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Backing up Fsx?


CessnaFlyer

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hey guys. I been having issues with fsx again:( I am just wondering if it is cause of how I back it up. what I do is install the simulation+the acceleration pack. then I just take cut copy and paste it to my desktop. then when I have every thing set and working the way I want I delete the back up. would that cause issues with the main file it's self?
giving up on flight simulation for good:D
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You type the word "it" a lot assuming everyone understands what "it" is but really, only YOU undersand what "it" is, not realising "it" can mean many things.

 

1) The way you use the words "back up" is not the typical way computer people use those words. This causes confusion.

 

2) Your use of the word "it" can mean many things depending on context. If you want people to understand you the firest time, not 20 explanations later, please consider thinking more about how to word your posts before you type. I realize you're in a hurry for an answer and want to just type the first thing that comes to mind, but in reality, you make things slower because it takes a library of typing by everyone to figure out what you are really saying. In this case, what your typed looks to me as if you are talking about copying a shortcut to your desktop. Since you can only have ONE FSX installation per operating system, thus you can only have ONE shorcut that actually successfully STARTS and runs the application, it's irrlevant how you got that shortcut on your desktop. It works or it doesn't. If FSX does not start when when you click the icon, then you created a shorcut to an invalid exe application. If FSX DOES start, but you don't like some feature or part of the simulation is broken, this is not the fault of the shortcut, but some modification you make to FSX every time you install it and for some reason, you are unwilling to avoid making the same add-on, config mistake over and over.

 

-Pv-

2 carrot salad, 10.41 liter bucket, electric doorbell, 17 inch fan, 12X14, 85 Dbm
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No what I ment by backing up fsx is putting the whole simulation file on the desktop in case a texture file or scenery file got messed up or did not work!!! the question was also is that causing problems when you rename it on the desktop Fsx Back up and then deleting the file? would it not be the same thing as backing up a default aircrafts CFG before making changes incase the changes do not work you have the original.
giving up on flight simulation for good:D
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I did it the easy way. After my last total reinstall, I just right clicked on the FSX folder, which I have in the default location since I'm on WinXP, and the pasted the folder to the root of C. That's my backup of FSX for aircraft, scenery, effects, etc.

Still thinking about a new flightsim only computer!  ✈️

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i put mine on my desktop cause it's easier to remember where i put it and what it is for so i don't mix the back up file for the actual game. and the reason i do this is cause i have found planes sounds and scenery's and textures that don't work and mess up a default plane. when that happens it is nice to have the original texture to fix a fubar. lol and no i don't come here for fast answers either.
giving up on flight simulation for good:D
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To answer your question, deleting a copy of your FSX install from your Desktop should have no impact on your working install of FSX.

 

Though doing so kind of defeats the purpose of having a backup in the first place.

 

peace,

the Bean

WWOD---What Would Opa Do? Farewell, my freind (sp)

 

Never argue with idiots.

They drag you down to their level and beat you with experience

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To answer your question, deleting a copy of your FSX install from your Desktop should have no impact on your working install of FSX.

 

Though doing so kind of defeats the purpose of having a backup in the first place.

 

peace,

the Bean

 

+1 I would keep that backup handy for future screw ups!

Still thinking about a new flightsim only computer!  ✈️

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Hi keith

I don't completely understand what you mean, so I can't/ won't try to explain what you did right/wrong. Instead I'll just list the steps I took back when I installed fsx.

I installed FSX back in december 2013, still running. It's installed on the E:\\ partition in E:\\myowngames (folder I created for it).

 

INSTALLING:

-0- Create E:\\myowngames

-1- Install fsx, activate, short default ultralight flight, no settings changes, no addons.

-2- Reboot, Windows updates, Reboot again, Defrag.

-3- Install fsx-accelleration, activate, short default ultralight flight, no settings changes, no addons.

-4- Reboot, Windows updates, Reboot again, Defrag.

 

TESTING AND FIXING (No installing addons yet):

Do at least 50 test flights in the default aircraft. Keep the settings light, fps fixed, no light bloom. After every flight close fsx and restart it for the next flight.

 

**At least 15 flights with the ultralight, landings, takeoffs, visit various airports around the default flight area. Make sure you do some longer flights too, up to 1 hour.

**Some flights in the Cessna and the Beech Baron 58, varying between 30 mins and 2hours.

**A couple of flights in the b737_800, just take off, depart straight out, let her climb out on autopilot. No thrills flying, just testing the stability of the install.

**A few test flights in the default b747_400.

**take off in the default b747_400 and let the flight run through the night. Check the next day if you are still flying.

 

During the test flights, check all scenery is present and correct. Trees, taxiway signs, runway lights, ships, air traffic, etcetera.

