Why not copy your whole FS2004 folder onto a portable hard drive?

There's your backup, apart from payware stuff that might have to be re-installed.

On ‎6‎/‎5‎/‎2018 at 7:08 AM, Skywatcher said:

For old software Win 7 is the best bet. Win 7 won't evolve into other OS's, it'll always be Win 7.

And here lies another BIG problem for us FS9-ers.

From what I am reading Microsoft will not be doing anything further to ensure Windows 7 and 8 will run on the new Intel [and possibly AMD?] processors.  My rig currently uses an Intel i5 processor but when these cease to be available then the only route will be Windows 10 on a newer processor - that is so long as compatability mode remains available to us.  This leaves me thinking about buying right now another PC, or i5 processor with mobo, and keeping it on standby just to future-proof myself and ensure I can get a bit more enjoyment from the hobby.  It could be that I might even have to think the unthinkable - that when my current PC finally gives up I too will give up on flight sims.  At my age, and considering the huge cost of moving to another sim platform, the end of the line might finally come one of these days.

David

7 hours ago, Skywatcher said:

I'm running one of these but the problem is they don't utilize the GPU very well at all. As long as you're running things that aren't graphic intensive they are useful.

It should be possible to let the GPU pass through the underlying OS so it has a "direct connection" to the virtual machine. At least that's what I learned from watching a Linus tech tips video where they split a monster PC into two so to speak, running 2 virtual machines plus a server or something, and they saw hardly any difference in performance compared to a native system.

Oh wait... I think the thing was that the virtual machine(s) need their own dedicated GPU, so you should set your normal OS to use the onboard graphics in your CPU and set the virtual machine to use your dedicated graphics card.

Have you tried that? I might give it a shot just for fun, despite my mere 4-core CPU.

Edited June 11, 20187 yr by neumanix

2 hours ago, vector said:

And here lies another BIG problem for us FS9-ers.

From what I am reading Microsoft will not be doing anything further to ensure Windows 7 and 8 will run on the new Intel [and possibly AMD?] processors.  My rig currently uses an Intel i5 processor but when these cease to be available then the only route will be Windows 10 on a newer processor - that is so long as compatability mode remains available to us.  This leaves me thinking about buying right now another PC, or i5 processor with mobo, and keeping it on standby just to future-proof myself and ensure I can get a bit more enjoyment from the hobby.  It could be that I might even have to think the unthinkable - that when my current PC finally gives up I too will give up on flight sims.  At my age, and considering the huge cost of moving to another sim platform, the end of the line might finally come one of these days.

David

I wouldn't panic just yet. Microsoft are just sooking that most of the world refuses to leave Win 7. They'll try everything to spook people and tell them Win 10 is the only place you can be safe.

2 hours ago, neumanix said:

It should be possible to let the GPU pass through the underlying OS so it has a "direct connection" to the virtual machine. At least that's what I learned from watching a Linus tech tips video where they split a monster PC into two so to speak, running 2 virtual machines plus a server or something, and they saw hardly any difference in performance compared to a native system.

Oh wait... I think the thing was that the virtual machine(s) need their own dedicated GPU, so you should set your normal OS to use the onboard graphics in your CPU and set the virtual machine to use your dedicated graphics card.

Have you tried that? I might give it a shot just for fun, despite my mere 4-core CPU.

No, I haven't tried anything. I only run a few little things on it and a game or two. "Out of the box" so to speak is all I need from it.

17 minutes ago, Skywatcher said:

I wouldn't panic just yet. Microsoft are just sooking that most of the world refuses to leave Win 7. They'll try everything to spook people and tell them Win 10 is the only place you can be safe.

Comforting thoughts!  I have to admit that the article I read was dated 2016 and here we are in the middle of 2018 and i5 processors are still available!  I mustn't panic!!!!

David

Its just that the chip manufacturers are developing CPU's that are optimised for modern software & hardware.

6 hours ago, Wobbie said:

Its just that the chip manufacturers are developing CPU's that are optimised for modern software & hardware.

Now this is more in line with what I have read.  Microsoft will only ensure that Windows 10 will work on the latest processors, which is fair enough.  Anyone with a previous version of Windows will have to take pot luck.

David

The CPU manufacturers will ensure that their new chips will only run with Windows 10.... NOT Microsoft! 

Opposite to how you explain. Don't always knock Microsoft.

4 hours ago, Wobbie said:

Don't always knock Microsoft.

If you read my post again you will find that I said:

"Microsoft will only ensure that Windows 10 will work on the latest processors, which is fair enough"

Saying "fair enough" shows that I understand Microsoft's stand on this and that's not knocking them.  But to be absolutely correct on this matter both the processor manufacturer and the software developer have to work together to ensure that the processor can run Windows 10 and that Windows 10 has the latest processor to work with.

David

Again, it's the CPU manufactures that will ensure that Windows 10 will work on THEIR latest CPU's.

Anyway, semantics, if you will, so, those simmers that are, or will be upgrading hardware must just do a due diligence check, if they insist on still using older operating systems.