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If I uninstall FSX-MS, and then install FSX-SE, do I lose all my addons?

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Or do they transfer seamlessly,  with out any action on my part?

 

Boxed edition is so bloated with addons, I think, that it will not load fully before it hangs,  but I hate to have to purchase everything again.  Simply cannot afford it.  

 

I have purchased P3D,  but there I know that most addons ( A2A,  Realair,  GTN750,  ASN, REX etc, ) would have to be repurchased, so not sure if I want to go that route.

 

Between a rock and a hard place.

 

 

 

 

 

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Uninstalling FSX boxed version and installing Steam edition is like starting all over. Your add ons are mostly within the sim folder itself so removing FSX is deleting all those files. I'm not sure what you're asking.

 

Once you remove FSX and install the Steam version, you will be building from new. So you'll have to reinstall the RealAir, GTN, REX, ASN, and so forth. The only difference is that you don't have to repurchase those add ons. Keep in mind a few add ons aren't compatible with the Steam edition. Not many but a few. Check that out first.


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Do more people prefer the boxed or steam version of FSX? For a first time load...

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The other issue is, even if you uninstall FSX-MS, when you install FSX-SE it will do a side by side installation. There is a way around it but it involves clearing out all traces of your FSX-MS installation in the registry, not advised unless you really know what you are doing. One mistake in there, and you can really do damage to your system, including the ability to boot it up. (Emphasis intended)


Do more people prefer the boxed or steam version of FSX? For a first time load...

For the most part the Steam version is more stable, has better VAS management. Most addons now work, or has a version that does available for it. One notable exception is the freeware FSRecorder. Some say they have gotten an older version to work (Ver 1.33) but it doesn't work for me.

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Tom

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The other issue is, even if you uninstall FSX-MS, when you install FSX-SE it will do a side by side installation. There is a way around it but it involves clearing out all traces of your FSX-MS installation in the registry, not advised unless you really know what you are doing. One mistake in there, and you can really do damage to your system, including the ability to boot it up. (Emphasis intended)

For the most part the Steam version is more stable, has better VAS management. Most addons now work, or has a version that does available for it. One notable exception is the freeware FSRecorder. Some say they have gotten an older version to work (Ver 1.33) but it doesn't work for me.

VAS?

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VAS?

VAS = Virtual Address Space (Address space the O/S allocates to each Application running on the system. This is what allows you to run multiple applications on a system at the same time)

 

32bit applications like FSX are limited on a 64bit O/S to 4GB VAS  On a 32bit O/S like XP Vista that limit is 2GB by default but can be up to 3GB if system is set to boot up with the /3GB flag and the App is set to Large Address aware. Both FSX SP2 and FSX-SE are.  The biggest improvement DTG made to FSXE was the way FSX managed it's VAS. This greatly reduces the chance of an Out of memory error (OOM - It actually means Out of VAS, not physical memory) that occurred much more often with FSXMS because FSX didn't clean itself up as well during the session. (What programmers call Housekeeping). Lockheed Martin implemented similar improvements in Prepar3D 3.x.


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Tom

My Youtube Videos!

http://www.youtube.com/user/tf51d

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The Steam edition is slightly improved version of FSX with slightly better memory (VAS) management.  It's also the equivalent of FSX Acceleration which is the final release of FSX by Microsoft and has a few added features over the Deluxe version.

 

I changed to the Steam version about a year ago and I'm VERY HAPPY that I did so.

 

Most FSX addons are compatible with the Steam version, but before you purchase FSX Steam check to be sure your addons are compatible. As far as Aerosoft, PMDG, REX, Active Sky Next, Aviliasoft EFB, FSFX products are all compatible (and as I said, most all others).

 

If you decide to move to FSX Steam (a.k.a. FSX:SE) then I strongly (almost to the point of insisting) that you reinstall Windows before installing FSX:SE.  Having both FSX and FSX:SE can be very problematic (there are work arounds, but they can be very tedious).

 

Final word is that if you go with FSX:SE with a clean install of Windows (and Windows 10 is fine), when  you use an installer for third party FSX products  you'll usually get a menu asking you which version you're installing the addon for - you'll then want to select FSX and NOT FSX Steam/FSX:SE as the latter selection is for people who have both FSX and FSX:SE installed at the same time (again, I advise you not to do this for a seamless and trouble free experience).

 

I hope this has been helpful to you.

 

My very best wishes.


Dave Hodges

 

System Specs:  I9-13900KF, NVIDIA 4070TI, Quest 3, Multiple Displays, Lots of TERRIFIC friends, 3 cats, and a wonderfully stubborn wife.

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VAS = Virtual Address Space (Address space the O/S allocates to each Application running on the system. This is what allows you to run multiple applications on a system at the same time)

 

32bit applications like FSX are limited on a 64bit O/S to 4GB VAS  On a 32bit O/S like XP Vista that limit is 2GB by default but can be up to 3GB if system is set to boot up with the /3GB flag and the App is set to Large Address aware. Both FSX SP2 and FSX-SE are.  The biggest improvement DTG made to FSXE was the way FSX managed it's VAS. This greatly reduces the chance of an Out of memory error (OOM - It actually means Out of VAS, not physical memory) that occurred much more often with FSXMS because FSX didn't clean itself up as well during the session. (What programmers call Housekeeping). Lockheed Martin implemented similar improvements in Prepar3D 3.x.

ah ok, thank you for the info!  I am not a big computer person, although I love Flight sim.  I have been out of the loop for almost ten years since I used to run FS9.  My biggest struggle will be the PC technical issues .  If flight sim is up and running, I can fly it !  :wink: .  I am glad I have you guys on here to learn from.  Nobody I know personally is into Flight Sims.  

 

One last question sir.. When you say "run multiple applications at once".  Which applications are you referring to?  Those within the FSX program or running FSX plus other programs on the computer simultaneously? 

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One last question sir.. When you say "run multiple applications at once". Which applications are you referring to? Those within the FSX program or running FSX plus other programs on the computer simultaneously?

 

Every process (Application) running is allocated it's own separate address space 4GB for a 32bit app. Much greater then GB's for 64bit apps (We're talking pebibytes - Don't ask, If you are interested look up 64 bit computing on Google), needless to say it's doubtful your system will ever come close to that.  So you can run say Firefox listening to Pandora Music while flying in FSX. Each process with it's own protected 4GB address space. In fact FSX addons like ASN of COUATL use this same ability. They interface with FSX using SimConnect , without needing to take up FSX's own address space, because they have there own allocated VAS. Addons though that use .dll files do run inside of FSX and do use FSX's address space. This is why I setup my dll.xml file to load my non essential addons (Mostly aircraft) to ManualLoad=True. Then on FSX start it will ask if I want to load that addon, I say no to all but the ones I am using for that session. The rest never gets loaded, so that frees up some more VAS. No sense loading up the system with dll's you're not using.  


Thanks

Tom

My Youtube Videos!

http://www.youtube.com/user/tf51d

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For most addons, you will have to reinstall them as you would if you were reinstalling FSX-MS. However, addons which don't directly modify FSX (ex. PFPX, TOPCAT, any sort of ACARS software, etc.) can be kept without issues.

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