Which FS9 folders can I run from USB pen drive?

[martinlest2 58]

Hi,

 

I am about to move abroad again (for work). I'll be there for some years I think and I don't (for various reasons) want to ship my main (Flightsim) PC over when I go, so, as I don't want to be without FS entirely, I am going to use one of my laptops to fly FS9 (a Dell XPS M1730: it runs FS9 pretty well. it has Windows XP 64-bit on it, 2GB of RAM and Intel CPU at 2.2GHz. It only has USB2, not USB3, sadly). A bit pathetic by modern standards, but I get 30fps easily in most scenarios).

 

However, it only has a 200GB HDD (c.185GBs effective space) and will not hold all my FS stuff including FSGenesis mesh etc., so I am wondering what parts of my FS setup I can run from an external USB2 flash drive that would cause the least performance hit.

 

Large folders which could be candidates include REX, GEPro, FSGenesis mesh, as well as the native FS2004/scenery folder. Apart from FSG, by far the largest folders are my addon scenery and aircraft folders but I'd like to avoid moving those on an external drive (essentials, like the default Cessna apart) and copying the scenery & aircraft I need for my flight to the laptop each time - it's slow and it's just asking for a CTD. Obviously, the best candidates to run from a flash drive would be a folder of files that FS9 only needs to read occasionally, but I am not sure which that might be...

 

Also need to get a suitable 64GB (or even 128GB) USB pen drive to accommodate this. Without my starting to do a lot of benchmarking myself (I don't have time - I am leaving the UK very soon and am really busy getting ready, and working full-time too up to the day I go) would anyone have any data as to the read speeds needed to run various parts of FS9. In other words, does FS9, for instance, read FSGenesis data only very intermittently (in which case it might be a good candidate for putting my 60GB FSG folder onto the flash drive??) or is it reading it all the time? And what would be an acceptable read speed capability for any drive I might get? There are drives that (in theory) read at 20MB/s and others at 180MB/s, but I have to consider cost too.

 

I could load up Process Monitor and spend some time analysing what's happening, but maybe someone already has a good idea by now how to advise me?

 

Finally, I know this is not ideal - I'd never dream of it for my main FS machine. But I am not going to have time to get a bigger hard drive for the laptop and reinstall everything, so this is the 'solution' I am going to have to go with. Thanks a lot for any help, especially from anyone who also runs elements of FS9 from a flash drive for similar reasons. (And if no one can really advise, I'll just have to experiment and see what works best, trial and error, I suppose).

 

Martin

[sauviat 137]

Hi, I only run FS9 from a USB Western Digital 500GB Passport. No issue at all as all of FS9 is on it. However, remember that Disc 4 has to be in your DVD slot. When you start up FS9 be sure that the registry key is pointing to where the FS9.exe is sitting! There is a FS Registry Repair bit of software (FS_Registry_Repair) that locates the FS9.exe so it automatically will ensure a perfect loadup and away you go!

 

Regards

 

Sauviat

[martinlest2 58]

Wow, never imagined all of FS9 would run OK from an external drive. Well, I don't need to do that, but I may try having my FS Genesis files and perhaps my Addon Scenery folders on two separate 64GB pen drives.

 

Are you using USB2.0 or USB3.0 by the way? As I say, the laptop doesn't have USB 3.0 on it...

 

Martin

[sauviat 137]

USB 2.0. Currently running attached to a HP Pavillion desk top WindowsXP, which was purchased in 2005! Hence I do not use FSX.

 

Of course after 8th April, must be careful with live weather, as M$ drop support for XP!

 

Sauviat

[martinlest2 58]

Yes, on my main PC (specs are per my signature) I have Windows7 x64. I have FSX there and it runs well, but I prefer FS9 on the whole, so am leaving FSX in the UK; as long as I can fly FS9 when I am away I'll be OK!!

 

Use Active Sky for weather..

 

Thanks!

[sauviat 137]

The point about WindowsXP is that after April 8 it will not be wise to keep it attached to the Internet, as updates will not be available from then on. MS Security Essentials continue until 2015. As I only use the Jepperson updates, it will not be a big deal missing them.

 

I am discussing with a cockpit simulator builder for a possible full motion full spec 747. As it is fullsize and requires a purpose built facility, etc, I will go ahead when I have purchased another propety to house it.

 

Sauviat

[Hoochy 6]

Very interesting to hear that you are running all of fs9 on external drive.... Did you just copy the fs9 directory to the drive and reset the registry. Does it affect any 3rd party addons that you have?? .

Rgds john

[sauviat 137]

Yes, just copied the full FS9 directory to the WD Passport and used the little facility to reset the registry. Add-ons and other FS pieces of software work just fine.

 

I am only concerned now about Windows XP, but looking seriously to move to Windows 7 ahead of Windows 9, missing out Windows 8 and 8.1 altogether. Went from Windows 98 to Windows XP.

 

Regards

 

Sauviat

[martinlest2 58]

I run FS9 and FSX on my main PC on Windows 7 64-bit. It's great. People knock (or even hate!) Microsoft, but how can you not love a company that gave us Windows 7 (the ultimate o/s IMHO - I have to use Windows 8 at work and hate it) AND Flight Simulator. The cornerstones of my life !!

 

Have bought 2 64GB pen drives, but my problem now is this:

 

http://forum.avsim.net/topic/438390-cpu-at-constant-40-50-so-fs9-hardly-runs/

 

:(

 

M