FS9 installing steps

[FengZ]

thought some of you guys might find this info useful.

I recently did a fresh install of FS9 on my laptop. This time keeping it lean and mean (only "general/global" scenery, no AI, and only install planes i actually fly). I want to really sit down now and start flying each plane by the books...so i need maximum performance and stability.

anyways, before i did the re-install...i wrote down some steps to follow so i don't screw it up.

Took about 3 hrs to get everything on this list up and running. Now FS9 boots up in about 5 seconds and the fps never even moves below 59 (locked to prevent screen tearing above 60fps).

Here are the steps:

* 01. Install FS9
* 02. Install FS9.1 Patch
* 03. Remove un-needed files (lessons, FSweb, Messages, Flights, etc.)
* 04. Edit FS9.CFG / Copy in Correct values. OldDLL, Panrate, Brake Message, etc.
* 05. Delete all aircraft except c172
* 06. Remove Traffic in FS9 and .BGL
* 07. Set realism to Hard
* 08. Mips to 5, AA off (force on through driver), Lights on 8. Lock FSP to 59
* 09. Install FSM and back-date program
* 10. Add FS Genesis Mesh to Scenery.cfg

* 11. Install UT Alaska (run, turn everything on)
* 12. Install UT USA (run, turn everything on)
* 13. Install all UT USA Patches
* 14. Run UT USA, select options
* 15. Run UT Alaska, select options
* 16. Install UT Europe (run, turn everything on)
* 17. Install all UT Europe Patches
* 18. Run UT Europe, select options
* 19. Run FS9 and check for double shorelines, etc.

* 20. Install FSG/UT USA Patch
* 21. Install UT Europe City Patch
* 22. Install UT Europe Eastern Europe patch
* 22a Install 3rd party landclass files broken into Asia, Europe, America and Misc regions

* 23. Install GEPro
* 24. Install GEPro updates
* 25. Delete GEPro flights
* 26. Run and install GEPro base pack
* 27. Install RealSky Pro; run it and select skies, water, sun, etc.
* 28. Install FS Elemental; install everything
* 29. Install seperate Env.bmp
* 30. Copy over misc stuff (Treegen, Korbygen, river textures, etc.)
* 31. Install Bloom Plugin

* 32. Install QLRP4UT
* 33. Install AV6
* 34. Remove unneeded files from AV6 (active Radar and graphics)
* 35. Install FSUIPC
* 36. Remove R8 files from Textures
* 37. Run everything, check. If all ok, Delete GEPro and UT base files and all *.XXX Files. Remove Flight-One folders.

* 38. Select starting airport, shut down c172 - batteries off, avionics off, mixture cut off, throttle cut off, mags off. Save flight as default.

39. Install planes!

have fun!

-feng

[FengZ]

here are some shots from this fresh install (on route from Edwards to Nellis). Was doing a test flight in a "complex" GA (Flight1's PC-12) to look for problems when i bumped into really strong turbs. Master Caution lit up but i didn't know why. So I landed her in the middle of nowhere to be safe (following my "by the books and what i'll do in real life" rule...lol).











-feng

[TeiscoDelRay]

Interesting and it brings up lots of questions about your first set. Is there a doc somewhere that tells how to modify the config with "correct" settings?

Also removing files such as lessons, flight and other,,,is there a doc on what and how?

[Ascua02]

Hello all

Another question

How do you backdate FSM in a 64 bit system, it does not allow me to run the backdater:isadizzy::isadizzy:

Saludos

[Wing_Z]

A good beginning and that's important.
Of course a good FS install is like 30-year-old brandy.
A little of this mellowed in oak, perhaps a little turning there...
By the time you really like it, ideally you should've forgotten exactly what it was you did.
I long ago resigned myself to the fact that my sim will never be "fully installed" :iidea:

[awj112]

Nice timing on the post. I may need to nuke and pave my FS 2004 install.

[OBIO]

What exactly is this line about?

* 09. Install FSM and back-date program

OBIO

[n147yt]

What are the specs on you laptop??

[FengZ]

What exactly is this line about?

* 09. Install FSM and back-date program

OBIO

sorry if the notes are a bit weird. I wrote it for myself so it's not super clear in some parts.

FSM is Flight Sim Manager. It's the best and easiest tool for organizing planes and scenery. However, the author put a time stamp on, so if you try to use it today, it won't run.

The back-date program is actually called Run-As-Date (freeware). It can run any program with a desired date attached. So use this program to run FSM and set the date to year 2005.

I have an Alienware 17" laptop. DuoCore T9800 2.93GHz, 4Gigs ram, Nvidia Quatro 3700M 1Gig vram. It runs FS9 butter smooth at 1920x1200, all settings high.

about the files to delete. I can write a follow up tonight when i get home.

-feng

[TeiscoDelRay]

Thanks

[Lionheart]

I have an Alienware 17" laptop. DuoCore T9800 2.93GHz, 4Gigs ram, Nvidia Quatro 3700M 1Gig vram. It runs FS9 butter smooth at 1920x1200, all settings high.

-feng

Lucky person!

Those things are awesome....

Thanks Feng for making the list. I have copied it for when I do my next install.


Bill

[PilatusTurbo]

Nice to see a very indepth and detailed guide for this issue; I'll use everything in the beginning. However, I won't need to do all that installing, but it's nice to see what you can get away with deleting and not screw something up.

You're telling me that you can get rid of every default aircraft without messing things up? Aren't some free and payware planes' sound packs aliased to default ships, though?

