foibles

Uh oh. Tedious and time-consuming does not sound like something I would be interested in if there is an easier way, unless that extra work comes with some other huge benefit.

Eggzman, something somewhat like what you describe happened to me in the past (it's been over 2 years). It left me wondering exactly how Microsoft decides when to require a re-activation. I wonder whether the agent you spoke with flipped a switch that allowed you a certain number of activations without needing to re-contact customer service. By the way, when you did you PC upgrade and reinstalls, did you use the same Windows as before, or did you acquire and activate a new Windows installation. Could that factor be playing a role in how MS deals with FSX activations? Here's a past post of mine on a related topic: http://forum.avsim.net/topic/405057-reinstalling-fsx-perplexing-behavior/

I thought I read somewhere that Microsoft was no longer supporting the original, non-Steam version of FSX, and I took that to mean that it is no longer possible to activate non-Steam FSX installed from discs. However, I was able to activate my own non-Steam FSX after a reinstallation last week. (It had previously been installed on the same computer, so not sure what to make of that.) So, is Microsoft still activating non-Steam FSX versions or not? And if they are, have they announced a date after which they no longer will continue to do so?

I have seen a few mentions of FSEarthTiles (or FSET) across the internet in discussions related to Tileproxy, but I don't really know much about it. I am interested in using one or the other for FSX (maybe P3D). For those who have any familiarity with both of these photoreal scenery approaches, what are your impressions of how they compare? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each relative to the other? (Or if you aren't familiar with both but know of articles or discussions covering both, can you point me to them?)

Just a note for anyone who has just installed Tileproxy and cannot get it to work. There are many threads on the internet discussing this error message: "proxy user: ERROR connecting to filter port: 0x80070002" Almost all of them say that the problem is due to a Windows conflict involving Tileproxy drivers not being properly authorized, and the typical suggestions for resolving the conflict involve various ways of disabling Windows' checking of whether the Tileproxy drivers are signed (for example, by installing and running a program called Driver Signature Enforcement Overrider 1.3b). In my case, the error had nothing to do with Tileproxy driver signatures. I was trying to set up the Tileproxy data files on a ramdisk. I used the ramdisk software's default settings when creating the ramdisk, which set the files cluster size at 4kb. As I subsequently discovered, 4kb is too small for Tileproxy files, so that choice kept Tileproxy from working. When I changed to a cluster size of 16kb, I stopped getting the "proxy user: ERROR connecting to filter port: 0x80070002" message. So, don't assume that if you are seeing a Tileproxy error connecting to filter port 0x80070002 message, it must be due to a problem with Windows' driver signatures, even if that is the most common cause of the error message.

How is the speed with this new version in P3D version2 vs in FSX?

I think I know the answer to this, but I'll ask anyway and hope to be pleasantly surprised by the answer. :rolleyes:

So, does the way that autogen buildings pop up in P3D appear basically the same as with FSX? Or has it improved? I'm considering a switch from FSX. Autogen popup has been the main annoyance in FSX, and one of the things holding me back from switching. If the buildings autogen popup effect has improved, I'd be much more inclined to transition. If it hasn't improved, I think I will continue to wait, since I've already invested a lot in addons and other equipment for FSX.

lol

How does FSX perform with a high overclock of a single core in a multicore cpu (such as 3770K) - vs leaving all cores at stock speeds vs a mild overclock of all cores?

You cannot just uninstall it like any other program. That would leave junk behind that could be a problem later. If you want to completely uninstall, you need to do a few other things. Try looking at these: http://support.precisionmanuals.com/kb/a87/how-to-uninstall-and-reinstall-fsx http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/showthread.php?18349-UnInstall-FSX

There is another major drawback to OEM Windows, though. You can only install it on one build. If you decide to upgrade your CPU and motherboard at some point, Microsoft treats that as a new computer and won't allow you to reinstall your original OEM Windows. You'd have to buy a new copy of Windows. Retail Windows costs a lot more, but you can reinstall it on a new build.

If you're patient, it's better to build your own. Doing it is a lot easier than most people think. You'll know exactly what parts are installed and get exactly the ones you want. You can avoid all the crapware that gets installed on factory-built computers. You'll save a lot of money. I usually buy parts from Amazon. I've signed up for their shipping program which lets me save on shipping fees and I can get orders delivered from them within 1 - 2 days, they usually have very competitive prices, and they have good return policies. For stuff I can't get through them I generally go with Newegg.