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New PC windows 8.1

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arnie321 View Drop Down
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    Posted: 14 Jun 2014 at 1:23pm
Soon to buy a new pc off the shelf. Worried about compatibility of windows 8.1 with fsx.
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wain View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote wain Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Jun 2014 at 1:39pm
works fine for me....8.1 since November, run fsx, p3d & x-plane with no issues....
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hifly View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote hifly Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Jun 2014 at 6:20pm
Originally posted by arnie321 arnie321 wrote:

Soon to buy a new pc off the shelf. Worried about compatibility of windows 8.1 with fsx.


When you say 'off the shelf' do you mean from PC World or similar as I would question their sales peoples knowledge of FSX and their after sales support. After gleaning other forums and PC Pilot magazine for specs I got my trusted local PC shop to make it for me. It was cheaper than I could have got from anywhere else, came with a years guarantee, with same or next day service + I can speak to the technician if I need to.

A big retail outlet is only after sales and your hard earned, it's sometimes worth it to get a better deal from your hungry local PC shop.

I'm on Windows 7 so can't vouch for 8.

Good luck with it.
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wain View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote wain Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Jun 2014 at 9:17pm
yes good point there, I built my PC so I know what it will do or wont do, I would avoid above mentioned shop as they may just be interested more in the sale......if it is just for fsx look at the ones in PC Pilot magazine, they may be over budget but they will give you an idea of the specs....

windows 7 works fine too, windows 8.1 works for me but the way things are set out may put you off.....
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote GEOFFERS Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Jun 2014 at 12:39pm
Originally posted by hifly hifly wrote:

Originally posted by arnie321 arnie321 wrote:

Soon to buy a new pc off the shelf. Worried about compatibility of windows 8.1 with fsx.


When you say 'off the shelf' do you mean from PC World or similar as I would question their sales peoples knowledge of FSX and their after sales support. After gleaning other forums and PC Pilot magazine for specs I got my trusted local PC shop to make it for me. It was cheaper than I could have got from anywhere else, came with a years guarantee, with same or next day service + I can speak to the technician if I need to.

A big retail outlet is only after sales and your hard earned, it's sometimes worth it to get a better deal from your hungry local PC shop.

I'm on Windows 7 so can't vouch for 8.

Good luck with it.

PC World or similar will sell you a PC BUT most sales staff have not a clue about FLIGHTSIMULTOR-X it cost me a lot going to PC World they sold me things I DID NOT WANT OR NEED.
It's easy to make a small fortune in aviation. You start with a large fortune.

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hifly View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote hifly Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Jun 2014 at 4:53pm
Also remember that FSX is more CPU based than GPU. Spend more on the CPU, I gleaned that info from this forum. I'd bet no one at these big retail outlets knows that.
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Herky View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Herky Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Jun 2014 at 8:51pm
PC World....? Oh good lord no!

I got mine here, www.wired2fire.co.uk

Their SIM-X systems are safe and sound for FSX. Excellent build quality and good chaps!

Another good chap and a must read before using FSX:-

www.simforums.com/Forums/the-fsx-computer-system-the-bible-by-nickn_topic46211.html

Nick N. "The FSX Computer Bible". If you follow his guide you really can't go wrong! Its a long article. But required reading. A lot of surprising and shocking revelations, but the correct way to set up an FSX system that will work well!

Regards
David


You Tube at HERKY231 or David Herky

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MartinW View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote MartinW Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Jun 2014 at 9:02am
Quote Nick N. "The FSX Computer Bible". If you follow his guide you really can't go wrong! Its a long article. But required reading. A lot of surprising and shocking revelations, but the correct way to set up an FSX system that will work well!


And 80% of it unnecessary.

My advice would be to check the Avsim guide, or Kostas guide... or just use common sense.
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wain View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote wain Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Jun 2014 at 4:37pm
is there a uniform correct way? no....we all fly different aircraft with different addons, different levels of Ai or scenery....we all expect different things from our different simulators, FSX, X-PLANE or P3D...I use all three and if I am honest they all look different, but they all run how I want them to, however you may look at it and not like how I have them set up...like I said look around and purpose built stuff, input or problems people have pointed out on forums like this and then get what you can afford using common sense like Martin said, but please don't go to the likes of PC World...when I built my system I was told not to get windows 8 as nothing will work, well everything I was using in win7 works, some slightly better but that may be down to the other upgrades of the build...
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arnie321 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote arnie321 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Jun 2014 at 6:46am
Thanks for your help so far. As a bit of background, before my current 2 1/2 year gap away from FS I have previously bought off the shelf & I have built my own from scratch systems. My employment overseas has resulted in much of my possessions including my FSX PC (No 5 years old) heading into storage. So I'm back to the UK in September and have decided that I shall splash out on a new system- budget around £1300 plus £200 for monitor and any extras. I no longer have the time to self build (nor can be bothered) Have seen the following on PC world website however will buy direct from HP as I get a discount. What do you think? order now or should I wait until Sep / Oct or have been got it totally wrong.
 
