Recently got terminally fed up with the behavior and slowness of my OS and decided to do a reinstall of win7 x64 Pro.  Since I was doing a reinstall, I treated myself to a 500gb SSD.  Have been happily amazed at the improvement in performance.

 

My FSX addon files were not perfectly organized, so lately my new 'game' is organizing everything with validated serial numbers etc.  In the process I have been reminded that to reinstall some software, I have to validate via the internet with the selling company that I actually own the software.  Which means if the company goes out of business, I have nothing.  Also, the number of MBs for all this stuff is climbing and with it all installed my SSD is going to be kinda crowded.

 

Current maybe crazy idea is to get a second SSD and devote it primarily as a FSX drive.  I would have FSX installed on it and a whole world of scenery and other addons.  The proprietary software would be installed and safe from the whims of the seller.  Also, if I rebuild my computer, which might be due next year, all my FSX would be on one SSD and I would just have to plug the SSD into the new motherboard without a days long rebuilding necessary.

 

I also have the idea that most bloatware and viruses and other trash are usually centered on the OS and browser, not sure this is correct, so there might be little chance of my FTX files getting corrupted.

 

Am I crazy or would this be viable?

If you can afford it buy 2 SSD each with a copy of Windows installed. Use one for your general system stuff and the other for FSX.

You'll be presented with an option to boot into the required Windows drive.This way you keep FS and the OS that FS runs on completely separate and free from all the crap from the other OS install.

 

If you have a mechanical drive also keep that installed and use that for download backups and installing GEX, FEX, REX etc as you don't want that overhead on your SSD

 

After installing Windows, updating, configuring etc create a system image. Makes it so much easier to reinstall.

My recent install of FSX-SE is ghosted and can be reinstalled within 7 minutes (as I did so a few days ago)

I run two 250GB SSD drives and have set up exactly the same as Legion.

Works a treat.

If you can afford it buy 2 SSD each with a copy of Windows installed.

I run two 250GB SSD drives and have set up exactly the same as Legion.

 

WOW you guys took this idea someplace totally new - I love it!

 

Could you tell me very generally how to install windows onto two drives in the same computer - totally new concept to me.  How will things run with a C:\ Windows and a D:\Windows?  I'm guessing a multi-boot screen gets involved.  Please just point me in the right direction this sounds great.

This sounds like a great idea. I'd also like to know how to install it. Do you need two separate Windows licences? And how do you answer when you download an add-on that asks (if I remember rightly, Flight 1 software does this) whether it's to be installed on this computer or on a different computer?

 

Thanks,

Dugald

WOW you guys took this idea someplace totally new - I love it!

 

Could you tell me very generally how to install windows onto two drives in the same computer - totally new concept to me.  How will things run with a C:\ Windows and a D:\Windows?  I'm guessing a multi-boot screen gets involved.  Please just point me in the right direction this sounds great.

I use the Vantec EZ Swap System. 

 

 

Could you tell me very generally how to install windows onto two drives in the same computer

 

Dugald,

You would only boot into one or the other. You select which one to boot into at start up. You start with one  systems, you make a clone copy of it onto the other SSD. Then you install your flight sim and supporting add-ons to one, and install your normal computer stuff (Office, email, etc.) on the  other 

 

Acronis makes good backup software that includes a cloning feature.

 

I have two additional drives that I can easily insert/remove from my computer. I use Acronis at least once a month to clone my SSD(1) and SSD(2), then remove the clones for safety. Helps to avoid performing total reinstalls.

Frank,

 

Thanks, that's very helpful. I actually used Acronis to clone my C: drive when I got my first SSD, and like you I regularly make a backup clone, but it didn't occur to me to try dual booting. So I'm off now to check the current SSD offers in the UK!

 

Dugald

Dugald. Glad that helped. Windows (Microsoft) sees both as the same system. Like it is seeing a backup restore. The only occasional hassle doing it this way is automatic updates. Windows, your AV, etc. And if you use email on both (I do not) you will need to keep it cleaned up on both. remembering how you have your deletions set in regard to your providers server.

I'm not a computer guy, so cloning and dual boots, etc... are out of my ability range at the moment.  I will say I have installed FSX and all addons onto a 1 TB SSD, and it was the best decision I've made for this hobby.  Everything loads so quick, and even the PMDG NGX flies smooth as butter.  I guess the Skylake CPU helps with that too.

 

 

I would just have to plug the SSD into the new motherboard without a days long rebuilding necessary.

 

Except, the registry entries are stored on the OS drive, as well as program information in the Program Data and Appdata folders.

 

If the OS drive craps out you'll still need to reinstall many of you flight sim titles.