Install boxed FSX from DVD without an optical drive using a USB DVD reader or ISO images, with disc-swap, activation and launch advice.
To install boxed Microsoft Flight Simulator X on a PC without an optical drive, connect an external USB DVD drive and run Setup from Disc 1. Swap discs in that same drive when prompted. Alternatively, create one ISO image per original DVD on another PC, transfer the images, and mount them in Windows.
This applies to the boxed edition of FSX. FSX: Steam Edition is downloaded digitally, requires a separate Steam licence and does not use the retail DVDs or their product key. Our comparison of boxed FSX with Steam Edition explains the other differences.
Which installation method should I use?
| Method | Choose it when | Main caveat |
|---|---|---|
| External USB DVD drive | You have the original discs and want the most reliable method | The drive may also be needed when boxed FSX starts |
| ISO images | Another PC can read the DVDs and create complete disc images | Disc swapping must retain the expected virtual-drive letter |
| Files copied to a USB stick | You are working around a DVD read or installer error | Missing files, lost volume labels and merged disc contents can stop Setup |
How do I install FSX with an external USB DVD drive?
An external USB DVD reader is the simplest option; it does not need to be a DVD writer.
- Connect the drive directly: Plug it into a stable USB port and wait for Windows to display it in File Explorer. If the drive repeatedly disconnects, avoid an unpowered hub.
- Insert FSX Disc 1: Open the disc manually if AutoPlay does not appear, then right-click
setup.exeand choose to run it as administrator. - Follow the installer: Enter the boxed-edition product key when requested and leave the USB drive connected throughout the installation.
- Change discs only when prompted: Remove Disc 1, insert the requested disc into the same drive and allow Windows a few seconds to recognise it before continuing.
- Complete the first launch: Start FSX with the required original disc inserted, complete activation if requested and run the simulator once before installing expansions or add-ons.
How can I install FSX using ISO images?
An ISO preserves the DVD's file structure and volume information, making it more dependable than dragging loose files onto a USB stick.
- Create separate images: On a computer with a working DVD drive, use trusted disc-imaging software to create one ISO from each original FSX DVD. Do not combine the discs into one image.
- Transfer the files: Copy the ISO images to the target PC using a sufficiently large USB drive or local network connection, then place them on its internal storage.
- Mount Disc 1: On Windows 8 or later, right-click the first ISO and select
Mount. Open the virtual DVD drive and runsetup.exeas administrator. - Swap the virtual disc: When Setup requests the next DVD, eject the mounted Disc 1 image and mount Disc 2. The installer normally expects the replacement to appear under the same virtual-drive letter.
- Finish and activate: Complete Setup with your legitimate retail product key, then launch FSX once before adding Acceleration or third-party content.
If Windows assigns Disc 2 a different drive letter and the installer cannot detect it, reuse the original virtual-drive letter through Windows Disk Management or switch to an external USB DVD reader. An ISO may install FSX successfully but still fail a boxed edition's start-up media check.
Can I copy the FSX DVDs to a USB stick instead?
You can copy each DVD on another computer, but keep every disc in its own clearly labelled folder and include all hidden files. Never merge Disc 1 and Disc 2 into a single directory: duplicate filenames may be overwritten, and the installer can lose the volume information used to identify the requested disc.
For a normal installation, ISO images are safer. A local file copy is more useful when the optical drive can read the disc but Setup repeatedly fails; our steps for resolving FSX installation error 1607 cover that recovery method.
Why does FSX keep asking for Disc 1 or Disc 2?
Repeated disc prompts usually mean the installer cannot recognise the replacement media, not that another copy of Setup should be started.
- Keep the same physical or virtual drive letter throughout the installation.
- Use the matching discs from one FSX edition; do not mix Standard, Deluxe, Gold or another boxed set.
- Wait for Windows to finish reading the new disc before pressing Retry or continuing.
- If the DVD produces read or cyclic-redundancy errors, clean it carefully and try another drive. Copying readable contents locally can reduce repeated access to a failing disc.
- Do not download replacement disc images or use somebody else's product key.
Will FSX need the DVD after installation?
Some boxed FSX configurations still check for original media when the simulator starts, so keep the external reader and genuine disc available. The required disc can vary after installing an expansion. If Windows reports that no disc is present, use our fixes for the boxed FSX “Please insert Disc 1” message.
A boxed product key cannot normally be exchanged for or activated as FSX: Steam Edition. The digital edition is a separate licence, although it avoids optical-media installation and start-up checks.
What if my boxed copy includes FSX Acceleration?
Install and launch the base simulator before installing Acceleration from its separate DVD. FSX Gold packages contain both components, but Acceleration is still installed after the main FSX installation; follow the recommended Acceleration installation order for a modern PC rather than starting with the expansion disc.