System Hardware: PC | MOBO | RAM | CPU | HDD | SSD | PSU etc

Please any advice you can give would be great.Here are my specs (I copied them off the box it came in):Processor:Intel Core2 QuadProcessor Speed 2.4GHzSystem Bus: 1066MHzCache Memory: 8MB at die Level 2RAM: 4GB PC2-6400 DDR2 SDRAM (Expanable to 8GB)Hard Drive 750 GB SATA (7200 rpm)Graphics Card:NVIDIA GeForce 8500 GTVideo Memory 512MB (dedicated); upgradable to 1791MB total available graphics memoryOS: Windows VistaMS Flight Sim 2004Now here are my questions.1.) Does using some sort of RAMDISK work good with FS9 ? How do I use the RAMDISK? Where can I get a free software to install a RAMDISK?2.) What areas is my system lacking in? In otherwords if you were in my shoes (gi…

Hello everyone,In light of people upgrading their computers, I've decided to post a guide of hardware I recommend using research on how each component does in FS9, FSX, and Windows XP/Vista. Please let me know how it is, I'll be adding more stuff periodically. Multi-GPU technologies such as nVidia SLI and ATi CrossFire could be supported by the motherboard for future plans.Motherboard. You want a motherboard which at least supports PCI Express. AGP is being phased out, and is not as effective and cannot handle speeds as fast as PCIe or PCIe 2.0. PCIe 3.0 is due out in 2009, but no need to worry about that right now. Make sure that the motherboard supports the CPU's FSB an…

Unfortunately my overclocking may have lead to some hardware damage. For those who have followed my escapades, recall I own 4 2gb mushkin DIMMS, and 4 1gb OCZ's. Both sets ran perfectly, very overclocked, but running within stated spec for vDIMM for EPP. I made a critical blunder, it would appear, when I decided to relax timings from 4-4-4-15 @ 1060Mhz or so, to 5-5-5-18 at 1200Hhz. Right now I don't recall where the divider was set, but in any case, it actually POSTed, but when XP initialled, the BSOD arrived, after which . . . there is no overclockability whatsoever in the OCZ's. They were very cool, for the brief time they ran at that frequency. vDIMM was as it ha…

......and want to build a dream system that can run FS9 and FSX with great smoothness,without a slide show.and good resolution I have Level D and PMDG panels currently.Also I have CH yoke and pedals. So with that in mind what kind of system would you build....Would you use Vista or XP.

Hi,I have just reluctantly changed from a super Mitsubishi 21" CRT with fantastic resolutions to a Samsung 22" Flatscreen. The difference is quite poor compared to the excellent CRT Screen.Before I buy this screen can anybody recommend which is the best Flat Screen montior to buy?, many thanks.I am looking for something around 24-26", with the emphasis on quality.Best Regards,Chris

Anyone looking to upgrade, I just stumbled upon the following deal at Zipzoomfly.com:OCZ 4 GB (2x2GB) CL7 DDR3-1600 RAM for $269 after rebate:http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetai...ctCode=10008207Kylehttp://www.precisionmanuals.com/images/forum/747400.jpg

Anyone recommend a good card to replace the above? I play a lot of FPS games as well as FS9 and FSXrunning on core2 duo e6850 and 2 gig ramthanksGraham

I have a problem which card to choose.ATI Radeon X1950 Pro DDR3 512mb PCIEor512MB ATI SAPPHIRE HD3650 PCX DDR3which is the best card for FS2004.Thanks

I see that NewEgg had this card on sale for US$60 after $30 rebate:Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeGamer 7.1http://tinyurl.com/69mbblIs this a good card for FSX. E.g., will I be able to use 5.1 without a performance penalty?

In game, when you make a change in the graphics settings, do you need to exit the game and restart before it has a effect?And 2nd. If in game you pause FSX and go into Nhancer and change the profile settings either global or profile, do you need to exit and restart FSX?I am at that point where I THINK i have acheived the best picture result I can with my current setup. I still cannot get rid of the shakes and jaggies on runways and taxiways.I make changes in game and cannot see any effect.Thanks, Jim

Hello folks,is it possible to start FSX with separate configurations for Stick and Yoke?Michael

Occasionally, I get a Blue Screen and shutdown. I read somewhere else on a thread about "checking Memory Sticks". How do you do this? Should I remove them and take them somewhere to be checked? Can it be done without removing them?Thanks.

I ran a disk clean-up and defrag and now when I run fs9 the display freezes but the program continues to run, any idea's??

Hi, I cant get Dx10 Working Properly, when I enable it there it a lot of jagged lines, a lot like AF and AA are not turned on, I have tried turning it on in the game setting, I got same result, I also I tried Nhancer same result. Do you guys have any suggestions? I have 2x 9600gt's with vista x64 and latest nvdia beta drivers. -Thanks

Hello, Since Uncle Sam has given us some money to "stimulate" the economy, I'm going to do my part as a patriotic American and try to increase my FSX performance. My signature shows my setup. While it's not the fastest ever built, it should be, and has been enough to run FSX pretty well. Somewhere along the way I've developed a case of the microstutters that I can't get rid of. I've incorporated Nick N's tweaks, and while my framerates are good, these stutters persist.Currently I have 3 hard drives in my computer. One which houses my OS, (XP). One that contains FS9 and FSX on separate partitions. The third hold music. All three are ATA drives with IDE cables, 7200 RP…

I am curious to hear if anyone has any experience running FSX on both a single HD, and on two HD's in a Raid-0 configuration. Could you tell a performance difference between the two? I am trying to decide if I am going to install two Raptor's in a Raid-0 configuration, and then two 7200 RPM drives also in a Raid-0 configuration. Or, if I am going to install one Raptor and one 7200 RPM drive by themselves.From what I am reading, performance boosts from Raid-0 configurations is a myth for most Desktop computing applications. Any comments about this would be greatly appreciated.

