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CVA0190
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Post subject: Finally Trying an SSD Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2013 12:54 pm |
Joined: Tue Aug 25, 2009 11:51 am Posts: 514 Location: Pennsylvania, USA
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My FSX set-up has been working very well lately. (I hope that statement does not cause bad luck!). My main gripe/concern at this point is that with an FSX folder size already over 250 GB (not counting some photo scenery on another drive) I seem to spend half my flight time waiting for everything to load up. And I'm also noticing some texture loading lag in some areas.
Now last spring I attacked this problem with a new install on a 750 GB 7200 Seagate hybrid drive. That thing has a solid state cache on it that stores frequently read data in flash, the whole idea being to read data most often used very quickly. And it worked - if you leave things alone it does speeds things up. The problem is I don't leave it alone. I'm always adding/removing planes and scenery, and as a result, the drive is constantly (it seems) re-learning what is the most used data. It also does not help if you fly all over the world, using many scenery areas - which I do. But if you don't have my habits, I would say a hybrid drive is a good, economical step to improving load times.
So I've ordered a OCZ Agility SATA 3 480GB MLC SSD. At just over $300 USD it was a good price and I hope it works. Should be here this week.
This won't be used for the operating system, just FSX. So I am going to first try to just copy the FSX folder onto it and rename drives. That worked just fine for the Seagate switch-over, so we'll see. If not, a dreaded re-install. I'll probably have to go into the BIOS and switch a SATA6 AHCI port (only have two) from the Seagate to the SSD - or maybe just switch plugs, still researching that one.
Changing hardware always gives me chills and horrible thoughts, so please mutter a small prayer my way if you have time. I'll report back on my progress.
My system specs:
Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit Motherboard - Asus P8P67 Deluxe LGA1155 CPU - Intel Core i5-2500k - overclocked to 4.4GHz CPU Cooler - Corsair HD50 Water RAM - Ripjaw/G.SKILL X Series 8GB SDRAM DDR3 2133 GPU - Nvidia GEForce 570 2GB-overclocked HDD - For Win7 Boot/Main Drive - WD Cav Black 750GB SATA6 AHCI HDD - For FSX only - Seagate Momentous XT 750GB Hybrid SATA6 AHCI - to be replaced with SSD Cooler Master ATC 840 Case Corsair 850W Power Supply Storage - 3 older HDD's Logitech G Series keyboard Saitek Yoke/Throttle
_________________ Barry Diffenderfer
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Cal Jordan (CVA371)
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Post subject: Re: Finally Trying an SSD Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2013 1:19 pm |
Joined: Sat Mar 08, 2008 7:59 pm Posts: 1016 Location: Kelowna, BC
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Something that might help for all those aircraft you have, Some of them come with 15 or 20 liveries, I'll use the // to remove them. leaving just the ones I fly, it leaves them there if I want them later but they dont show in the menu. Also I will add to the panel folder name.... PANEL.HIDDEN It removes the whole aircraft from the menu but leaves it for IA. I leave only 1 default aircraft, I have only CVA aircraft showing when I click change aircraft. Below only the World Travel Airlines will show in the menu, Emerald Harbor Air is hidden, if you want Emerald Harbor Air back, remove the two // and it's back.
eg: [fltsim.0] title=Douglas DC-3 sim=Douglas_DC3 model= panel= sound= texture=1 kb_checklists=Douglas_DC3_check kb_reference=Douglas_DC3_ref atc_id=N36644 ui_manufacturer="Douglas" ui_type="DC-3" ui_variation="World Travel Airlines" ui_typerole="Twin Engine Prop" ui_createdby="Microsoft Corporation" description="The Douglas DC-3 revolutionized air transportation and airline service during the 1930s and 1940s. It was a luxury airliner that boasted cabin heat and running water in its on-board lavatory. With the right balance of efficiency, range, speed, and payload, the DC-3 was the first aircraft to earn a profit for its owners just by carrying passengers. The hero of early airlines, a handful of DC-3s are still at work today."
