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This is the method of reinstalling FSX that I recommend. This method allows you to reinstall FSX while moving your aircraft and saving your logs....
I will save the shpeel on the benefits like, this method only takes a couple of hours, and its easy and doesn't miss anything....
There is a lot here, so lets get to it.
To begin with, you need to determine how much hard drive space will be required to do this. I could tell you what that number is, except that it depends on how many aircraft you have, how much scenery you have added, and other things like sounds and effects. So, In order to determine how much space you will need, first open your FSX Root directory:
(it looks like this)
Then, Highlight the following Directories, Addon Scenery, Guages, Sound, Effects, and SimObjects, by holding the Ctrl key while clicking each folder like the following picture:
Then, right click on one of the highlighted folders and go to Properties. This will show you how much space you need to copy these files. Also, while your here and they are highlighted, right click on one of the highlighted folders again and click Copy.
The next thing is, you have to create a folder to copy these files into. Where you put the folder is up to you but I called my folder FSX_BACKUP. Then open you FSX_BACKUP folder and paste the folders you just copied.
Additionally, create another new folder inside the FSX_BACKUP for your user files.... I called my USER_FILES. So my folder structure looks like this:
you will then need to go to the folder where your fsx.cfg is. Win 7 puts these files in c:\users\YOURUSERNAME\appdata\roaming\microsoft\fs x\ while XP puts them in c:\documents and settings\YOURUSERNAME\microsoft\fsx. Vista is a little different too, but none the less you need to open that folder.
Once open, press Ctrl-A to highlight everything, copy the contents.
go back to the USER_FILES directory that you created and paste the files in there. This keeps a copy of your personal data in FSX.
TIME TO UNINSTALL. This is the easy part. Start with Acceleration, and it is uninstalled by going to the control panel, then programs, and uninstalling it that way. This doesn't take too long.
Then grab your FSX Deluxe Disk 1 and shove it in, this is how you uninstall Deluxe. A screen will come up and ask if you want to repair or remove. Remove it. You may be asking yourself, "self, I wonder if Hawg thought about the fact that I have other things installed over FSX?" The answer to that question is yes, dont worry about Rex, Orbx, OZx, or any of your other add on scenery. Some of it will have to be reinstalled, but none of it needs to be removed for the FSX uninstall.
Important.... During the uninstall process for Deluxe, you are asked if you want to save your user files. The answer to this question is yes! This is how we save our logs....
The uninstall of deluxe takes a min, but when its done your ready to reinstall.
Re-Run setup from Disk 1 of your Deluxe Disk. Follow the install instructions, and activate the product.
Then run Acceleration, if you have it, otherwise install SP2, and activate the product.
Now that FSX is reinstalled, you need to open it, login to multiplayer, then shut it down. This creates an FSX.CFG file in your existing USER Files location. Also, you will notice that your logs are unaffected.
Time to move your stuff back. this is the easy part. Go back to the FSX_BACKUP directory and copy the folders that are in it, except the USER_FILES folder that you created, to the new FSX root directory, no matter where you put it in the install process.
If you have windows 7 you will be asked if you want to merge the folders, the answer is YES. If you have XP you will have to replace the folders that are in the new FSX directory with the ones that are in the FSX_BACKUP Directory. You may also have to assign permissions for users to modify the FSX Root directory and all its sub-folders. Each system is a little different, depending on your settings.
Now not everything can be copied this way. FSX Global, for example, is a replacement for existing textures, so it would have to be reinstalled, but Orbx Regions are stored in the Addon Aircraft directory, so they would be back when you copied the Addon Scenery folder. There are very few apps that change the default FSX files but if you have one of those type apps, you will have to reinstall it.
Now that you have taken care of FSX, its time to get your FSX.CFG back. Go to the FSX_BACKUP\USER_FILES folder that you created and copy the FSX.CFG file. then open your users directory for FSX and paste the FSX.CFG, replacing the new one that got created when you fired up FSX earlier. again; c:\users\YOURUSERNAME\appdata\roaming\microsoft\fs x\
Thats it, The quick and easy reinstall. Let me know if you get lost!
