FSX reinstall - and the best defrag tool

[Skittles]

Hello.

I have decided that a full FSX reinstallation is most likely required. I've recently noticed huge performance slowdowns over what my rig could achieve when the sim was freshly installed, and there's so much junk knocking about in there that I think starting fresh would be the best option. I have a few questions before I do this.

1. What is the best defrag program out there? I don't want the fastest, I want the most comprehensive. People on here seem enthusiastic about O&O but if you read the privacy policy, once you download their freeware you give away MASSES of information about your PC. On the 'flight sim deal of the day' there's a defragger which allows you to place certain files in priority spots, so the HD has minimum search times. Is there any freeware that can do this?

2. Does anyone have any secrets as to how to install/reinstall aircraft/scenery without leaving crap everywhere? For example, I install a freeware aircraft, and with it 20 files are added to my effects folder. Upon deleting the aircraft I never have any idea which effects need to go!

:salute:

[Z-AZ1USN]

Hello.

I
2. Does anyone have any secrets as to how to install/reinstall aircraft/scenery without leaving crap everywhere? For example, I install a freeware aircraft, and with it 20 files are added to my effects folder. Upon deleting the aircraft I never have any idea which effects need to go!

:salute:

I use ADDIT Pro for FSX and they have it for FS9. It will import all addons in your flightsim and will
remove any stray gauges, or other orphan files. It's worth the investment. The author is pretty
nice dude and you can get free updates from him in the email.

http://www.byteforge.com/

[MCDesigns]

Hello.

I have decided that a full FSX reinstallation is most likely required. I've recently noticed huge performance slowdowns over what my rig could achieve when the sim was freshly installed, and there's so much junk knocking about in there that I think starting fresh would be the best option. I have a few questions before I do this.

1. What is the best defrag program out there? I don't want the fastest, I want the most comprehensive. People on here seem enthusiastic about O&O but if you read the privacy policy, once you download their freeware you give away MASSES of information about your PC. On the 'flight sim deal of the day' there's a defragger which allows you to place certain files in priority spots, so the HD has minimum search times. Is there any freeware that can do this?

2. Does anyone have any secrets as to how to install/reinstall aircraft/scenery without leaving crap everywhere? For example, I install a freeware aircraft, and with it 20 files are added to my effects folder. Upon deleting the aircraft I never have any idea which effects need to go!

:salute:

I use the default defragger and have no issues. I know it's not the best, but i see no reason to pay for one, when this one does the job for me.

As for the second point, install them by hand. It will help you learn more about your FSX install and help you keep things tidy. I keep a dummy folder with a copy of the FSX exe (some stupid installers check for the FSX exe) in it for aircraft and after I manually copy them over I uninstall and it keeps my registry tidy. Another reason to do this is to avoid any uninstall icons overwriting previous ones in the same FSX directory, had that happen a few times.

[HighGround22]

. . .What is the best defrag program out there? I don't want the fastest, I want the most comprehensive. . . . For my money, Ultimate Defrag from Disk Trix ( www.disktrix.com ) is the best of the lot.

And by a happy coincidence, it's on a special right now through Flight Sim Deal of the Day (http://www.flightsimdealoftheday.com/home.php).

[Skittles]

I missed out a critical word in my opening post;

"Free" :icon_lol:

[JimC1702]

I use Smart Defrag from iobit. (http://www.iobit.com) It's free and works very well. Has the option of a regular defrag, a Fast Optimize or Deep Optimize.

Jim

[sblzei]

I used to use IOBIT, but now I have switched to Piriform's "Defraggler". It is Pretty good and reasonably fast, and in addition to defragging entire partitions, it lets you choose or exclude single folders. You can even defrag individual files, including register's and MFT.

And it is free

(http://www.piriform.com/defraggler/update?v=1.16.165&l=1040)

[delta558]

I've found Auslogics Disc Defrag to be very good - worked on my Vista setup, still works on my Win7 setup and is very comprehensive.

[harleyman]

IOBIT Smart Defragg...:applause:

[gary42127]

I user Perfect Disk for defragging.

[harleyman]

TIP...

Defragging is very necessary,,,

BUT...I have killed a few drives over defragging them I think....

I do once a week if I fly alot, or every two weeks if I dont fly much

[hey_moe]

The only free one you will get comes with your OS. I use Diskeeper.
I missed out a critical word in my opening post;

"Free" :icon_lol:

[Roadburner440]

I personally have no issues with re-installing scenery for FSX. I mainly use UTX/GEX and I have the free NS Mayport Scenery. I would say re-install FSX, then any major mess/textures, and last any specialized areas you have. So that way the special areas overlay all the other stuff. For defragging I use the Windows one. Not the best in the world, but it is your key word "free." I only defrag my hard drives after uninstalling/reinstalling major programs. So maybe once every few months. I use a seperate drive for FSX so that limits the defrags on that to merely what I uninstall/install related to FSX and not the rest of the PC.

[arrowmaker]

For years now I've been using PerfectDisk. I occassionally try demos of other programs but I always return to PD. OK it's payware but it's such a fantastic program and well worth the investment. It's also the first defragger approved by Microsoft for use with Window's 7 (if that actually means anything). Try the demo, and see what you think.

http://www.perfectdisk.com/home

[FAC257]

I was using PerfectDisk right up until the time I installed W7. Then after reading how much differently that the W7 default defrag works versus previous MS OSs, I've held off reloading any add-on defraggers for the moment.

If and when I do go back to an outside utility it will be PerfectDisk.

I'm glad to hear it's got the MS W7 stamp of approval. That does mean something to me after what I learned about the new W7 defrag methods.

FAC