Windows 8 (again)

WarHorse47

WarHorse47

SOH-CM-2024
Now that Windows 8 has been out for several months, I was wondering how many SOH members are using. There have been several posts comparing Windows 8 to Windows 7 or XP, and discussions on setting folder permissions or issues with graphic cards, but I can't seem to find any guidelines or sucess stories.

Specifically, I'm interested to know

1.) if anyone has sucessfully installed FS 2004 (or any other filght sims) under Windows 8.
2.) if so, what worked and what didn't work with the install -- or what tweaks were necessary to get the sim working.
3.) what flight sim utilities worked or didn't work.

If you know of another forum with this information, please share the link.

Thanks in advance
:ernae:
--WH
 
I managed to install it without any difficulties.

So far everything works just fine.
I also installed FSX and FSX used to crash quite a bit, but FS2004 seems more stable to me.
I have a few Carenado aircraft running and so far no big issues. I'll report back if I find any issues.
 
I've heard mixed reviews and read mixed reviews. I just don't want my computer to look like a smartphone or tablet.
 
Thanks guys.

@kernelPANIC: Good to hear. I don't have FSX yet, but plan to after I get the new computer. My first goal is to get FS9 up and running. If I can do that without any issues, then FSX will be next. Can you share your computer specs, out of curiousity?

@Lonewolfee1: I hear ya'. Hate to see anyone trying to carry around a 24 inch monitor instead of a an iphone. :mixedsmi: Yes, I've read the reviews. From the book I recently picked up, it seems that the Start page is customizable so I assume in time someone will figure out how to get away from the standard page. To me its a trade-off on the improvements and the fact that MS will support it for the next 10 years.

Hopefully, we'll have a few more members using Windows 8 step up to the plate and share their experiences.

Cheers.
:ernae:
--WH
 
Tom Clayton said:
My only question is how easy is it to use the touch screen to click thinks in the cockpit?
Click to expand...
First things, first. :ipepsi2: Who has FS9 running under Windows 8, and what issues did they encounter?

It would be interesting to see how a touch screen would function with FS9, but I wouldn't upgrade for that reason. Activating VC switches - if you can find the right hot spot - is challenging enough with a mouse. :icon_lol:

:ernae:
--WH
 
Win Ate

Activating switches on the vc panel? Ha Ha. Good one! Once you start FS9 you will be in a totally different world from Windows 8 Metro and any touch screen capabilities. Sims don't 'DO' touchy-feely (hehe). FS9 and FSX are OLD 'apps'. So MS support of Wins 8 for 10 years means nothing to MS FltSim ('Games'). I am just learning Win 8 on a laptop and it's fraustrating (so far) but it's also very interesting.
Chuck B
Napamule
 
WarHorse47 said:
First things, first. :ipepsi2: Who has FS9 running under Windows 8, and what issues did they encounter?

It would be interesting to see how a touch screen would function with FS9, but I wouldn't upgrade for that reason. Activating VC switches - if you can find the right hot spot - is challenging enough with a mouse. :icon_lol:

:ernae:
--WH
Click to expand...

Neither would I. I'm hoping to build a new box in the near future and I have a W7-64 Pro iso and key just itching to be used. Touch screen functionality would be nice, but a good monitor would be almost as much as the rest of the box.
 
Interesting...

According to the stats, SOH has 7,429 members. Windows 8 was shipped on Friday, October 26, 2012, and only one SOH member (kernelPANIC) is running FS 2004 under Windows 8.
Not good odds. :pop4:
:ernae:
--WH
 
I think that for smartphones and tablets, with a touchscreen, Win8 may be viable, but for "traditional" PCs with a keyboard, mouse and conventional screen it will be an exercise in frustration. Win8 does have some nice features from what I read, such as the ability to connect a group of hard drives as a "virtual" drive, but the tile interface, lack of multi-tasking and new way of accessing everything (no Start menu as such) looks as if it is a disaster in the making that could make it the new "WinMe"

By all accounts the take-up of the new system has been "very poor", much worse than when Win7 was launched.

Suffice it to say that I recently upgraded my desktop PC and purchased my first laptop, and one of the prime reasons for getting them when I did was to avoid having to use Win8. After some 25 years of "mouse and keyboard" operation I really don't want to be bothered with having to completely re-learn a new way of accessing my PC just because Microsoft thinks its a good idea. I'm tempted to say that its less a case of MS shooting themselves in the foot than shooting themselves in the head.

Alastair
 
I have two friends who have W8 and they both hate it. One says she has trouble getting anything to run in it. No details on the other, just that he says he hates it. I know a third user who just got a W8 computer so doesn't have a really formed opinion yet, but seems to be having trouble getting started with it, and has already found some items that won't work in it. The techie who runs our local computer shop told me that if you don't like W7, you'll really hate W8. I don't like W7, so I don't intend to ever have a W8 computer. Too bad we can't still buy a new XP rig. (sigh)
 
Well, it looks like Windows 8 will be a challenge. :sleep:

I have a new computer and (non-touchscreen monitor) on order and it comes with Windows 8. I looked at some Window 7 machines, but they didn't offer the hardware options I wanted and Windows 8 (from what I've read) has some advantages in performance over Windows 7.

