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So, after many, many years of resisting FS2004..


BobSeaman

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I have the "tin box" set being shipped. :p

I have no intention to give up on FS2002, but recently I was able to buy the A2A CD for Wings Of Power (B-17s, B-24's, B-29's) and, while I'm good at this, I just couldn't break A2A's install program. :eek:

That, and I was curious about some stuff like FS9's "light box" (it doesn't seem to work as well as FS2002) plus I wanted to check out some VC's that just don't load in FS2002 ( I'm looking forward to doing some pattern work around Elllsworth AFB in the old Virtavia/Alphasim B-1's virtual cockpit). :cool:

 

So, what's the best way to do a fresh install of FS9 on a Win 10 (64 bit) system? I need to keep it bone-stock to install the A2A aircraft (at least, at first) so that means not installing the 9.1 patch at first.

 

Is there REALLY a difference to installing FS to the Programs (X86) folder (default) or should I concentrate on installing directly to the main drive? Will Win 10 flip out over the CD being installed or will I need the "no CD patch"? I get by just fine with FS2002 installed in the Programs (X86) folder and haven't needed to move it. :confused:

 

Feel free to weigh in. This is one of those "first world" problems. I already have a ton of US WWII bombers installed in FS2002 and most of my aircraft were designed for FS9 so this is one of those "OK, I'm bored" exercises. :pilot:

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I'm running a fast i3 CPU (3.9-something GHz clock, stock) with a very cheap (no cooling fan needed) GPU and I have a ton of free space on my HD.

With FS2002, this means I can run with all of the sliders maxed out at 1920X1080 resolution and I have the frame rate locked at 60 Hz.

FS2002 tends to run very smoothly for longer than 12 hours at a time, if its needed. Honestly, I'll give up before the computer does.

:D

 

OS is 64 bit Win 10 and I have 16 gigs of DDR3 RAM. I'm not worried about specs, I just want to set up FS9 so its "right". My FS2002 install looks a bit like a salvage yard after 5+ years on this machine (lots of mesh/land class, maxed AI traffic, 1,500 planes in the Aircraft folder at last count, lots of scenery/AFCAD additions, etc).

To be honest, I'm not really expecting to do the same thing with FS9. At least not for a while. :rolleyes: Maybe add a bunch of mesh/land class and some scenery I always wanted to check out but mostly fly some of the "unobtainium" planes I couldn't convert back to FS2002 (looking forward flying some old Alphasim FS9 planes, the KBT P-3 Orion, and the LIC Christen Eagle). :pilot:

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There is a post on top of the FS2004 forum, on how to install into Windows 10.

If it installed in default, it will not work, also, the 9.1 update & patch is mandatory.

 

Why do you not want the updates?

 

If you have not read it yet, here goes..

1. Install into C:\ NOT into it's default C:\Program Files

2. Install the 9.1 updatel

3. Install the 9.1 nocd patch

4. Right-click the FS9.exe, select Properties

5. Select Compatibility mode, & select XP

6. At bottom, then select 'Run as Administrator'

7. Double click the desktop icon

 

Point 5 may be optional, if it does not work.

 

Welcome to our beloved 17 year old sim, that is still supported by great developers.

 

Nice specs on your PC, but you must remember that the sims, FS2002 & FS2004, are 32bit games and will only address 4GB of RAM, including the RAM of your graphics card. That's what normally happens when running 32bit games in a 64bit OS.

 

Myself, I have 8 separate & themed versions of FS2004. Golden Wings, Heritage, Alaska, Vintage, Space (?) Ford Tri-Motor, (amazing GW stuff there) & a couple of others, to keep the installs manageable, without scenery conflicts.

 

Anyway, have fun & there is no reason as to why you will not have the same, if not more fun with FS2004.

Robin

Cape Town, South Africa

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Always glad to have another FS9 user for whatever the reason! If you ever consider to populate it with ai one good thing over FS2002 is the ability to have multiple ai flight plans instead of having to recompile the sole flight plan file every time. It makes keeping track of things much easier.

To view my repaints and other stuff just click on the image below!

[sIGPIC][/sIGPIC]

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Why do you not want the updates?

