Hello all,I'm brand new to this forum, I'm Jamie and I'm looking to upgrade my processor to run FS2004 like a bullet!I also want it to be compatible with the new FSX.I've done a research and here's the best one's I've foundAMD Athlon 64 FX-55AMD Athlon 64 4000Can anyone recommend a real fast processor which could run FS2004 like a bullet, high frame rates with also full AI traffic?My price range is from

Hiya..The 4000+ is a Great performing processor for FS...(AMD will apparently be discontinuing it soon if not already)...The FX-55 and the 4000+ are built very similar so it's basically 2.4 vs 2.6ghz...Faster is better...They are socket 939 processors and are not avaliable in the AM2 platform...The FX-57 is the hottest Single Core Processor in the AMD line-up at 2.8ghz...(Also a socket 939 design)...I have 4000+ system as well as the FX-57 system(in my sig)...While the FX-57 system does Slightly out perform the 4000+...They are very very close...When it boils down to money..My opinion is the 4000+ is a better bang for buck...It does run FS great...Having said all that...Things are changing right now...The Dual Core processors are all the rage at this time...I don't have one..so I can't really comment from personal expierence on the x2's...I have read varying feed back...My understanding is FS9 does not specifically benifit from dual core processors...Who knows about FSX...If I were buying today...I'd definatly go with a dual core processor...Intel is going to be releasing their new line-up of performance oriented desktop processors later this month...(Intel Core 2 Duo and the Core 2 Extreme)...They are suppose to be some really hot performers...according to most reviews...They may be worth a look??Upon the release of the Core 2 Duo's..Processor prices for both AMD and Intel are suppose to change quite a bit...It's rumored AMD prices may go down between 30 and 50% depending on the processor...This should take place around July 24th...One more thing...You mentioned just up grading the processor...Unless you currently have a Socket 939 Motherboard...You will need to buy other components...(Just in case you wern't aware of that)...Hope that may help answer your question??Have Fun!!

The new COnreo processors look really promising if you can wait at all. They are just about to hit retaitl (August 7 here in the States, depending on actual avaialibility)The AM2 X2's from AMD have just dropped in price as well. The 5000+ is the top of the X2 line and is selling for under $330 here, I know that UKP prices are higher (and that VAT!)Check out overclockers.co.uk to see what they're doing. FSX will really benefit from dual core and lots of ram (both system and vid card)Tim

Thanks guys! I've went for the AMD Athlon 64 4000 San Diego with an Asrock Dual Sata II motherboard.My computer runs real fast but the only problem is I cannot load my sim properly. When the sim loads up and I go to create a flight mode, the little box which displays the current aircraft is all black no aircraft at all (Cessna 172). I go to choose an aicraft but there still all black.When I load a flight all I can see is a rwy, the sky and clouds and thats it, no aircraft wot so ever, not to mention it running like a slideshow.Any ideas on how to get this annoying thing fixed?Thanks!Jamie.

What videocard drivers are you using?? Did you do a Clean install of WindowsXP on your hardware swap?? Did you re-install the Sim..or at least back-up then delete the FS9 config and let FS rebuild a new one picking up your new hardware??The Black Box in the Aircraft preview window is a common problem with the 80 and later series of nVidia drivers...Normally if you set AA to 4x or less it will correct that problem...Even at 4x you should have plenty of AA...If your using the latest 90 series of nVidia drivers, they offer a new control panel...I'm personally sticking with the classic control panel until I figure the new one out...he heIf you did a Clean Install of XP and installed some recent drivers...You may try these settings in the Classic Control Panel if you wish...Set AA to 4x if you don't like the Blacked out Aircraft Preview Window:>Anti Aliasing: 8x (4x if you don't like the *Blacked Out* Aircraft Preview Window..A very slight shimmering increase compared to 8x..)>Anisotropic Filtering: 16x>Image Settings: Quality>Vertical Sync: On <------------Switch to OFF>Force Mip Maps: <------------Switch to Trilinear>Conformant Texture Clamp: On>Trilinear Optimisation: Off <--------------ON>Anisotropic Mip Filter Optimisation: Off <--------ON>Anisotropic Sample Optimization: Off>Gamma Correct AA: On>Transparency AA: Supersampling (found this made a huge>differences to autogen trees and chainlink fences)>Triple Buffering: Off>-ve LOD Bias: ClampThe Blacked out preview window part of your comments doesn't really bother me...That issue is fairly common...The thing I don't understand is the SlideShow comments...You shouldn't be expierencing a slideshow...Something is a-miss...

