Where to Install P3Dv4

[Nigel H-J]

I am purchasing P3D4 tomorrow (Friday) and wonder where I should install it to.

I installed FSX straight into the C: Drive and wonder if it is best to do the same with P3D, I don't really want to instal into Program Files(X86) so does P3D give you an option?

Many thanks in advance

Regards
Nigel.

[Paul K]

I can only speak for P3Dv3, Nigel, but you can install that where you like, as you can with FSX. I have it installed on a separate drive as D:\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3d v3. I doubt there'll be any problem installing v4 where you wish.

Looking forward to your first impressions of v4, by the way.

[DaveG]

Yes, you can install v4 anywhere you like. I'd stick it on a separate drive if possible,an ssd preferably, but it will be fine in the root of the C drive.

[Nigel H-J]

Hi Paul and Dave, many thanks for your advice. One other question I need to ask and that is when P3Dv4 bring out an update say v4.3, how do you go about installing it? I have viewed videos on You Tube and there appears you can have problems after an update to your addon sceneries which can disappear leaving you to reinstall them, also with so many advice video I find that some do it one way whilst others do it another leaving me somewhat confused for instance, there does seem to be a bit of having to mess about with the client i.e. uninstalling it then reinstalling the new one along with other things. So how do you actually do it?

Regards
Nigel.

[DaveG]

Hi Nigel,

P3d installs in 3 sections, client, content and scenery. You can download them in one zip, or as separate items. When an update comes out it will require to to update the client, the content and scenery are usually optional, as they may only contain minor changes which you may feel aren't relevant to you. You'll have to read the release notes to see what has actually changed.
To update the client, you simply go to the Windows control panel and you'll see 4 entries for P3d (more if you installed the SDK as well), uninstall the client only, then run the installer for the new client and you're done. You update the content and scenery the same way.
Now, the confusion comes from the way P3d handles add-ons. Starting with v3, LM recommended that all add-ons were installed outside of the main P3d folder, and should not overwrite any of the default files. At first many devs ignored this and installed their add-ons the "old" FSX way, straight into the main folders. Although that will work, when you try and do an update, it may break the add-on. The recommended method uses an "add-on.xml" file located in the "Documents/Prepar3D v4 Add-ons" folder. This file points to the location of your add-on, and tells P3d what type and where it is. This can be scenery, aircraft, gauges, fonts, sounds, or others. Any add-ons installed this way won't (or shouldn't!) be affected by updates or even a complete re-install. P3d will automatically look in this folder and add the add-ons to the sim. It can take a bit of head scratching to figure out how it all works, but once you've got the hang of it, it all makes sense! Fortunately, there is a superb piece of freeware called "Lorby Prepar3D V4 Addon Organizer" which takes a lot of the pain and confusion out of all this. You can download it here: http://www.lorby-si.com/downloads.html

[blanston12]

I have 4.2 installed right now. I have the base sim installed on the C drive which is an SSD (so its faster). But I also have links to the D drive where most of the add-on aircraft and scenery is installed. If you have a second disk that is just as fast as the main disk and has free space then I would pick that.

If you have lots of ORBX files you might want to leave it on the C drive as FTXCentral downloads files into its temp folder in the users\Appdata folder and then tries to move it into the sim folder, if its on a different disk it seems to cause it confusion. (I was updating my FSX-SE folder which is is on the D drive and got lots of errors, never any problem with P3D which is on C)

The basic process to upgrade is you have to uninstall the old version first, this will remove the program and its files but leave your custom add-ons in place, then you can install the new version. With older versions I would delete or move the current P3D folder and then just do a fresh install but not every add-on was happy with that, ActiveSky for one, so now I just do it by the book.

[Nigel H-J]

Hi Dave and Joe, very many thanks for your help and will try to follow your instructions though always just a bit apprehensive when trying something new.

I suppose in the worst case scenario I could only break it!!

Regards
Nigel.

[Nigel H-J]

Hi chaps, I'm afraid there has been a change of plan, I know you have spent quite a few minutes writing advice and instructions for the installation of P3d for me and for that I am extremely grateful however, last night it was still going through my head, am I making the right decision?

This morning I thought about it again moving onto P3d, if I went through that route I would clearly have to purchase FSUIPC, and weather related software,- not to mention some aircraft that would no longer work in P3d that I have purchased and would need to buy again if I wanted to fly them. Overall, the costs could well rise over and above my budget.

After a lot of thought I have now purchased X-Plane 11, this is basically for me, a new platform and with Orbx now going to release True Earth UK as well as Scotland and Wales at some point this year most of my flying will be done in VFR at between 2000 -5,000ft due to the way true Earth will represent Britain as you would see it from real flying which means that most of the tube liners I have would not fit into the way I will be using this platform but............I will still have FSX which means I have the best of both worlds, fly the VC10, A2A Constellation (that would not work in P3d without buying the version made for it which would exceed the costs of purchasing X-Plane in the first place) and fly the normal routes I do at high level.

It seems to me to be the common sense approach, I can still flying all my a/c in FSX whilst at the same time enjoy a new period flying from a platform that is totally different and exciting from what I have been used to.

Again, very many thanks for all your advice and help.

Regards
Nigel.

[DaveG]

Good luck with X-Plane Nigel. Be sure to let us know how you get on.

[JohnD]

Nigel, it sounds like you have made a good move having the best of both worlds.

I tried XP 11 demo and was reasonably impressed. If I was starting from scratch and didn’t have P3D v4 installed I may have done the same as you.

Best wishes with XP11.

Regards
John