Please let me know, and thanks again for this nice guide. :ernae: :ernae:

EDIT: And, as always, awesome screenshots. :salute: :ernae:

[Ascua02]

Hi

Feng, it did work!!! Man, I was missing FSM, you can do it by hand, but...

Thanks

Next question: what is that "* 31. Install Bloom Plugin" ???

Saludos

[Lionheart]

Nice to see a very indepth and detailed guide for this issue; I'll use everything in the beginning. However, I won't need to do all that installing, but it's nice to see what you can get away with deleting and not screw something up.

This is true. Some planes will share gauges from other planes. Some of mine, both payware and freeware, were wired directly to other stock FS9 planes. The Kodiak for instance uses the Cessna Caravan soundpack.


The Bloom Plugin is a Russian addon feature. I have been looking to get that installed in my rig. It looks awesome in the screenshots... Thats perhaps the number one feature that FSX and DirectX 10 were to produce was Bloom. Its like a hazing effect, fuzziness from light dancing off of an object.


Love the panel instrumentation on that PC12! Well done Flight1!



Bill

[TeiscoDelRay]

I think if you remove the planes and store them someplace you can always grab the guages and put them in your gauge folder.

Or just copy all planes gauges to your guage folder before delete?

[FengZ]

yup, use FSM and scan all your installed aircraft. If any of them are referencing stuff from the default planes, just copy them over from the CDs (of all my payware, none-uses default stuff).

and another tip. You can put Gauge files directly in the panels folder, and if more than one plane uses that gauge, you can just reference it in the panel.cfg =aircraft\plane_name\panel\gauge_name.cab etc...

I don't have a single "non-default" gauge in my gauge folder. This way, FS9 can find the find instantly, plus you can just remove the plane w/out any worries.

Aliasing also works for Sounds and Textures. For example, for RealAir's scout package, you can use the skins from the Amph and Ski version on the wheel version, without having to copy the texture folders over...just alias it (saves HD space and less time for FS to look for files = no micro stutters)...

Edit. Here's an example of Texture aliasing: The RealAir scout Amph version using a texture from the wheel version:

[fltsim.2]
title=American Champion Scout CF-KPY Amphibian
sim=RASScout2006_Amphibian
model=
panel=
sound=
texture=..\..\..\RealAir Scout\texture.cfkpy
kb_checklists=RASScout_check
kb_reference=RASScout_ref
atc_id=CFKPY
atc_id_color=0xcccccccc
ui_manufacturer=RealAir
ui_type=Scout amphibian
ui_variation=CF-KPY
description=.

-feng

[Wing_Z]

Yeah my next rebuild will definitely keep all the aircraft bits in the same folder, no fsfsconv and remote gauges for me.
What's your thought process on aliasing textures etc?
I would have thought there is more disk seek overhead in going out to another folder, finding a texture, and then reading back into the original.

[PHo17]

sorry if the notes are a bit weird. I wrote it for myself so it's not super clear in some parts.

FSM is Flight Sim Manager. It's the best and easiest tool for organizing planes and scenery. However, the author put a time stamp on, so if you try to use it today, it won't run.

The back-date program is actually called Run-As-Date (freeware). It can run any program with a desired date attached. So use this program to run FSM and set the date to year 2005.
...

FSM is a really nice program to service FS9. It's a pity that it isn't developed anymore. What has happened to the author Rana Hossain?

There is no need for any back-date program if you install it into the default folder: C:\Program Files\Ranainside\FlightSimManager . Elseware it refuses to run.

Pekka

[FengZ]

Yeah my next rebuild will definitely keep all the aircraft bits in the same folder, no fsfsconv and remote gauges for me.
What's your thought process on aliasing textures etc?
I would have thought there is more disk seek overhead in going out to another folder, finding a texture, and then reading back into the original.

Aliasing *should* be faster (tho the difference might be .5 seconds, but it does add up if you can squeeze .05 out of 20 different things).

FS9 is not very good at sorting files. If you use Filemon, you can see that it actually scans through the entire FS9 directory while looking for a file. So the more files you have, the more it has to look through. Aliasing basically tells FS9 exactly where to look.

Right now, my FS9 loads up in about 3 seconds, and another 3-4 seconds to load to the airport. The plane select screen pops up instantly and there is zero lag, stutter, load times, etc (the load bar is just one smooth move). I know it really doesn't matter much, but for me, i can't play games unless i can get a smooth 60 fps with no stutters...otherwise i get headaches. I just un-installed Call of Duty 2 because i can only get about 45fps on average...even though this is very high fps, i get a major headache in about 30min....i think my eyes/brain are just more sensitive to low fps...

I have about a dozen games i bought on Steam which are just waiting for my next PC (thinking about getting a crazy desktop Alienware)....

Considering that FS9 is an 6 year old game, today's PCs can eat it up for lunch.

-feng

[Lionheart]

Right now, my FS9 loads up in about 3 seconds, and another 3-4 seconds to load to the airport. The plane select screen pops up instantly and there is zero lag, stutter,

Feng

Dang!!!!!

That is wild. I cant even imagine FS running and starting that fast..

[FengZ]

Dang!!!!!

That is wild. I cant even imagine FS running and starting that fast..

hehe, yeah, my previous FS9 certainly didn't load this quick.

This new install is fast because:

- no 3rd party scenery (except UT with only few options installed; lights, railroad, etc. all deleted)

- only 30 airplanes with 1 repaint each

- all un-necessary files removed and textures converted to DXT3

- no AI (a big fps and load time hog)

I'm loving this version right now. It feels soooo smooth. The plane is constantly wobbling in the wind like in real-life....something so slight that at lower fps it just doesn't show up.

-feng