Also, Use the menu's during flight, use Alt+Enter to go to windowed and full screen. Using the menu could cause a crash that is related to uiautomationcore. If it does you can fix this by installling the uiautomationcore file in the main fsx folder (This fix can be found via flightsim.com forum).

 

Especially if there are crashes, check the Windows Error Log. Look for the faulting module. Type it's name in the search box on flightsim Forum and see if you manage to find a fix. (simprop.dll or g3d.dll are examples of what you might see as faulting module). If you can't get it fixed start a thread.

 

BACKING UP:

Once everything is running smooth (einwandfrei), long times, zero crashes, it is time to make the backup.

At this point still no addons are installed. All the default files are still there.

All I had done at this point was installing the uiautomationcore file.

Fsx was in E:\\myowngames\Microsoft Games\Microsoft Flight Simulator X

And fsx was the only thing in there.

 

-1- Creating a full backup of the fsx folder.

I opened folder E:\\myowngames\

selected (single left click) the folder \Microsoft Games\

Right-clicked that folder and selected "copy"

went to the root of the drive, so opened E:\\

Right-cliched the whithe area in E:\\

Selected "paste"

The backup folder is created as E:\\Microsoft Games\..\..

 

Now to make sure I (and Windows) don't get confused, I changed the folder name from E:\\Microsoft Games\ to "140109 fs orig -0-" (without the quotes). (-->Date= 9th jan 2014 fsorig -0-)(writing dates like that makes them organise nicely in a folder.) (140109 comes before 140311 alphabetically.)

Checking (now) I see my backup folder E:\\140109 fs orig -0-\ is 16.6GB in size.

|

This folder Is my backup in case I stupidly delete a file in the real FSX folder. It is not to be used instead of installing. Only for restoring lost or corrupted files. The files in the backup folder should never be changed. If you need a file from it, just copy that file somewhere else to work on. Don't do the work in the backup folder. Try not to even open files directly from there. The reason of course is that if you open a file and accidentally change it, you have ruined the backup too...

|

Just in case I ruin the backup, (yes, I too can be stupid that way), I made a zip of the backup folder as well. Just Right-clik the backup folder and click "send to zip". That way I got a file E:\\140109 fs orig -0-.zip

I've not had to open that file up ever, it is there just in case.

(To be complete, I actually use the program 7zip to create zips, so the file is actually called E:\\140109 fs orig -0-.7z)

 

If you are afraid you will accidentally start the fsx.exe file in the backup folder. Just change it's filename to fsx.exe.bak so it is no longer an executable file.

If you ever need that file you can simply change the name back, and it will still be ok.

A file in a zip can't execute. Only after it is unzipped. So you are safe there.

 

In case of a ruined Cessna, you could then simply copy the entire Cessna folder from the backup to the desktop. Then repair the real fsx folder with those files on the desktop. leaving the backup folder intact.

My backup folder has not changed at all since it's creation in Jan 2014.

 

__________________________________________________

------------------------------------------------------------------

After all that.

HOW TO MAKE EDITS TO AIRCRAFT. (in the real fsx folder)

 

As example, let's say you want to make edits to the Cessna aircraft.cfg file.

First you open the ..\SimObjects\Airplanes\C172\.. folder.

You right click the aircraft.cfg file and click "copy".

You click a white area in the same folder and click paste. The new file will be named "aircraft - copy.cfg"

Rename that file to: "aircraft -0- orig copy.cfg" so you will know to safeguard that one.

 

Now you can make edits directly in the file "aircraft.cfg" file.

(You have the backup file (and the full backup folder just in case also))

You make your edits directly in the aircraft.cfg file, and test in fsx to test your changes.

Once you have got it right, first document your changes in the aircraft.cfg file itself at the top. Lines that start with // are comment, and are not executed by fsx. For example:

 

//added livery: Canadian, Alaskan, WestJet.

[fltsim.0]

title=Cessna Skyhawk 172SP Paint1

sim=Cessna172SP

etc

etc..

And save it.

After that you create another backup of the aircraft.cfg file, to preserve your edits, since it works now. Again just create it in the ..\SimObjects\Airplanes\C172\ folder. Again just copy and paste, the file is again named "aircraft - copy.cfg" by Windows.

This one you rename to (for example) "aircraft -1- 3NewLiverys.cfg"

Make sure you give each copy of the aircraft.cfg a number, starting with -0- for the original, and a description. By putting the number first in the filename they will show up like this in the folder:

 

htbs1 sml.jpg

 

Example is from my baron 58 folder.

(P.S. Sometimes I don't make the backup straight away, but go flying and forget. Or I wait untill I want to make some completely different change. I then make the new backup of the aircraft.cfg just before starting the new edits.)

 

If you ever get stuck, and can't repair your last edits, you are safe.

You just delete the messed up "aircraft.cfg" file.

