Skywatcher12

You run many of the games I do. Windows 7 is the way to go. Of course you may want updates etc so then you are stuck with Win 10 or 11. Most things can be made to run on Win 11 but you sometimes really got to know what you are doing. I would never touch Linux. Realistically, as far as compatibility with software goes, it's worse than Win 11. Linux users get no benefit running from Microsoft. I think people just like to say, "I don't use Windows."

Use the FS9 forum here. I will admit this, if you are coming to FS9 now, it'll be more difficult to find all the add-ons. Some are simply gone or download links are dead. Members here may be able to help out with certain add-ons you cannot find. On the positive side, there are quite a few payware add-ons that have been released for free still available. I do also run a lot of payware in mine that is still payware. Have a play with FS9 and do some digging, ask questions in the FS9 forum. If you find you are not enjoying yourself you can always switch back to FSX. Both FS9/FSX can happily exist on one drive. Install as you have suggested, C/FS9. Most importantly, have fun!

This sounds realistic. Even with FS9 and high end add-ons, you don't get 200fps. The other big benefit of FS9 over FSX is the choice of ground textures. FSX you basically have Orbx or default. While FS9 textures are lower resolution, at least you can change the look of your FS world more often. I'll take the hit to resolution in order to have more choice. Aircraft and airports, as I said in my post above, there is incredibly little difference when you compare apples with apples.

FS9 doesn't need internet activation. You just need to install v9.1 patch and the nocd. On FSX v MSFS performance, I could run MSFS on my PC reasonably well but FSX totally struggles simply because it is so CPU bound and only utilizes a single core. FSX needs far more CPU power than MSFS despite being a much older sim. FSX on it's own (default) sure, you can get some very high FPS with a modern processor but this all drastically ends when you throw in high end add-ons. My estimate will be about right. It would allow you to max FSX out, run any combination of add-ons and maintain around 60+fps. There is no one who can achieve this right now or ever has in the past if using the most system intensive add-ons. This is the reason I have stuck with FS9 as with my 3.7GHz CPU I can still maintain 20-30fps in the most extreme situation. I'd need to go to the 5GHz CPU I mentioned earlier to push over 60+fps in FS9 in such a circumstance. GPU also comes into the equation a little so with 5GHz you would likely get the 60fps even if running quite an average GPU. The other FSX issue is VAS. Even if eventually I get my 7GHz CPU, VAS will still greatly limit what I can do in FSX. In FS9 once you increase the VS limit, it is incredibly difficult to have an OOM. SSD is an interesting one. I've had one for so long I can't remember back to the days of running FS on a mechanical drive. However, I think they are greatly overrated. With FS9 or FSX, the only difference between mechanical and SSD is the initial load time of the sim. I'm not 100% certain on this but can't recall ANY other benefit with FS. I'm not even sure loading a flight is any quicker from the main menu, I doubt it is. Finally, I've always said FS9 is the best overall sim. I outlined some of the reasons why above. It is fuss and problem free. If you then compare identical high end add-ons in both FSX and FS9 (I have), there is soooo little difference FSX is simply not worth the hassle. The only reason I would eventually use FSX is to run some add-ons that are not available for FS9.

Your claim is one of those really ridiculous claims you can often find on the internet. No, I have no spreadsheet so users will have to take my comments from their own experiences with FSX and I'm sure they will find them accurate. There are those who love to argue everything I post such as yourself who may also come in and make equally ridiculous claims. PMDG type aircraft, into a high end payware international airport, large number of AI and heavy weather. No, neither you or anyone else on planet Earth is getting 200fps with a 3.8GHz CPU. lol You couldn't achieve your claims in FS9! FS9 needs a 5GHz CPU I estimate for optimal performance in the most demanding situations. Yes, for FSX 6-7GHz is my estimate with 7GHz likely being the optimum number to achieve good performance in the most demanding situations.

Oh, sorry, I thought you had the FSX version and were just worried about getting it activated. The FS2004 version will absolutely NOT work in FSX as stated above.

Geez. One of us isn't telling the total truth.

I think you need far more PC for FSX than MSFS. I worked it out ages ago and came up with needing something like a 6-7gig CPU to likely run it smoothly with top end add-ons. I may use FSX in the future but CPU's aren't there yet so I'll stick with FS9. No interest in MSFS, it's too arcade.

If you're installing the genuine product should be no issues. At worst you can uninstall it and all should be fine.

This isn't Windows XP we are using these days. It's Windows 10 and 11. Things don't work the same on these operating systems. When you run old software designed for the older operating systems, many things change as to how they will now work on Windows 10 and 11. It's very different to Win XP/7/8. As I'm only getting some tin foil, of which I certainly don't want some, I won't waste my time finding samples. I have showed this forum integrated graphics doesn't work. I have showed this forum how changing admin settings can stop other programs working. If this is not enough and you now need me to show you how changing all programs to admin will stop some of those programs working, sorry, you will have to just take my word for it based on the other things I have already shown. I honestly have better things to do.

And you have a graphics card right?

No, not one in particular. Haven't tried. I've mentioned this as I don't waste my time trying to find things that break. If you would like to wager me some $$$ I'll find one for you. I guarantee I can find an add-on that won't work correctly.

Oh, the other thing, I'm sure no one has ever checked if it still functions correctly when switched to admin. It "likely" does but just because it connects again, doesn't guarantee it still works the same.

Yes, you can fix it but then you'll break something else. You can't have your cake and it too.