//[fltsim.1] title=Douglas DC-3 Paint1 sim=Douglas_DC3 model= panel= sound= texture=2 kb_checklists=Douglas_DC3_check kb_reference=Douglas_DC3_ref atc_id=N849EH ui_manufacturer="Douglas" ui_type="DC-3" ui_variation="Emerald Harbor Air" ui_typerole="Twin Engine Prop" ui_createdby="Microsoft Corporation" description="The Douglas DC-3 revolutionized air transportation and airline service during the 1930s and 1940s. It was a luxury airliner that boasted cabin heat and running water in its on-board lavatory. With the right balance of efficiency, range, speed, and payload, the DC-3 was the first aircraft to earn a profit for its owners just by carrying passengers. The hero of early airlines, a handful of DC-3s are still at work today."
_________________ Not using FSX anymore, using only FS2020 and some flights with VR (Oculus)
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CVA0319
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Post subject: Re: Finally Trying an SSD Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2013 3:06 pm |
Joined: Tue Dec 01, 2009 1:26 am Posts: 583
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Barry, When I installed my SSD two years ago most of the literature I could find at the time pointed to leaving FSX on the same drive as your OS it seemed logical that reading back and forth from a slower system drive to the SSD would create a bottleneck of sorts. That's the way I set mine up so I really can't offer any observations to a "two drive" config. There was an article on how to conserve space on SSD's that I read and followed, it didn't seem to cause any ill effects so it may be of interest to you. ( http://www.zdnet.com/blog/bott/windows-7-and-ssds-cutting-your-system-drive-down-to-size/2941) but it only opened up about 10 gigs of space. It appears we both share that "A" type personality as I'm always installing planes and scenery but I'm afraid that owning a 128 gig SSD that shares both FSX and Windows 7 64 bit has made me quite the master at delving into aircraft folders and removing liveries that I seldom fly. If you go that route the best I can offer is to simply remark out the [fltsim.x] block as Cal suggests but then actually take the corresponding folders and move them to a new folder on a separate drive. That way it would be relatively easy to get a livery up an running again (you know, for when that liveries developer drops by your place and you don't want to be embarrassed by the absence of his model on your computer ) I've also experimented with pointing FSX to a second drive for addon scenery's but I notice lag in doing so, I mostly keep all scenery files on the SSD now. Wish I had more to offer, and I hope you become a master of allocating resources on your SSD so you can share with the likes of me Good luck and I'm positive that you will love the new SSD Gary
_________________ Global+Vector,FS_G 2010,REX4,NRM,CRM,PFJ,PNW,SAK,NCA,Tong_Fjords 0S9,3W5,7S3,KCMW,KORS,PAKT,WA56,WA79,W52,PAGS,PAJN,CZST +Portland City,2S1,CEN4,CEJ4,KHQM,7WA3,CBB7,KPDX G_NA packs 1-8,EDBH
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CVA9214
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Post subject: Re: Finally Trying an SSD Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2013 3:07 pm |
Site Admin |
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Joined: Wed Dec 15, 2004 2:03 am Posts: 1687 Location: Montreal, Quebec
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Aharon wrote: Cal,
Your method will not reduce hard disk space. Deleting unnecessary livery textures per each model package will solve the hard disk space problem. For instance, you never fly FSX default DC-3 with seven FSX default liveries. Just delete 5 FSX default liveries from DC-3 and leave 2 alone to save hard disk space.
Cal's idea is a great, for Barry's problem. Barry is looking to fix the problem of load time and folder performance.... not disc space.
_________________ My two cents! OOOps they don’t make cents anymore then my two nickels.
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Cal Jordan (CVA371)
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Post subject: Re: Finally Trying an SSD Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2013 3:47 pm |
Joined: Sat Mar 08, 2008 7:59 pm Posts: 1016 Location: Kelowna, BC
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Quote: Aharon Your method will not reduce hard disk space Never said it would. Quote: Aharon Hiding or adding (unhiding) every time is too much work and too much stress So is reinstalling everything because you found out you need that default aircraft. at least // it out until you know it's not required. Then if you need the space, delete it. Myself it's a whole day reinstalling FSX, Aircraft and Scenery, to have to do this because 1 file is missing............ I use a disk image, once I get a good install done, and once a week make a new one, I can go back 10 images if I have to. I can add something (FSINN for instance) and if it screws up all I have to do is load my latest Disk image and in less than 2 hrs I'm back up and running again with everything installed and working, Then I can try FSINN again..... FSX and some AI programs use the default aircraft, if you remove these textures you will have less variety.