HP Envy Phoenix
  • Windows 8.1 64
  • Intel® Core™ i7-4770 processor
  • NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770 (2 GB GDDR5 dedicated)
  • 16 GB DDR3 (2 x 8 GB)
  • No waiting with super fast 128 GB SSD and 2 TB 7200 rpm storage
  • **** Adding a 2nd additional 250gb SSD hard drive - just for FSX & addons.

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    hifly View Drop Down
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    Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote hifly Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Jun 2014 at 6:16pm
    Arnie, at that sort of budget you could get a good spec Pc built by specialists in FSX rigs such as Chillblast or Wired2fire and others, they advertise in PC Pilot. I reckon you'd get better advice and service from a small business such as the above. I'm no pc expert so check other forums re W8, some have had issues with it and FSX.
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    GEOFFERS View Drop Down
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    Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote GEOFFERS Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Jun 2014 at 7:52pm
    hifly that should be the at the price it's about £400 more than my computer man in LEICESTER made a PC up for me
    It's easy to make a small fortune in aviation. You start with a large fortune.

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    hifly View Drop Down
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    Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote hifly Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Jun 2014 at 8:49pm
    Yep! The manufacturers and big retailers are only interested in shifting units. And if something does go wrong you send it away for weeks, can't speak to the engineer or anyone in the know, etc.

    As an example, I paid £700 for a new pc from my trusted local people, the labour charge for it was £50, I'm on first names with the techies there, no hard sell but good advice.

    Arnie, for £1300 you could get a top range product from one of the companies I mentioned earlier. I think you could get a better deal from other sources,
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    arnie321 View Drop Down
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    Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote arnie321 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Jun 2014 at 5:58am
    Many thanks so fare, I have taken onboard your comments. Checking with overclockers website system built a similar spec machine for £1400 my local pc shop in UK reckoned between £1300-£1400 depending o the case i chose none of which are as smart as the hap case. With my HP discounts the machine I'm looking at cost just £1169.00 so a good saving leaving spare budget to add an addtional ssd.

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    Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jae3806 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Jul 2014 at 11:17pm
    I've just purchased a HP i7 500 .
    Know what you are doing if you buy a PC with W8.1 as the operating system.
    After 5 days of shear frustration I have given up and gone back to the Windows 7 pc.
    The bootstrap of the new HP machines are locked , so there is no way to reload W7 over the W8 operating system.
    I have tried Compatibility mode , running as administrator, reinstalling all Sim software .
    I have used the Basil Faulty method of beating it with a large branch, all to no avail.
    The aircraft that come with the FSX worked ok , but all aircraft that I added , except for one, failed.

    Some Simmers , have been ok with W8.1 , but I would suggest its a bit like buying a lottery ticket, some win , some loose.
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    Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote reider Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Jul 2014 at 4:19pm
    Originally posted by jae3806 jae3806 wrote:

    I've just purchased a HP i7 500 .
    Know what you are doing if you buy a PC with W8.1 as the operating system.
    After 5 days of shear frustration I have given up and gone back to the Windows 7 pc.
    The bootstrap of the new HP machines are locked , so there is no way to reload W7 over the W8 operating system.
    I have tried Compatibility mode , running as administrator, reinstalling all Sim software .
    I have used the Basil Faulty method of beating it with a large branch, all to no avail.
    The aircraft that come with the FSX worked ok , but all aircraft that I added , except for one, failed.

    Some Simmers , have been ok with W8.1 , but I would suggest its a bit like buying a lottery ticket, some win , some loose.


    I wouldn't touch Win 8 or 8.1 with someone elses barge pole.  But anyway, I read this and thought it might help.....

    Quote On the new UEFI systems, the BIOS no longer exists like before. There's no "F" key to press to get into it. They don't work anymore. On Win 8 you could go into PC Settings and make it boot to the BIOS and switch to boot to the DVD. Win 8.1 has removed this option and I'm currently looking for an answer myself, which is how I got here.

    EDIT: Win 8.1 just moved the above to a different place. To get to the BIOS just click the following:

    Open Charms bar,
    Settings,
    PC Settings,
    Recovery and Update,
    Recovery,
    Advanced Startup,
    Troubleshoot,
    Advanced Options,
    UEFI Firmware Settings,
    Click Restart.

    It will now reboot to the BIOS. Isn't that a lot simpler than just pressing F2 when you boot? This is hands-down the dumbest thing I have seen yet? LOL
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    wain View Drop Down
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    Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote wain Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Jul 2014 at 5:06pm
    mine is self built 8.1 , when I boot it up if switch off then I still get the old 1 key press to enter the BIOS....none of that malarkey you have to go through....
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