The OP of this thread:

Ok, I don't have a problem with AI Separation it does work, just wanted to demonstrate how Windows 10 broke FS9. I'll continue this on here:

Trying to provide information which is completely unknown to the FS9 community. I've only made mention of this once. Read the thread linked below and then come read what I write here. Windows 10 broke FS9. People run FS9 using Wobbie's suggestion because otherwise FS9 will not work. The reason people need to use Wobbie's suggestions is they use integrated graphics. For anyone with integrated graphics, FS9 was dead on any Win 10 system. Windows 10 broke the ability to run FS9 with integrated graphics. Now, if you use Wobbie's suggestion, it'll start your broken FS9 again and it will work. FS9 isn't like many games where you can just try compatibility modes and change run as admin and you will likely do no damage. As FS9 interacts with so many different add-ons, making changes to Windows will break some of these add-ons. The add-on itself may no longer function correctly or how it interacts with FS9 may no longer function correctly. In the case of AI Separation and AI Smooth, one you set FS9 as admin the communication between these programs and FS9 breaks. The solution people have found is to also run the two add-ons as admin and all is good. No. I don't have an example, as I have stated, I have better things to do then try to break things so have not gone testing to find all the broken add-ons. The two mentioned were an easy test as I always have them installed myself and I suspected they might break if FS9 is run as admin. I can guarantee there will be other add-ons that will also not function with FS9 set to run as admin. I can also guarantee that if you set some add-ons to run as admin or change compatibility settings it will break the add-on in some way. There will be add-ons that must be run without FS9 set using Wobbies settings and an add-on itself will need to be run with no special settings. Using the sticky above is not a real fix because if you run enough add-ons, you will find there is no one setting you can run so everything works. In summary, yes, Windows 10 broke FS9 for people who have integrated graphics. They now need to run using Wobbie's fix which will cause things to break. We don't have a massive FS9 user base any longer and many who do use some of the very complex add-ons have moved to other sims. For this reason, Wobbie's Windows 10 fix has worked for many people here and problems have not been mentioned. Some may have simply not realized that the way they run FS9 has killed an add-on they use. They will likely try to fix the add-on itself as they think the problem is with the add-on but incredibly few will ever consider the add-on may be broken because of the way they run their FS9. I have had a proper fix for this integrated graphics problem for a long, long time but do need to test it. As I don't have a PC with integrated graphics, I've never had the opportunity. It will allow using FS9 with integrated graphics without needing to use Wobbies settings. This will allow people to run everything without compatibility modes or as admin. It means all your add-ons will work correctly. I will at some point try and get this fix out. Finally: Windows 11 has shown to be a bigger problem than Windows 10. If you have a combination of Windows 11, latest hardware and use integrated graphics, this is killing some games totally on Win 11 that could be made to run on Win 10. FS9 uses the same architecture as some of these problem games so may also suffer the same fate. I'm watching the forum to see if this will be a problem for FS9 users when they have a PC that meets the specs I outlined above. Windows 10 wasn't good for FS9, Windows 11 is worse. The problems these other games now have under Win 11 likely can't be fixed. Those games may very well be dead for good. My suggestion is to keep your old systems and old operating systems if possible. Win 10 and Win 11 simply are not made for and are becoming less and less compatible with old games.

Used it for years and now suddenly I get, "FS not started connection failed" as shown in the screenshot.

Got it, thanks. For anyone reading and to take it further: Once you open a category as explained above, you then need to go to the search box and type in what you want while "This Category" is selected. Now you can search for specific files within each category.

Windows 10 killed FS9 for many. That's why you have Robin's sticky at the top of this forum. It no longer functioned without applying those settings. People don't understand what went wrong or how those settings work. The settings cause problems with add-ons or will stop them working completely. I don't have examples because I have a million better things to do with my life than find add-ons I can break to make my point on the internet. The above is just in relation to using the settings stickied at the top of this forum. For those who don't need to use the above settings to run FS9, there are still a bunch of add-ons that stopped working correctly under Windows 10. You can easily search for specific add-ons and their problems under Windows 10. Windows 11 is worse, the newest drivers are worse for old games and the newest hardware is worse for old games. In other words, it's worse. Everyone is happy and content as they mostly are in this forum till Windows 10 or 11 eventually kills their fav game or fav add-on.

I just commented elsewhere on Windows 11 and it's integration with other devices. Kinda the same here with the forum software and integrating it with social media. It is what it is. I couldn't see a good way to search for files in the file library. Might've missed something as I didn't look very hard but hope this will be looked at closely as it's imo the most important element of the entire site.

Haven't tried FS9 but I ABSOLUTELY and POSITIVELY HATE Windows 11. As operating systems move forward, the more the PC is pushed to being fully compatible with other devices. They are now literally doing things like removing computer functionality to simply allow a prettier looking UI. Control is being taken away from the user more and more. For running old software, there are more and more problems. Windows 11 wasn't created to serve the past and games from 2003. Windows 10 already caused major damage to FS9 but many of the people who still use FS9 are oblivious to it. If you thought Windows 10 was great, you'll probably like Windows 11. If you didn't like Windows 10, you will likely dislike Windows 11 even more.

Can't remember the last time I downloaded anything for FS9. Stocked up many years ago and maybe picked up a download here or there since. Should probably look through more recent files.

Shocked to read, that is very serious. I wish you well Robin.

Hi Robin, As much a supporter of Win 10/11 as ever. :D I can't set a black screensaver because it won't activate. It doesn't matter what screensaver I set, it won't activate. The power options don't work, they don't activate. Yes, I understand it is working for you but if it works for you doesn't mean there isn't a problem. It just means there is a different circumstance. I'll bet you don't have 4 controllers, USB keyboard and USB mouse plugged into your system. That will make a different circumstance. ;) Hope all is well.