Separate HD for FSX??

[Flaps30 3]

I'm about to make the big switch to FSX and a new system. I want to do it right, and one suggestion I heard from someone at the AVSIM convention in Virginia was to have a separate hard drive for just FSX and all its addons, scenery, etc. Is this a good idea?? Any other tips or suggestions on making this go right for me would surely be appreciated. I definitely want as smooth performance as I can get. Thanks. Tom

[JSkorna 137]

Hi Tom,It is good that FS is off your OS and swap file drive.Thanks,Jimhttp://www.hifisim.com/banners/hifi-community-sigbanner.jpghttp://www.hifisim.com/

[Orlaam 306]

This is how I've done FS9 and FSX on this newer computer. I think it has made a difference, but since I've never had either FS on the same drive on THIS computer makes it hard to say how dramatic a difference it is. No matter what, it is a better way to go for a variety of reasons.BTW, make sure, when you install FSX on your computer that you change the path to your non-OS drive. I installed FSX for the first time last month and the install screen for the path to your drive is easy to miss. I've been using computers for ages and missed that screen entirely. Maybe I'm just ADD, but the way the screen looks, it's not the same as other installers. I screwed my install up bigtime because I wanted FSX on my second drive like I have with FS9. Well, I missed the path screen and it installed to my OS drive. Once I realized this it was too late IMO. I tried to move the install, but the registry tags were in the hundreds at least. So, I uninstalled FSX and attempted to reinstall to my second drive. What a nightmare. It wouldn't allow me too and the result was endless errors and problems. It took hours to fix. I had to restore my registry to the previous day, which I set in case of a problem like that. The MS fix wouldn't work, nor would any other fix I'd read online. After I got rid of one error another would pop-up. What a mess FSX is to reinstall or fix.

[brucets 94]

Tom -The smartest guy in the FS setup/tweaking business says you put FSX on the same drive as the OS! No debate!Bruce

[Paladin 101]

I am MOST surprised at that !I have the OS {V 64} on C, FSX on D and Sceneries on E.These are all separate drives, SATA2 separate channels, not partitions. The OS drive needs to be defragged regularly, but the FSX drive only needs defragging after some additions are added and my scenery drive {GenX} + other Photo sceneries eg VFR London etc has not needed a further defrag after installation of all. I used Folder/Filename and wouldn't change my system to anything else. I only use this PC for "Flight Simming" so there is no other software resident.Regards,M.

[brucets 94]

M -That was his very first statement! (I had FSX on a 10k Raptor all by itself!)My new rig is totally dedicated to FSX also! Nothing else on it.Bruce

[RFields5421 1]

I have found FS2004 works best on a separate physical hard drive from the OSYet FSX works best on the same physical hard drive and partition as the OS.I've seen this and tested FSX both ways on Vista Ultimate and XP Pro.I have no idea why the difference or why it works opposite with the different versions. But that is my experience.

[Guest jshyluk]

I am laughing a bit at the "smartest guy" thing. You don't have to be smart to be right. I have more degrees than my wife, but she's always right. Hmm, reading that makes me wonder if I am not as smart as I think I am... probably not. Time to go back to school...I reccommend putting FSX on its own drive, if you can. It doesn't hurt anything to do so. It won't get clogged up as Windows implacably gets larger and larger on your hard drive. And if you have to wipe your OS disk, you won't lose FSX. The last point was a scenario that happened to me. I decided that I could spring for another drive, installed it, and re-installed FSX. In terms of loading times and performance, I didn't notice any big improvements, but I did lose some stutters that I am told happen when FSX and the OS make calls on the same hard disk at the same time. Jeff ShylukAssitant Managing EditorSenior Staff ReviewerAVSIM

[krishcanag 0]

>Hi Tom,>>It is good that FS is off your OS and swap file drive.>>Thanks,>Jim>>http://www.hifisim.com/banners/hifi-community-sigbanner.jpg>http://www.hifisim.com/IS THIS TRUE FOR FS2004 AS WELL?krishan

[Mace 1,902]

I think the reason that was said was because with modern hard drives, it doesn't make that big of a difference where FSX is installed, for most users.I'll gladly be keeping my FSX install on a separate physical hard drive no matter what the smartest person says. Maybe because I am dumber than the smartest person. There is no beating a VelociRaptor or Raptor with 1 single partition, to run FSX on. Well....unless you want to do a quality RAID with the right stripe size, but that's a whole other matter. ;)RhettFS box: E8500 (@ 3.80 ghz), AC Freezer 7 Pro, ASUS P5E3 Premium, BFG 8800GTX 756 (nVidia 169 WHQL), 4gb DDR3 1600 Patriot Cas7 7-7-7-20 (2T), PC Power 750, WD 150gb 10000rpm Raptor, Seagate 500gb, Silverstone TJ09 case, Vista Ultimate 64ASX Client: AMD 3700+ (@ 2.6 ghz), 7800GT

[Flaps30 3]

OK guys. It seems the vote goes to a separate drive. I never thought about the idea that if something goes wrong with the master OS drive at least I won't lose FS and all its separate addons. Thanks for the advice, tom

[Alvega 2,119]

>I have found FS2004 works best on a separate physical hard>drive from the OS>>Yet FSX works best on the same physical hard drive and>partition as the OS.>>I've seen this and tested FSX both ways on Vista Ultimate and>XP Pro.>>I have no idea why the difference or why it works opposite>with the different versions. But that is my experience.>I agree with you, after testing it both ways also. FSX on the same drive as OS, FS9 on a separate drive is the best way to go.

[Cheeso 0]

Jeff! (tongue in cheeck post here on from me)After reading your post I'm much more interested in your wife's opinion on the matter.. ;)>You don't have to be smart to be right. I have more degrees than my>wife, but she's always right. Now surely you would not imply your wife's not smart? Somehow that does not seem to be right. But your wife's always right, right?!>Hmm, reading that makes me wonder if I am not as smart as I think I >am... probably not. Maybe, but it seems you are right now..I'd better stop now as I'm getting lost and that would not be smart.Back on topic. My FSX is on the same drive as my OSCheers,Gerhard

[Guest jshyluk]

If we're going to drift off topic, and I am responsible for it, then I say we drift waaay off topic.Of course my wife is smarter than I am. She has very rightly corrected me on the errors of my reasoning. That, and although I have more degrees than my wife, she has more certifications. It's actually a raw point in our house and that you for pouring salt into that wound (smile). When we first moved in together, we had a devil of a time deciding how to split the household chores. Washing the dishes ended up at the bottom of both of our to-do lists. In a flash of brilliance, I suggested that whoever has the most academic credentials gets to avoid washing the dishes. After all, it's the most menial of work, and so should go to the most menial person in our relationship. Well, she hated that, but my logic was inescapable. Until, of course, her work offered here a number of paid certification programs. I've tried to keep up, but I'm not that studious. My compromise was to fork out for a really expensive top-of-the-line Asko dishwasher. The dishes are clean, but the hole in the budget that the Asko has made means that I won't be ordering from PMDG for a while. And now you know, and knowing is half the battle.(I apologise for derailing this thread, and I hereby return it to its interesting topic in --- three, two, one, now.)Jeff ShylukAssistant Managing EditorSenior Staff ReviewerAVSIM

[Guest BlueSteel]

Wait a sec, guys, whatever the merits of keeping FSX on a second drive for performance issues, a hosed OS is not a reason to do it. Think about it----where does the Registry live? With the OS. Where do the thousands of install bits get written? The registry. Ergo hosed registry=hosed FSX (and addons).