I will save the shpeel on the benefits like, this method only takes a couple of hours, and its easy and doesn't miss anything....
There is a lot here, so lets get to it.
To begin with, you need to determine how much hard drive space will be required to do this. I could tell you what that number is, except that it depends on how many aircraft you have, how much scenery you have added, and other things like sounds and effects. So, In order to determine how much space you will need, first open your FSX Root directory:
(it looks like this)
Then, Highlight the following Directories, Addon Scenery, Guages, Sound, Effects, and SimObjects, by holding the Ctrl key while clicking each folder like the following picture:
Then, right click on one of the highlighted folders and go to Properties. This will show you how much space you need to copy these files. Also, while your here and they are highlighted, right click on one of the highlighted folders again and click Copy.
The next thing is, you have to create a folder to copy these files into. Where you put the folder is up to you but I called my folder FSX_BACKUP. Then open you FSX_BACKUP folder and paste the folders you just copied.
Additionally, create another new folder inside the FSX_BACKUP for your user files.... I called my USER_FILES. So my folder structure looks like this:
you will then need to go to the folder where your fsx.cfg is. Win 7 puts these files in c:\users\YOURUSERNAME\appdata\roaming\microsoft\fs x\ while XP puts them in c:\documents and settings\YOURUSERNAME\microsoft\fsx. Vista is a little different too, but none the less you need to open that folder.
Once open, press Ctrl-A to highlight everything, copy the contents.
go back to the USER_FILES directory that you created and paste the files in there. This keeps a copy of your personal data in FSX.
TIME TO UNINSTALL. This is the easy part. Start with Acceleration, and it is uninstalled by going to the control panel, then programs, and uninstalling it that way. This doesn't take too long.
Then grab your FSX Deluxe Disk 1 and shove it in, this is how you uninstall Deluxe. A screen will come up and ask if you want to repair or remove. Remove it. You may be asking yourself, "self, I wonder if Hawg thought about the fact that I have other things installed over FSX?" The answer to that question is yes, dont worry about Rex, Orbx, OZx, or any of your other add on scenery. Some of it will have to be reinstalled, but none of it needs to be removed for the FSX uninstall.
Important.... During the uninstall process for Deluxe, you are asked if you want to save your user files. The answer to this question is yes! This is how we save our logs....
The uninstall of deluxe takes a min, but when its done your ready to reinstall.
Re-Run setup from Disk 1 of your Deluxe Disk. Follow the install instructions, and activate the product.
Then run Acceleration, if you have it, otherwise install SP2, and activate the product.
Now that FSX is reinstalled, you need to open it, login to multiplayer, then shut it down. This creates an FSX.CFG file in your existing USER Files location. Also, you will notice that your logs are unaffected.
Time to move your stuff back. this is the easy part. Go back to the FSX_BACKUP directory and copy the folders that are in it, except the USER_FILES folder that you created, to the new FSX root directory, no matter where you put it in the install process.
If you have windows 7 you will be asked if you want to merge the folders, the answer is YES. If you have XP you will have to replace the folders that are in the new FSX directory with the ones that are in the FSX_BACKUP Directory. You may also have to assign permissions for users to modify the FSX Root directory and all its sub-folders. Each system is a little different, depending on your settings.
Now not everything can be copied this way. FSX Global, for example, is a replacement for existing textures, so it would have to be reinstalled, but Orbx Regions are stored in the Addon Aircraft directory, so they would be back when you copied the Addon Scenery folder. There are very few apps that change the default FSX files but if you have one of those type apps, you will have to reinstall it.
Now that you have taken care of FSX, its time to get your FSX.CFG back. Go to the FSX_BACKUP\USER_FILES folder that you created and copy the FSX.CFG file. then open your users directory for FSX and paste the FSX.CFG, replacing the new one that got created when you fired up FSX earlier. again; c:\users\YOURUSERNAME\appdata\roaming\microsoft\fs x\
Thats it, The quick and easy reinstall. Let me know if you get lost!
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