Advanced Storage Optimisation & Disk Cleaning
Estimated Lesson Time: 45–60 Minutes
Lesson Overview
Most Flight Simulator users focus on graphics settings when trying to improve performance.
However…
One of the most overlooked causes of stutters, long loading times and inconsistent performance is poor storage management.
A slow or cluttered drive won’t reduce your average FPS by itself, but it can affect:
- Simulator loading times.
- Scenery streaming.
- Add-on loading.
- Shader compilation.
- Rolling Cache performance.
- Windows responsiveness.
- Update installation.
- Overall system smoothness.
In this lesson you’ll learn how to clean, organise and optimise your storage safely to help your PC perform at its best.
Lesson Objectives
By the end of this lesson you will understand:
Why storage matters.
How SSDs differ from HDDs.
Why free space is important.
How to clean Windows safely.
Which files can safely be removed.
How shader caches work.
Rolling Cache best practices.
Community folder organisation.
When cleaning storage will and won’t improve performance.
1. Why Storage Matters
Microsoft Flight Simulator constantly reads data from storage.
Examples include:
- Aircraft files.
- Airports.
- Textures.
- Terrain data.
- Navigation databases.
- Add-ons.
- Rolling Cache.
- Shader Cache.
The faster your storage can deliver this information, the smoother the simulator feels.
Storage performance is especially important during:
- Simulator startup.
- Airport loading.
- Camera changes.
- Initial scenery loading.
- Add-on loading.
Important
Storage speed does not directly increase FPS.
Instead, good storage performance reduces delays in delivering data to the CPU and GPU, helping minimise loading pauses and certain types of stutter.
2. HDD vs SATA SSD vs NVMe SSD
Hard Disk Drive (HDD)
Uses spinning magnetic disks.
Advantages:
- Low cost.
- Large capacity.
Disadvantages:
- Slow loading.
- Higher access times.
- Poor performance for MSFS.
Recommended for:
- Backups.
- Archived files.
SATA SSD
Uses flash memory.
Advantages:
- Much faster than HDD.
- Excellent for Windows.
- Suitable for Flight Simulator.
NVMe SSD
Connects directly through PCIe.
Advantages:
- Extremely fast.
- Very low latency.
- Ideal for MSFS.
Recommended location for:
- Windows.
- Microsoft Flight Simulator.
- Community folder.
- Rolling Cache.
3. Why Free Space Matters
An SSD performs best when it has sufficient free space available.
When an SSD becomes nearly full:
- File management becomes less efficient.
- Write performance can decrease.
- Updates take longer.
- Temporary files compete for space.
As a general guideline, try to keep 10–20% free space available on your SSD.
For example:
- 1TB SSD → aim for at least 100–200GB free.
This isn’t a strict rule, but it gives Windows and the SSD controller room to work efficiently.
4. Windows Temporary Files
Windows creates temporary files every day.
Examples include:
- Update downloads.
- Installer files.
- Log files.
- Temporary application data.
- Cached thumbnails.
These files accumulate over time.
Cleaning Temporary Files
Open:
Settings → System → Storage → Temporary Files
Review each category before deleting it.
Items that are commonly safe to remove include:
- Temporary files.
- DirectX Shader Cache.
- Delivery Optimisation Files.
- Temporary Internet Files.
- Recycle Bin (if you no longer need its contents).
Be careful with items such as Downloads if they contain files you still need.
5. Storage Sense
Storage Sense is a Windows feature that can automatically remove unnecessary temporary files.
It can:
- Empty temporary folders.
- Clean the Recycle Bin.
- Remove unused temporary Windows files.
For most users, enabling Storage Sense with sensible settings helps keep Windows tidy without much effort.
6. Microsoft Flight Simulator Rolling Cache
The Rolling Cache stores streamed scenery locally.
Advantages:
- Reduces repeated downloads of recently visited areas.
- Can improve loading consistency in some scenarios.
