Why I hate anyone who sez "do a clean install".

[vic365]

They always say it as if it was a 20 minute project. I am going on 3 weeks, after my system crash, and have barely more than a default FS9 running. True, I am trying a different setup (FS9 on a dedicated HDD and addon scenery on another dedicated HDD) but...this does not even begin to address all the work involved in getting FS9 back to where it was a month ago. I have, so far, installed:
UT USA
UT Canada/Alaska
All FSG mesh
The UT/FSG landclass "sandwhich"
FreeFlow Florida scenery
Ground Environment
Flight Environment
FlyTampa Miami
Civa INS
MAAM-SIM R4D/DC3
CaptainSim "Legendary" (in whose mind?) 707
CaptainSim "Legendary" (again...) C-130
TinmouseII 737-200...2 minutes ago and it needs tweaking.

So...PLEASE, before you fall back on that old, favorite, "Do a clean install of MSFS"...and suggest it to somebody...realize what you are asking! For those of us with a life, job and family you are asking us to do months of work to fix a problem because you really don't know the answer to the problem! I'm not pointing this at anyone at AS...just a general middle finger to anyone who suggests it as ANYTHING BUT THE last resort.

I had no resort but to do it. It brings home, however, once again, what is involved for those of us who tweak, addon and modify our FS setups. I got complacent and didn't record all the things which made FS9 run for me...now I'm paying for it. Virtual Memory (pagefile) settings, FS9.cfg entries...you name it, it's all having to be re-discovered. It will be months before I'm back to where I was. Hundreds of addon aircraft and scenery, many forgotten tweaks (that actually worked)...the list goes on and on. I just spent a week chasing a scenery problem I thought was due to having addon scenery installed on it's own, dedicated, HDD...only to (so far) determine it was a Pagefile or FS9 MIP MAP setting (not sure which yet).

So, when helping others, please, I beg you, keep the "Do a fresh install" thing in your back pocket...short of a system crash, like mine, there is very little that can't be fixed without having to re-install FS. Doing a clean install only fixes CORE FS9 problems, many of which can be more easily corrected. 99% of FS problems result from addons and "tweaks"...and do not require a re-install of FS.

[JSkorna]

A clean install can also fix add-on problems as well, just as easily. A bad scenery texture, an AI plane, a corrupt .dll, etc. can also cause problems. A clean install forces a user to reinstall one thing at a time to maybe help discover the problem. If this is not for anyone at AS, then who but AS members are going to read this?

[vic365]

Sorry...ignore the vent.

[AS37 Norm Edwards]

Don't apologise! Here at AirSource we encourage all to talk about their experiences with 'putors and sims... as long as it is clean! I'm sure many others will be able to relate to what you have said. Interestingly I do a clean install once a year as I find with so many downloads of freeware as well as some really shoddy payware my system slows down. I do backup everything and just install what I want to keep - a glutton for punishment maybe I am!

[vic365]

"Once a year"??? You are a better man than I, Norm. If I did it once a year I would have only 9-10 months of simming, judging by the last one I'm in the middle of. Of course...this one wasn't at all planned so I lost 90% of the "knowledge" that was stored (miserably stupid, is he!) on my system. It's almost like learning all over again. Punks with virii...you gotta love 'em.

It is running somewhat better, I have FS9 on a seperate drive and addon scenery also on a seperate drive...but the micro-stutters at detailed airports remain ...the only thing I really wanted to fix. It will be another month before I'm back with all my addon aircraft and scenery...and that, to me, is a long time.

[Leemazz]

Vic im with you on this one clean install is a no no i have two hard drives for my FSX in total about 130 gig of addons so a clean install just cant happen .

[ianbeggs]

Once I have all my addons installed and everything set up and running perfectly I create an image of the disk, I do this periodically as I install new addons, even had to use it once when I lost a hardrive, got a new one and used the image file, and I was back in business in no time.

[rabhaw]

Nice rant Vic and I agree with you.
I have over 200 sceneries, Ground Environment, etc etc and it is an on going process. I add as I need until the instal of FS9 is huge!

Starting again is always frustrating.

[vic365]

I really think I should reply to Jim's reply. I realize you are probably right...I should have posted this vent to somewhere else. But, keep in mind that this was not a rant against AS members but a general venting to people I consider my FS "family". In the RW I don't talk to the people I meet at the grocery about my problems or vent at total strangers...I do that with my friends and family. In my FS world I would choose the same people, friends, to unload my spleen. I posted here because I was not trying to *** at AS members, but I needed people who I respect and have a connection with to hear me.

Every once in awhile we all need to speak our minds. We can do this in front of a group of random people who don't give a damn...or we can let loose to those we trust and are comfortable with...and live with their replies. I chose the latter...and respect your reply, Jim.

[JSkorna]

Hi Vic,

It's not a problem and it has brought to light some very creative work arounds that can benefit anyone who read this. I will curse the day, month, and year I lose all my FS stuff due to a HD failure.