Simviation Forums

When one loads the FSX, does it have a unique registry signature that pertains only for that PC? Please consider the following scenario. I have two PCs with the FSX game loaded. PC#1 is my primary PC and PC#2 serves sort of a backup. I have FSX loaded exclusively in a separate HD in PC#2. Question: If I have problems with the HD containing the FSX in my primary PC, can I simply relocate the PC#2 HD with the FSX and make it work in my primary PC? Or is there going to be a registry issue?

Bubblehead

Yes, you will have a registry problem. Even though you installed FSX on a seperate disk, the FSX registry info is on the C drive.

Maybe my questions and suppositions were a little muddy. So to elaborate further.
In PC#1 I had FSX loaded in "G" drive but my system drive is "C". So the registry is in "C".
In PC#2 I had FSX loaded in "I" drive and the system drive is "C". So the registry is in "C" also correct.

Both "G" and "I" drives have no other programs except for the FSX games.

Now let's say that the "G" drive in PC #1 goes bad. Can I remove the "I" drive in PC#2 and install it in place of the "G" drive in PC #1?
The "C" drives in both PCs still have the registry and were loaded from the same set of disks.
Is registry still going to be a problem for the swap?

Bubblehead

The question is, would Windows assign "G:" to the "I:" drive in PC #1?

My advice: Just try it out. If it doesn't work, it doesn't work.

Sounds like the registry is hard drive sensitive. I could change "G" to "I" in PC#1. No harm in trying. If this works out, it could be an option for those who have problems re-installing and transferring FSX.

Bubblehead

The problem is getting all of the ~400 registry entries for FSX together.


Otherwise, the activation will bug you and FSX won't start.

It's not worth the hassle. Apparently, when a program is loaded, Windows develope identifying characteristics which it can recognize - and it goes beyond just hard drives.

Thanks anyway.

Bubblehead

In other words - it didn't work?

As I said it isn't worth the hassle so I don't know if it will work because I never tried.

Bubblehead

Well, if you're gonna run into that problem one day, just post the results here.  ;D

The problem here is one does not know how any one program really ties into the rest of the system. So while you can probly move some programs like you describe as they are not tied together that tightly to the rest of the system, where other programs like FSX are tied more tightly to the system.
 Or in plain english when you instal programs like FSX it will make registery entries that associate it with the other programs currently installed on the system hard drive. SO if your drives are carbon copies of each other than it just MIGHT WORK 8-)