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airtj

Charter Member
I backed up my flight sim to an external hard drive under Windows XP, can I copy the flight sim and put it on the Windows 7 computer? I also backed up the registry files associated with the flight sim can I go ahead and put them in the registry of the Windows 7 computer? What are some of the tips to make the flight sim run better under Windows 7?

Thanks
 
Tip1: DO NOT install any programs into the default Programs folder of Win 7...especially any programs that you will be modifying, such as your sim. Install your sim to a new folder outside of the Programs folder....even better an a separate HD away from the OS.

Tip2: I copied my installs of FS9 over from my XP system to my Win 7 system and had problems using the flight planning. I was able to get flight planning to work fully once I used the FS Registry repair utility from Flight1, but not all the time....it was hit and miss. So, I did a fresh install of FS9, enhanced it, and moved those planes that I fly most often and for which I actually create flight plans into that fresh install.

As far as the registry files stuff goes...can't help you with that...have never done a hand edit of a registry file before.

OBIO
 
Tim's right. Break out the CD's and do a fresh install, but point the installer to something like C:\Added Programs or something similar. There are too many security restrictions on the default program folders. Those permissions can be changed, but it can be a pain if you don't know exactly what you're doing. Once you have a fresh stock installation, start moving over all of your addon planes and scenery folders, then open up the scenery library and activate what needs activating there.
 
Tom Clayton said:
....Those permissions can be changed, but it can be a pain if you don't know exactly what you're doing....
Click to expand...
But if you do know what you are doing, those permissions can be changed in less than 5 minutes - and then you can do whatever you wish with the folder.
Also, installing scenery in Windows 7 is a little buggy. Pretty much all that's different is one extra mouse click at one point in the scenery installation process. For the most part, FS9 in Windows 7 is exactly the same as in previous operating systems, with all the same tweaks and so on applicable.
I would recommend, if you are running Win 7 x64, that you apply this patch -->> http://www.ntcore.com/4gb_patch.php which allows the FS9 program to use more RAM than it otherwise could.
Unless you plan to install stuff using executable installers and unless you want to use the flight-planner function of FS9, it is generally true that you do not need any special registry values at all. You could run a backed-up copy off an external HD if you wanted to without installing it - provided you had disk 4 in the disk-drive - and you didn't want to do any of the stuff listed above.
 
Even if you do completely turn off UAC installing in the default location is still a bad idea under W7. Especially if you plan on using WideFS or similar external programs with FS.
Even changing cfg files is still occasionally a pain in the rear when installed in that location.

As for simply copying and pasting I would suggest this procedure

1. Install a fresh copy with the options you normally use. Full, partial etc in a drive location of your choice. For example C:\FS2004 then start this new installation once all the way to a flight on the runway. Then shut down.
2. Rename that folder to C:\FS2004temp
3. Copy your old FS folder complete onto the C drive...
4. Rename that original folder to C:\FS2004

That should do the trick.

Cheers
Stefan
 
Stefan - that's not a bad idea! As long as the folder name/location matches the registry entries, your system shouldn't know the difference! :applause:
 
I have used that trick on multiple occasions until the Flight1 utility came available. But occasionally even that tool doesn't quite do the trick if the associated file locations are messed up.

Cheers
Stefan
 
Decided to do a fresh install of the flight sim, going to take a while to get it how it was.
 
Memory

Has any one else installed the 4GB patch? Under the system specs it states that I have 4 GB of memory, but only 3.50 usable. I install the patch and under the windows task manager it states 3583 mb (3.49 GB) is being used.
 
airtj

Your system has 4gb of RAM but only 3.5gb of it is usable? Are you using an on-board video "card" that is using some of the system RAM as video RAM? Under Win 7, you should be able to use all 4gb of RAM....so seeing that only 3.5 is usable makes me think your system is using 500meg of it for video RAM.

I took a look a the memory usage stats under Task Manager for my system, with the stock FS9.1 exe file and the 4gb patched exe file.

My system has 6gb of DDR 3 RAM, Win 7 Ulitmate 64-bit.

Stock:

Total: 6135
Cached: 3598
Available: 3826
Free: 283
Usage: 38%


4gb Patch:

Total: 6135
Cached: 3594
Available: 3765
Free: 227
Usage: 38%

I have no idea what all this means...other than I will see no improvement in FS9 by using the patched exe file.