 

Read my first post, again. ;)

 

I'll install 9.1 and the "no CD" patch after I get the A2A package installed. From what I've read and experienced so far, A2A made their installer very picky in terms of what FS9 is called and where it resides. :rolleyes:

 

I'm still curious about why people say to install directly to the main drive instead of using the Program files (X86) folder?

What's the reason for avoiding the (X86) location? I have games installed there and also in the main directory and it doesn't seem to make any difference. :confused:

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I'll install 9.1 and the "no CD" patch after I get the A2A package installed. From what I've read and experienced so far, A2A made their installer very picky in terms of what FS9 is called and where it resides. :rolleyes:

 

The 9.1 patch was released around 3 months or less after the game. Almost everything available was created to work in FS9.1.

FS9 is called FS9 be it FS9.0 or FS9.1.

The installer should install perfectly into FS9.1 regardless where you install FS9 itself. At worst you will have to navigate the A2A installer manually to where you installed FS9.

 

I'm still curious about why people say to install directly to the main drive instead of using the Program files (X86) folder?

What's the reason for avoiding the (X86) location? I have games installed there and also in the main directory and it doesn't seem to make any difference. :confused:

 

This is a must and the best method to avoid problems. FS9 was created for Win XP Program Files and not Win 10 Program Files which now works very differently.

A program doesn't need to be installed to it's default location. If it did, you wouldn't have the option to choose another location.

Mark Daniels
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Just one of those things.. Microsoft, in their wisdom, in Windows 10, made the Program files (X86) folder a 'protected' area & it is painful, if not impossible to edit any files that are there.

 

Normally, the 9.1 update & patch must be done, before anything else, in order to get FS2004/FS9 to work. You add-ons, A2A or anything else go afterwards.

 

By the way, I have never had an A2A install issue & I have all of the A2A's.

 

Now, IF the installer moans about installing into another directory & not the default, simple... Just tell it to install into the default, then copy all over into the install that is in C:\

 

If the installer will not install, this happens, occasionally with very old installers, copy the installer exe to the desktop, right-click & run in compatibility mode & as Admin.. It will work. I've had to do that about twice, over the last 5 years that I've been running Windows 10.

 

It is actually quicker to do than to explain.

 

By the way, I have a complete FS9 install on my portable hard drive, that I just copy & paste (renaming of course) when I install multiple FS9 installs, I have 8..

Robin

Cape Town, South Africa

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Read my first post, again. ;)

 

I'll install 9.1 and the "no CD" patch after I get the A2A package installed. From what I've read and experienced so far, A2A made their installer very picky in terms of what FS9 is called and where it resides. :rolleyes:

 

I'm still curious about why people say to install directly to the main drive instead of using the Program files (X86) folder?

What's the reason for avoiding the (X86) location? I have games installed there and also in the main directory and it doesn't seem to make any difference. :confused:

 

installing the FS9.1 update after installing an addon is almost always a bad idea. the patch overwrites some of the default files and if an addon has messed with them in any way the patch will not work. definitely get the patch in first. I've installed A2A products after the patch and never had problems.

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So, I've got everything installed and running. Thanks for the install tips, eveything is running smooth although its running at 25 FPS but I guess I'll live with that. :D

Got the A2A WOP CD installed after doing fiddling. :rolleyes:

Otherwise, I'll give it some time to get past the normal "day one hiccups". I want to try loading some of the FS2002 global weather files I uploaded to see if they work in FS9.

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Remember what you install, & always install to a temp directory then copy over, just in case things do not work, & you have to find & delete the problem child.

 

In fact, copy & paste the complete working install to a safe place. That way it's easy to copy & replace any problem files.

 

Enjoy!

Robin

Cape Town, South Africa

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Things are going fine except for one hassle:

Turning on scenery. :p

I've had mixed results with some MAIW scenery and traffic packages, some install OK. Some just don't.

 

What the heck are the specifics for turning on scenery that gets installed in the Add-on Scenery folder?

I get to the scenery screen fine, and I can select the right folder but it feels like I'm missing something.

Do I select just the main folder or do I need to go one more step and select that folder's scenery folder? :confused:

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Settings, then Scenery Library, then Add Area, then Addon Scenery

Then select the scenery that you want to add then OK

Now comes the interesting part.. that scenery file will open,

 

Left click anywhere in the white, underneath the Scenery & Texture files...

