Prepping new PC for P3Dv2 install

[ErichB 3,651]

Hi all

 

For many years I have followed Nick Needham's PC preparation guides whenever I purchased a new PC or reinstalled Windows. How many of you still follow this guide when doing the same? I just got my new PC and will install p3d in the next few days.

 

Cheers

[cthiggin2 3]

Nick is very skilled in PC's and FSX - Don't know about P3D.....  I read his guides for quite awhile, but in the past couple years, "ME" feels he's become very biased with this views, and it's his way or the highway??? I don't follow NickN any longer as some bashing of Orbx/FTX went back and forth.....

With that finally said, he knows' his stuff.

 

Tom

 

PS - I build my own PC's and have for years - but I get the majority of my intel from the Tom's Hardware site....works well for me.

[Guest]

 

 

For many years I have followed Nick Needham's PC preparation guides whenever I purchased a new PC or reinstalled Windows. How many of you still follow this guide when doing the same? I just got my new PC and will install p3d in the next few days.

 

Imho (!) his PC guides are way over the top (edging on neurotic), include totally useless and far too many 'tips' and certainly isn't necessary for P3D on an up to date computer. P3D makes far better use of the (newer) hardware anyway, so all that tweaking of the system isn't needed. FSX might benefit from a few performance tweaks but I recently installed Windows 7 64 bit all over again on my 3 year old pc and only turned of UAC and changed a few settings to my preference (turned of a few power saving options, changed a few network and security settings, that kind of stuff). Going to extremes like stopping the counters from working is not needed anymore with P3D on an up to date computer. Things like that might have squeezed a bit more performance out of FSX on a PC with an Intel Pentium CPU but you can forget about it from now on. So save yourself a LOT of time and forget his guides. In fact, you can (or even should) forget about all existing FSX guides when you go for P3D v2.

[Novation 534]

Imho (!) his PC guides are way over the top (edging on neurotic)

 

 

 

I agree, his guides are crazy, as is the man himself. Had an argument about the benefit of using a lower Bufferpool, in which he was having none it, when I claimed it improved my performance.. this was before the Bojote BP=0 stuff came about. Unless he discovered it, or thought he discovered, his ego would not allow him to admit something was of use, so I gave up reading his guff a long time ago.

 

All that defragging nonsense is way ott... my FSX and now p3dv2 are perfectly smooth and stutter free without putting my drive -and time- through a 'complete name' defrag [i hardly defrag at all]... not to mention all that other stuff :rolleyes:

 

Just install to a separate drive to the os and fly ^_^

[cthiggin2 3]

Thanks fellows - I was trying to be "nicer" to NickN - but in summary, "me thinks" his ego has overtaken the benefits of his knowledge.

 

 

Tom

[Guest]

Nick has some interesting information ... if you can put aside some of the verbal diarrhea that adds nothing, someone new to building PC's and/or FSX can gain useful information.  As with most information found on the internet, the meaty content is often surrounded by 95% fat

 

I doubt Nick cares about what people think of him ... if he did, he wouldn't add so much drama to his content.

 

My 2 cents on PC builds for P3DV2:

 

1.  Motherboard is the most critical component if you plan to overclock (I like the quad channel motherboards from Asus).

2.  Invest in tools that will help you validate your PC's performance (I use SiSoftware Sandra 2014) and stability.

3.  For P3DV2 GPU VRAM capacity makes a big difference

4.  Always keep in mind a PC is a balance of ALL the components

5.  The BIOS/UEFI is key to successful stability and performance ... having access to it real time via motherboard utilities can save a lot of time in getting the best out of it

6.  For overclocking I like self contained water cooling setups and large lower rpm fans (quiet)

7.  For a case, big, just BIG! (using CoolMaster HAF)

 

This is by NO MEANS the ONLY way to build a good PC for P3DV2 ... many success stories and many failures too.  I can't recall the last time I purchased a "canned" PC ... Packard Bell maybe (back in mid to late 80's).  Doing you own build is definitely a good way to go and great learning experience.

 

Cheers, Rob.

[jimmy64 43]

1. Motherboard is the most critical component if you plan to overclock (I like the quad channel motherboards from Asus).

I have to agree. I'm currently building a V2 rig with an ASUS Sabertooth X79 quad channel mobo and an intel i7 4820K. Good luck with your build.