Hi Nick,I am thinking of trying your tune up method. I was wondering though, if for whatever reason I feel that it didn't make enough of a difference to warrant purchasing O&O defrag, what would happen when the trial version ran out? Can you just reverse the specific O&O registry settings, and start doing regular WinXP defrags again, or would that really bugger up things?Thanks,Bill

Not at all Bill you can reverse at anytimeI don

Thanks so much for the quick reply Nick!Thanks,Bill

No problem Bill Happy Simming!:)

Hi Nick,"if you try to use the above with the other defrag software, it will mess up a drive very fast because I had you shut down the last access update file stamp feature in Windows through the registry in the list above and most defrag software uses the last access algorithm."This is something I've been wondering about for a while and when I read the above I thought it was about time I asked you if this applies to 'Perfect Disk'.One of the reasons why I've not felt compelled to clarify this before now is that I have not noticed any deterioration in performance of my HDs / XP / Flight sims / etc. over the past couple of years since I started using PD. This despite having enabled NtfsDisableLastAccessUpdate quite a while ago. PD has proved utterly reliable and I use it quite often to keep my 2 drives in good shape.Are you saying that if I can be persuaded to follow your advice to its logical conclusion and switch from PD to O&O I can expect a significant improvement in performance over what I have now? I have implemented everything you have recommended short of switching the defragmenter.Regards,Mike

======================================================Hi Nick,"if you try to use the above with the other defrag software, it will mess up a drive very fast because I had you shut down the last access update file stamp feature in Windows through the registry in the list above and most defrag software uses the last access algorithm."This is something I've been wondering about for a while and when I read the above I thought it was about time I asked you if this applies to 'Perfect Disk'.One of the reasons why I've not felt compelled to clarify this before now is that I have not noticed any deterioration in performance of my HDs / XP / Flight sims / etc. over the past couple of years since I started using PD. This despite having enabled NtfsDisableLastAccessUpdate quite a while ago. PD has proved utterly reliable and I use it quite often to keep my 2 drives in good shape.Are you saying that if I can be persuaded to follow your advice to its logical conclusion and switch from PD to O&O I can expect a significant improvement in performance over what I have now? I have implemented everything you have recommended short of switching the defragmenter.Regards,Mike===============================================YePuninstall PD first reboot and install O&OYou can use the trial and make sure you follow the directions exactly too... I actually do 3 NAME defrags, not 2 but that

Groan! :(Okay, looks like I've just learned a valuable lesson.Appreciate all you have been doing lately to help our community, Nick.Many thanks!I've downloaded version 8.5Regards,Mike

You have nothing to lose Mike... try it, set it up like I outlined, defrag like I outlinedIf all the other items ARE done as I specified and its all in order, I bet you may be seeing some real differences.Good lucK!:)

Hi Nick,Great post."The page file ALWAYS goes on the boot drive with WindowsXP. Never move it."I have my boot.ini on C:, and WinXP SP2 on E:. Which drive should have the virtual memory?Thanks, Bruce.

Where is Windows installed?E?Thats where it goes, with WindowsXPWhere ever the OS is located, thats where it goes. Question... are you dual booting? If not, how can the boot.ini be on C and the Windows install be on E?Never came across that one, just curious

>>>Where is Windows installed?>>E?>>Thats where it goes, with WindowsXP>>Where ever the OS is located, thats where it goes. >>Question... are you dual booting? If not, how can the boot.ini>be on C and the Windows install be on E?>>Never came across that one, just curiousHi Nick,Have been following your posts in this thread with great interest and I have become a little confused thus far.When I purchased FSX Deluxe when it was launched, the computer I had then could barely run it. As an ardent follower of this young mans' website at http://www.tweakguides.com/TGTC.html and with all the tips and tweaks offered by the knowledgeable folk here on AVSIM. I decided to build a new machine within a certain budget, and finished up with what is listed below my signature. It appears that you are as keen about O & O as I am with PerfectDisk 9 but I'm a little confused as to why you don't think the 'Page/Swap Files' should be anywhere else but in the OS drive. With my 'Page/Swap Files' out on my 3rd SATA HDD's primary sector, FSX on the 2nd SATA HDD's primary sector and my XP Pro on the 1st SATA HDD's primary sector, the countless hours of happy and smooth flying that I have had since, has made my investments in extra HDD's well worth while.Needless to say that without the very useful tips provided by Rhett, Bill Leaming, David Roche, Phil Taylor and Geoff, to name but a few, I've no doubt my FSX experience would be somewhat different.

You can not use PD with the list I provided above.. I have already answered the questions about the use of PerfectDisk with the list I posted above, and, about the page file..I know threads like this get large and the information in them can get buried, so I have copied the answers to those questions below..Use of PerfectDisk with my list:===============================================PD uses a "combined' algorithm of last access and another method which is why you may not have noticed anything, especially right away.. and, it takes 60-90 days (sometimes 120 days) for it to really begin to mess things up because the current time/date stamps will retain the file location integrity... when that time runs out.. PD will begin to mess up a drive with last access disabled, count on itI dont post them warnin's fer nuthin Unless PD changed something in their design in the last year that I did not hear about, those files on your drives are not in optimal order.. except the boot files.. and if you are judging things by the way windows boots, thats a mistake because PD will keep that in order and my edits above will also make that more efficient with PD, but the files past boot are not.I only use O&O.++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Moving th page file when the system is not designed for its use, at all... game rigs do not use the page if set up correctly and moving it will net you nothing:++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Bottom line, What use is it to put the page on another drive?On a network server whereby the page will most likely be used it is important to TUNE and position it for best resultsIf you do as I specified above the page will ALWAYS end up at the END of the data on the platter. Since the user makes sure their PM is in line with their use, the ONLY thing the page is used for is for program allocation. In example.. some programs such as Adobe Acrobat Professional, when booted, look for an allocated and specified space on the page file. It only makes sure that space is available. If its not there because the user specified a "constant" page size that is too small, or, the system is not set up to use "SYSTEM MANAGED, which increases and decreases the file as needed, you can get an OOM error with that program at boot and it will exit.So the two major things that file is there for on a properly defined and built system that is not a network server, or other of that nature, is for crashes and a log file write, and, to ensure programs have the space they may wish to have allocated for its use. Otherwise the file is not used unless you run out of PMNow, if you are telling me you are running FSX on a system with 1GB of memory, then it is possible optimizing the file and its location MAY help but I would never fly or use a system that required the page file in ANY operation. I would increase PM before I would bother moving the page around.Moving it therefore becomes an operation that nets you absolutely nothing, other than to believe the internet story about moving it will make your system run better, which is TRUE if -and only if- certain network or lack of memory criteria are met... If it won't, why do it.+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Hope those answer your questions:)

Hi Nick,Now that I have O&O vs.8.5, do you recommend doing a 'space' defrag after installing any new scenery and/or aircraft?

No sir.. Install everything first... all updates, themes changes you wish to make, aircraft, scenery... etc, Install all Windows programs, etcInstall everything and then start the defrag optimize processIf you did the optimize and then installed after, it would be a mess again. When ever you do any -large- install of an add-on into FSX in the future you should run the spacerebootcomplete-name defrag. If is a small change, or addon the SPACE defrag alone is fine until the monthly routine comes up:)

Yes Nick, I am dual booting. Thanks for the info.Bruce.