Frame rate plummeting from 25 to 0 - Help!!

[speed771 0]

HiI did a clean install of Flight Sim 2004 (9.1) on my new PC.The only thing installed besides MS FLightSim is PMDG 737 800/900.When I launch FlightSim with a default MS 737 I have about 25 fps (tried Seattle, Gatwick, Heathrow)The I load PMDG 737 (doesn't matter wich one, I tried 2d only, and all the others). The moment the 2d cockpit loads the frame rate goes down to 0-4 fpm and the computer becomes very sluggish. IE when I press a button/switch there is a short delay.I was using a Nvidia 6800GTO and switched to my older 6600 with no difference.I'm using 71.84 video drivers. I cleaned them out and went back to 66.93. No difference.I have 3GB RAM so I removed 1GB down to 2GB. Nothing.HT on and off. No difference.I installed the latest version of FSUIPC and the default one that comes with the PMDG installers.The PMDG installers are recent ones because I bought PMDG yesterday and all the updated are included.I removed everything (PMDG remove software), de-installed Flight Sim and reinstalled everything. (cleaned out FS9 in the application data folder before re-install) No change.I installed only PMDG Next Generation and no 800/900. Same problem.I think the Flight Sim install CD's are already 9.1 so I can't try 9.0.I'm really at the end of the line. Don't know what else to do.When I go to external view with a default MS plane and then load a PMDG 737 the frame rate seems fine until I switch to 2D cockpit view.I tried all different combinations of setting in the display settings. Render to texture on and off, antialiasing on/off, etc.Help!!thanks!SteveASUS P5AD2 Premium Motherboard1GB Corsair XMS2-5400 DDR2 Dual Channel Kit2GB OCZ DDR2 PC-5400 Performance Series Dual ChannelP4 Prescott LGA775 3.6 GHz 800FSB HT(nVidia 6800GTo 256MB DDR3 PCI-Express Graphics card)* not in usenVidia GForce 6600 PCI-Express cardWin XP SP2 all updates installed

[Mats_J 2]

Steve,Sounds strange... You might wanna buz Paul Gollnick at PMDG technical dept on support@precisionmanuals.com and see if he can give you some hands-on help.Hope you get it sorted,

[MELKOR 5]

For such a powerful rig, even 25 FPS is way, way too low.What are your FS9 hardware settings?- Bill

[michal 44]

Did you try Panel_As_Texture set to 1 or 0?Also you never said whether this computer was ever *before* running FS9 fine or not. If this is your brand new computer and you built it yourself (or upgraded) things like that happen if you for example forgot to install chipset drivers.Michael J.WinXP-Home SP2,AMD64 3500+,Abit AV8,Radeon X800Pro,36GB Raptor,1GB PC3200,Audigy 2

[Guest pdorian]

Steve,By any chance did you load a flight plan into the FMC while loading the plane? I've had this exact problem before and what caused it was a wrong waypoint entry (going 8,000 miles the other way) which caused the frame rates to drop to about 0 as well. I put the correct entry in and all went back to normal.Good luck!PhilipMy system specs are as about:Intel D875PBZ MotherboardP3.40E1.5 Gig of Kingston RAMRadeon X800 PRO 256MBWindows XP SP2

[speed771 0]

HiNo Flight plan loaded. I did not even bother to open the FMC at that frame rate. It's almost like frozen.There was never FS9 installed on this machine.I use this computer also for my recording studio and it's working flawless with my recording software. It's really fast with no drop outs.Everything is in top shape. Latest chipset software, latest BIOS, I always scan with Adware, Spybot and Norton 2005 Antivirus.I de-installed Norton yesterday to see if it has any impact. It hasn't.I noticed that FS9 also behaves very strange. Maybe it's not as noticable. But today I noticed stuttering in approx 1sec rhythm. I've never seen this before.All the dials in the standard 737 start to stutter and the external view when I pan around stutters too.Re-installing Windows is out of the question.I would lose all my authorizations for the recording software.I had the same setup on my old machine for years and never any problems.

[speed771 0]

>Did you try Panel_As_Texture set to 1 or 0?>Where do I find this parameter? I looked in FS9.cfg but it wasn't there. Do I have to add it? If yes, where?thanks,Steve

[michal 44]

>Where do I find this parameter? I looked in FS9.cfg but it>wasn't there. Do I have to add it? If yes, where?Please go to the main MSFS forum here on Avsim and search for "panel_as_texture". You will get more information.Michael J.WinXP-Home SP2,AMD64 3500+,Abit AV8,Radeon X800Pro,36GB Raptor,1GB PC3200,Audigy 2

[speed771 0]

The stuttering occurs when I launch FSNavigator [F9]. I just installed it. Once I press F9 there is constant stuttering which I can't get rid off.But don't get confused. The stuttering is not the low frame rate I get when launching PDMG planes.Seems the whole machine I'm working on is cursed! :-oI never had this much trouble before. I'm a simmer for many years on many machines. I know a lot of tricks but this time I'm stunned.I noticed something else which doesn't seem normal.When I go to 'create flight' and choose an airport, once I make a selection and press ok I have to wait 1 min(!) until it becomes responsive again and I get the menu with all the selection for place, time, weather etc. This is not normal isn't it?I have this right away after I install a virgin copy of FS9.Maybe this is a sign I should not spend so much time doing useles things like flying virtual airplanes?haha

[Noel 4,499]

Steve, I went through a problem a few weeks back that had me on the brink of a reformat. Due to a problem that generated a Emergency Repair Disk to salvage my huge installation, I got all my ducks in a row, but did not realize I needed to REINSTALL the ASUS intel chipset drivers that came with my mainboard. After this maneuver, my frames and smoothness soared to its former levels.Maybe reinstall your mobo chipset drivers, in other words.Noel

[speed771 0]

OkI downloaded the latest chipset drivers and Bios. It didn't change a thing.When I fly the MS default 737 everything is fine. But when I switch to PMDG, the moment the 2d or 3d cockpit loads, the computer locks up. It's almost like sucking all the processing power out. The low frame rate is just a by-product of no processing power left.Could it be a memory leak or something?Bear in mind I have 3GB which can cause problems. But I removed 1GB to reduce to 2GB and had the same problem.Has anybody of you guys Flight Sim FS9 CD's that is already 9.1?Because my installer CD's that I bought this week are already 9.1. Maybe something is different here compared to having 9.0 and upgrading?It's the only explanation I have left.....

[speed771 0]

>Please go to the main MSFS forum here on Avsim and search for>"panel_as_texture". You will get more information.>>Michael J.>WinXP-Home SP2,AMD64 3500+,Abit AV8,Radeon X800Pro,36GB>Raptor,1GB PC3200,Audigy 2ok I found it and it didn't help.Why do you write it "panel_as_texture"? I thought it's 'PanelAsTexture=0'

[speed771 0]

I highly suspect FSUIPC. I have no problems with planes that don't use it.Since I also have problems once I launch FSnavigator it points to FSUIPC. It's the only thing both have in common.It really would be helpful if one of you guys could tell if he's using the new MS FS9 installer CD's that already include the update together with FSUIPC / PMDG sucessfully.thanks,Steve

[Mats_J 2]

Steve,I'll ask you once again to follow my advice earlier. I think this is a problem not encountered by many, if any of us. PMDG support should be the best way to go for you!Hope it helps,

[speed771 0]

I already did. Paul suggested to delete the FS9.cfg. But I already did as I said in the original post.I really have no more ideas. Seems like goodbye PMDG for me. It's a shame because it was the only reason I bought FS9....