FS9 Windows10

Hello everyone,

I need your help/advice, please :)

I am using FS9 on a laptop with Windows XP for more than 10 years already.

I decided to buy a new one. I bought the following one:

ASUS VivoBook 15 F542UF-DM276T

i5 8250 4-core

HDD 1TB

Graphics: Nvidia MX130

RAM: 8GB

Windows 10 Home

I have a copy of the whole FS9 folder (with all its files: sceneries, etc...) on an external hard drive.

It is a copy of the folder of FS9 exactly as they were installed in my old laptop (running on Windows XP)

C:\Games\Microsoft Games\Flight Simulator 9

I have the following questions:

- If I will copy the whole folder to my new laptop (Windows 10 Home) as it is, will it run properly?

- If not, what should I do in order to run it properly?

I would like to avoid a situation where I will have to install from the scratch FS9 and install all my sceneries, updates, aircrafts, etc....It took me more than 10 years updating all my favorite aircrafts and sceneries, etc...and I don't want to start from the scratch everything :(

I would highly appreciate all your help and advices

David

For starters, you didn't mention if you're running 32 or 64 bit Win10 on your new machine.

Win10 is pretty specific when it comes to running older 32 bit software, check the topics here and you'll find some good info on running FS9 in Win10.

Next, believe me- I wish we could just drop the folders into a new machine but your registry won't know what to do with them. Its better to install FS from the original disk then run the patch installs. Your graphics have probably changed as well, so its better to do a fresh install.

With aircraft and scenery, there's no "right" way to do it. Just bear in mind that after several years your main folders will start to resemble a junk yard (look at your old Gauges folder if you don't believe me :eek: ). I've found it best to use a new install as an excuse to really look at what I fly now and where I fly it. Be honest with yourself and "cull" out the files you never or rarely use.

As long as you have a back up drive, you can re-install your old files whenever you want.

David, yes you can just copy & paste! with a few provisions...

Firstly you ARE probably are running a 64bit version of Windows 10 Home, as the laptop has 8GB RAM.

Any competent vendor will not supply a 32bit operating system with that amount of RAM.

Like you, I have a copy of my FS2004 on a portable hard drive, & have installed that copy on about 20-30 PC's at my Virtual Club, as well as 6 different versions of FS2004 on my own laptop (similar to yours).

Step 1. Download & run Teracopy from https://www.codesector.com/teracopy

This is the fastest file copy utilty around.

Step 2. Copy & paste your complete Flight Simulator 9 folder from your portable drive into C:\

Step 3. Open up the C:\Flight Simulator 9 folder, right-click the FS9.exe & 'Send to Desktop'.

Step 4. Double-click the FS9 on the desktop to run the sim.

Step 5. It might/probably will not work.

Step 6. Right-click the desktop icon, select the Compatibility tab, Click Compatibility Mode & select Windows XP (Service Pack2) from the pull down menu, & tick 'Run this program as an administrator' Then Apply & OK.

Step 7. Run the program again.... It will/should work!

Step 8. Go to https://www.flight1.com/view.asp?page=library & download the Registry Repair Tool, & run it. This tells the Registry where FS2004 has been installed.

Step 9. If the Scenery.cfg had not been copied over from the drive, you might have to add your scenery from the Scenery library.

10. You probably have to reinstall all payware add-ons.

Phew, 10 steps, but it's easier to do than to explain.

I've found re-installing the sim from it's disks is actually a pain, & the above way works.

You can have multiple installs just by renaming the sim folder & the exe file, after copying BUT before running.

Hope this helps :-)

Regards,

Robin

No doubt of zswobbie1 solution. Maybe the allocation of the registry allows to run FS9 OK.

I have found a easy way to install FS9.

1- Create a new folder (where you want) and name it as you like.

Inside that folder create 4 folders an name them Disk1 to Disk4

2-Open each disk and copy the content in the corresponding Disk1 to Disk4 folders.

3- Go to Disk1 and execute installer. It installs the complete program without asking for the other disks.

4- Install SP1

For running FS9 in Win 10 you need to replace the FS9.exe with:

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004 V9.1 No-CD Patch (search in google)

Run as Admin. and in compatibility mode: Win XP SP3

Also with Nvidia cards, use Nvidia inspector and in: 1-COMPATIBILITY - Antialising compatibility, select 0x004412C1 (Diablo III). If not selected, Antialiasing adjustments won't work.