However…
A very old or corrupted Rolling Cache can sometimes contribute to issues after major simulator updates.
Best Practice
- Keep the Rolling Cache on a fast SSD if you choose to use it.
- Consider clearing and recreating it after major simulator updates or if you suspect corruption.
- Test performance with it enabled and disabled to see which works best for your system and flying habits.
7. DirectX Shader Cache
Whenever the simulator renders certain effects for the first time, shaders may need to be compiled.
Windows stores compiled shaders to reduce repeated compilation.
Deleting the DirectX Shader Cache:
- Can resolve issues caused by corrupted shader data.
- May cause temporary stutters the first time areas are loaded again while the cache rebuilds.
Routine deletion isn’t necessary unless troubleshooting or after significant graphics driver changes.
8. Community Folder Organisation
A cluttered Community folder can increase loading times and make troubleshooting more difficult.
Good practices include:
- Remove add-ons you no longer use.
- Keep scenery libraries organised.
- Archive seasonal or rarely used content outside the Community folder.
- Avoid duplicate packages.
- Update add-ons regularly.
A well-organised Community folder makes diagnosing problems much easier.
9. Downloads Folder
Many users forget about the Downloads folder.
Over time it can contain:
- Old installers.
- ZIP archives.
- Driver packages.
- Airport downloads.
- Liveries.
- Utilities.
Review this folder regularly and remove files you no longer need.
10. Recycle Bin
Deleting a file doesn’t always free space immediately.
Files remain in the Recycle Bin until it is emptied.
Before emptying it:
- Confirm you no longer need the files.
- Restore anything important if necessary.
11. Common Mistakes
Mistake 1
Installing Microsoft Flight Simulator on a hard drive when a fast SSD is available.
Mistake 2
Filling an SSD until almost no free space remains.
Mistake 3
Deleting important files without checking what they are.
Mistake 4
Believing disk cleaning will dramatically increase FPS.
It generally improves responsiveness and loading behaviour rather than raw frame rate.
Mistake 5
Leaving hundreds of unused add-ons installed.
Student Exercise
Today you’re going to optimise your storage.
Step 1
Check the drive where Microsoft Flight Simulator is installed.
Record:
- Total capacity.
- Free space.
- Drive type (HDD, SATA SSD or NVMe SSD).
Step 2
Open:
Settings → System → Storage
Review:
- Temporary Files.
- Storage Sense.
- Disk usage.
Step 3
Review your Community folder.
Remove or archive any add-ons you no longer use.
Step 4
If appropriate:
- Review your Rolling Cache settings.
- Clear and recreate the cache only if troubleshooting or after a major update.
Step 5
Launch Microsoft Flight Simulator and compare:
- Startup time.
- Airport loading.
- Aircraft loading.
- General responsiveness.
Student Checklist
Storage type identified.
Free space checked.
Temporary files reviewed.
Downloads folder organised.
Community folder cleaned.
Rolling Cache reviewed.
System tested.
Lesson Summary
Congratulations.
You now understand how proper storage management supports a smooth Microsoft Flight Simulator experience.
Remember:
- Fast SSDs improve loading times and responsiveness.
- Keep sufficient free space available on your SSD.
- Remove unnecessary temporary files using Windows tools.
- Organise your Community folder to reduce clutter and simplify troubleshooting.
- Use the Rolling Cache thoughtfully and recreate it only when necessary.
- Disk cleaning is about improving consistency, loading performance and system responsiveness—not magically increasing FPS.
Knowledge Check
- Why does Microsoft Flight Simulator benefit from being installed on an NVMe SSD?
- How much free space should you aim to keep on an SSD?
- What is the purpose of the Rolling Cache?
- When might it make sense to recreate the Rolling Cache?
- What is the DirectX Shader Cache used for?
- Why is it important to keep the Community folder organised?
- Does cleaning temporary files usually increase FPS?
- What storage maintenance tasks should you perform regularly to keep your simulator running smoothly?