PM Software harddisk transfer to new PC

[chrisdanker]

I have a question if any one knows;

My current PC with my PM Boeing GC Lwr Eicas and Boeing CDU software is always crashing after a some minutes of running. Sometimes even after half an hour. It either freeses or goes into sleepmode or stby mode by itself. ( Power settings have been checked already to be "NEVER' ) A restart is required.
(Imagine the annoyance of doing a long flight with the CDU flightplan loaded and halfway the CDU crashes and the whole thing needs to be re-initilized again for the flight or the aircraft will fly into never, never land.....)

I intend to get a new PC for these softwares of PM ( current PC is 7 years old ) but dont want to go thru the hassle of reloading all the sotware or getting new codes from Enrico or Katy...Would it be possible for me to transfer my current harddrive to the new PC and get it to run? Will there be software / hardware Computer ID codes issues?

Regards,
Chris
:p

[Trevor Hale]

Well Chris,

With other software I have used in the past, the computer ID is generated by CPU Serial Number combined with HD Serial Number combined with your windows Key. If that is the case with PM you don't have a hope.

If it is only linked to Windows and the HD Serial number you might be ok. The only way to know for sure is try it.

But on the brighter side. It takes 5 minutes to email Katy, and you receive the code in a few hours. My suggestion is install the software on the NEW pc, email Katy for the codes, and when they arrive you can dismantle the old PC, no flight down time.

Let us know how it works out.

Trev

[chrisdanker]

Trevor,

Thanks for your reply. I more or less thought that it would be as you said. However, I'm going to give it a try to see if it works. If not....then or course a mail to Katy is the last option.

Shame though, as I have other software as well on the PC that I use for FS9.

Will most probably get the new PC next week and try it out. Will post a thread here to let you know how it went.

Regards,
Chris

[Michael Carter]

This might be a long shot, but my computer was doing the same as yours. Crashing to blackscreen. No warnings, just a blackscreen like the whole thing was off except the hard drive and the fans were still spinning. Only a hard boot would fix it.

The yellow busy light was on steady.

I tried new video drivers with no change. 15 background processes running, anti-virus and firewalls off, and still nothing helped. Registry cleanup, defrag using O&O software, chkdsk, all to no avail.

After deciding to buy a new soundcard to ease the strain on the processor, the problem disappeared. It hasn't crashed once since the new sound card installation. I suspect a bad sound card driver for the on-board sound which there are no updates for, or, the on-board sound wouldn't play nice with the rest of the system.

Strange how one benefit lead to another.

[Bob Reed]

If you want to transfer everything... Do a HD clone, just don't expect the computer to start up. Get your XP install CD out and pop it in the new machine. Boot to the CD, and proceed to the 2nd repair. Have your key ready.... The machine will look like it is doing a clean install but it is not, it reinstalls all the system files and drivers. When the repair is done reboot. Now if you had SP2 installed you will have to reinstall that but your computer will now run with all of your sofware... Except PM. It will ask for a new key when you start it but all will be as you had it set up. Once the new key is on it will use all your settings. Hope this helps if you need more info please let me know...

[chrisdanker]

Hey guys,

Thanks for the suggestions and recommendations. Looks like a lot of work to get the old harddrive to work on the new PC. I guess I shall ask for the new Codes for the New Computer ID from Katy.

I shall make a list of the items of what needs to be transferred to the new PC.

By the way, do any of you have SA_WXR i( from APG Gauges ) installed on you PC for the weather radar image on your ND of PM? Eversince I upgraded to Version 1.3 My PC seems to give me the black screen exactly as discribed by SkunkWORKS in a few threads posting earlier. I have the same things happening, Blank screen , Harddrive still running and Operation Lights still on . Only doing a Hard reset will help.

Reagrds,
Chris

[Michael Carter]

Can't be sure, but it sounds just like the problem I was having.

Try updating all of your drivers. If that doesn't work, you need more help than I can give.

[Hans Krohn]

Chris,
have you tried to contact the guy who makes the SA_WXR radar?
I have that program too, but never installed it. What you write discurages me to ever do so...

Regards,
Hans

[chrisdanker]

Hans,

Havent done that yet..as I think it is PC problem as I tried my flights lately without the SA_WXR loaded and it does the same thing as well. ( Just completed a flight from KSFO to KLAX and same happened without the SA_WXR. My PC is about 7 years old and I think its about time I retire it. It has served its purpose.

Dont get me wrong, the SA_WXR is a good addon to our PM ND and the way it shows the weather ( real time ) is great as I used it many times before this crashing of my PC happened. You can actually see the weather on the Radar Map on the ND and it coincides with what we see outside. ( Not 100% of course ) but very close to it. I have no complaints of the software.

Regards,
Chris