Sartanius

Ivan - Instead of "what P3D has the possibility to be" it is really "what P3D already is". If you read what I wrote above, there is already a clear, tangible, and obvious improvement over FSX and the only way you will ever understand that is to try it yourself. I realize you already have a very stable and mature FSX installation, and that's "golden"... you are fortunate. Staying with FSX is certainly a safe way to go, but... I too have a terrific FSX setup with a host of add-ons, but I decided to give P3D a try just for kicks... and now I have no desire to go back to FSX. Clearly YMMV with regard to your hardware setup, but if you give it a try, you just might like it With regard to your add-ons question, Orbx Australia, FS2crew, ASN, REX4, and Ezca are already compatible with P3D v2.4... I don't know about the others since I don't use them.

As stated above, there's a clear immersion factor that immediately sets it apart from FSX. A subtle smoothness, more refined. After using it, when you go back to FSX it definitely feels like going backwards. Is FSX still viable - certainly, but P3D is already a huge improvement, and it's also moving forward in development. I don't believe you'll be disappointed.

Purchased, downloaded, installed, and runs great! Thanks PMDG for licensing the T7 for P3D. We want you guys to stay in business for a long time!

Yes, you can update your computer to Windows 10 and preserve everything you have. I have done this on several machines and everything works as it should after the upgrade is complete. However, I suggest you wait till the fall when Windows 10 releases since the Tech Preview (TP) release builds are beta software and there are no guarantees. While I have successfully upgraded a couple machines, and my FSX/P3D installations worked just fine after the upgrade, there's no way to know you will enjoy the same good fortune with these beta builds. If you really want to do this, then I suggest you do a complete image backup of your current Win8 machine onto an external drive so if the Win10 TP upgrade doesn't work, you can restore back to where you are now.

penta_a - glad to see someone else with the same experience as me. I am very encouraged in these early Windows 10 days!

FSX Gold, FSX SE, and P3D2.4 all run exceptionally well in Win10 Technical Preview (Build 9926). I have the latest Win10 build on all my home-built PCs including my main machine and have all three simulators loaded. The most significant observation, for me, is the complete elimination of the controller drop-out issue that plagued many using Win8/8.1. With 100+ flights now completed using Win 10 (all builds starting with 9841) I haven't had a single joystick problem... and for me that's great news! Windows 8/8.1 was actually lighter on resources than Windows 7 and FSX performance was on par and even slightly better, IMHO. Win10 has been a bit better again, and this is still beta code. I am very encouraged. Of course, with the plethora of hardware configurations out there, YMMV. At least for me, Win10 is shaping up to be an excellent OS release with regard to flight simulation.

Cool. And remember, the next Win10 build (Consumer Preview) is releasing sometime this coming week to all Windows Insiders. If you do complete the install over the weekend, don't forget to update to the very latest, and likely far more polished, build next week.

Interesting thread with the varied opinions one would expect from this crowd. I have been using FSX Gold, FSX SE, and P3D2.4 in Windows 10 now since the Windows Insider program started and couldn't be happier with performance. I have updated all my home-built computers and use it daily on my main machine. The biggest obstacle to enjoying FSX for me up until that time was the controller drop-outs introduced with Win8/8.1 That is now history with Win10 as I've taken over 100 flights since switching with not one hiccup with my joystick. That's a big one for me, but I understand it is meaningless to those still using Win7. Win10 looks to be the same type of update to Win8/8.1 as Windows 7 was to Vista. The cycle seems to repeat itself. In any event the new OS, although still in the alpha/beta stage, is really stable for me and is likely to be a win-win for those who decide to make the switch. Just my opinion, of course YMMV.

Nope, you'll need the latest build they will release early next week. I'm not sure what their plans are to release the ISO images at the moment. If you are already an Insider and you've already installed a Windows 10 build, then you'll get the new build automatically via the "Preview Builds" menu in PC Settings. In any event, if you haven't already, you should join the Windows Insider program. Completely free, no obligation, but you'll have access to all the builds and the Win 10 forums.

And as a follow-up... the new Windows 10 Consumer Preview version was not released today but will become available to Windows Insiders within the next week. It is completely free to join Microsoft's Windows Insider program and begin receiving Win 10 builds. You can sign up here.

FlyBoyMikey: Yes. I loaded up FSX SE on a newly installed Win 8.1 machine and sure enough, lost the controller when I went to another screen during a flight. The good news is Microsoft is releasing Windows 10 Consumer Preview (CP) today and, as I've stated in this thread, the new OS definitely cures this problem completely. Although not the final RTM release of Windows 10, I'd expect this CP release to be very stable. But, YMMV.

Turning tessellation on worked for me as well. What a relief!

There's also this link to another thread here in the PMDG forums describing a "magnetic variation" fix for FS9 and FSX. It definitely did the trick for me. Link: http://forum.avsim.net/topic/336155-magnetic-variation-updates-for-fs9-and-fsx/

Sounds like a good plan. Note that Win 10 RTM is slated for the September 2015 time frame.

I have read that MS is going to allow updating to Win 10 RTM over the Win 10 CP version. Of course they could change their minds, but that's what I'm hearing ATM.

