Windows Updates and DirectX versions...story.

[blueskydriver]

Here is a quick story about Windows Updates and DirectX updates. Some of you might know that my once "running just fine FSX setup" has been turned off for 2 years and 5 years (I will explain that part later).

Anyway, after hooking everything back up from the garage to shed move, I had the worst case of stutters in the FSX visuals ever...it was slide-show flying!

So, I started looking at everything like video card drivers, the Win7 OS and etc to no avail. Plus, as far as I remembered nothing had changed since I last flew it 5 years ago.

However, 2 years ago I did one of those "I am selling a flight sim related item, so gotta check it out before shipping it"; therefore, I fired up the FSX PC only to checkout some GoFlight cards I sold. Well, silly me, I installed GoFlight PollyPot software, but it needed a newer version of .NET Framework, so I installed that as well.

Then, to add insult to injury, I mistakenly selected install Windows Updates when shutting down the PC at that time. Well, this update installed DirectX 11, but FSX does not like anything except DirectX 9.0C.

Albeit, DirectX 11 is supposed too be backwards compatible to 9.0C...uh, nope for the sake of FSX. Sadly, I didn't realize all of this right away and spent 4-5 nights pounding my head on the Glareshield trying to figure it out!

Finally, I used my tried and true fix...System Restore points! Yep, I did this a few times, moving it back a little bit each time. Back past the PollyPot and so on. Gratefully, the points got named properly and I saw the one for the DirectX11 update, so I rolled back before then and everything was back to normal like it was 5 years ago.

Moral to story is this:

1. Don't use your perfectly working sim setup for testing things out, use a stand-alone PC.

2. Always and I mean always make System Restore points, don't rely on automatic ones.

3. Don't go 5 years without flying, let alone 5 days...your brain will thank you.

4. Do add padding to the top of your Glareshield...your brain will also thank you!

5. When you start cursing so much that it sounds like you're speaking in tongues, take a break from your sim...

John

[FredK]

Another must item to add to the list is a clone backup.  In my experience System Restore points do not always work.

The good news...I think....is that Windows Updates are much more tolerable now than they were in the past.  I have really not had a serious problem of late (over two years now), and in some cases I have actually seen performance improvement rather than destruction. And yeah...I know...I have probably tempted fate with that comment.

I still do not trust it!

Fred K

[sagrada737]

Fred is quite right!   Be sure to incorporate data back up procedures for your Sim Systems.

It is very difficult to predict when a Windows 10 Update will cause problems with your Sim's operation.  Making a System Restore Point is good practice, but when Windows does major update, it deletes previous Restore Points.

The best practice is to make an "Image Disk" of your Sim's Windows Operating System.   I use Paragon Pro to do this, but there are many backup utilities that can make a system copy (Image Disk) that will totally backup your system exactly.  If you have data that is not on your system drive, then be sure to back that up as well.  The critical matter is backing up your Windows System Drive.

In my case, I am using only two computers for my Sim.  One is a Win7 computer for Sim-Avionics; and the other is a Win10 computer for P3D.   Both of these computers have Image Disk backups.

I have found that it is a good practice to have your image disk the same as the system disk.  In my case, I use an internal Samsung EVO 960 1TB SSD for the P3D computer's Win10 operating system.   I also have another EVO 960 SSD in the computer to function as the Image Disk.   The Image Disk is therefore exactly the same as the System Disk.  I can Boot the Sim from either drive.

The key thing to consider is to make frequent Image Disk backups.   I do this each and every time PRIOR to making a major change to the P3D Sim Computer.    Making such an Image Disk backup only requires about 30 minutes, but is worth its weight in gold if something you changed doesn't work, or if a Windows 10 Update starts crashing things. 

Despite my best efforts, Windows 10 still comes up unexpectedly with an Update.  I have found it is very difficult to guard against such unwanted updates.  When they happen, it can really ruin your day, as rebuilding Sim software is a pain and time consuming.

The other thing is to occasionally test your Image Disk to ensure it actually will Boot your computer correctly, allowing your Sim to function as before.   This is easier done if you have your physical Image Disk internal to your computer, where you can easily select (F11) which Disk to Boot from on startup.

All of the above is somewhat subjective.   Everyone has their own preference when it comes to backups.   Find out what works for you, test it to ensure that it indeed works as expected, then make a habit of making an Image Disk prior to making any major changes to your Sim computers.  IMO -- This practice is cheap insurance.

