FSX Activation on a dual-boot rig?

[Moparmike]

How many of you guys are running a dual-boot setup with FSX on both OSes?
Any problems with activating FSX & Acceleration on both OSes?

I'm working on reloading my sim computer and decided that it's about time that I activate & use the Vista DVD that's been collecting dust for over a year now.
I'm also keeping an XP install for a few old programs that I know aren't working right in Vista and are no longer supported by the maker.

From what I've found by Googling the net, I will need a separate FSX install for each OS. This isn't a problem, I have a separate partition made for Vista apps and XP apps (I install all of my programs outside of the default Windows Program Files folder...seems to work around Vista's UAC much better and I've done that with XP for years too). I've seen lots of posts elsewhere about FSX only getting activated for one OS...I'm hoping the dual OS setup on one rig isn't going to be too big of a pain.


Partition info:
-Vista64 OS
-XPPro32 PS
-Vista pagefile (small partition for just the pagefile...helps with keeping the OS partition from fragmenting)
-XP pagefile (ditto Vista pagefile note)
-Vista apps partition
-XP apps partition
-misc file storage partition (useable by both OSes for storage)

Any other tips for the FSX set up?

[Z-PurpleBubble]

Moparmike,

I honestly believe the dual activation of FSX will cause headaches. Even if it is on the same machine.

I don't think Mickeysoft will allow you to activate FSX two times. The difference in OS will cause their blasted activation system to refuse the second one.

This is of course just MHO...

[spotlope]

Au contraire. I've got it activated on two OS's on a dual-boot rig. It didn't give me any trouble whatsoever with activation or operation. 'Course, I never boot into XP anymore, so once I get the retail version of W7, that drive may revert to being just storage. Bear in mind that this is probably not strictly in compliance with the letter of the EULA, but as I can only use one version at a time, it's still in the spirit of it.

[Dangerous Beans]

I'm duel booting XP and W7 and sort of use one install of FSX.

Basically I installed to XP first and got it up and running with no addons then booted to W7 and deleted the main FSX folder and installed again to the same place.
all works fine and dousnt seem to cause any conflicts so far.
All the planes and scenery I've added work in both once theve been installed in one OS or the other.

The only thing I havnt worked out yet is what to do about Active Sky Advanced as to use it in both I would need to install it twice but if I'm reading the info on it right activating it the second time with void the activation on the first one.

[Moparmike]

Reading through the EULA, one piece of software on one computer should be acceptable as I understand it.
If for some reason I do have too much trouble, then that Vista install will get wiped out and I'll go back to just XP until I upgrade to Win7 (unless they bloat the heck out of 7 when it goes RTM).
So far I still have yet to be impressed with Vista, and FSX on DX10 doesn't seem to have any performance benefits over my old install of FSX/XPPro/DX9.1c. But that's a whole other topic that has been beat to death already.

DB, from what I've read I believe you're right about Active Sky.
So far I haven't had the itch to add Active Sky to FSX. I do have AS6 for FS9, but until the next super-computer hits my desk I've got my hands full with FSX right out of the box.
I might try doing the dual-OS/same-location type of install that you did but so far every post I've read about guys doing that it's resulted in all sorts of hiccups (mainly with rebuilding the scenery database every time you fire up the sim even if nothing new was added). I've done dual-OS/same-location installs with CFS1, CFS2, and FS8&9 before so maybe FSX will survive that way too. It sure would take a lot less disk space!

Thanks guys!
Will see how much fun uncle Billy decides I'm going to have.

[Z-PurpleBubble]

Will see how much fun uncle Billy decides I'm going to have.

Sadly Uncle Billy has left the M$ building and we have to deal with evil Uncle Steve now...

But I do wish you all the luck in getting things to work.

And for those who want to get things like active sky to work on dual boot systems (on different partitions that is), you can allways install the files manually after having extracted them from the installerç ;)

Take care y'all!

[IanP]

I just installed everything to the XP32 partition and again to Vista64 - although like Bill, I rarely if ever boot into XP mode any more and will probably blow everything away, both Vista and XP, when W7 is released and just use that.

In fact the only reason I have XP32 installed at all now is Paint Shop Pro - I can't afford Photoshop, can't stand GIMP (bad interface, bad design. Welcome to software design by committee.... Are we sure GIMP isn't done by Microsoft?) and PSP8 only works on XP so that's where I use it.

[Dangerous Beans]

I might try doing the dual-OS/same-location type of install that you did but so far every post I've read about guys doing that it's resulted in all sorts of hiccups (mainly with rebuilding the scenery database every time you fire up the sim even if nothing new was added). I've done dual-OS/same-location installs with CFS1, CFS2, and FS8&9 before so maybe FSX will survive that way too. It sure would take a lot less disk space!

I don't get that problem but it may be because I was very careful to make sure that all the drive letters matched between the two OS's, I did have to do a bit of juggling in disk management to get them to match though.

[kjb]

I'm also running dual boot (W7 & XP) with no problems.

[Moparmike]

I just installed everything to the XP32 partition and again to Vista64 - although like Bill, I rarely if ever boot into XP mode any more and will probably blow everything away, both Vista and XP, when W7 is released and just use that.

In fact the only reason I have XP32 installed at all now is Paint Shop Pro - I can't afford Photoshop, can't stand GIMP (bad interface, bad design. Welcome to software design by committee.... Are we sure GIMP isn't done by Microsoft?) and PSP8 only works on XP so that's where I use it.

That's about how I've been working up this install too, except I've been loading up Vista first. If I'm finding compatibility issues then that software is getting put onto the XP install instead.

I've had good luck with PSP8.10 on Vista64 so far though. It seems to be working fine for me.
Try the 8.10 patch on your PSP8.0...you can still get the update from Corel/JASC.
http://www.corel.com/servlet/Satellite/us/en/Content/1153321224268?pid=1208716792403

I did get PSPX2 on sale at Best Buy a couple months ago but I haven't even opened the box yet...I was planning on using it in Vista since others have said they've got trouble with PSP8.x/9.x on Vista. As long as PSP8.1 works for me I'm not wanting to take the time to relearn the new interface.