Paul - no settings need to be changed. I installed the Win 10 TP over my Win 8.1 Pro installation and everything worked just fine. There were some other folks I read about on other forums that also tried this and their joystick problems were cured as well. It appears Microsoft corrected the Win 8.0/1 code responsible for maintaining joystick connectivity after focus is removed from FSX in Windowed mode. I wish I had links to other forum posts where folks had success, but I do not. Of course, if you try this, it is at your own risk. I am pretty certain Win 10 will do the trick for all those who try it, but it isn't possible to know this for absolute certainty. I am also confident that Win 10 CP will be even more stable than the alpha releases I've had so far, so I only see this improving going forward, and it's already good enough for me to use on my day-to-day primary computer.

As I mentioned earlier in this thread, Windows 10 Technical Preview completely cures this problem. Since changing over I've flown nearly 100 flights without a single joystick issue. Microsoft will be releasing their Windows 10 Consumer Preview (CP) on 21 January, and from what I've seen on all their earlier Win 10 alpha builds, it is expected to be a very stable CP release. I fully understand and appreciate that many don't want to go this route, but it needs to be socialized as an option since the problem is completely corrected and FSX, P3D 2.4, and FSX Steam all run superbly. Just sayin'...

David - as Spirit stated, I won't recommend Win10TP for your main FS machine since there are so many variables and YMMV. However, I have been using Win10TP on all my computers and have been very pleased for the most part. The third TP build (9879) had some stability problems but the patch I referred to above fixed many of those and all seems to be well now. FSX and P3D performance are excellent! With FSX especially, the joystick disconnect problem that had plagued so may Win8/8.1 users has been fixed, which is a huge relief. Since installing Win10 I have had dozens of flights with no joystick issues. All-in-all, Win10 looks like it just might be what Win7 was to Vista... a drastic improvement. And Microsoft are finally reverting back to a desktop centric schema with a Win7 style start menu, which will please many folks. I think you'll like it, but again, YMMV.

Well, didn't have to try your suggestion after all, David. Microsoft released a patch for Win10TP Build 9879 today in an attempt to correct all the stability problems that showed up in this 3rd TP build. After applying the patch, the NVIDIA 344.65 installer worked just fine and the update was successful.

Thanks, David. I'll give that a shot. However, I didn't think the kernel version number had changed until that Chinese team got hold of a leaked build that's later than the last Win10TP build (B9879). I think I saw that it was build 9888 and it was the first time anyone saw that the kernel version number had changed to 10.0 Regardless, your suggestion is worth a try.

Quick question. I am running Win10 (B9879) and it will not allow me to update the NVIDIA drivers. I am stuck with the default Win10 version, 340.xx. When I try to install the latest drivers the NVIDIA installer fails saying my operating system isn't recognized. Is there a way around this?

After a total of 10 complete flights and an 11th in process with the PMDG T7, REX, and Ultimate Traffic my joystick remains stable and connected. No anomalies at all... just rock solid performance. It's time to claim victory with Win10TP. I am very glad I can fly FSX now without all the disappointing disconnects. This may be a fluke affecting only me, but I'll take it! I wish all the rest of you success with this.

Yea, I completely understand. I follow Paul Thurrott (of winsupersite.com) and tweeted him about whether Win10 RTM could be loaded over Win10 Preview/RC or if Win10 RTM would require a fresh install. He told me that, even though MS hasn't said at this point, he's pretty sure you'll be able to upgrade Win10 Preview/RC with the final Win10 RTM bits without requiring a complete rebuild. Since he's not completely sure about this, here's what I did: 1. Created an image backup of my Win8.1 C-drive (with my Apps, OS and FSX) onto an external drive. This preserves my fully loaded and functioning FSX install. 2. Updated my Win8.1 PC with Win10 TP (Build 9860), and all is well. If MS will not allow updating Win10 RC with the final RTM version, then I'll simply restore the backup image and then do the upgrade from there. Beforehand I'll be sure to make copies of all the flight plans, cfg files, etc. that I've modified while running on the TP and RC builds. This way I get to enjoy solid joystick performance for the next 6-8 months while we wait for Win10 RTM. BTW, 6 complete flights now with no joystick issues at all. I'm now about 95% sure they fixed it.

Windows 8 was a failed experiment and ended up disenfranchising both the enterprise and desktop users. They had some good ideas, but the integration between desktop and "modern" applications was disjointed, so it never really took off. Windows 10 is a return (retreat ?) back to the Windows 7 user base. The new start menu will be familiar to all Windows 7 users and the ability to now run "modern" apps in windowed mode on the desktop finally gets it right. Based on how badly Windows 8/8.1 was received, I wouldn't be surprised if Windows 10 is free, or at the very least somewhere around $40. Yes, Windows 10 Tech Preview builds, and the eventual Release Candidate (RC) build, are/will be completely free. However, once Windows 10 RTM is released in the first half of 2015, all Tech Preview builds and the RC build will expire and be deactivated. If you want to continue using Windows 10 after that time you'll have to upgrade to the RTM version. Just don't know yet whether that will be free or some nominal cost. As for Win10TP doing something to your PC, that's always a risk with beta/preview code. I have installed it on all my PCs/laptops and all are running just fine.

Great news so far! Four flights in the PMDG 777-200LR with REX Essential Plus w/Overdrive textures and zero joystick problems. All is stable no matter how much work I do on my secondary monitor. I spent about 2 hours logged into work via VPN while a flight was underway and nary a hiccup with the joystick. Win10TP is looking very promising at this point. Will continue reporting back in the days to come.