No need to click OK

It will now be added to the library

 

By the way, the new scenery does not have to be in the Addon Scenery folder. It can be anywhere.

So, when adding the new scenery, just tell the library where to find it.

I'm sharing scenery from one of my installs with a couple of my other installs.

It saves space & works like a charm

Edited by zswobbie1

Robin

Cape Town, South Africa

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:D

 

 

Well, ain't that a messed up way to run a railroad. lol

 

Thanks again, I had a pretty good way to install scenery and mesh in FS2002. Little did I know I had to click the white spot. :rolleyes:

 

Speaking of mesh, in the good old days you could just jam it in the main scenery folder. Where do you install it, and do I need to activate it like regular scenery?

Edited by BobSeaman
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Same way. you might have to move it down the list.

 

That white spot clicking thing was first seen with Windows 7, I think, if I remember. Still foxes me, occasionally, after a long break. 'shrug' joys of simming..

 

You are correct! Windows 7 introduced the whole "run as administrator" thingy too. :p

To view my repaints and other stuff just click on the image below!

[sIGPIC][/sIGPIC]

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Same way. you might have to move it down the list.

 

 

 

 

I think I found the easy way to do mesh without 500 different levels.

MAIW uses a separate Scenery folder inside the Addon Scenery folder for their local mesh files.

I tried some nice (and fairly huge) mesh for both Koreas and just plunked the BGL in there. No problems.

Then added 9 BGLs for New England and it still isn't squawking. :cool:

Like I wanted, i don't need to enable each BGL.

Oh, also got my old favorite GPS (ACS-GPS) to work for both FS9 and FS2002. Its handy when you want to feed the auto pilot without using a flight plan. Also having some mixed results with a REALLY old school (FS for Win 95) GPS that shows distance and bearing to your selected co-ords accurate to 1/10th of a mile. The gauge works fine but FS9 tries to make it invisible or else shut it down, then it pops back into existence on the 2D panel . :confused:

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Well, I think its time to kick back for a couple of days and crack open a beer. :D

I'm at the point where its easier to manually edit the scenery.cfg file :pilot: and I got my old copy of FSRealWXPro working along with Arrcab2.6 which means... Carriers! :cool:

Not too bad considering I loaded FS9 for the first time on Monday.

 

One odd thing- I had FS9 set up in Admin mode and XP compatibility and it was freaking out a bit. I turned compatibility mode off and it runs fine, now. I guess it pays to let Win10 update itself. :D

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FS9 has been my go to for so many years, and I treasure my physical copy of the program and keep it in a safe (so I don't lose it).

 

Enjoy the ride, and the bazillion amazing addons.

- James

 

Intel i7-10700F 2.9 gigahertz - 16GB Memory DDR4 3000 megahertz - NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Super 8GB - 480GB SSD + 1TB HDD - Windows 10

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Well, I think its time to kick back for a couple of days and crack open a beer. :D

I'm at the point where its easier to manually edit the scenery.cfg file :pilot: and I got my old copy of FSRealWXPro working along with Arrcab2.6 which means... Carriers! :cool:

Not too bad considering I loaded FS9 for the first time on Monday.

 

One odd thing- I had FS9 set up in Admin mode and XP compatibility and it was freaking out a bit. I turned compatibility mode off and it runs fine, now. I guess it pays to let Win10 update itself. :D

 

Get yourself this for adding, removing or editing scenery:

 

https://sourceforge.net/projects/fs-sceditor/

 

I'd be turning off run as admin as well if you have that on.

Mark Daniels
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Well, Nellis AFB went *boom*. :eek:

I wanted to try out the MAIW FS9 package for Nellis and it didn't go well. :rolleyes:

Some of the scenery loaded but a lot didn't (like the actual runways) so after puttering with it I gave up.

And un-installed the scenery. Then uninstalled it again ad now there's a pleasant grass field where the AFB used to sit. :rolleyes:

 

I did an install of the Nellis package to an empty folder on my desktop just to find all of the BGLs including the flattens. While I liked the idea of having the bombing ranges at least marked on the map, they aren't worth this hassle.

 

Worst case I can try installing the SDB FS9 Nellis package I'm using in FS2002, but I want to get the stock airport back, first.

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