FSX on newer desktop compatibility

I really want to thank everyone who left a post on my last thread regarding hardware recommendations (for my kid) for FSX. I recently bought a new home desktop. It's primary purpose was not to run FSX, I don't know if it will run OK. It's Windows 10, i5 7400 w 3.5 ghz. 12gb ram, 1tb, Intel Graphics 630 w shared graphics memory. Is the card good enough to run this without too many issues?

I read a couple threads and people are having issues with windows 10. Should I buy a slightly older dedicated desktop with another operating system? Essentially, from a newbie my question is this. How is it that newer computers are having issues with something that was written so many years ago? Other than the fact that it may not be supported. Aren't we almost 9 or 10 years past it's last update? I would assume that the technology when this was written was a relatively rudimentary as to compared to what's out there now. I hope that makes sense. I really just want to see if my new desktop is a decent computer for this. I'm a bit confused. Thx!!

FSX works fine under Windows 10. No worries. Best is to buy FSX Steam Edition, it contains all the fixes and tweaks that need to be added to FSX Boxed to run properly.

FSX will work quite okay on the CPU you're running. The graphics card will limit things though. If you're able, upgrade it to an NVidia card. A 970 or 980 will give nice results for example.

It's true that FSX is a very old sim. It's a 32-bit piece of software for example. Also it DX9 for which is dated. Still, it works okay. But where in the past technology was the bottleneck, now it's the dated code that limits things on modern systems. It kind of passed the optimum of the curve so to speak. ;-)

In that respect it's also an idea to consider to use a 64-bit sim like X-Plane of P3D. It's more future-proof. Personally I'm an FSX user because of the large ammount of add-ons I invested in through the years.

So, yes all works fine with a slightly better graphics card. Yes, Windows 10 works fine in combination with FSX by default as long as you use Steam Edtion instead of the boxed version.

But whatever you do: DO NOT(!!!) install FSX in its default folder but in a manually created folder like C:\\FSX

Grtz., Hans

+1! A 3.5 i5 should do a fair job.

I agree before you buy a lot of software that won't work with another sim platform you do need to realize FSX, Steam, & P3D are all based on a more than decade old design. Unless of course you just want to make sure your son and you both are using the same thing I'd see what this newly introduced 64-bit software looks like.

I also agree with someone's recommendation for his joy-stick. It's a nice one. Having said that, I use a yoke or a joystick depending on what I'm "flying" normally uses. But I just don't feel I'm involved without a set of rudder pedals! IMHO, regardless of what else you decide to get for yourself or him, include Rudder Pedals! RW probably 99%+ of everyone uses them! ;)

Welcome and Enjoy!

Michael

He doesn't have a graphics card. He has dedicated graphics (ie: Intel 630 with SHARED MEMORY). He needs a video card. One that has at least 2 Gb memory. You'll never get any flight simulator to run at (up to) 30 fps on built in graphics. A $150 to $200 graphics card (AMD or Nvidia) will do. But you also have to download and install the latest (stable) version of video drivers for that card. Then install the drivers BEFORE you install the card.

Chuck B

Napamule

@ Azwildcat.....

As you have alluded to in the your OP, there a few things that W10 will cause an issue with, especially as its a new install (I assume pre-installed) version. The main cause is due, in part, to how MS rolled out W10 and its lack of 'backward' compatibility due to missing essential software that many older products rely on. The good news is that most of this 'old' software can be added to W10 with no issues.

In relation to FSX/FSX-SE the two essential pieces that are missing and causes most of the problems are:

DirectX (DX) 9 - FSX/FSX-SE needs DX9 to run. W10 does not ship with DX9 installed - it only ships with DX10 and 11 installed and possibly DX12 if it a post Oct 16 build (DX12 support was added as part of the so-called 'anniversary' update released in Oct 16). The DX9 that ships on the FSX discs is woefully out of date and incompatible with W10. I don't own FSX-SE but seeing as it also appears to suffer from the same issue I assume that the DX9 it installs also suffers the same issue. SOLUTION - install FSX and then download the latest DX Redistributes package from the MS website. Save to a temp location and run the installer with Admin Rights.

Visual C++ 2005 Libraries - again required by FSX/FSX-SE to run and again not included by default in a vanilla W10 install. SOLUTION As with DX9, get the latest version from the MS website and install with Admin rights.

You can view what Visual C++ packages are already installed using the Program and Features tool.

All packages are in the installers of FSX/SE. No need for seperate downloads.

Grtz., Hans

You sound like the authority on running FSX on a newer PC, ASUS ROG.

I just posted my problem earlier, FSX ran on old PC, but will not run on the new.

Both have W10, DX 12. I moved all FSX files to new PC, no DVD.

I cannot install FSX. Do you recommend downloading latest DX to solve the problem,

or am I out of luck, and it is time to buy Steam FSX ?

Thanks,

Ron

rhanson@centurylink.net

Ok, a lot of confusion here. If you already have FSX, it's worth a try. No additional graphics card needed.

Make sure that FSX in NOT installed in it's default Program Files folder, but in something like C:\FSX

Then, find the FSX.exe, right click it, select Compatibility & select Windows XP, then tick Run as Administrator.

In all probability, that should work.

By the way, FS2004, which is STILL very well supported, runs perfectly in Windows 10 as well. I installed mine to my laptop that also has no DVD. The installed DX is, I stand corrected, backward compatible.

Or you can buy FSX:SE from Steam. But do not spend more on extra hardware unless you've tried everything. Nothing wrong with an integrated graphics card for a PC that's not primary a sim PC.