_________________ Not using FSX anymore, using only FS2020 and some flights with VR (Oculus)
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mikethompson
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Post subject: Re: Finally Trying an SSD Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2013 4:20 pm |
Joined: Sat Nov 03, 2012 6:59 pm Posts: 153 Location: ottawa
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you definitely want to install your fsx with your os on the ssd. From what I have read. I will try to come up with some links. But everywhere I have read that will get you the best performance. thanks cal for those tips will be trying them out today.
_________________ FTX,GEX,UTX, FTX-NORTHERN ROCKIES ;PACIFIC NORTHWEST;PACIFIC FJFORDS,Vox Atc, FS2crew 737ngx, AS2012
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CVA0190
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Post subject: Re: Finally Trying an SSD Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2013 11:43 am |
Joined: Tue Aug 25, 2009 11:51 am Posts: 514 Location: Pennsylvania, USA
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Thanks all for the comments. All posts have good points.
Cal, I had discovered those tips for reducing usable aircraft somewhere, and they are good ones. Makes sense not to bother loading stuff you never use. I had started on some planes but have many more to edit. I'm using Ultimate Traffic AI when flying jets, so jet liveries I '//'. For props I like the default GA AI because some small sceneries include cool AI traffic patterns of their own. For prop liveries I don't want I generally hide out the panel. I'm not concerned with disk space so I don't delete liveries.
Frank, I have been disabling some scenery areas in the library where I don't usually go. For instance, if I use the Iceland scenery, it will probably only be for a day or two. So most of the time Iceland is unchecked. I have several of those places. It seems this might be part of the logic in Orbx FTX Central, which disables/enables Orbx scenery (and also prevents texture conflicts).
As for putting Win7 on the SSD, sure I could do that, but I'm not going to. I've always liked the idea of FSX on it's own separate drive. I may move over the weather programs that are now on C: to speed up texture changing because I like to change textures a lot. But I'm not up for a windows re-install right now. It's working fine and fast just where it is. If I do go that route, it will be on another small SSD or maybe this Seagate Hybrid I'm freeing up.
Got an email the drive shipped from New Jersey this morning. I'm in PA so the truck shouldn't take long to get here! Will keep posted.
_________________ Barry Diffenderfer
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mikethompson
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Post subject: Re: Finally Trying an SSD Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2013 10:16 pm |
Joined: Sat Nov 03, 2012 6:59 pm Posts: 153 Location: ottawa
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Do you think you could do a windows experience index before and after? If you have time and dont mind. I would really like to know the difference thanks.
_________________ FTX,GEX,UTX, FTX-NORTHERN ROCKIES ;PACIFIC NORTHWEST;PACIFIC FJFORDS,Vox Atc, FS2crew 737ngx, AS2012
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Rob Vanderkam
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Post subject: Re: Finally Trying an SSD Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2013 8:29 pm |
Joined: Wed Jul 16, 2003 1:16 am Posts: 2586 Location: Ottawa
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mikethompson wrote: Do you think you could do a windows experience index before and after? If you have time and dont mind. I would really like to know the difference thanks. me too
_________________ CVA (established in 1997) is 23 years old this year!
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CVA0190
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Post subject: Re: Finally Trying an SSD Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2013 10:54 am |
Joined: Tue Aug 25, 2009 11:51 am Posts: 514 Location: Pennsylvania, USA
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mikethompson
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Post subject: Re: Finally Trying an SSD Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2013 1:11 pm |
Joined: Sat Nov 03, 2012 6:59 pm Posts: 153 Location: ottawa
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Thanks for posting. Yeah I forgot that you were not planning on putting windows on the ssd. Sorry about that.
_________________ FTX,GEX,UTX, FTX-NORTHERN ROCKIES ;PACIFIC NORTHWEST;PACIFIC FJFORDS,Vox Atc, FS2crew 737ngx, AS2012
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