>My computer runs real fast but the only problem is I cannot>load my sim properly. When the sim loads up and I go to create>a flight mode, the little box which displays the current>aircraft is all black no aircraft at all (Cessna 172). I go to>choose an aicraft but there still all black.Thats a known issue with the AA/AF (assuming you have an NVidia GPU) to solve that lower your AA/AF settings.>When I load a flight all I can see is a rwy, the sky and>clouds and thats it, no aircraft wot so ever, not to mention>it running like a slideshow.Hmm.. you don't see an aircraft? or just not the panel itself? in that case press "w". If you dont see the airplane itself, than thats a new one to me. As far as running as a slideshow. Did you install all your drivers correctly? chipset and others?.. Have you tried reinstalling directx and is your GPU temp ok, don't know where you are, but some European users have reported that becuase of the heatwave temps rise alot. ps. as mentioned in Chucks post turn VSync "ON" it will prevent image tearing on some displays. Furthermore Turn ON triple buffering because it will help your FPS.. http://www.ocworkbench.com/2006/articles/DXtweaker/

I use a Nvidia GeForce 6600GT (AGP) GPU. I'll try and lower the AA option to 4x. Can anyone give a me link to install a compatiable driver which would make FS work.Yeah, I live in Edinburgh, Scotland. Hopefully the temperature won't be a problem for my P.C. :-PI think the scenery files are damaged or maybe its the GPU playing up, I don't see grass or water, just blue sky, a rwy and clouds, no aicraft, panel etc. The ground is blue too and very slow.Thanks,Jamie.

Just hop over to the Nvidia site and pick up your drivers there.Then goto http://nvtweak.laptopvideo2go.com to pick up NVTray. That will give you more options for the AA/AF settings.. If other games perform well and you have no artifacts or any issues, then probally something went wrong with the install. Just re-install it.

I'm now getting results, set the anti-aliasing option to 4x however theres still a big problem. The sky is distorted and rapidly drops my rates. Its like when you fly in cockpit mode and then you switch to spot plane for example, the sky stays in spot plane mode, like a skin, overlays the view which is really annoying, I've installed an earlier driver and still hasn't solved the problem.Also the black box problem hasn't been solved but I'm now getting aircraft to display in the box. When the aircraft rotates it leaves behind a trail, looks like another GPU problem?I'm gonna install FS on my Sis's computer and see how it responds to hers. If it's the same problem, it'll be the game, if its different, it'll be the GPU, I've already reinstalled FS on my comp.This is increasingly frustrating but hopefully it'll end soon.

FS isn't the problem...Something goofy is going on...I'm not saying your videocard isn't acting up...But I would just like to rule out other stuff...Please answer these questions:1) When you did this upgrade..Did you Format your Hard Drive(Completly wipe it off) and do a clean install of windowsXP??2) You have confirmed the videocard is seated correctly and that good stuff..(I know..Stupid Question..But stranger things have happened..lol)3) Which ASRock mb did you get??(Model# please) a) I'm not familiar with ASRock...But can you go into the Bios..see if you can find an AGP setting and confirm it's set to 8x...I have other questions...But this will do for now...Don't get discouraged!! OK...