Then you take the last file you had that did work (aircraft -3- X.cfg), make a Copy of that (aircraft -3- X - Copy.cfg)and rename that copy to "aircraft.cfg".

Now order is restored and you can try the edits again.

 

________________________________________

----------------------------------------------------

With this setup, in your situation now with the Cessna, you could just compare to one of the originals, try to spot the difference, and make your changes to correct the problem.

 

Nothing is 100% foolproof I think, but this will go a long way to keeping things organised and running. (A Large part of keeping fsx running is keeping things organised!!! - Notice the file beech info.txt" in the image, in that file I log changes to the config files, for example when an edit in the panel.cfg requires an edit in the aircraft.cfg as well.)

 

After significant changes to the fsx folder, (many many files at once, like texture addons,) I sometimes made an extra backup of the full fsx folder, and kept those in zipped form only, to save disk space. Some of those I later discarded, but that first backup has stayed and will stay.

 

I'll knock it off now before it starts getting confusing. Hope it helps.

il88pp.

[sIGPIC][/sIGPIC]
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i have the uiauotmation core installed already. and the HIGHTESTMEMFIX as well in the main cfg. since I started using those I have not had the black screen with sounds in the a2a 172. but I did have a glitch with the b-17. but that's for another forum. lol
giving up on flight simulation for good:D
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well isn't it nice though that the default textures and every thing you need to fix a screw up is right there on the desktop?? backing up would be putting the entire simulator on another computer or multiple cd's and in my case I don't have cd's big enough for fsx.
giving up on flight simulation for good:D
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well isn't it nice though that the default textures and every thing you need to fix a screw up is right there on the desktop?? backing up would be putting the entire simulator on another computer or multiple cd's and in my case I don't have cd's big enough for fsx.

 

It would be better to place the backup in a folder located in the root directory on the drive(for example C:\FSX Backup) and then create a shortcut to the backup folder on your desktop this is easy to do - simply right click on the folder and select SEND TO > DESKTOP (CREATE SHORTCUT) from the displayed menu.

 

Ideally though, you should consider getting a cheap external drive to back up to - right clicking on your FSX folder and selecting PROPERTIES from the menu will give you info on how much space your default install is using. Do the same for any other FSX related folders you may have outside the default folder (for example I have a dedicated folder for addon scenery, traffic files and other backup files generated by addons such as GEX). Add the totals together to get the MINIMUM size you need as your starting point.

Regards

 

Brian

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It's still not a backup - it's just a copy. If the Windows or the hard disk goes do you've still lost everything.

 

Anyway, a 1Tb drive is less than £50 - iisn't that worth it to protect your complete pc, not just for FSX?

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It's still not a backup - it's just a copy. If the Windows or the hard disk goes do you've still lost everything.

 

Anyway, a 1Tb drive is less than £50 - iisn't that worth it to protect your complete pc, not just for FSX?

 

yes that would be ideal. but here in the states they are more. I would only need probably a 30 Gig harddrive to back up fsx any way.

giving up on flight simulation for good:D
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yes that would be ideal. but here in the states they are more. I would only need probably a 30 Gig harddrive to back up fsx any way.

 

Why not look for a smaller HDD or a 64GB USB memory stick which will be cheaper than a HDD?

 

A quick check on the USA pages of a well known website that starts with A and is named after a major South American river shows that 1Tb drives can be had for as little as $60 (about £44 at the current exchange rate) or smaller drives (eg 120GB) for as little as $35 (£23). There are even smaller HDDs (80GB) if you want it cheaper

Regards

 

Brian

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Unfortunately all too many don't backup their computer until after the first time they have lost something.

 

Likewise, too many don't read the documentation that comes with new computers and fail to create the all-essential rescue disks or regular driver backup disks. Many just don't understand that if the OS is pre-installed creating the disks will provide them with a copy of the OS (that they have essentially paid for) which will allow them to recover the computer following a problem.

 

It also amazes me that many do not bother with AV/Malware software either.

Regards

 

Brian

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You do realise that the price Gerry gave was in British pounds, not dollars right? External 1 to 2 TB hard drives can be had for easily under $100 US.

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100023376%204027%20600030763&IsNodeId=1&bop=And&Order=RATING&PageSize=30

yes sir I do. but a flash driver would be a lot cheaper. I have a 16 gig flash drive I got on sale for 20.00$ I have seen bigger storage cd's but did not have the money for those
giving up on flight simulation for good:D
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  • 2 weeks later...
member when I said it's good to copy and paste this to the desktop in case of screw ups? well I am glad I did. I was working on some files I have for my flightsim and messed up 2 files for the Mooney bravo:o but all I have to do is copy and paste the whole plane and I am good to go again:D
giving up on flight simulation for good:D
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