New FSX computer system being built NOW!

[Kilo60 660]

Are the JetLine systems quite when under load?

[spilok 1,139]

Absolutely, Chris.  They are the best.

 

Stan

[Tino 81]

Well, what I do is use a Toshiba external Hard Disk (1 TB) and every quarter (3 months), I back up my FSX payware planes, FSX Scenery and Weather addons, Eaglesoft, Registration entries, and all things related to FSX.  I realize that if I have some catastrophic event I will have to REINSTALL the program.  I just want to have all the stuff I bought safely backed up.

My OUTLOOK email has a RECEIPTS folder where I keep all my payware receipts and download data.  I do a backup of Outlook (pst file) so that on my new computer I can easily re-install Outlook and have my lifeline receipts ready to go.

I back up my DOCUMENTS folder where I store all my serial numbers and passwords for every plane, every addon. 

I've never been really that successful backing up or GHOSTING a hard drive to retain Programs and such.  I've done it with Norton Ghost to some success in the past, but I believe that sometimes it's better to go through the "pain" of a re-install of FSX and just add the purchased addons with some deliberacy and at the same time, NOT install the planes and other things that I rarely use.

Stan

 

HI Stan,

 

First off, I would like to congratulate you on purchasing a beautiful system. That's going to work very well for you in FSX. I'm hoping to get a similar system setup before April. 

 

Another note regarding the Outlook thing. I also keep all order emails in a specific folder within my outlook. This helps search for a serial when im re-installing a certain software. I also tend to have all my software on an external HD (3TB). Its ridiculously organized. Parent folder is FSX Addon's and is goes down into sub categories. Aircraft, Scenery etc. I paste the activation serial within the specific folder where the product is placed. I can easily re-install without worrying about purchasing the (re-download) service.

 

You gave me some other neat ideas. Thanks for sharing and please let us know how the new system works out for you.

 

Cheers, 

[spilok 1,139]

Sante,

 

Excellent system for organization.  Mine is certainly NOT that well put together.  I have categories for planes, scenery, weather, etc. types of downloads on my Toshiba external HD. No real sub-categories.

 

My next biggest challenge is what addons to add first after I receive my new rig.  Also, is there really a PROPER ORDER for adding my various programs and files?  That's what occupies my thinking now....I want to do it perfectly, if possible.

My computer will come to me with FSX and Acceleration already loaded and tested.

 

Stan

[Kilo60 660]

Sante,

 

Excellent system for organization.  Mine is certainly NOT that well put together.  I have categories for planes, scenery, weather, etc. types of downloads on my Toshiba external HD. No real sub-categories.

 

My next biggest challenge is what addons to add first after I receive my new rig.  Also, is there really a PROPER ORDER for adding my various programs and files?  That's what occupies my thinking now....I want to do it perfectly, if possible.

My computer will come to me with FSX and Acceleration already loaded and tested.

 

Stan

 

Would Love to get a list of your install order once you get to that part....

 

This could be a very useful thread all on it's own!

[spilok 1,139]

Hope to get a response on that....when I do, I'll post it.

 

Stan

[Spike190 0]

Hi Stan,

 

Spoke with Greg (at Jetline) yesterday and my computer is on the way and should arrive on Saturday (yea!).   Thanks for the input from you (and others) about how you tend to backup.  Lots of good ideas.

 

One thing I recently purchased is a uninterrupted power supply (UPS)  for my new computer and peripherals.  I mentioned that to Greg yesterday and he told me that was the, "...right thing to do."    I never had one before in all the years I've been doing this and did suffer a few outages but fortunately no damage to any components.  I had done some reading (once I ordered this computer), specifically about how power outages can wreak havoc to SSDs and decided to make the purchase. See:  http://www.extremetech.com/computing/169124-the-mysteriously-disappearing-drive-are-power-outages-killing-your-ssds

 

Hope this info is beneficial to you.

 

Mike

[ryanbatc 12,931]

Which ups did you get? I've just gone through a mess with mine. Though I still can't prove it I believe my ups is partially to blame. If I were to get a new one it would be a pure sine wave unit like this: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00429N19W?cache=de12334e955bf2479e72604d3b232789#ref=mp_s_a_1_2&qid=1392953682&sr=8-2

[Spike190 0]

Which ups did you get? I've just gone through a mess with mine. Though I still can't prove it I believe my ups is partially to blame. If I were to get a new one it would be a pure sine wave unit like this: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00429N19W?cache=de12334e955bf2479e72604d3b232789#ref=mp_s_a_1_2&qid=1392953682&sr=8-2

 

Curious as to what sort of problem you had?

 

Bought this one thru Amazon:  

 http://www.apc.com/products/resource/include/techspec_index.cfm?base_sku=BR1000G&total_watts=200

[spilok 1,139]

Found out today that my system is being shipped tomorrow.  I'm anxious to try it and report to the forum..  Looking forward to all sliders to the right!