1) I upgraded my computer last week and I've completely formatted my hard drive and performed a clean install of windows.2) Video card is correctly seated.3) I got the Asrock 939Dual Sata2 motherboard.I have a feeling that I may need to change the AGP setting to 8x in BIOS but I'm not sure how, if thats not it, maybe I need an AGP8x driver downloaded?Thanks,Jamie

Your mb should have come with a manuel...If not it is avaliable on the ASRock website...http://www.asrock.com/index_english.htmlI *Think this is your manuel...I selected Asrock 939Dual Sata2..(There are however a couple of other variants...)http://www.asrock.com/Drivers/Manual/939Dual-SATA2.pdfhttp://www.asrock.com/product/index.htmSection 3 of the manuel deals with Bios...I appears (from the pics) the default AGP setting may be 4x?? It appears the AGP settings are under the Advanced Tab/Chipset Chipset Configuration/Chipset Settings...If your's looks like the pic in this manuel...I'd leave the AGP Apature set at "64"(Default)Change the AGP Data Rate to "8x"...Leave AGP Fast Write "Disabled"...Test your change from 4x to 8x...If this helps..Or you find it's already set to 8x when you get there...Go back in and try changing AGP Fast Write to the "Enabled"..Hope this helps..

I went into the setup and changed the AGP Fast Write to enabled and I also found that the AGP is set at 8x.Still nothing happened.I took some pics just to show you the annoying effect and the dropping of frame rates when you look at the sky.

I see what you mean...That is Messed Up!!Just to confirm:1) Have you tried deleting your FS9 config...If you follow the path below..find the config..Delete it..Then when you re-start FS it will automatically re-build a new config...you will loose any custom settings(changes you've made)...You'll have to re-do them again...Path:Drive_Letter:Documents and SettingsUser_NameApplication DataMicrosoftFS9. This is a hidden folder by default so you need to modify the folder options via the control panel: go to the view tab and check the "Show hidden files and folders" option...(FS9 config opens with notepad)...2) What videodrivers are you running?? I'm going to post a link to a really good process for changing driver's below...I use this all the time...I hoped you wouldn't mind following it and install some older drivers like the 84.20's...Please shut down any spyware, antivirus and firewall software during the driver instillation as it can corrupt the instillation...I just unplug from the internet while I'm doing this process......It may seem lengthy the first time you go through it...I have it down to a science now and it's really not that bad...It may take you a few minutes the first go around..Read through and follow each step...It works everytime for me...Driver Swap Guide:http://forums.flightsim.com/dc/dcboard.php..._id=17587&page=Link to Drivers nVidia ForceWare 84.21:http://www.nvidia.com/object/winxp_2k_84.21.htmlor Alternate...Link to ExtremeG 84.20v2...From Twaeks R Us...Some of my favorite drivers a while ago..These worked Great..I no longer use them..I use the latest..But I know these to be Good drivers...http://www.tweaksrus.com/index.php?option=...details&gid=567Tweaks R Us Website for the heck of it..Good source for tweaked drivers:http://www.tweaksrus.com/One other note...Fast Writes..When you get this problem resolved and things are back to normal..Try Fast Writes Enabled and also Disabled...I forget which one I use to use with AGP...I had ATI cards anyhow and they respond differently...I *Think* I remember nVidia cards worked well with Fast Writes enabled and ATI liked disabled better..I'm really not positive though..You just have to see what works best for your set-up..You may have a box in the nVidia drivers that will enable/disable Fast Writes rather than having to do it in the bios...If you change it in the drivers..It will change the bios for you...I never used nVidia/AGP so again I'm not sure about the check box...I think I remember the ATI drivers had one...Edit: One other thing...I see you have your framerates locked at 100...I would suggest you lock them between 25 and 35...The system I have in my sig is quite capable...However it would never hold Frames at 100...(I lock them at 40)...In FS..anything over 20 should be good...By locking them like this it takes a little un-necessary burdon off the processor..Which in some cases may help in other area's ie: Texture loads ect...Good Luck...Hope this Helps...

Hello again Chuck,Nothing has progressed any further unfortunately :-(. I'm getting extremely frustrated with this as it doesn't appear to be working at all. I tested the sim on my Sis's computer and it works fine but I remember it saying it had a problem with installing world.cab but in the end I retried installing it and its fine.I've ran outta ideas. :-(.Jamie.