XP/Windows Setup, System Optimizing and Drivers

[Anxyous]

I see, I'll try it out then.

Thanks!

[JimBrown]

Hi Nick,

I didn't see this mentioned in this thread (if it is, I missed it.)

In the first message, near the beginning, you say to turn off Error Reporting, and provide instructions.

For Vista, the instructions are slightly different. They are:

Control Panel > System and Maintenance > Problem Reports and Solutions > Change settings > Advanced setting

Select "Off" for "For my programs, problem reporting is:"

One may also wish to select "Clear solution and problem history" once this is off.

End users should note that Vista includes the ability to keep track of problems encountered and if a solution becomes available, notify you of said solution. Making these changes will turn that functionality off.

Regards,
...jim

[NickN]

thanks Jim  

My list was not targeted at Vista so I assumed people would simply find the same setting in Vista and make the change

[JimBrown]

Understood.

It took me a while to find that setting, and I'm usually pretty good at finding that sort of stuff. (Actually, I cheated and googled for it. :-) )

Figured I'd mention it in case any other Vista users were wondering where to find it.

All the best.
...jim

PS. It's night two of going through your list on this new beast. Time for the defrags. (Guess I'll watch some TV...)

[JimBrown]

Hi Nick,

I've finished your set up list. Looking good.

There is one final thing I want to do, and that is set up UTX properly. I know I saw a message from you somewhere about that (changing stream widths and other such stuff) but damned if I can remember where I saw it. (I really should bookmark stuff like that. Apparently I've got CRAFT disease.)

Can you kindly point me in the right direction?

Much thanks,
...jim

[NickN]

It was just a list of what I like to run.. other than the night lighting and car traffic the rest wont be a perf concern

here it is

In UTX I would run it at the default settings, except for the following:


In the list on the RIGHT make the following changes

For best performance, NIGHT LIGHTING.. USA/CAN main roads OFF, intersection OFF

NOTE: To get a trade off for night lights with GEXn installed, ENABLE intersection lighting but leave the Main Road lighting OFF but remember any UTX night lighting hits perf

In the list, last OTHER TERRAIN FEATURES turn off glaciers, railway yards, highway interchanges

(note: the ones above must be repeated for each UTX version)

Then change these items from the main menu under ADVANCED:

(note: changes the items below in one tool changes all version of UTX)

WIDTHS

UT OCEAN PIER 3
UT RAIL ENC DRY 14
UT RAIL ENC SEASONAL 14
UT RAIL ENC TROPICAL 14
UT RAIL ENC BRIDGE 14
UT RAIL ENC TRACKS 12
UT ROAD ENC DRY 28
UT ROAD ENC SEASONAL 28
UT ROAD ENC TROPICAL 28
UT ROAD ENC2 DRY 16
UT ROAD ENC2 SEASONAL 16

Click SAVE - DONE


FLATTENING

UT STREAM LINE DRY -2
UT STREAM LINE WET -2

UT River (2 entries) you can lower those too if you want.. I use -3

Click SAVE - DONE

Close the UTX Tool




I never enable any of the RD4 minor urban residential roads.. they are overkill and usually make the sim look fake. I will usually leave the RD5 Minor Rural roads (different from minor urban residential) enabled for USA/CAN but disable the RD5 minor rural roads in UTX Europe

I also turn off static traffic on roads from time to time .. sometimes it looks good and others it does not.. depends

[JimBrown]

Thanks Nick, that was the info I was looking for.

I had applied it to my old set up and liked the looks. Wanted to do the same for the new system.

A clarification, please. For:
FLATTENING

UT STREAM LINE DRY -2
UT STREAM LINE WET -2

UT River (2 entries) you can lower those too if you want.. I use -3

Are you using "Offset" or "Slope"? (Or does it matter?)

Regards,
...jim

[NickN]

offset

but remember, that makes the river or stream appear to gave a depth in the terrain.. you may need to tweak that to taste.

