PC had died - system recommendations please!!

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expat

Charter Member
I am now resigned to the fact my system is kaput. Was getting more frequent BSOD's so moved the main o/s HD to another pc and transferred everything important I could think of onto an external HD. I moved the main HD back into to PC No 1 but could neither get it to do an XP o/s repair or an XP clean reformat, as it said in each case that my product key is invalid (it isn't, or wasn't before, but guess it is now).

My system was about 5 1/2 years old and now quite behind the latest technology so happy to spend some money on a new rig.

My old rig - I like to use build to order pc's - were:

Intel Core 2 Duo E6850 3.0ghz 4Mb
Asus P5nE32 mobo
250gig SATA hd
Nvidia 275 GTX
2gb Corsair memory DDR2 2x1gb
Corsair 620w psu

I would like a strong but stable machine and to move to Windows 7 64 bit with solid state memory but keep it simple with no cooling or overclocking but a fast cpu. I don't know much about what memory, Nvidia cards, mobos or cpu's people are using these days.

Appreciate any suggestions, guides to best FSX installation etc.

expat
 
I just built my new system with an AMD FX 8350 8 core processor and its great! Runs FSX, X-Plane and Train Simulator quite well!
 
To the OP, his advice as to the best system
and most suited to FSX, available today, is spot on.
If you read nothing else read that.

As to the article, he sets his parameters out right at the start.
You can see where he's leading but you are not invited to follow
unless you decide to.

I like his style and whether you agree or not, it is well worth the read.

Regards,
Nick
 
I hear ya.My pc is a old I7 2.6ghz I bought from Bestbuy along time ago as a emergency computer when my gaming system was hit by lightening. For the most part gutted it adding all my own good stuff but its still going and going and going.
I have always built my own systems but if mine hold out till Xmas I plan to treat myself.I have been looking at the systems Falcon Northwest has.If nothing else its fun to spec and build your system there like a kid in a candy store.Its easy though to burn up 3 grand quick.
Whatever I select I expect to spend most my money and attention on the cpu speed.
 
I am running 4 different systems for my flight sim.
Each one is running windows 7/64. AMD FX 8350 8 core processor, 2 1T hard drives, and 16g of ram. Calibre X580 Graphics Cards, Creative sound blaster Z SBX PCIE Gaming sound cards....
Each system was tested individually and ran smoothly with full photo sceneries, and about every addon scenery and payware aircraft available.....

My laptop on the otherhand is not as good.....
 
In case you're a little intimidated by that link (and you want the basics not nick whining about developers) basically you want a recent haswell system like this

4670K (k meaning unlocked multiplier - even if you don't want to OC now you may want to later)
or 4770K (hyper threading and 2MB larger L3 cache)

8 GB ram

Z87 motherboard (higher prices for more enthusiast features and OCing support)

nvidia 760/770/780 video card

haswell compatible power supply - if you go single video card and minimal hard drives and no special case lighting a 600W quality PSU will be more than enough.

For SSD consider a 256GB for FSX.
 
I need to keep an eye out for new gear myself. Stuff kept happening this year eating all my cash. MAYBE next year, if my old AMD 2.5 holds out. I"m going to keep an eye on this thread.
 
*grin* NEXT YEAR this thread will be loooong gone....... so will the current day CPU's and such. Better ask again by then. ;)
 
I see everyone saying what system but what operating system works with FSX? I use windows 7....does windows 8 work? I am considering a new PC also but most only come with windows 8 now.
 
Thanks guys for the replies. Which version of Windows 7 do people use? Should I get a "retail" version (never clear on the "OEM" vs "retail" version and restrictions on whether you can only load them once and the same machine or others etc)?
 
Francois said:
Windows 7 works just fine. Windows 8 is said to have some problems still...... I stuck with 7 so far ;)
Click to expand...
Au contraire....:pop4:

I've been running FSX and FS9 under Win8 since getting my new computer last February. If there are any problems they are the same as encountered with Win7 which is primarily the permissions control of the install folders. There were also a few FS9 utilities I had to give up, but that was little sacrifice for the speed and smoothness of Win8 on the new computer.
 
expat said:
Thanks guys for the replies. Which version of Windows 7 do people use? Should I get a "retail" version (never clear on the "OEM" vs "retail" version and restrictions on whether you can only load them once and the same machine or others etc)?
Click to expand...

Get the retail version, if you get the OEM, you'll get no support from Microsoft.

Ian.
 
expat said:
Thanks guys for the replies. Which version of Windows 7 do people use? Should I get a "retail" version (never clear on the "OEM" vs "retail" version and restrictions on whether you can only load them once and the same machine or others etc)?
Click to expand...

I would go for the more expensive retail home premium version. The OEM version can only be used on the 1st PC you install & activate it on. If later on you get a new PC and install it there, it becomes invalid and cannot be activated. The retail version can be activated on more than 1 PC (one at a time) so you can use it again once you get a new PC.

BTW: I installed both 32bit and 64bit (dual boot). All office and other stuff runs on the 32bit OS, I keep the 64bit OS lean and clean using it only for FSX. On the Windows sevenforums there is a simple guide on how to install dual boot.
 
I had a good experience with these made to measure custom pc builders for my R.I.P machine and considering using them again, but doing up a spec is MUCH more complicated (less fun) than it was 5 yrs ago and I have some anxiety about picking components that look to be balanced with others but learning my error later that it is not compatible or the best spec, etc.

http://www.cougar-extreme.co.uk/index.html

What is wrong with something like this?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/VIBOX-Snipe...?ie=UTF8&qid=1377693319&sr=8-7&keywords=4770k
 
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