changing hard drive

[Mogi]

I'm swapping my hard drive in to a different machine soon and was wondering if there are any config files that have to be deleted or changed in AH so that the new hardware won't create problems, or for AH to detect the hardware change.

Thanks!

[beet1e]

Mogi - I've been through this before... You're supposed to be able to remove all devices except PCI bus in System on Control panel. I tried doing it that way a couple of upgrades back, and got into a real bind. Never again!!!  Safest thing is to reinstall your OS.

[Mogi]

The part of setting up the O/S to recognize the new hardware hasn't been a problem for me before, just wondering if there are any AH configs that need to be deleted or modified?

thanks!

[beet1e]

I can't think that there would be a problem. Now if your new setup has a different gaming device port, there may be config changes. My rig is relatively "old", and my stick is one which plugs into the soundcard. Next time I upgrade, if the audio on the board is good enough, there won't be a soundcard, so I'll have to use the game port, or get a USB stick. Config issues like that are the only things I think you'll need to worry about. But do post back when you do this - I'd be interested to see how you get on so that I know what to expect when the time comes.

[Mogi]

Don't use onboard audio.  I have it on my current board and still use a sound card.  The quality of the onboard audio chips is very low and most people that have tried using it run in to problems.  I just use a $15 sb-16 pci and no problems.

I will post back results after this upgrade.

Thanks!

[Mogi]

OK, here's the experience of my upgrade, I'll report back after tonite how AH runs on the new system--thanks to blackfalcon4 who advised me to simply copy the entire HTC folder from the old hard drive to the new one, brought over all my settings, gunsights, joystick and pedal setup, etc!!

Some background, I built this system as my wife needed my old PC, an Athlon 750 that was just fine for me, but she needed something faster. The new system is an AMD xp2000+, 512 PC2700 RAM, Maxtor 60G HDD, Asus A7V8X board and all my old cards from the old system.

Jan 24, assemble new system, spend entire evening trying to get Maxblast II software to install new drive.  Kept getting "abort, retry, fail" DOS errors.  

Jan 25, ran Maxtor diagnostic software, wouldn't detect new drive, contacted seller, exchanged drive for another same model. Install went flawlessly, installed win98, copied over data saved to CD from old drive, including HTC folder.  Couldn't get MS FF2 USB stick to work, not calibrating in Control Panel.  Logitech Optical mouse, USB, also very weird, jumpy and jerky.

Jan 26, contacted Microsoft about stick, spent 2 hours on phone with Tech Support.  At 2 hour mark, tech sheepishly announced I was running wrong software (it came with the stick)  The wrong CD got put in the box for my MS FF2 by Microsoft's supplier.  I was running the software for the gameport version (worked fine on old PC, which he found incredible).  No download available, gave me a trouble ticket to receive free cd shipped out.  Still haven't called about that.

Jan 27, got proper MS FF 2 cd from co-worker, installed, stick now working fine.  Still the mouse problem.  Logitech tech support pretty useless.

Jan 28, DOH!!!  closed down all running programmes, started them up one by one, as soon as McAfee loaded, mouse problem returned.  Found a patch at MCafee that addressed mouse and overall system performance issues (loaded it on the wifes old slug, and it's now a pretty decent machine--she's been squeaking for months that it was a slug and I tried everything)  Loaded it on new system, problem solved, and wow, I thought the new system was fast before!

Jan 29, load vital programmes and data.

I'll report back if I find a big performance boost in AH, I really doubt it as I'm using the same vid card, Geforce 2 MX 400 64 meg.

This was the WORST system upgrade/new system build I've ever done!  I've built probably 30 systems for friends and co-workers and have never had one go this bad before.

But.....very pleased with system, very fast.  I'll let you know how AH runs after my squad nite tonite.

[Mogi]

OK, here we have it:
xp2000+, 512meg pc2700, Asus A7V8X board, Maxtor 60g ATA 133.

And my trusty old Geforce 2 MX 400 64 meg.

I had constant frame rates of 60+ in battle with 30 or more contacts.  The graphics were much better.  No more jerky behaviour due to smoke or fire.  Visuals were much better.  I could actually define what I was shooting or chasing.

Overall, well worth the $800 CDN.  BTW, I put two 80cm fans in the back, and the power supply is the two fan type, with a puller fan right above the CPU.  Worth every penny is my review.  The game was just so much more a visual experience, and much more playable for me.  First time since I played the game, I managed to land on a carrier!

[beet1e]

Mogi - well done!  Just remind me what system you upgraded from - processor etc.  I've got an Asus A7V133 and Athlon 1.2GHz and would replace it with the one you have - the A7V8X (and XP2100), but as I'm already getting 60fps, I think that's adequate. As one guy put it, "anything higher than 30fps is just for bragging rights"! But...  you mentioned that you don't get any jerkiness around smoke/fire, and that's important. I do quite a lot of GV sorties on the pizza map, and if you're sitting in an Ostwind near a bombed out vehicle base, looking up through the smoke to sight the inbound suicide Tiffie/110/NIK, graphics can become very jerky and the whole lag issue makes it very difficult to get shots on target with effect.

My graphics card is the Elsa Gladiac Ultra which I think is nVidia/Gforce2?  I've had it a long time, and it's a good card, though perhaps not as good as later offerings.

[Mogi]

My old system was an AMD Athlon 750, 512 meg, ata 66 HDD, Geforce 2 mx 400 64 meg.  It worked well for me and I wouldn't have upgraded except for the wife needing it.