David, like you I flew FS2004 for over 10 years using XP. I regularly backup all my files, including FS2004 onto an external drive for security.

So when installing FS2004 all you need to do is

Use the original CDs to install FS2004 onto your new machine.

- incidentally at the install stage I install to C:\FS9 rather than C:\Games\Microsoft Games\Flight Simulator 9, it makes it easier when editing or moving files within FS2004

Then copy the whole FS2004 folder from the backup onto the new machine, overwriting all files and you will be back where you were, except that you will be at Seattle in the Cessna!

I should say that I have done this to move from XP to Windows7(64bit) with no trouble, but I have no experience of Windows10.

Your FS9 install points 1-4 is the same as a normal default install from the disks, it just takes longer (& more space) as you have to copy the contents of the Disks first.

The 9.1 No-CD patch is used with any install to eradicate use of Disk4..

It MUST be used in a Windows 10 install.

I'm taking it forgranted that Dave has updated his original FS2004 (his XP version) with the FS9.1 update, & has been using the no-CD Patch anyway.

In his case, copy & paste, & doing the Registry Fix is by far quicker than any of the other options.

hi, i just finished the same set up as you have.

1. FS2004 on n external drive 2 TB (OLD installation from my Main System)

2. USB connected (bought a USB 2.0 4 port hub from Rosewill ~ 7 dollar)

3. Connected a Mouse and the Logitech joystick to the USB Hub as well as the HD and than to the "LITTLE" $99.00 Laptop I bought in Walmart 32 GB Windows 10

4. BECAUSE this little Laptop has no CD so I just connected the whole system to my Main System.

5. Used the 4 CD's for install on my main system.

6. Before starting the NEW install I RENAMED the OLD FS9 WORKING system on my EXTERNAL HD to in my case

from Flightsim 9 to Flightsim 91 and made a Folder Flightsim 9 on the external drive.

7. THAN I started the install with 4 CD running on my Main System and it ALL was done i a mare 50 minutes WITHOUT any problem.

8. After the installation was done, I JUST copied from the renamed working OLD install the FS9.exe , 504 KB,

with NO CD function and FS9.1 patch installed from the RENANED folder Flightsim 91 into the Flightsim 9 folder.

DONE it runs like Swiss Clock Work !!

IF you have any questions pls feel free to contact me at my REAL email gkcherry1@t-online.de.

It is a German email BUT I'm located in Florida.

Sincerely

Guenter Kirschstein

P.S. I have more than 200 planes, NOT all in the active Aircraft Folder, RUN AI traffic with a lot of REAL flying planes

and had NO re-install to do for any ADDON I have installed.

hello , I ave the same CONFIGURATION like you. ALL o my many FS9 instllation are on EXTERNAL HD's.

I posted a REPLY 10 minutes ago BUT it disappeared for some reason.

I bought me a LITTLE laptop for $99.00, today $ 72.00 , from Walmart. 32 GB I5 , 1 USB port and NO CD.

I bought me an 4 port USB HUB 2.0 and conneted the HD, a Mouse, the Joystick to the HUB.

Then I RENAMED the FOLDER for the FS9 n the external drive. In my case from Flightsimultor 9 to Flightsimulator 911.

On this installation the NO CD with the 9.1 patch is ALREADY installed.

Because the LITTLE laptop has NO CD installed I just conneted it though WIFI with my BIG system.

CREATED on the @ TB HD a NEW Folder Flightsim 9 , run the instll from the 4 CD into the folder Flightsim 9 .

Took roughly 50 minutes and than I just did the following.:

Just Rename the Flightsim 9 folder to Flightsim 9 new install, or anything else.

NOW RENAME the ORIGINAL FS9 folder, presntly named Flightsim 91 BACK to the original name , n my case Flightsim 9.

Thats it FS9 is running, NO chance to any of your ADDON yu have installed. I have over 3000 planes on y system,

and in th Min folder I have 400-500 active.

I run AI with the original flyable planes without any problem.

Pls feel free to contact e at : gkcherry1@t-online.de (it is a German email but I reside in Florida)

sincerely

Guenter Kirschstein

Your FS9 install points 1-4 is the same as a normal default install from the disks, it just takes longer (& more space) as you have to copy the contents of the Disks first.

I did that once, and this is as I keep FS9 installer in a HDD, it takes 1,87 Gb equal to discs and the installation is faster.