 

Stan

[demarr55 3]

Stan:

 

Have also ordered my system from Jetline and waiting to hear from them concerning ship date.  Migrating from my Alienware to Jetline and spending time right now going over all my purchase emails to find dates when purchase was made.  Plan on reinstalling all my software based on those dates.  And as sick as it sounds, my Teradata days are coming back.  Spending some time putting together a word document detailing the complete re-install process, including what will be done first, second, etc. (In the Teradata environment this was known as a change control).  As you mentioned earlier my first item, besides turning it on, will be to do an image backup of both the OS and FSX drive.  I did speak briefly with Ken at Jetline and he said he was using Acronis True Image 2014 for his imaging needs, so took the plunge and ordered that from Newegg.  Over the years have seen many complaints about a lot of software problems including FSX software and addons, but can safely say I have not run into any of those type problems.  Guessing folks have "tweaked" their systems to the point where they have created the problem.  Let me know how things work out once you get your new system.

 

Regards

Bob Demarest

[ryanbatc 12,931]

Curious as to what sort of problem you had?

 

Bought this one thru Amazon:  

 http://www.apc.com/products/resource/include/techspec_index.cfm?base_sku=BR1000G&total_watts=200

 

Well it's mostly conjecture but some sites say there's a difference between pure sine wave and stepped sine wave in regards to power supplies and UPS (like your APC there).  The power company sends out a pure sine wave to your house.  Your power supply prefers it too because it's just that - a pure natural waveform of electricity.  The way some UPS's work is they generate an artificial sine wave (looks like a flight of steps up and down) - and some power supply manufacturer's claim their PSU's aren't compatible with that artificial backup signal you'll get from a UPS without the pure wave feature.

 

I can't scientifically confirm but from my experience my non pure sine wave UPS, over the past 4 years, has introduced an instability in my system, via my PSU.  The term you'll see on your PSU is called "Active PFC."  (I think it's power correction factor or something like that)....  On my Seasonic it's supposed to account for any non pure sine wave and deal accordingly and do ok.  But I think my stepped sine wave UPS was sending weird signals to my PSU.... basically my PC was rebooting by itself - generally when the line voltage in my house dropped pretty low (106v-108v) AND when someone discharged static on my case....  I noticed all this take place while my PC was on the UPS.  Now that it's been off the UPS for a few weeks it seems more stable.

 

In a nutshell, unless you have a really high end UPS, modern day PSU's don't need the line conditioning because they can account for voltage instabilities on their own.

 

In my case we were having frequent but short blackouts due to being so far up in this freeking northern tundra of duluth... and the lots of people drawing on the power plants etc...  which is why I put my PC on a UPS in the first place.  I left the Router and modem on the backup hehe.

[Kilo60 660]

So what choices have you made regarding the initial setup?

 

FSX or P3D?

 

FSX DX9 or FSX DX10?

[Spike190 0]

Found out today that my system is being shipped tomorrow.  I'm anxious to try it and report to the forum..  Looking forward to all sliders to the right!

 

Stan

Hi Stan,

 

Well..... did you get your system?   I've had mine now since last Saturday and it is up and running great!  Since I've only been using my FS2004 WinXP computer up until this one arrived (and hadn't been following the forums, eg. AVSIM, Flightsim, etc., like I used to) I spent much of the previous weeks reading up on Win 7 operation, FSX issues and the sceneries, planes, utilities, etc., to choose.  I spoke with Ken at Jetline last Monday before purchasing any new flight related software to install on this new rig.  He was VERY helpful.

 

Here is what I've added so far:  

 

1) ORBX - FTX Global Base; FTX Pacific Northwest; FTX NA Gold Northern California; FTX NA Gold Central Rocky Mountains; Packs 1-9 of their (freeware) North American airports  

 

**NOTE:(Ken advised me not to add any new mesh and landclass scenery, like FSGenesis and UTX, at this time.  He said that I should wait for awhile and then get FTX Global Vector and Open/LC once released (and patched))

 

2) ZINERTEK - Zinertek Natural Tree Environment

 

(I researched this one..Ken didn't mention it). It improved on the already great trees in ORBX .... by more closely adding the correct type/and variety of trees in all geographic areas ... and... the fall colors are simply spectacular!

 

3) REX - REX4 Texture Direct 

 

4) ACTIVE SKY - NEXT

 

5) ULTIMATE TRAFFIC 2

 

My next chore is to decide on which add on airports to choose.  I will pick from:  FlightBeam; FSDT; FlyTampa; Imaginesim.... 

 

Do you (or any other readers out there) have any additional suggestions for scenery, airports, planes, utilities?    

 

Mike

[spilok 1,139]

Probably Monday or Tuesday for my delivery.  Obviously I can't wait.  My current Jetline System is awesome, but I'm looking to the future with all the great addons coming, and all the hard disk space, processor speed, and graphics needed.  Instead of piecemeal computer upgrading, my new Jetline system will be locked and loaded for the future.  I'll certainly report to the forum when I'm up and running.

 

Answering a question earlier, I'm running FSX, not P3D, and DX9.  If DX10 were to be free of flashing and other issues (without fixes), I would move to that.  However, I'm quite pleased with the performance and graphics I get with DX9.

The future could change all that.

 

And Bob.....congratulations on your Jetline System.  You will be so pleased with it. Ken and Greg are so easy to talk to and make this custom built FSX system the very best system out there IMHO.

 

 

Stan