All;I am running a rig with one video card that supports two monitors and all is well.I am going to build a new rig and want to add a third monitor so I need a second card. If my motherboard has two PCI Express slots, do I just need two cards or must the be "connected"? I am not sure how the second card is recognized and handled.I will be getting a new Motherboard (probably and ASUS) with a Core 2 Duo or Quad processor. I am running XP Pro and FS9.Also, should my two cards be of the same Manufacturer and type?I tried this on my older PC and the motherboard would not take a PCI express video card and a PCI card and recognize both :(Many thanks.John

Ugg! Don't like the overly reflective clouds and haze, esp when teh sun is low over the horizon. Pan out the side and it's just too metallic looking. Looks artificial. Is this an nV issue, or just the way FSX is? Driver?Despite the much improved ground textures and mesh resolution, the sky and weather doesn't look too pretty quite often. Seems like FS9 was much better looking. I am using ASX and FEX.NoelQX9650 w/ Retail HSF|8GB Muskin PC-6400|ASUS P5E|EVGA 8800GT @700|Seagate SATA 2 x 4|Seagate Cheetah 15K.x|XP Pro|Vista 64--soon to be installed

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Hi,I have a recurring problem and I'm not sure if it is the well known nvidia 8800GT crash or a separate hardware glitch. The issue occurs randomly while flying different plane's. I have tried the new 174.74 beta drivers with nhancer and no relief. I suspect hardware because I get no messages from windows. The screen will start to break up with thin horizontal lines spreading across the monitor; then the monitor goes black. All I can do is turn off the computer and reboot. This is a new computer and everything is suspect. :) Thanks in advance for any help.Bob..

If you have a DX10 system did you stick with DX10 mode for FSX?Have the early issues been resolved by driver updates or Vista SP1?If you do use it , what video card and driver do you have?

Good day,I just got myself a new PC and I get an average of 4 to FPS with FSX and FS9. I had a P4 3.2GHZ and I was getting good FPS with FS9 and bad FPS for FSX that's why I got a new PC.Please advise why can't I get a good FPS with this type of machine.Intel core 2 DUO E8400 3.00G/1333/6M/S775 OC to 3.6MHzAsus Motherboard P5K-E with WiFiIntel Core 2 ICE Fan with Heat Pipeadditional fan swap for heat pipe - 90mmPrizion Qualified 4GB DDR2 RAM 800mHz - Kingston (2 x 2GB)Memory cooling via "heat sink" (for 2 chips)2 x Seagate 320GB 7200rpm Serial-ATA-2 Hard Drive with anti-shock with 16mb cachenVidia GeForce 8800GTS OC 512MB PCI-ExpressAntec TruePower Trio 650 - Power suppl…

Long time reader, first time poster.Here's my setup:Asus Maximus ExtremeIntel E6750, no overclock (yet)2GB OCZ PC160002x7600GT and 1x8500GT driving six monitors, no SLI, no overclock.2x750 Seagate 7200.11 SATA in RAID0All monitors running 1280x1024.Vista 64 w/SP1FSX Deluxe w/SP2I currently get framerates of 10-12 at Medium Low FSX setting. Wanting to boost this. Not ready to upgrade graphics cards yet (waiting for what comes after 9800GTX on the monster scale)I really can't tell if the bottleneck is the gfx, the cpu, or the ram. *shrug*My question is - which is my better option to improve performance for ~$400US: Q9450 CPU or 4GB PC16000 RAM? Or is there a better sugg…

I am not usually one to do this but with the amount of guys we have overclocking now I thought I would pass on some info.I just swapped boards to the New Asus Maximus Extreme. It is $$ at $349US but holy cow!!!Just a few features on the board itself, I will get into the BIOS shortly... It is based on the X38 chipset with PCIE 2.0 and SATA 3.0 so it is definitely based on latest h/w but regardless of all of that, how about this for thinking about us overclockers...How about a CMOS reset SLIDER instead of a having to set it with a Jumper :)It also has a CMOS reset on the OUTSIDE of the board by your USB inputs in the rear. OMG, all I have to do is hit a button on the back…

I'm thinking about to buy one of the latest Q6600 cpu's to change my 6750 cpu who is running now on my P35 DS3 Gigabyte board with 2x2 Gb MDT DDR2-800. The memory is running with 5-5-5-12 and the CPU runs fine at 3,2Ghz. I planned to give these fine running system to my son.What will be the best to get all out of the Q6600 which I want to overclock to 3,6 Ghz.I think I buy again a Gigabyte P35 DS3 board but struggling with the RAM choice, Fast 800 Mhz ram with 4-4-4-12 or go a step higher to 1066 Mhz ram but which one and settings to choose (?)I believe a lot of fellow simmers are using the Q6600 so come on... What will be the best buy.Happy landings.PS: I want to make th…