I had copied the discs to the HDD and could not mount them with the Win10 tool and did'n want to install Daemon.

Wow... Thank you all for your prompt replies... You rock!! :)

Once i will have some free time I will try all options and let you know...

Highly appreciating all your support guys...thanks a lot :)))

Best regards

David

Hello Mr. David,

pls look at my answer from 11-15-2018, 06:33 AM. the one from 5:33 was for someone else.

Now to summarize the FS9 on Windows 10 it is a 5 (FIVE) step process WITHOUT any fussing around!

1. RENAME your working FS9 on your EXTERNAL drive to XYZ

2. CREATE a new folder with your OLD FS9 name you just renamed.

3. INSTALL the 4 CD's into this folder, with the ORIGINAL name for FS9.

THIS way you make SURE that ALL pertinent infos are stored CORRECTLY in Windows 10 regarding FS9!

4. RENAME the folder, the one you just installed the 4 CD's to ZXY

5. Rename your OLD ORIGINAL folder you renamed to XYZ back to the original name for FS9.

(Now we tricked Windows 10 and GIVE him the OLD working system and with the new installation we created all the CORRECT Indexes for the SCENERY and so on. Also the NEW Fs9.cfg file is TAYLORED to Windows 10 environment.

That's it!

FS9 is RUNNING without any problem.

It took me 1 hours because the 4 Cd installation , and my remote CD drive, used a little bit more time.

Couple of hints.

My Computer system, $99.00 from Walmart, came with Windows 10 Pre-Installed.

This EXPERTS installed it as a Tablet.

So be careful how you install your Windows 10.

Furthermore, in case you use other Support programs like Panel Studio, Sound Studio, AFCAD, DXTBmp or Paintshop they ALL work WITHOUT any problem.

ONLY the Panel Studio program is using the function to work with "name.CAB" files.

You will maybe get an Error Message, as I did, because the Windows program "cabarc.exe" was not installed on my system.

The FS9.CFG file has also a NEW location in Windows 10. Only in case you work with it.

In case you have on your old installation FLIGHTS saved than they are also at a different location in Windows 10. (In case you want same copied to your new system)

I give you my email gkcherry1@t-online.de

Mr. David feel free to contact me for ANY help regarding FS2004 ,,,

Sincerely

G. Kirschstein

Think I’ll stay with W7 after reading all this. :p

FS9 + Win 7 = Happiness

I stayed with Windows XP UNTIL NOW.

The reason was, I did NOT want to debug MS so many systems like 7, VISTA, 8, 8.1 etc!!

I had to earn money for the family.

After working, ONLY to see what MS delivered with W10, on this WONDERFUL little computer, YES I have read all the comments about W10 and FS9 from many sources like CALCLASSIC etc and was NOT in favor to except W10 with FS9.

(FSX, I personally do not like it to much either and I will stick with FS9)

BUT to make FS9 work in W10, after I found the corpus delecti within a couple of hours, I think 40-50 minutes is not bad to make FS9 work under W10.

3 times RENAMING Folders 30 seconds each, making 1 new folder also 30 seconds gives me a total of 2 MINUTES.

The CD installation is SIMPLE and JUST takes time.

So the TOTAL time was roughly ONE hour.

I have to admit that I've read ALL the horror stories about FS9 under Windows 10 and have to say they are exaggerated to say the least !!

I have never worked on W10 before and analyzing where the FS9.CFG is located, where the Scenery directories are and where the store FLIGHT files are located was a breeze.

I had ALL of my MANY FS9 Applications up and running within a day.

The only thing on my "little System" is the SCENERY Graphic, BUT with a chip doing the graphics I did NOT expect anything great.

Especially when I see that ONE Graphics Card cost more than $1,000.- these days!

Whether I will update my BIG monster system to W10 , I honestly do NOT know.

But my little system gave me the chance to dig into W10 and I DO NOT like the Application Windows End User Interface at all, compared to the STRAIGHT forward one in Windows XP, and this is the ONLY Short coming I have seen so far.

I use my BIG screen TV's (in different rooms) to watch FS9 AI Traffic. ONE Mouse Click is all it takes, to display FS9 activities on them.

Pretty need indeed.