OBIO
 
OBIO said:
Tip1: DO NOT install any programs into the default Programs folder of Win 7...especially any programs that you will be modifying, such as your sim. Install your sim to a new folder outside of the Programs folder....even better an a separate HD away from the OS.

Tip2: I copied my installs of FS9 over from my XP system to my Win 7 system and had problems using the flight planning. I was able to get flight planning to work fully once I used the FS Registry repair utility from Flight1, but not all the time....it was hit and miss. So, I did a fresh install of FS9, enhanced it, and moved those planes that I fly most often and for which I actually create flight plans into that fresh install.

As far as the registry files stuff goes...can't help you with that...have never done a hand edit of a registry file before.

OBIO
Click to expand...

Hi OBIO, can you elaborate on Tip 1 please? I've just bought a new rig, it's a Quad core with Win7 64bit, 6 gigs of RAM, and an Intel processor. I just loaded a fresh install of FS9, patched it to 9.1, dropped in Can/Alaska and GEP. Before I go any further, I would like to know more about your suggestion. Thanks.

Doug
 
Doug,

What Obio is telling you is: install the flight sim outside of the program files x86 folder, it places restrictions on programs that are installed in that folder. I installed my flight sim to C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Flight Simulator 9. And if you have a separate hard in your computer without windows on it install the flight sim to that drive.
 
I installed my sims as followsL

c:\fs9 home,
c;|fs9 military,
c:\fsX Home,
etc

Keeping the apps ouside of the "default" location makes life a lot simpler -- for me anyway -- as I do a lot of tweaking and messing around and Windows7 leaves me pretty much alone:icon_lol:
 
Doug

The default Programs folder, under Vista and Windows 7, falls under the domain of the UAC...User Access Control or what ever it is...protection. This can cause a ton of headaches as every time you try to do a tweak to a file in that area, Windows will ask you for permission to make the change. Installing your sims outside of the default Programs area will allow you to tweak and modify your sim installs without having to grant permission for your computer to do what you just told it to do.

If you only have a single HD in your system, create a new folder to install you sims into...something like C:/FS or C:/Sim. This will keep the UAC out of your sim business.

If you have multiple HDs in your system, install your sims to one of the other drives. I have three drives in my system: 250gig C drive for Win 7 Ultimate, 1Tb D drive for my sims and paint stuff, and a 500gig D drive for archiving and back up. I also have a 120gig external HD for long term archiving of files.

Tim
 
Ok, I took everything out of the Program Files (x86) folder, put it into the Program Files folder. Task manager shows my install as FS9.exe*32. Can you help explain that? My graphics look like crap. Also I should mention that I am running Win7 Ultimate, if that means anything to this discussion. Thanks.

Hold it: I updated the video drivers to 64 bit. WAY better... :0)
 
Doug, keep FS away from ANY Programs folder, if at all possible. Win 7 looks on anything in the Program Files or Program Files (x86) folders as being system files and will try to prevent you from tampering with them.

Reinstall FS to a path such as c:\Flight Sim and you should be OK. This goes for any program you might make mods to!

To the OP: are you using 64-bit Windows or 32-bit Windows?


Best,


Myles
 
I'm running a 64bit system. Here is what I found on Craigslist for a great price. It's a good start with room for upgrades I'm guessing.

Windows 7 Ultimate
System Type x64-based PC
Processor Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Quad CPU Q6600 @ 2.40GHz, 2400 Mhz, 4 Core(s), 4 Logical Processor(s)
ASUS P5N-E SLI ACPI BIOS Revision 1406
Installed Physical Memory (RAM) 6.00 GB
2 Nvidia GeForce 8500 GT in SLI mode
Hyper N520 CPU Cooler
500watt supply
Lian Li Aluminum tower

I've never seen FS9 look so good with almost no stutter and rock solid FPS. Well as good as those video cards will allow anyway. They're the only disappointment so far but still not too bad, just not best for FS. I plan to upgrade those and the power supply first.

What are the chances I can move the whole FS9 folder out and of the Programs folder and put it elsewhere rather than reinstalling?

Doug
 
Doug

You can copy and paste the entire FS folder outside of the Programs folder (then delete the original files), then use the Flight 1 Registry Repair utility to put the new location in the registry file. I can't guarantee that your install will run without a hitch...but it will work just fine. Most likely the issues will be setting up flight plans and using the Century of Flight and Flight School.

OBIO
 
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