Hi, have experienced problems running my FS9, so have done a complete re-install on my PC retaining all the update features I have collected through-out number of years. My experience was successful and I have summarized the process below, which hopefully some might find useful. It covers Vista and I think also W7, do not have experience with W8 and 10.
FS9 TOTAL REINSTALL.
Totally reinstall the FS using the four original discs. At the same time, retain add-on scenery, add-on airports, effects, traffic, aircraft etc. from the original FS9. Below is the guide helping how to proceed with the total uninstall and re-build, retaining all the timely efforts spent in improving FS.
1/PREREQUISITE:
1. Have the four original installation discs.
2. Copy the entire FS9 (FS2004) folder to external drive. This folder could be under Program Files or under the root C drive, if FS was installed there initially (C:\FS 2004 or similar).
3. Copy the Flight Simulator Files folder from your Documents folder to the external drive.
4. If you want to retain the same settings, write down the info and percentages from the FS Settings: General, Display, Sound, ATC, Traffic, Assignments, Sensitivities, Realism, Weather.
2/ TOTAL UNINSTALL:
1. Delete the entire FS9 (FS 2004) folder. This folder could be located under the Program Files, or under the root C drive if installed there initially. (See Prerequisite above – this folder must be backed-up).
2. Delete the Flight Simulator Files folder from under the Documents folder. (See Prerequisite above – this folder must be backed-up).
Next points are also covered by Microsoft http://support.microsoft.com/kb/888846 but are simplified below:
3. Set your folder options View to see “Hidden Files and Folders”. Find the AppData folder under your PC main directory PC Name /AppData. This is a hidden folder. Click the folder and open Roaming folder and Microsoft folder. Select fs9 folder and delete it.
4. Delete FS folders from PC Registry. Search for regedit and click regedit.exe. It is suggested to back up Registry Keys prior to these tasks. May not be necessary if you are familiar with folder functions and mistakes are not made.
A/ Click HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft Games\Flight Simulator\9.0 and open all its sub-folders. Delete the last 9.0 folder and all its sub keys, and then delete the Flight Simulator folder and all its sub keys. Note that Flight Simulator\9.0 folders with the sub keys may not be there, depending on how the FS was installed. If you do not see the Flight Simulator folder, disregard this.
B/ Click HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\ Uninstall\Flight Simulator 9.0 and open all its sub-folders. Delete the last Flight Simulator 9.0 folder and all its sub keys. Note that Flight Simulator 9.0 folder with the sub keys may not be there, depending on how the FS was installed. If you do not see the Flight Simulator folder, disregard this.
C/ Click HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Microsoft Games\ Flight Simulator\9.0 and open all its sub-folders. First delete the last 9.0 folder and all its sub keys. Then delete the Flight Simulator folder and all its sub keys.
5. Remove FS9 from the Start menu. Start / All Programs / Microsoft Games / Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004, right-click and delete.
3/ NEW INSTALL:
1. Install the FS9 using the four original discs. My experience shows that it is better to do a Custom install to a folder on hard drive ‘C’ instead to the Program Files, which is a default install. If agree, commence custom install to a folder on hard drive, could be named FS2004.
2. Run the FS to complete the install.
3. Set the settings as per your notes, to match the settings in previously installed FS.
4. Do a basic simple flight to see if all is OK; and as when the new FS9 was purchased.
Close the FS.
5. Upgrade to v9.1, download from Microsoft: http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/downl...s.aspx?id=9727. The downloaded program is copied to FS root directory and run from there.
6. Hook up you external drive with your copy of the original FS9 (FS2004) folder and open the folder in a window on your PC. Next to it open the newly installed FS2004 folder.
Copy/overwrite entire contents of the following folders to the corresponding folders from the original FS to the newly installed FS, overwrite the files if asked:
• FS2004/Aircraft
• FS2004/Modules
• FS2004/Gauges
• FS2004/Effects
• FS2004/Sound
• FS2004/Texture
• FS2004/Add on Scenery
• FS2004/Scenery/World/Scenery
Also:
• Copy your saved Scenery.cfg file to the newly installed FS- This file is in the root FS folder – this way the individual sceneries transferred from the original Addon Scenery do not have to be activated in the newly installed FS. Not copying this file would mean that you will need to activate desired add-on scenery again.
• If desired Copy the saved Flight Simulator Files to your Documents folder.
• Copy the contents of the FS2004/Scenery folders in the regions where there were modifications or SBuider was used to adjust the terrain. Example: if the new airport was added with flatten area in Eurw region the AP files or VTTP and LWM2 bgl files should be copied to Eurw/scenery. You might have also modified some Scenery /Generic or BASE files and need to replace those. This probably pertains to the advanced users only.
• If desired delete the default flight plans file trafficxxxx.bgl (xxx are the numbers, could be different at each FS) this file is in FS2004/Scenery/World/Scenery folder. Deleting this file will delete FS default AI traffic. This way only your added traffic and aircraft will be showing and not the hypothetical AI supplied with the original FS.
• Finally, and if used in your original FS, copy the fs9.exe ‘NO CD patch’ to the root FS folder overwriting the default fs9.exe. This way you do not need disc 4 to run FS.
Doing above covered the following transfers from the original FS:
All added aircraft and flight plans were copied with Aircraft and Scenery/World/Scenery traffic files.
Add-on airports and scenery is available with copied Add-on Scenery and activated either through FS or by transferring the scenery.cfg file.
If used, any new effects, gauges or sounds were copied with corresponding files.
If used, FSUIPC module was copied with the Modules file.
If used, Traffic View Board was copied with Aircraft, Gauges and Modules files.
If used, any Reverser sounds or smoke effects were copied with Sound, Effects and Aircraft files.
If used the Edit Voice Pack sounds, including acceleration (if used) were copied with the Sound files (USEnglishASOS, USEnglishBig.gvp, Evp_Accelerated)
If used, altitude Call Out was copied with Sound, Gauges and Aircraft\panel cfg files.
If used, the texture enhancements, such as Airport environment and similar were copied with the Texture file.
If AIRED was used for flyable aircraft deletion from FS menu (0-2), the non-flyable aircraft were deleted from the menu with copy of the Aircraft files.