PC Build Advice

[RobDob]

Morning all

I have a couple of questions regarding the PC I am building; I haven't done it for years so am a little rusty!!

Firstly, when its all put together do I simply switch on and put in the Windows 7 DVD for it to then sort itself out?

Secondly I have a 250 gig SSD & 1tb Caviar black. Regarding software, whats best to install where? Should I put both Windows & FSX on the SSD?

Any advice would be gratefully received!!

Cheers all.

[Paul K]

When I had a new PC built, I had separate drives for Windows 7 and FSX, as it helps FSX run faster - or so I am told. I can't explain the technicalities of this, but there seems to be broad agreement in the FS community.
Somebody else more knowledgeable can advise you on installing Windows, but I'm pretty sure thats what you do - put the disc in the CD drive and let it do its thing.

[DaveB]

Ben has recently had a pc rebuild and the post for his setup is here somewhere. I don't believe it's good policy to have the OS and FSX on the same drive.. I don't believe it was good policy to have the OS and FS9 on the same drive either but I understand needs must

Hopefully, Ben will see this and let you know how his system is set up.. unless you find his post first

ATB
DaveB

[RobDob]

Thanks guys; hopefully Ben will see this soon but in the mean-time I'll search for his post!

Cheers

Rob

[TSR2]

Hi Rob,

Give me half an hour and I'll be home at the PC. Tbh, its a bit of a dilemma, normally folk say separate drive for FSX and Windows, but you've got an SSD big enough to do both. Back shortly

[TSR2]

Back again.

There are so many variables, but I think the best mix might be...

Put your SSD into the first SATA port, the Caviar into port 3 and the DVD Rom drive in port 4 (or 5 or 6 if you have them)

Windows 7 install on the SSD, but when installing Win 7, change the size of the partition 80GB. Dont create another partion at this stage, just crack on and install Win7 on the 80GB partion on the SSD.

Once win 7 is installed and patched via windows update, create a second partion on the SSD using all of the remaining space. This will probably be you E drive. Only ever do a Quick format on an SSD, never a full one and when you format it, set the allocation unit size (drop down list) to 64k.

When installing FSX, choose advanced options and change the path to something like E:\Microsoft Flight Simulator X

Looking at the space I'm using on my system with V2 of the UK VFR scenery and the UK2000 stuff, as well as FEX, GEX Europe, and Ultimate terrain X Europe, this should be plenty of room.

For clarity, the reason I'm suggesting partioning the SSD in this instance isn't for performance, but to keep FSX on a separate drive, so that if at some point in the future Santa brings you another SSD it would be easy to move FSX onto that and recover the partitioned space and expand your C Drive.

I'm assuming the Caviar will be used for backups / photos / music etc?

[RobDob]

Hi Ben

Thanks for your reply; very very useful. The plan for the Caviar Black is for iTunes, etc, and all that stuff. Unless of course i fill the SSD with FSX then I may have to re-think!! TBH I was only planning to have a similar FSX setup on there as I have now which isn't too huge whch is why I opted for the 250 gig version, but the option of expanding with another SSD like you say seems a good way to go. Presumably its straight forward partitioning like you suggest? May have to google it beforehand!! I'm still waiting for all the bits to wing their way from the US to Qatar so won't be finishing the build for another 2 weeks or so. The only downside of living here.......you can't get the stuff you want and it takes ages to get stuff sent here!!!!

Other problem I'm currently facing is finding a decent CPU cooler to fit inside my Coolermaster Cosmos S case! All the good ones foul my case fan! Easiest way round it is with a liquid cooler such as the Corsair unit, but keep reading conflicting reports as to how good they are!!

Cheers

Rob

[TSR2]

I have a Cosmos S too and no problems with fouling. Its an old Tagan unit (650w) which I bought in 2008 but still more than enough for the GTX8800 and 3 x SSD's and a core i5 2500k. TBH I don't have the large side fan on the cosmos connected, just the one in the drive bay, 1 in the rear and one on the top.

What you could do is leave the Caviar disconnected when you build it. Stick the Win7 DVD in and boot up from the DVD.

6.
On the Which type of installation do you want? page, click Custom.

7.
On the Where do you want to install Windows? page, choose the partition that you want to install Windows 7 on, or click Unallocated Space if no partitions are listed, and then click Next.

If a dialog box appears saying that Windows might create additional partitions for system files, or that the partition you chose might contain recovery files or other types of files from your computer manufacturer, click OK.

There should be a Tools option to change the size of the partition at this step

[RobDob]

Cheers Ben; I'll wait for the rest of the bits to arrive and see how I get on. Might order the Corsair H100 liquid cooler as I can't find a decent air cooler to fit with that side fan; they make 'em big these days!!!

[aeroart]

Hello Rob,

I admit that I haven't read all the replies to your original post, but what I"ve learned in other sim forums is to create a new Flight Simulator folder in your C: drive, but not under Program Files. Call it, say, FltSim, or something equally original, and install the program there. You will be given a choice as to where you want to install it as the installation process progresses.

The advantage to doing this is that FltSim is no longer under UAC supervision, so permissions will not be a problem.

Art