Mr Nick NeedhamFirst let me say thank you for your expertize and the willingness to share it with the community. I am a long time simmer and first time poster. I have been following your threads for some time and have just printed your post on optimizing fsx and xp. I have a couple of questions to ensure I follow your instructions correctly.1. I currently use windows live one care but will be removing it using control panel and the one care cleanup tool and installing NOD32. Will this be enough or will I have to format and start again from scratch?2. I have been using O&O version 10 for about 2 months. I ran the space method for the first 2 passes after installing the software and have since used the name method. I want to follow your instructions step by step but am unsure about the defrag portion since I have already been using O&O.Again I wish to express my thanks for your willingness to help fellow simmers to get the most out of their FSX experience. I have learned a wealth of knowledge from your posts which have helped me to make FSX almost as real as it gets. PaulFSX&ACCELERATION,UTX,GEXN,FEX,SCENERYTECH USA,ASX

Nick,This is fantastic information!I've just followed your instructions to the letter but one question remains.When installing future software and program upgrades, do we need to go through the whole Space/Complete Name defrag sequences again, or is only a Complete Name defrag sufficient?Thanks,Stu

>1. I currently use windows live one care but will be removing>it using control panel and the one care cleanup tool and>installing NOD32. Will this be enough or will I have to format>and start again from scratch?I see no issues here and I see no reason for a clean install.>>2. I have been using O&O version 10 for about 2 months. I ran>the space method for the first 2 passes after installing the>software and have since used the name method. I want to follow>your instructions step by step but am unsure about the defrag>portion since I have already been using O&O.The design of O&O v10 unfortunately was changed. In that change the software no longer compacts slack sectors 100% during a COMPLETENAME defrag. I prefer sectors be filled during a defrag and that is why I use v8.5. That does not mean v10 will not work nor does it mean the process I outlined and using v10 will hinder the benefits significantly, however, with the free space v10 places between sectors it does in fact allow a drive to fragment easier, and, if a space defrag is run after a NAME optimize it will fill those slack sectors with files that are not organized in name order, therefore it will in fact remove a portion of the benefit provided by the NAME defrag.As long as you do not use the SPACE defrag ever again, you will be OK to use v10 but even with that, the slack space placed during the NAME defrag pass means less efficiency over the method v8.5 uses. Measured, its not enough to be specifically detrimental but it is there, none the less.As long as you run the COMPLETENAME defrags (at least twice) as outlined and skip the SPACE defrag after, you should be fineI usually run it 3 times with v8.5, but that is just me.NOTE: MAKE SURE you set O&O v10 up the same as I outlined for v8.5.. it must be set to USE ALL AVILABLE RESOURCES, SEQUENTIAL, and, to use LAYOUT.ini exactly the same as v8.5The list I provided is a chain... one link broken and the chain falls apart. That is why I warned in subsequent posts that those who decide to do things on their own and not follow the list exactly will not get the benefits the list provides. There are always a few smart-arse's out there that think they know better.. Its even worse if they work on computers for a living and believe they know better. more often than not, I find even the experts can be quite clueless and give all sorts of bad advice thinking all along, its good advice.

>Nick,>>This is fantastic information!>>I've just followed your instructions to the letter but one>question remains.>>When installing future software and program upgrades, do we>need to go through the whole Space/Complete Name defrag>sequences again, or is only a Complete Name defrag>sufficient?>>Thanks,>>StuVery good question StuThe best answer would be for me to relay what I do.After I install a large add-on or large software package (not MSFS related), I do in fact run 1 SPACE defrag and if I have the time to allow it... will run a COMPLETENAME defrag. I do ALWAYS run both when I install something into MSFS, no exceptions (v10 O&O can only run NAME defrag, never SPACE)Now, I set all my rigs up exactly the same... FSX goes on its own drive with add-ons such as UTX or any other add-on that REQUIRE installation directly to MSFS, into the FSX install. Add-ons such as GEX and FEX which are database types, and, install selected options of textures I install to the Windows OS drive. That way the FSX drive remains as clean as possible, only contains files needed for flight and therefore it fragments MUCH less. When MSFS is installed into the Windows drive (partition), it is susceptible to the ever and constantly expanding and contracting Windows OS, therefore I keep it separate. And I NEVER partition Windows OS drives or the drive MSFS resides on. I do however partition storage drives for backups and for keeping software ready for install at a later date.hope that answers your questions.

Nick,Thank you very much for your swift reply! I will begin optimizing my system following your detailed instructions and will hopefully smooth out fsx a little more!Thanks again for your time and helpfullnessPaul:-beerchug

You are most welcome Paul and I hope what was posted does help.

