When to restore OS system?

**Brushstrokes** · 03-06-2010, 08:52 PM

I currently have FSX installed on Vista separate from my C drive. ( E drive ) At one time, I had FS9 installed as well ( on C drive ) I have since removed FS9 but some files still seem to appear from time to time. I have ordered FSX Gold edition with acceleration and plan on removing the current version of FSX with Revo Uninstall. I know some addons have been added in C drive ( program files ) I want to clean up the mess. Will uninstalling all the old stuff be sufficient? I want a nice, clean system to start back with but if I dont need a complete system restore I would rather not do that.
Of course I have backed up all my FSX files ( enhanced sounds, textures, addon planes, ect ) and will reinstall those when the time comes. Thanks for the opinons.
Jack

**noell** · 03-07-2010, 10:34 AM

You don't need to do anything with the OS (ie Vista) if all you are doing is un-installing and then re-installing FSX. And while Revo is a great uninstall program it is not the correct way to uninstall FSX.
The proper way to uninstall your current FSX installation is to insert FSX Disk 1 and select Uninstall. After you do that, then install FSX Gold.

As for leftovers from your FS9 installation showing up, if you used an uninstall program (like Revo) to uninstall it instead of running UNINSTAL.EXE from your FS9 folder, that may be the reason.
What you need to do now is make sure you've manually deleted everything related to FS9 by following the procedure contained in "Resolution" section of this Microsoft link.

Just curious - FSX + FSX Acceleration Expansion Pack = FSX Gold.
So, if you already had FSX installed, why not simply install the Acceleration expansion pack?

**Brushstrokes** · 03-07-2010, 11:52 AM

Thanks for that. I cant remember, its been a while, but I think I was getting some error message about the uninstall of FS9. Then again, maybe I tried it from the ADD REMOVE programs. Ill look into that again. The link you provided seems to answer some of those questions. Thanks.
I didnt realize that the FSX Gold was the same version of FSX that I now use. So, in other words the only difference is the Acceleration program? The other question, if I am going to install acceleration, or for that matter, start fresh in install the FSX again, should I first remove things like Ultr Terrain, REX, GEX, Ult Traffic, ect ect? then re-install fresh ? One of my mistakes was letting some of these install on the C drive instead of the E drive where I have FSX. They all work, but I feel like they should all be together. In other words, I feel like I have stuff scattered all over! Because of that, maybe I do not get the best performance. Thanks again.

**noell** · 03-07-2010, 01:06 PM

The Gold edition is FSX Deluxe + Acceleration.

If you have FSX currently installed along with UTX, REX etc, there is no need to reinstall those add-ons if all you are going to do is install the Acceleration pack.
But, If you are planning on a complete reinstall of FSX, IMO, the best way is to first uninstall UTX, REX etc. and then uninstall FSX using the uninstall option on FSX Disk 1.
Then install FSX, run the default flight and reboot. Then install Acceleration, run the default flight again and reboot again.
If you are installing the Gold version, install it (which will also install SP2), run the default flight and then reboot.
Next I would follow this guide to the letter to properly set up FSX.
After that I would re-install my add-ons.

As for where you install things like UTX, GEX etc., all those programs do is modify the FSX textures which run from your FSX folder(s) anyway so, really, those type of add-ons can live anywhere unless, of course, the manufacturer of the product says otherwise.

**Brushstrokes** · 03-07-2010, 02:04 PM

Ok thanks. That makes it a little more clear. I think I will delete it all and re-install the new. Since all this will be installed on the E drive, seperate from the operating system, I suppose I should just wipe that drive clean once everything is removed? Reformat ?

**noell** · 03-07-2010, 02:22 PM

You could reformat if you want to but I don't think there would be any benefit from doing so.
All I'd do is delete whatever is on the drive that you don't want, reinstall everything, do a defrag and you'd be good to go.
If you want to be sure you have a healthy drive, you could run chkdsk after you've deleted everything and before you start doing the reinstalls.