So I upgraded some parts on my system. I got a Samsung Evo850 SSD (500GIG), Bumped up to 16 gigs of Ram (Gskill 2400) and upgraded Video card from GTX 670 to GTX 970.
I did a complete new install of windows and put steam on the 1 terrabyte platter drive and installed the 'steam library' (for GCIII) on the SSD. I also set my page file to 'disabled' this time around catching a blurb here about this person having no issues when he did this and also had 16 gigs of Ram.
I fired up the game and started an Immense sized game. All my ship designs are gone. This is not an issue as we are in Beta and I had dozens of duplicate ships and this time around i am going to make 'templets' for my ships. I only got about 10 turns in and will give the game a hard play this weekend. So far so good.
Just thought I would post some hardware observations. Ill update on how the game now plays as its on an SDD and I am now using no Page file and have a video card with 4 gigs ram instead of 2.