of yours.

I recently installed Gold on a 64GB (59.6) SSD. My previous FSX install was 61GBs so I've been trying to reserve space on the SSD for scenery and any thing else that might be accessed during a flight. I replicated the FSX structure on my HD and moved the SimObjects folder to the new location. I added the SimObjectsPaths statements to the FSX.cfg. I also Copied the Effects, Gauges and Sound folders to the new location. It appears that using symbolic links might be a more elegant solution.

Jim F.

I wonder if this would work for the x-plane custom scenery folder.

Is that using the mklink feature through the dos prompt Phil?  I haven't had a need to try it yet, but I have heard several users say it works great. 

I wonder if this would work for the x-plane custom scenery folder.

 

That should work. Same with any other application or game that relies on hard-coded paths.

 

Personally I haven't noticed a huge difference from moving my sims to an SSD, but the initial loading times are reduced slightly.

Hi,

Any recommendations on which program to use to enable the use of junctions in Win 7 64bit? By Googling I came across "JunctionMaster" and it sounds ideal but the "alpha" caution is intimidating. The data that I have on the HD will fit on a dual-layer DVD so backing it up won't be a problem It appears that I can move the data back to the SSD and eliminate the Path references to the HD in FSX.cfg and then by using JunctionMaster I can move the SimObjects to the HD and links will be automatically created. Flaws in my thinking?

Jim F.