How to uninstall and reinstall FSX

[Kalo]

I found this handy article on the PMDG website:

In certain scenarios, it can become necessary to reinstall FSX. This article will take you through the process of fully uninstalling the sim, reinstalling it clean, and getting it patched back up to SP2 or Acceleration.

THE UNINSTALL

WARNING - this will completely remove everything associated with FSX including your saved flights and fsx.cfg. Back these up if you'd like, but it is imperative that you start off completely clean to ensure such files weren't involved with your issue. Leaving them there through the reinstall could trigger the issue again if it is related to them.

1. Go to Add or Remove Programs under Windows XP or Programs and Features under Vista or Windows 7. Remove any addons you have installed for FSX, including aircraft, scenery, and utilities such as weather addons. You need to do this because many addons (like our own) feature validation protection that will get reset when you uninstall, if you leave your addons there, they may fail to reinstall correctly later. You cannot just copy addon folders and then copy them back in later - this does not work for most due to things that need to happen during their installation to properly setup and validate them.
   
   Double check the list and make sure you got all of them. You may also want to check the Start Menu Programs list and see if you have any addons remaining there as well which may only uninstall through a link in the menu.
2. Find the entry for FSX and uninstall it. This may say Acceleration, Service Pack 2, etc.
3. Once it is done uninstalling, close the control panel and reopen it. It is likely you will now see FSX still present in the list. This is because the previous step only uninstalls the Acceleration pack or Service Pack. Uninstall whatever is now in the list for FSX. Keep going through this step until no FSX entry shows up after you reload the control panel.
4. Open Windows Explorer and find your FSX folder. By default this is located at:
   
   32-bit versions of Windows: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Microsoft Flight Simulator X
   64-bit versions of Windows: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Games\Microsoft Flight Simulator X
   
   Delete this folder (just the FSX one, not the entire tree), answering yes to any dialogs that pop up warning you about it. You don't want anything left over in this folder so that we start out completely clean for the reinstall.
5. Open Windows Explorer and find your FSX application data folder. By default this is located at:
   
   Windows XP: C:\Documents and Settings\(Your Windows Account Name)\Application Data\Microsoft\FSX
   Windows Vista\Windows 7: C:\Users\(Your Windows Account Name)\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\FSX
   
   Delete this folder as before, being careful to only delete the FSX part, not the entire folder tree.
6. Open Windows Explorer and find your FSX shader cache folder. By default this is located at:
   
   Windows XP: C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Microsoft\FSX
   Windows Vista\Windows 7: C:\Users\(Your Windows Account Name)\AppData\Local\Microsoft\FSX
   
   Delete this folder as before, being careful to only delete the FSX part, not the entire folder tree.
7. Open Windows Explorer and find your FSX saved flights folder. By default this is located at:
   
   Windows XP: C:\Documents and Settings\(Your Windows Account Name)\My Documents\Flight Simulator X Files
   Windows Vista: C:\Users\(Your Windows Account Name)\Documents\Flight Simulator X Files
   Windows 7: C:\Users\(Your Windows Account Name)\My Documents\Flight Simulator X Files
   
   Delete this folder as with the two above.
8. The system is now clean of FSX.

THE REINSTALL

If you have the newer Gold Edition of FSX, it has everything you need already integrated. Install both FSX and Acceleration from its DVDs and you're good to go. If you have the older Standard or Deluxe Edition, follow the instructions below.

1. Install FSX from the DVDs. This will put you at the RTM (release to manufacturing) version - the original code Microsoft shipped with the game in 2006.
   
   IMPORTANT - we do NOT recommended installing to the default file location in Windows Vista or Windows 7. (Program Files or Program Files (x86)) - Windows "protects" anything within these folders and has been shown to cause numerous problems with the install and configuration of addons. We recommend you pick a simple folder path outside of these folders such as C:\FSX
2. Run the sim once, going through the validation process and then loading it up to the point where you see the main interface. You do not need to load into the sim itself, load an aircraft or anything like that. The purpose of this step is to initialize the FSX.cfg file and a few other processes that get the sim ready to use. You will likely experience trouble if you try to go directly to installing the Service Packs or Acceleration without doing running the sim once first to initialize it.
3. Now you have a choice to make, if you own Acceleration, install that off the DVD, validate it, and you are done. It already includes everything that SP1 and SP2 do. Do not try to install either of the Service Packs after you've already installed FSX. If you do not have Acceleration, continue on to step 4.
4. Download SP1 here and SP2 here. You need both files.
5. Install SP1. Run the simulator once after, just as you did before with the RTM version.
6. Install SP2.
7. FSX is now installed clean and up to date. You can now set up your options and begin installing your addons. We recommend performing a defrag after you're done, preferably using a program like O&O Defragin the Complete/NAME mode, as FSX is highly fragmented after install. (Note that this does not apply if you are using a Solid State Disk (SSD), defrag has no relevance to a drive that uses random access flash memory)

[WheeledWeevil82]

Do you know if there is any way to save your hours and achievements and progress in lessons? That is the reason that I do not want to reinstall FSX. I have worked up so much of that in the last four years that I have been using FSX.

[Waterman981]

I'm pretty sure if you skip step 7 in the remove, that leaves your logbook intact. I just did a reinstall about 2 weeks ago, and my logbook has all my flights back through August when I previously installed FSX Gold. I don't have much achievement wise, but it looks like they are there (at 91 hours total since 8/16). I haven't done any missions, so I'm not sure if they are saved there.

[WheeledWeevil82]

Ok, cool, thank you.

[Oz-Flyer]

Missions are saved in one of the files that will be deleted in steps 5 & 6

Step 5
Windows XP: C:\Documents and Settings\(Your Windows Account Name)\Application Data\Microsoft\FSX
Windows Vista\Windows 7: C:\Users\(Your Windows Account Name)\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\FSX

Step 6
Windows XP: C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Microsoft\FSX
Windows Vista\Windows 7: C:\Users\(Your Windows Account Name)\AppData\Local\Microsoft\FSX

I will try to find my notes but do not hold your breath step 5 is my guess.

I will re post if I find my notes or work it out.


UPDATE:

One file would be:
(Windows XP) C:\Documents and Settings\(User Name)\Application Data\Microsoft\FSX\GrantedRewards.BIN

[Mike N287WT]

Have standard FSX X and just got the Gold Edition today. Share Waterman981's feeling; had this version for six years and big log book, plus pretty big hanger. Anyone want to arrange a time to hold my hand through loading the new version without screwing the pooch? I'm at your disposal

[fuzevt]

"whatever it takes"

Have standard FSX X and just got the Gold Edition today. Share Waterman981's feeling; had this version for six years and big log book, plus pretty big hanger. Anyone want to arrange a time to hold my hand through loading the new version without screwing the pooch? I'm at your disposal

Rare to find another former "China Marine" with similar interest. Did you know GySgt Lagajeno?

Semper Fi!!!
Wil Santiago
81's 1/4 1998-2001