Sincerely

G. Kirschstein

Actually COMMON SENSE approach

Hello,

I have used FS2004 on my old laptop (windows XP) for the previous 12 years

Few months ago I bought finally a new one and I want to install flight simulator

Parameters of new laptop:

ASUS VivoBook 15 F542UF-DM276T

Intel Core i5-8250 U 4-core 1.60 GHz (1.80 GHz)

8GB RAM

HDD 1TB

Graphics: Nvidia MX130

Windows 10 Home 64-bit

My question is the following:

Which simulator can I install without any problems? FSX? and which version?and from where can i download it? (I read on net that there are some problems with compatibility)

And if not FSX , which flight simullor do you recommend for my new laptop to work propperly without any issues?

I am planning also to install later updates and sceneries and additional aircrafts and traffic... as I had it in my previous laptop.

Please advise. My email adress: davo@wp.pl

Highly appreciating your help

Best regards

David

Hi David, I have the exact same laptop as yours, and I have 7 different versions of FS2004 running perfectly. See the first post on this FS2004 forum to explain how to do it.

Everything works perfectly, and a lot smoother than before.

Hi David, I have the exact same laptop as yours, and I have 7 different versions of FS2004 running perfectly. See the first post on this FS2004 forum to explain how to do it.

 

Everything works perfectly, and a lot smoother than before.

Hey Robin,

Thank you for your reply, if i understood you well, do you mean that i have to stay with fs 2004 and not chnging it to other simulator?

If you dont mind, write me please to my email: davo@wp.pl

That will be easier to communicate

Very best regards and awaiting your answer

David

Hi David,

I've just sent you an email...

FS2004 works perfectly with FS2004, & it's not a hassle to install at all!

https://www.flightsim.com/vbfs/content.php?19087-How-to-Create-Multiple-Installs-of-FS2004

Also, if you do not like the 'new' Windows 10 Start interface, you can always replace it with a freeware addon to make it look like an XP or Windows 7.

Hello,

Is this thread still open?

Are you still helping folks out moving fs9 over to win10? I did it from xp to 7 years ago by reinstalling the original fs9 4 disks on win7 and copying planes and scenery folder over to new install on 7, worked well enough...

did the updates 9.1 and no cd crack etc., I'm sure I ran the registry fix, but now when I go to flight1 com it says(connection not private) then 404 error.

What I have on this win 10 computer now are widows image files(created with windows backup/restore) of all my old computers hdd's; win7, win xp,,, and a data drive on an external drive. I have all my zip files, planes, scenery, etc., like dave I don't want to reinstall it all.

After reading a couple of solutions to dave's post, and just copy and paste his actual copy of fs9 , on hdd, to windows 10 c:\ etc., It got a little choppy for me, at least 3 posters had different ways to do it, avsim and flightsim... My concern is the integrated graphics, wasn't a problem w/ other legacy games

I just got through making Call of duty 1 and 2 aka Call of duty expansion pack, Finest Hour, and United offensive patched and running great.

Yesterday it took about 1/2 a day to get Return to castle Wolfenstein going, lotsa tips and tricks etc., running great.

I also have FSX installed, but I do not want to rebuild 1000.s of hrs., over every iteration of MSFT FS over the last 25+ years. again..

Anyway I'm pretty computer savvy, 32+ yrs., at it, I'm just looking for the best way to do it and keep my registry str8, least loss of scenery etc.

Yours ,

Tommy

fwiw, I do everything with k/b and mouse

Here's another 1000 hrs., of Frapping, video creating, editing , uploading etc.

https://www.youtube.com/user/sneauxwolf/videos

Operating System: Windows 10 Pro 64-bit (10.0, Build 19042) (19041.vb_release.191206-1406)

Language: English (Regional Setting: English)

System Manufacturer: Micro-Star International Co., Ltd.

System Model: MS-7C83

BIOS: 1.40 (type: UEFI)

Processor: Intel® Core™ i5-10400 CPU @ 2.90GHz (12 CPUs), ~2.9GHz

Memory: 16384MB RAM

Available OS Memory: 16250MB RAM

Page File: 12809MB used, 8048MB available

Windows Dir: C:\Windows

DirectX Version: DirectX 12

Intel integrated graphics

256 ssd, and 2tb hdd

ty all,

ts

thx robin,

your fix worked for me, see above post, from last night...

i tried to grab a screen shot of my South African refineries and such, but it seems to need updating, north africa/ egypt, morocco etc seemed ok...

ty again, saved me a few steps.

tommy