Hi,Can we perform a backup on our Activation file so that we can just restore back (after reinstall back FSX or reformat OS) without getting a new activation process from microsoft server? assuming all our hardware ID remain unchanged. can it be done?RegardsShaheedan

no. And there's no need to.As long as the machine doesn't change "significantly" (and that's pretty big changes) it won't count towards your number of activations.

Wow that's good to hear cause I was somewhat worried from my last "re-format/re-install" battle. Normally a one-time/one-day twice-a-year thingy for me, but this last one... woof... was like the 3rd or 4th time before I was content with the setup.Rob O.

As opposed to doing a reinstall of FSX. Can you do a backup say using Ghost of the FSX folder. And simply copy it back if say you install a larger drive or the drive crashes. This would avoid having to reinstall FSX and all the add-ons.Is this possible?Thanks in advance to all who reply.Bill

I wonder why someone would have to do a full reinstall that often anyway.I've only had to do so once on each of my last two machines, and that was because of hardware failure.That's an average of one reinstall every 5 years of operating time.

As long as you maintain the same drive letters, this would be fine. However, in relation to the OP - it probably would NOT restore your activation.VicQ6600 G0 CPU 2.4 o/c 3.65Evga 680i A1 with P31 BIOS 2G XP2-8500 DDR2 1066FSB Mushkin 996535 RAM 5-5-4-12-2T320G 7200 HD partitioned for XP/Vista/Programs 2 - 74G Raptors in RAID0 500G 7200 HD for backup SATA DVD burner Evga 8800GTS 640 PCIx 169.13 betaKandalf LCS case w/ built in liquid cooling 850W Thermaltake power supplyVisit the Virtual Pilot's Centerwww.flightadventures.comhttp://www.hifisim.com/banners/hifi-supporter-sigbanner.jpg

>As opposed to doing a reinstall of FSX. Can you do a backup>say using Ghost of the FSX folder. And simply copy it back if>say you install a larger drive or the drive crashes. This>would avoid having to reinstall FSX and all the add-ons.>>Is this possible?>>Thanks in advance to all who reply.>>BillJust Ghosting or Acronis Imaging the FSX folder will not get it all. Some of that information is stored in the OS (probably on your C: drive) . Microsoft calls it the, "TrustedStore". I have other names for it. ;)RhettAMD 3700+ (@2585 mhz), eVGA 7800GT 256 (Guru3D 93.71), ASUS A8N-E, PC Power 510 SLI, 2gb Corsair XMS 3-3-3-8 (1T), WD 150 gig 10000rpm Raptor, WD 250gig 7200rpm SATA2, Seagate 120gb 5400 rpm external HD, CoolerMaster Praetorian

On my 10 yr old notebook... yeah that one is treated like the proverbial kitchen appliance. And there is a certain delight I take in being able to use it that way. It may be 5+ years since I've reinstalled W2K on that clunker.However, my Quad Opty has been "my new baby". I like to do a complete reformat/reinstall every time an updated bios, video driver, or OS service pack is released. With ATI's release schedule, that really is not practical... so 6 to 8 months is good for me.And it seems I manage to install a utility or program that I end up not wanting on my system in a few months. I don't want to screw around with a VM...Since I recently found out there is a "difference" how the XP SP2 is applied i.e. some files might not be upgraded unless one was using a slipstreamed version... the "might" was all I needed as an excuse to do my "spring cleaning".So I don't "have to" do a full reinstall, but I definitely "like to" to have a clean registry and all the unused files blown away... All drivers installed right after the OS install... Maybe it's some Computer-OCD. Who knows and I certainly don't care. I figure with the license I have the right to install as many times to this comp as my heart desires.*Plus* the other "big thing"... I invariably end up learning something new each time I do a reinstall... something about the OS or My System (pun re: Aron Nimzowitsch intended).Btw... since a new system/upgrade appears imminent, this may very well be the last time the Opty gets a cleaning and I can start obsessing over the new one. :-PRob O.

Both heavily used machines...There's no need for a full reinstall if you don't install loads of rubbish downloaded from all over the net just to see what it does.Build or buy a cheap POS computer for that, and if you need to rebuild that from its restore disk every once in a while, but not your main system(s), those should be used wisely.

>Build or buy a cheap POS computer for that...With two kids in private school, a mortgage, a couple car payments (wow if I re-word that a bit I could make this into a Harry Chapin "Cats in the Cradle" tune) is why my current backup comp is a 10 yr old PII/266 Thinkpad.The money I could use for a 2nd cheap system is slated for a 2nd Clovertown or Harpertown cpu.I can tell you... after having waited 8 years to upgrade to a new system, I have certainly pampered my current one.Rob O.

Hi,Let say my FSX in the D drive (same hard disk) & i reformat my C drive, i did it last time without reinstall back my FSX, i just try to run my FSX.exe inside my D drive and it's failed. in this situation any shortcut way just to add FSX in the window registry without reinstall FSX? it works in FS9, possible in FSX?

This utility from Flight1 will restore the registry settings for FS9 or FSX: http://www.flight1software.com/files/FS_Registry_Repair.exeRegards,Jim Karn

>Hi,>>Let say my FSX in the D drive (same hard disk) & i reformat my>C drive, i did it last time without reinstall back my FSX, i>just try to run my FSX.exe inside my D drive and it's failed.Ouch! I can see why that would fail...FSX needs things on the C: drive to function. This is a Windows application standard. It is a standard with which I don't agree...but that's for another thread and time.You basically blew up your FSX install by doing what you did, but you know that now.>in this situation any shortcut way just to add FSX in the>window registry without reinstall FSX? it works in FS9,>possible in FSX?>>I'd look into the tool that Jim Karn mentions above. I know of no "shortcut". The registry settings are probably known by some people, but not me. They may be quite numerous.RhettAMD 3700+ (@2585 mhz), eVGA 7800GT 256 (Guru3D 93.71), ASUS A8N-E, PC Power 510 SLI, 2gb Corsair XMS 3-3-3-8 (1T), WD 150 gig 10000rpm Raptor, WD 250gig 7200rpm SATA2, Seagate 120gb 5400 rpm external HD, CoolerMaster Praetorian

Here's something I've done before to get FS9 working after a reinstall of Windows, and which might work for FSX:1. Before reinstalling, make sure your FS9 folder won't get erased. (So if it's on the Windows drive back it up, if it's on a second drive you shouldn't have a problem from that.)2. Reinstall Windows on the Windows drive.3. If needed, reset the security permissions on your other drives. (A clean install of Windows means new user IDs. Stuff on other NTFS harddrives may still have your old IDs.)4. Rename your FS9 folder to something else. (For instance "Backup Flight Simulator 9")4. Install FS9 to the same drive/folder you used before. Then rename that folder to something else and change the name of your old FS9 folder back. (For example rename "Flight Simulator 9" to "Clean Flight Simulator 9" and rename "Backup Flight Simulator 9" to "Flight Simulator 9")Payware addons may still need to be reinstalled though. And while I've used this for FS9 I've yet to try it on FSX. (Though that may be happening in the near future. Fortunately even if it doesn't work I don't have half as many addons in FSX to reinstall, and most of that I have the original zip files for.)Edit: Didn't realize this thread was almost a week old, was looking for some other info and got sidetracked. Still, maybe this'll be useful to someone. :)"Let me help you out. You're cleared to taxi any way you can to any runway you see."