Excellent advice neighbor... Thank for the post an the O&O info.BTW, luv'n GEX--Ray in Port Orchard.

>Excellent advice neighbor... Thank for the post an the O&O>info.>>BTW, luv'n GEX>>--Ray in Port Orchard. >>Anytime... we are just a ferry ride away from each other... or like the black bears we sometimes get on the island, a very cold swim across the southwest point when the tide is outLOL:)

Thanks, Nick.I have my system set up like yours, with FSX on a separate drive.I've noticed you can simultaneously defrag all the drives in the list. Would you recommend such an approach?Thanks as always,Stu

Egads! *:-*Every have one of those really, really bad days? It was one of those for me when I made the post to Crimplene above. I didn't realize it until I read Nick's reply recently. By then it was too late to edit or delete the post (the forum timer ran out).Those who know me in this forum know in the past I am a strong supporter of the old adadge, "There is no such thing as a ****** question." That comes from also doing a lot of instructing (teaching) during my 25+ years in the Air Force. In the past, I have advocated in several posts not to get down on "newbie" questions posted in the AVSIM forum, even if the question has been asked and answered numerous times before. Some new users may just not know how to effectively use a forum search engine, etc. So my reply above WAS completely out of line, and completely out of nature for me. My sincere apologies to Crimplene and all members of this forum.What kind of "bad day" was I having? And why did it take me so long to post this apology? Well...For those of you who live long enough (and I hope you do!), there will come a day when you may experience a medical screening procedure designed for "older" people. Suffice to say, it is something like "having a basketball shoved through a soda straw". In any case, the day before, you have to take some pre-procedure medication. This medication was undoubtably designed by a sadistic doctor, because the instructions include something like, "Make sure you bring something with you to the bathroom to keep yourself occupied for the several hours you will be (THIS SECTION INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK)." So...there I was...sitting in my bathroom for the better part of 6 hours...after drinking ONE GALLON of this concoction..."taking care of business" (and trust me...that is a GENTLE way of describing it! I've seen nuclear weapons detonate with less fanfare...). I had taken my laptop with me to "keep myself occupied". After several hours of this, I was not a very happy camper. I promise NEVER to post any forum messages in the future during any repeat preparations for this medical procedure again.Again, my sincere apologies to Crimplene and the entire forum membership. :-hang FalconAF

No Worries... I get those days tooNo spring chicken here eitherBad day asside, I knew you just trying to be helpful and to stress a point. :)

NEVERNot possible anyway if you set up O&O as I outlined.Remember... I had you set up O&O to deal with the drives in a "SEQUENTIAL" operation therefore it will apply all resources to dealing with one drive at a time and if you select more than one drive, it will queue the next. You should reboot before continuing and not queue jobs, ever.I did that for a reason.. to make sure you don

....and hope I see even the slightest improvement on my P4 3.4GHz.If anybody already has seen an FPS or smoother using of FSX, I wouldn't mind please, you posting your before and after Opto results for the above.Now, off for my first post-Opto test flight. Mitch

remember, this is not about frames... its about resources and getting things smooth and clearer. You may be able to raise frame lock but be careful about cranking things up too.You should already notice your computer is running faster, faster boot, smoother and faster when it calls up a folder, etc. If not, I would have to question things and what else may be in the system that could be holding it back, and yes.. the hardware being used and age of the system will have a defined impact on the result too but you should see good changes none the less.One mistake people make is see a difference and then start jacking things up. Optimizing the system is part 1, optimizing FSX and the addons is part 2Its a combined result. Some people will see vast improvements, others may see small improvements, and, others who may have skipped steps or may still have something in their system eating resources like NORTON or other software running, or possibly spyware they are not aware is there, may see no resultI can say with confidence, what I posted will squeeze more out of a system for game and software use. I cant go through everyone

>remember, this is not about frames... its about resources and>getting things smooth and clearer.>>You should already notice your computer is running faster,>faster boot, smoother and faster when it calls up folder, etc.>If not, I would have to question things and what else may be>in the system>>>One mistake people make is see a difference and then start>jacking things up. Optimizing the system is part 1, optimizing>FSX and the addons is part 2>>Its a combined result. Some people will see vast improvements,>others may see small improvements, and, others who may have>skipped steps or may still have something in their system>eating resources like NORTON or other software running, or>possibly spyware they are not aware is there, may see no>result>>>I can say with confidence, what I posted will squeeze more out>of a system for game and software use. I cant go through>everyone