About the FS9 Patch and No-CD...

[Guest prichards]

>>Issue with FS9.EXE -If the FS9.EXE file has been modified or corrupted, the update may terminate before completing installation. A message will display: "The original file (fs9.exe) is either missing or has been changed from it's original state. The update cannot continue and will now exit".<

[Guest akirabbq]

Yeah, MS is BSing.... the FS9.exe is not modified at all after the patch, only most of the DLLs are updated. As the small size of the FS9.exe itself, the FS9 core is obivously not inside the .exe file.You can check whether your FS9 has been patched by going to Help -> About. The patched version is 9.1 .

[Guest allcott]

I just noticed Chris' other post here: http://forums.avsim.net/dcboard.php?az=sho...20&page=#214206Nope, no version change for me. No mods to the FS9.exe at all. And I've just re-downloaded the patch and applied it to my `virgin` FS9 installation as well, for comparison purposes. I wonder why? Perhaps the update has selective file insertion and extraction?Allcott

[Guest Slacktide]

>This FS9.EXE will require a CD in the drive for Flight>Simulator to run. If any action (such as re-installing a>modified FS9.exe via a 3rd party add-on software installation)>causes an overwrite of the updated FS9.EXE, you will lose>significant fixes included in the Flight Simulator 2004: A>Century of Flight (update).Just a little fuel for the fire... I replayed a recorded flight that had been posted many months ago here at Avsim for the purpose of testing the effects of autogen on framerates. I played this flight with the following test conditions:For all flights, vector and XML autogen enabled.FS 9.0, stock executableFS 9.0, NoCD executableFS 9.1, stock executableFS 9.1, with the FS9.0 NoCD executableResults:http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/93794.jpgSo, it appears that FS 9.1 with the FS 9.0 NoCD executable retains the framerate gained by installing the FS 9.1 update. Whether this affects the other gains stated in the release notes, I don't know.Dan

[oktorn777 0]

Damn how can possibly someone be so law fixed? I back up my software as much as i like on the media i like. Until today i raised the question of law. it's about common sense and whole topic here is at best hot air. In my country your allowed to do alot more things any way. Even downloading music is legal.Sorry i can't stand whining. Law is made for those who don't have common sense to tell them the limits. It seems that in america it's a different story...The law comes directly from god and so does the president...give me a break.regards,Claudio

[Guest allcott]

Thanks for that Dan, kind of the definitive answer!Install update. Use No-CD fix. Fahgeddabahtid. :)Allcott

[DescendDescend 25]

One of the most useful posts I have seen. I have just built a new PC and done a clean install. Installed that thing that reduces CD ware and did a test flight. Installed the update and another test flight. Frame rates are definitely better. Installation took about two minutes.

[Guest flightmike1]

>>Dillon,>> "The 'NO-CD' patch WORKS after the FS9.1 patch ">>>>did you read ms web site?, since the patch include a new>>version of fs9.exe that's fixe thing in fs2004? using no-cd>>you are not using the patch. if you know how the relation>with>>*.exe and *.dll it is vital for function with updated *.dll>>and *.exe.>>Really Chris? Because I see no difference. As you seems to>have an inside track on what the patch does, could you explain>what the relationship is?>>Especially as the normal Microsoft pattern of renaming the>File Version number does not appear to have been followed>here, nor does the patch change the FS9.exe in any way I can>tell. >>Installed the patch with the original FS9.exe restored, having>moved it from a clean install of FS I keep as a backup, which>has the added bonus of logging the date/time stamp in the file>properties. After installation of the patch the date/time>stamp of FS9.exe has not altered from when I ported it, nor>has the file version changed. The bridges are in the right>place, the fps counter remains at precisely the same value and>all the `fixes` seem to work regardless as to the FS9.exe in>use.>>So it would seem you are wrong, MS are BS'ing, or we've all>missed something! >>AllcottSeems you did something wrong because the version information in my FS9.exe states the File Version as 9.1.0.40901 and the Last Modified Date as Wednesday, 1 September 2004, 3:18:50 a.m.

[Guest babua]

I had fs9 no cd fix and installed the patch did not ask for the original fs9.exe at all. the only change i did was to install ver 3.4 fsuipc.

[Guest MarkG]

"MS should provide a non CD executable themselves IMHO (after some form of dot.net validation)."Indeed. There's no way I'm going to let a game wear out my CD drive by spinning it non-stop whenever I'm running the game, whereas I'd be happy with some kind of one-off activation check on the Net.The stupid thing is that imposing this kind of annoyance on legitmate paying customers such as us merely increases the motivation for people to release no-CD patches that make piracy easy for those who won't pay for their software.

[dseagrav 0]

Those of you complaining about the patch breaking your No-CD hack should be made aware that the No-CD hack is ILLEGAL. You do not own your copy of FS9, you license it from Microsoft. It's just like rent, except you don't pay a recurring fee. Just as renters are not allowed to make unauthorized modifications to rental property, you are not allowed to make illegal modifications to your licensed copy of FS9. Doing so violates your license to use the software, and in the eyes of the law makes you no better than the pirates who trade payware airplanes on Kazaa. It is not Microsoft's fault that your illegal hack stops working!