Mike

[N4208T]

Good advice.  You can delay Windows updates in the newer versions of the software by "turning off" windows update in services.msc but it actually does not turn all the updates off and major ones will still occur.  There is software you can find to actually stop them.  If you do not need the internet access, you can disable internet or wire networked computers for the sim to each other directly.

Finally, I am glad that Fred has not had any issues recently but the last update that Microsoft sent out wrecked havoc with a lot of people's wifi networks .... mine included.  So they are still creating problems whilst solving (or trying to solve) others.

Steve

[ame]

Fred is quite right!  Be sure to incorporate data back up procedures for your Sim Systems.

It is very difficult to predict when a Windows 10 Update will cause problems with your Sim's operation.  Making a System Restore Point is good practice, but when Windows does major update, it deletes previous Restore Points.

The best practice is to make an "Image Disk" of your Sim's Windows Operating System.  I use Paragon Pro to do this, but there are many backup utilities that can make a system copy (Image Disk) that will totally backup your system exactly.  If you have data that is not on your system drive, then be sure to back that up as well.  The critical matter is backing up your Windows System Drive.

In my case, I am using only two computers for my Sim.  One is a Win7 computer for Sim-Avionics; and the other is a Win10 computer for P3D.  Both of these computers have Image Disk backups.

I have found that it is a good practice to have your image disk the same as the system disk.  In my case, I use an internal Samsung EVO 960 1TB SSD for the P3D computer's Win10 operating system.  I also have another EVO 960 SSD in the computer to function as the Image Disk.  The Image Disk is therefore exactly the same as the System Disk.  I can Boot the Sim from either drive.

The key thing to consider is to make frequent Image Disk backups.  I do this each and every time PRIOR to making a major change to the P3D Sim Computer.    Making such an Image Disk backup only requires about 30 minutes, but is worth its weight in gold if something you changed doesn't work, or if a Windows 10 Update starts crashing things. 

Despite my best efforts, Windows 10 still comes up unexpectedly with an Update.  I have found it is very difficult to guard against such unwanted updates.  When they happen, it can really ruin your day, as rebuilding Sim software is a pain and time consuming.

The other thing is to occasionally test your Image Disk to ensure it actually will Boot your computer correctly, allowing your Sim to function as before.  This is easier done if you have your physical Image Disk internal to your computer, where you can easily select (F11) which Disk to Boot from on startup.

All of the above is somewhat subjective.  Everyone has their own preference when it comes to backups.  Find out what works for you, test it to ensure that it indeed works as expected, then make a habit of making an Image Disk prior to making any major changes to your Sim computers.  IMO -- This practice is cheap insurance.

Mike

At least it's not as hard as Linux.

[RayS]

I have Windows 10 Home Updates disabled across all my systems.

All of my computers are running Windows 10 Home, which doesn't come with the group Policy Editor by default, critical to turning off Windows Updates.

There's a few steps involved and it's only slightly tedious but well worth the effort.

1. Download the GPEdit-Enabler batch file installer:

Download GPEDIT-ENABLER.BAT

This is a perfectly safe operation. It will not install any malware or viruses

2. Run the batch File as ADMINISTRATOR. (Seriously... it's safe)

3. Next, go to this website and follow the directions.
https://www.pcworld.com/article/3085136/two-ways-to-control-or-stop-windows-10-updates.html

Using the Group Policy Editor is the only way I've discovered to completely stop ALL windows updates.

The process is a little tedious, but so are Windows updates when you really, really need your computer untouched.

[navymustang]

According to the instructions at the link you provided, this does not work with Home Edition. Only playing with the metered download function has a little effect, but not a total block.

[RayS]

It doesn't work with Home edition because Windows 10 Home doesn't ship with the Group Policy Editor.

That's what the first link is, to download the GPEdit installer. After that you would proceed normally as if it was Windows Pro or higher.

These are the exact steps I used as provided in the link(s). I haven't had an update since.. Which may be good, or bad. 

[N4208T]

For what it is worth, when I installed P3Dv5 about 3-4 weeks ago it required the latest version of the Windows 10 media installer or it would not install.  I had been running Win 8.1 on my sim computers to get around this update problem.  I still run 8.1 on the avionics computer but had to go back to Win 10 Pro (in my case) for the sim.  I had a dual boot on that computer but it would not install on the older version of Win 10 either.  It apparently requires that the latest version as of the release date of the sim software is present for the installation.

To date, I have not seen any workaround or bypass for this.

Steve