Installed the new Prepar3D version 3.2 last night and played with it for a few hours under the same settings (including third-party addons and peripheral hardware) as in the last version. 
Surely it’s impossible to “experience” all the new features that come with the new version in such a short time, but two features that mentioned in the version’s release announcement could be confirmed right away. Continue reading
I regularly backup my whole system with Acronis True Image every weekend. After cleaning the 34,423 invalid paths in the registry as reported in my Post 331, I just found the size of the backup has also reduced from 279GB to 176GB. Double checked and confirmed my system is intact.
Not sure why. But, isn’t it a good thing to maintain a clean and error-free system while at the same time saves 100GB disk space ?
It is commonly known that every piece of software after removed from the computer could have left some invalid registries behind. But I was shocked to find out that the total number of invalid path registries left by Prepar3D v3.0 could have crazily accumulated to 34,423 entries.
Unbelievable but it is real. It took me nearly three hours to clean them up from my computer earlier this evening.
If you have updated to P3D v3.1 recently (no matter it was by patches or by re-installation), you’d better run a thorough system check. Maintaining a clean and error-free system as always is critical to keep the flight simulation, both FSX and P3D, to perform in best condition.
AffinityMask is the highest searched subject in my blog. There are many recommended values over the Internet and I’ve tried and explored many of the suggestions (see my various Posts here) for both my FSX and P3D systems.
Since early last year, I’ve been using AffinityMask=256 in my P3D setup.
I know the Binary of 255 equals to 11111111, which represents the using of all 8 cores on a Quad-core 8-Thread CPU when it is assigned for the AffinityMask.
And the Binary value of 256 equals to Continue reading
Perhaps some of you already aware that Preap3D v3.1 is out. If you are still hesitating whether or not to update, just in fear of any unexpected issues, especially the Xmas is coming, I would say “Yes” — Definitely — even just for the enhanced lighting effect. Click images below to see the full pictures.
They are gorgeous, aren’t they? Continue reading
In response to the last article regarding Starting up Networked FIPs Locally, Michael Basler recommends another simpler and even more versatile approach. Here’s the note from Michael:
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I start the simulator Continue reading
Putting FIPs on a networked PC could reserve system resources for the simulator but the FIPs on the remote computer have to be started manually.
Stefano Cancelli in the Comment section of the story provides a solution by using a Microsoft utility called PSExec. Via PSExec, the FIPs on the networked PC can now start up automatically when FSX on the local computer launches, and quits when FSX exits.
Very useful tips and followings are the instruction from Stef: Continue reading
Is Prepar3D version 3 better ?
Definitely. I find improvements a little bit here, a little bit there. Overall about 10% better than the last version 2.5 in general I would say.
Justified to pay in full again ?
Definitely NOT. I accept an upgrade fee but definitely not willing to pay in full again.
Sadly, we don’t have a choice if we want to stick with Prepar3D. We will do it sooner or later eventually.
Finally, be prepared to pay again after another 24 months or so. What a company !
The new Prepar3D Version 3 (P3Dv3) takes the same approach 
as its predecessors to include the version number in its system registry (from Prepar3D to Prepar3D v2 to Prepar3D v3). Making many addons have to rebuild a new installer in order to recognize the change, even when the new P3Dv3 is installed onto the same drive and same program directory as the previous version.
For those who wouldn’t want to wait for the release of new compatible installers, here’s a quick temporary solution to run the new P3Dv3 with existing addons from earlier versions.
I am using Orbx’s addon as an example. And the region used in P3Dv2 is set to FTX Global Hybrid.
My Prepar3D version 2 is installed on P:\Prepar3D, and version 3 on P:\Prepar3Dv3.
Continue reading
FS Times 