This morning I read an article that indicated some users are unhappy with Windows 8 because some features can only be used with a touchscreen monitor. So one of the new products being shown at the Las Vegas electronics show is USB pen to take advantage of those Window 8 features on older monitors.

The majority of the issues with running FS 2004 and FSX seem to focus on user administrative permissions on files and folders. There are also some threads on earlier problems with DirectX. Anyways, the purpose for starting this thread is to find out what works and what doesn't work from the experience of others.

In a worse-case scenerio - meaning if I cannot get FS 2004 to run in Windows 8 - I can always look to setting up a Windows XP virtual machine. It would be a hassle, but I know it can be done. Hopefully, I don't need to go that route.

Thanks for you comments, and feel free to continue the discussion.
:ernae:
--WH
 
Here are my computer specs as previously requested:

AMD Phenom II X4 965 @ 3.40 GHz
6.00 GB Dual-Channel DDR3 RAM
ATI Radeon HD 5700 Series
Microsoft Windows 8 Pro - 64 bits.

So far this seems pretty much like Windows 7 (compatibility-wise) with a touch-screen interface. Nothing much has changed under the hood I think. Everything works the same as it did in Windows 7.
Like I said, FSX had some crashing issues but I haven't had those with FS2004 on Windows 8.
 
WarHorse47 said:
The majority of the issues with running FS 2004 and FSX seem to focus on user administrative permissions on files and folders.
Click to expand...

Those same issues exist in Vista and W7. The easy way to get around them is to build a new folder on your C: root and install the sim's there. You can also alter the admin permissions in the default location, but it's a pain. I have no idea if the same workarounds will hold in W8, especially since the kernel now contains at least some Linux.
 
WarHorse47 said:
...In a worse-case scenerio - meaning if I cannot get FS 2004 to run in Windows 8 - I can always look to setting up a Windows XP virtual machine...--WH
Click to expand...

I have W7Pro and it includes an XP Virtual Machine. I bought that version because I was led to expect that any program that works in XP should work in Virtual XP. Wrong! So far, only one little application that ran in XP but wouldn't run in W7 would run in Virtual XP. None of the many others I tried would work in Virtual XP. I spent extra to get W7Pro with Virtual XP in the hope that I wouldn't have to replace a lot of my software, but except for that one small application, I had to replace all of the programs and aps that don't work in W7.

I hope there's a better version of Virtual XP in W8 than there is in W7.
 
My personal experience goes back to the days of DOS. During my last few years of employment, my work computer went from Windows NT 4 to Windows 7. All of the agency apps and those I acquired for my specific job functioned under Windows 7 with some exceptions. The biggest issue I encountered were when a 64-bit application needed to work with a 32-bit application, and neither vendor was willing to provide updated drivers to allow the two apps to work together. Consequently, we had to go to a Virtual Machine running in 32-bit mode Windows NT The specific problem we had was that the version of AutoCAD we needed installed according to the OS which meant it would not allow the 32-bit version to install on a 64-bit machine. I'm not saying it couldn't be done, but our IT staff couldn't figure it out so I ended up with a VM on my desktop. As a backup I had a second, older computer running NT 4 at my workstation.

Fast forward. I'm now retired and replacing my home computer. The new system comes with Windows 8, so I'll be starting from scratch on what works and what doesn't. I'm already prepared to replace my scanner and printer with a newer one 'cause I don't want to deal with the hassle of trying to get the older stuff to work with the newer drivers.

Again, from what others have posted, I should be able to run FS 2004 under Windows 7 or 8. So after I get the new system up and running, the plan is to reinstall FS 2004 and a variety of utilities on the new machine. The goal some day is to get FSX installed as well.

I was kind of hoping that some members like kernalPANIC would step forward with their experience in running FS 2004 under Windows 8 so we could start compiling information under the Tips and Tweaks section. It would sure save me a lot of frustration if I knew ahead of time what to expect. I guess I'll just have to wait and see where this goes.

Again, thanks for all your comments.
:ernae:
--WH
 
Hi WH,

Given that FS2004 can run just fine under Win7 64-bit (other than "old relics" like the RealityXP non-WAAS GNS430/530 that need the 16-bit Garmin Trainer) you might consider reformatting your Win8 PC and installing Win7 - or adding an extra drive and having some sort of dual-boot setup.

From what I read, running FS2004 under a "virtual WinXP" arrangement won't work. Good for simple non-intensive programs, FS2004 won't run fast enough "virtually" to be worth while.

Alastair
 
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