[Selkan]

Hi Nick, I wonder if you could add some clarification for me.  I have recently purchased a West. D. 300GB 10,000rpm (before reading your great posts).  I am about to undertake a complete reinstall using Vista Ultimate 32bit and FSX. ASUS A8N-sli mother board, dual core CPU 4.8 using a G-Force 9800GTX.

I refer to your section within 'system and OS Tuning'....'The Windows XP Performance counters etc etc'

Four years ago I started building my own 737-800 cockpit.  I have one main Server P.C. for OS and FSX, and use four Client P.C.s (using Windows 2000) for my Glass Cockpit Screens (project Magenta) FMC etc.  All P.C.s use a HUB for networking.

This section refers to networking, so my question is should I leave your instructions in this section out, or is this quite different to the 'networking' that I am thinking about?

I have to say you have done a great deal of work for use all, and is much appreciated.

Steven

[NickN]

author=Selkan link=1208959973/240#248 date=1232274901]Hi Nick, I wonder if you could add some clarification for me. I have recently purchased a West. D. 300GB 10,000rpm (before reading your great posts). I am about to undertake a complete reinstall using Vista Ultimate 32bit and FSX. ASUS A8N-sli mother board, dual core CPU 4.8 using a G-Force 9800GTX.

I refer to your section within 'system and OS Tuning'....'The Windows XP Performance counters etc etc'

Four years ago I started building my own 737-800 cockpit. I have one main Server P.C. for OS and FSX, and use four Client P.C.s (using Windows 2000) for my Glass Cockpit Screens (project Magenta) FMC etc. All P.C.s use a HUB for networking.

This section refers to networking, so my question is should I leave your instructions in this section out, or is this quite different to the 'networking' that I am thinking about?

I have to say you have done a great deal of work for use all, and is much appreciated.

Steven

Steven..

All you are doing is turning off the OS's ability to record performance specs.. this has nothing to do with network ability or ability in any part of needed service support other than PROC and OS which I said to remain enabled so any monitor software that may access that service will have support for reading temps and other Proc features

[Kingair]

Quote Modify Split this topic starting with this message as the first message in a new topic, followed by the other posts until the last post added to this thread. Remove
Hi Nick,

When setting up the video setting using nHancer, can you confirm that for AA it should be set as COMBINED 8xS ? I was a little confused by this statement in the first post of this thread:

"NOTE: Those images are old and AA is not set to COMBINED and then 8xS NOT SUPERSAMPLE and 8xS"

I'm trying to get the best settings for my EVGA GTX 260 216.

Thanks alot,

KingAir

[NickN]

author=Kingair link=1208959973/240#250 date=1232307587]Hi Nick,

When setting up the video setting using nHancer, can you confirm that for AA it should be set as COMBINED 8xS ? I was a little confused by this statement in the first post of this thread:

"NOTE: Those images are old and AA is not set to COMBINED and then 8xS NOT SUPERSAMPLE and 8xS"

I'm trying to get the best settings for my EVGA GTX 260 216.

Thanks alot,

KingAir

do I have a typo? Let me check


EDIT: Yes... that was a typo.. I just killed that post and got rid of the written instructions which are very old

use this post and follow the 1,2,3 instructions

http://www.simforums.com/forums/forum_p ... 769#156769

and yes, COMBINED 8xS is the setting

[Selkan]

Many thanks Nick for the clarification.  I thought this would be the case, but just wanted to check.

Steven

[Dougal]

A question for you Nick when you have time.....

I've now been using Eset NOD32 AV for some time.  I now have an ESET associated service running called 'ekrn.exe'.  This appears to be a bit on the large side (around 40Mb RAM).

a)  Is this normal?
b)  Presumeably, you'd have stated if it was ok to disable this service?

Thanks kindly all your valued input.  It's helped my system enormously.

[NickN]

Its normal and leave it alone