Preparing my computer for MSFS

My sim computer has an I5 6600K, a GTX-1070 (8GB VRAM), 32GB RAM, and a 500GB SSD which now contains Windows 7-64 and FSX and P3D4.5, plus most of the associated add-ons like ORBX, Active Sky, Rex, etc. The drive is nearly full.

 

The plan is to install an M.2 1TB SSD and install Windows 10 on it (being dragged kicking and screaming, but the new sim requires it), then install the new MSFS there.

 

My question is: Can that 500 GB SSD with FSX and P3D4.5 stay like it is? Would I be able to use the BIOS to decide whether to boot into the new M.2 drive with Windows 10 and MSFS 2020, or boot to the current 500GB SSD with Windows 7 and the legacy sims?

 

I have everything how I want it in FSX with my favorite old planes that never made the jump to P3D, and I have P3D4.5 just how I want it. If I can avoid having to re-install these sims and their addons, that would save me a few weekends to play with the new sim!!!

I think it will depend on how you intend on getting Windows 10

 

If you go for the FREE update then I would say no. You won’t be able to keep Windows 7

If you decide to pay for Windows 10 & install it as a separate operating system, then yes. I think you probably will be able to dual boot.

 

But then.. who is to say you will have to re-install FSX & P3D anyway? They will both work in Windows 10 and if you go for the upgrade option then in theory they should still work. At worst you would have to reinstall them.

 

I do think though.. once you’ve had a flight in the new MSFS, you probably won’t want to go back to FSX or P3d, even if you do have loads of addons.

 

 

Regards

Steve

Edited August 12, 2020 by g7rta

I think it will depend on how you intend on getting Windows 10

 

If you go for the FREE update then I would say no. You won’t be able to keep Windows 7

If you decide to pay for Windows 10 & install it as a separate operating system, then yes. I think you probably will be able to dual boot.

 

But then.. who is to say you will have to re-install FSX & P3D anyway? They will both work in Windows 10 and if you go for the upgrade option then in theory they should still work. At worst you would have to reinstall them.

 

I do think though.. once you’ve had a flight in the new MSFS, you probably won’t want to go back to FSX or P3d, even if you do have loads of addons.

 

 

Regards

Steve

 

Thanks, Steve. I have Windows 10 on disk, so the plan is to do a fresh clean install on the new drive.

 

You might be right about me eventually leaving FSX/P3D behind. It's pretty clear that this new sim is what we've all wanted ever since development on FSX stopped.

 

But I LOVE my Captain Sim 727, the PMDG JS4100, and the PMDG MD-11. I'm not ready to let them go yet, and keeping an FSX installation going is the only way, at least for now.

 

Same thing with the Quality Wings BAe-146/Avro RJ. They may not develop an MSFS version, and even if they do, it might be a long time before it came out. The 146 is my favorite aircraft of all time, both real world and simulated. I won't likely get rid of P3D unless a credible 146 ends up in MSFS.

The old SSD with Windows 7 and the sims can stay as it is.When you install Windows 10 on the new drive the Windows 10 installer will automatically set up a process which will allow you to boot from either OS. You'll be asked which OS you want for the default and each time you boot the system you'll be given a chance to boot from the non-default OS if that's what you want to do .

The old SSD with Windows 7 and the sims can stay as it is.When you install Windows 10 on the new drive the Windows 10 installer will automatically set up a process which will allow you to boot from either OS. You'll be asked which OS you want for the default and each time you boot the system you'll be given a chance to boot from the non-default OS if that's what you want to do .

 

Yes, that's exactly what I was hoping for!

 

73

de N9RZF

That’s what I was referring to when I said you should be able to dual boot

 

73 de Steve G7RTA :)

That’s what I was referring to when I said you should be able to dual boot

 

73 de Steve G7RTA :)

 

:cool:

 

The plan is to install an M.2 1TB SSD and install Windows 10 on it (being dragged kicking and screaming, but the new sim requires it), then install the new MSFS there.

 

 

I have windows 10 and my P3D on a 500 GB NVME SSD. I bought another SSD with the intent of putting MSFS on it. Does MSFS have to be on the same SSD as Windows 10?

 

There will be a small download first which will go on your Win10 drive, but the main (90gb+) can be installed on a separate drive if you wish :)

 

Regards

Steve

There will be a small download first which will go on your Win10 drive, but the main (90gb+) can be installed on a separate drive if you wish :)

 

Regards

Steve

 

Thanks Steve for your reply to my Hand Crafted Airports List. Above, you reference 90GB as the size of the 2020 download. On the MSFS 2020 spec page, MS suggests 150GB for the size of the drive space required. Can you elaborate?

 

Thanks

Chris

Hi Chris, I don’t know how big the main installation will be. Suppose it depends on which version you buy. I actually said 90gb “+” :)

My main point being you will get to choose which drive/location to wish to install it.

 

Regards

Steve