XP/Windows Setup, System Optimizing and Drivers

[NickN]

FSX is a 32bit application

x64 allows as much memory as you can throw at it to be accessed and yes, FSX runs better on 4gig than 2

You can use a 32bit OS and run the hacks as explained but the 64bit OS will not require any hacks.

The decision about x64 or x32 is also made based on your hardware and driver availability. You need to check that out

Personally I would not mess with Vista. Its getting replaced in a year or so. I use XP x64

[AndreasB]

[quote]






ANNOUNCEMENT



For those of you who are using O&O with my list, you know the benefits of following that list and the use of O&O Defrag as I laid out


After discussions with O&O engineering and management O&O has now recognized the v10 issues and the are working with Microsoft to correct the problem

Until then, O&O has agreed to offer a special for everyone... this special will allow you to have BOTH VERSION 8.5 now and upgrade to VERSION 10 when the issue is resolved...

THATS v10 FOR FREE with the purchase of v8.0 v8.5 (or 8.6)


I suggest you may wish to take advanatge of the offer



NOTE: VISTA users MUST use version 10

[NickN]

Thanks Andreas!

[Plugpennyshadow]

O & O Defrag CDs...

I would like CD copies of the O & O Defrag software...I would like to get the two-for-one bundle, but really am not comfortable with getting "electronic" versions of software that is to be such an integral part of my puter maintenance toolbox.

Any chance to get the CDs with the order?  I am willing to pay extra, of course.

Thanks

[an-225]

Thank you for that RAM tweak Nick. Now that all 2.5 gigs of RAM are used, I get no blurries (also due to O&O defrag, and the fact that I set FSX to High priority in the task manager).

I have a few questions though.

First, with that RAM tweak, I get two bootup options, Windows XP Professional and 2560. Is there any way I can remove 2560, and still use 2.5 gigs of RAM?

Also, I recently got an Nvidia 8800GT. In Ntune, the tuning section shows the clock settings of my old Nvidia 6800, 450 MHz core, 700 MHz memory. Nvidia Monitor shows the same bus speeds. Am I getting the full potential of the 8800, or has it somehow underclocked itself to 6800 specs?

EDIT: Thats quite odd, I checked Ntune again, and it listed my GPUs clocks as 450 and 702, and just to make sure my bus speeds are really 450 and 702, I opened Nvidia Monitor, and it shows 702 and 950?

[reider]

[quote][quote]






ANNOUNCEMENT



For those of you who are using O&O with my list, you know the benefits of following that list and the use of O&O Defrag as I laid out


After discussions with O&O engineering and management O&O has now recognized the v10 issues and the are working with Microsoft to correct the problem

Until then, O&O has agreed to offer a special for everyone... this special will allow you to have BOTH VERSION 8.5 now and upgrade to VERSION 10 when the issue is resolved...

THATS v10 FOR FREE with the purchase of v8.0 v8.5 (or 8.6)


I suggest you may wish to take advanatge of the offer



NOTE: VISTA users MUST use version 10

[Anxyous]

Nick, I was just wondering if you'll be putting out an optimizing guide like the first few posts, for Vista?

[NickN]

Not anytime soon

As far as I am concerned, unless MS releases a serious patch for Vista I wont be bothering with it and will most likely jump to Windows7 when it is released instead. Just like I skipped WindowsME and went right to XP.

If there is some type of change made to Vista in the form of a SP update which truly debloats the OS and increases perf then I may consider going into it. Otherwise I consider Vista WindowsCE, ME, NT combined

AKA: Windows CEMENT

[macca22au]

Nick, you have a knack of making me feel so bad.  I'm running Vista 64bit with full access to 4 gigs of fast but not the best RAM.  It sure seems to perform ok for me.

Fess up, you have in your various guides pointed to action needed in Vista.

Sure those with XP are maybe in the best place, but now purchasers of new machines have little option, Vista is OEM.  Like it or not, more and more simmers will have to live with it.  Windows 7, if it is an optimised version of Vista will be great, just as I think that FS11 only need be a fully optimised, fully threaded, SLI supporting version of FSX.

Therefore we need someone with your skills, brilliance and dedication to dive into Vista.

[macca22au]

Incidentally. my lazy man's test is:

Can I run FSX using the Carenado Mooney out of a good detailed add-on country airfield to a similar rural field, with few stutters without turning anything else off?

And I can, AV and the lot in the background stealing CPU cycles.  

Of course over Seattle it all has to be turned off - even FSX sometimes!  

[N. Chapman]

so will XP be able to use/handle Nehalem and the fun stuff that goes along with it? or will those that want to have the Nehalem chips be forced to go vista?(for the same reasons that 3 and 4 way SLI is only supported in vista

[NickN]

[quote]Nick, you have a knack of making me feel so bad.

[macca22au]

Woe is me, and ashes are my lot!

[cocoarevo]

I might be misinterpreting your instructions (one time vs often), but this guy : http://www.edbott.com/weblog/archives/000619.html

says that clearing prefetch does not improve performance. I'm not trying to debunk or flame or anything, I was just wondering if your instructions use it as a precursor for something else, as opposed to just clearing it for the sake of clearing it.

[NickN]

There is nothing to debunk.

I have seen it all on the net and if you follow my instructions it will make a difference.

The instructions work as a system.

One element relys on another.

Simply clearing the prefetch cache without doing everything else in the list exactly as I listed and in the presented order won't make any difference and will not help



So yes, it is step set up as part of a predefined system of events which in turn will create a better platform for perf

it only needs to be cleared once. After that it will remain clear and the function of prefetch will swtich to O&O effectively removing the Windows CPU/memory load on the system.