I was in a real quandary.  I had been trying to make a critical decision about an important transition.

I made the decision last night after reading opinion after opinion on whether I should uninstall MSFS 2020 or just keep it until I see how MSFS 2024 worked out.  My decision was based on many comments I read all over the internet from those who said that 2024 will run better on a clean drive with no possibility of interference from another program on the same drive. Microsoft also recommended it.  I have a 1TB M2 dedicated to MSFS (also one M2 for P3dv5).  Additionally, there were many who said that MSFS 2024 isn't a totally new program and it contains many elements that already exist in 2020.  Therefore, although there may be some hiccups in the new program and tweaks necessary to make in 2024, it shouldn't be a significant issue that can't be remedied rather quickly.  Also, with all the great new planes and pumped up sceneries, do I really want to go back and forth with the old and new programs?  No!  I want to continue to explore the new 2024 and have fun every day with it. 

Of course, there were many who say they will keep both sims.  That's ok too.  I just felt that tomorrow (the 19th) will be a great day to set up the new sim, set up my joystick and sensitivities and do all the necessary adjustments to graphics and views that I want.  I was never one to "look back".  So, my decision today feels good.

I bought my 2020 and 2024 from the STORE, and it was super easy to go there, and it showed what I own and what I recently bought.  Just click on the 3 dots and say UNINSTALL.  That one button took care of everything that was MSFS related on my computer.  So very easy.

That makes perfect sense and is definitely the logical way to go - good to hear that it's a painless process.

I'm going to go against logic and keep both installed for a bit - just so I can compare and contrast improvements. Does the lighting really look better, or is it just my imagination / placebo effect? Jump back into 2020 to find out... Not because I doubt there's an improvement, but because I want to admire / appreciate the improvement that was made. Does it make sense to keep 500GB+ tied up on an SSD and risk conflicts just for this purpose?  Absolutely not 🙂

I run 2020 using addon linker to allow me to use a different community folder location.  I plan on installing 2024 to a different drive, and start from scratch without addons.  I don't plan on pointing my large addon folder to it just yet.  But I also don't plan on uninstalling 2020 just yet.  

3 minutes ago, micstatic said:

I run 2020 using addon linker to allow me to use a different community folder location.  I plan on installing 2024 to a different drive, and start from scratch with addons.  I don't plan on pointing my large addon folder to it just yet.  But I also don't plan on uninstalling 2024 just yet.  

It’s a good feeling of security, I suppose. 
I somewhat like to “live on the edge” and since I’m now retired, I’m getting even more comfortable with taking chances.  I have time to deal with it. 

1 hour ago, spilok said:

My decision was based on many comments I read all over the internet from those who said that 2024 will run better on a clean drive with no possibility of interference from another program on the same drive. 

Well, whoever recommends this might have never used his rig for more than one game I guess. And the funny part: those things that actually MIGHT be an issue when having both sims installed are anyway stored in your C:\ drive and NOT on your dedicated sim drive. Did you make sure that all those files and folders are removed as well? If not, you might have interference issues although you uninstalled MSFS2020...

13 minutes ago, micstatic said:

I run 2020 using addon linker to allow me to use a different community folder location.  I plan on installing 2024 to a different drive, and start from scratch without addons.  I don't plan on pointing my large addon folder to it just yet.  But I also don't plan on uninstalling 2020 just yet.  

Same here. Got the premium Deluxe and pointed the Xbox-app to install new games to anotherdrive/MSFS2024

Hopefully it will install here tomorrow with out interfering MSFS2020 with addon-linker like your setup

Michael Moe 

3 minutes ago, AnkH said:

Well, whoever recommends this might have never used his rig for more than one game I guess. And the funny part: those things that actually MIGHT be an issue when having both sims installed are anyway stored in your C:\ drive and NOT on your dedicated sim drive. Did you make sure that all those files and folders are removed as well? If not, you might have interference issues although you uninstalled MSFS2020...

Sure did. My entire M2 shows 99% free!

I'm going with steam for 2024, but went MS store for 2020.  Once the faq confirmed marketplace purchases would work from one to the other it seemed like a no brainer for me.  Especially since I've made a very small amount of purchases from the marketplace.  I've always avoided it unless no other option was available.  

 

This whole upgrade process will be interesting.  Last thing I want is to run dual sims.  But it seems like it will be the only way for a while based on the comments of numerous 3rd party devs. 

I'm also jumping in straight at the deep end, time for a new adventure with MSFS 2024. 

I'm sorta jumping in. I'm not uninstalling 2020 tonight or tomorrow. I mainly want to make sure if something is going on with servers, etc. I can at least fly something. Also I may need grab a file or something so it's worth having it.

My plan is to uninstall at the end of the weekend.

MSFS 2020 will be uninstalled on my system as soon as the Fenix, YSSY, YMML, YBBN, and Minicockpit are all working in MSFS2024.

Haven't seen this mentioned anywhere. Do we lose all of our flight hours from 2020 or will they carry over to 2024 via our gamertag?

Crazy. Absolutely no benefits to removing MSFS 2020 so quickly. Just like every new release in Flightsim history, it will be months before the new sim is truly ready. 

Edited November 18, 20241 yr by YukonPete

I fly add-on airliners like the Fenix and the PMDG birds way too much to ditch 2020 right at release of 2024.

 

I will make as much space on my drive (MSFS and all its add ons take up an ungodly 900GIG on my 1TB drive) as possible, without sacrificing the most important add on airports and aircraft  for MSFS, so that I can switch back and forth depending on what I'm in the mood for. That means I will probably uninstall all the World Updates from 2020 completely, since having 100 gig of POI's installed makes little sense at FL360 and reserve 24 for the VFR flying and take advantage of the POI's already being included and streamed in whenever I fly near them.

Edited November 18, 20241 yr by Farlis

Parting is such sweet sorrow. But i had huge fun with 2020. But on to the next version as I've done since the Prologic days. Uninstalled it this evening. Bought a new 2gb Samsung SATA drive. Lots of room on the other drives I'm ready to rock.