Hi guysI just upgraded some gear and reinstalled WindowsXP then FSX then Acceleration so I am totally up to date and getting great FSX performance.Now the first add-on I want to install is Active Sky X, so I try and I get SimConnect SP1 errors. With just installing FSX and the SP's they FAQ doesn't apply to me... I have both SP's installed and I am not about to uninstall SP2 and SP1.What else can i do? is there an updated install file to download?Need your assistance as soon as possible please.ThanksMark Thompson

Hi Mark,Sorry for the problem. Try this uninstall Acceleration, install SP1 stand-alone, and then Acceleration. Test ASX after installing SP1 and then again after installing Acceleration.Please let us know,Jimhttp://www.hifisim.com/banners/hifi-community-sigbanner.jpghttp://www.hifisim.com/

So Jim, there is no way to install ASX in FSX/Accel? I read somewhere else that the MS preferred method to install FSX is to install FSX, then Acceleration as Accel. installs both SP1 and SP2.To not be able to install ASX straight into FSX/Accel seems like ASX should have a new installer made. To have to mess around with my FSX installation is not acceptable to me.Is HiFi going to make a new Active Sky X base install program that will install onto an updated FSX?Sorry I don't mean to sound like an idiot as your products rock! MarkMark Thompson

Hi Mark,No, we are going to keep our installation target to SP1. Too many FSX users are going to stick right there.The issue we found is that SP1 stand alone should be installed first and then Acceleration can be installed. Yes, ASX runs under Acceleration.Thanks,Jimhttp://www.hifisim.com/banners/hifi-community-sigbanner.jpghttp://www.hifisim.com/

JimThis is totally unacceptable! Maybe we should take this offside as this really upsets me that a payware product for MS FSX does not have the ability to install itself with a Microsoft Official Service Pack installed. There are FREEWARE products out there that install under Acceleration, no problem. To make your product installer incompatible is outrageous. Do you have documented studies that "Too many FSX users are going to stick right there." with SP1??!! I find that ridiculous!Not only did I purchase ASX i also purchased X Graphics and I doubt I will use either product again. I purchased these products before the SP's came out and this is just WRONG as I never read anywhere that your product would not be compatible with FSX... You say Yes ASX runs under Acceleration, but it won't Install under Acceleration.Is there anywhere on your site or documentation that states before you Purchase your products, be warned that they may not be able to install them under service updated of FSX!I don't usually get worked up about this kind of stuff but Hifi has my blood boiling!!

Jim I hope you don't mind me jumping in here...Hi MarkNow before I get into the "Stuff" understand I am not defending anyone at all! In fact I agree across the board with you with most vendors actions, but prolly not in the way you said it, and, it might not be a HiFi issue.What I would like to know is how you installed XP? eg;Base package of-course first...with SP1 or 2?Did you install the up-dates seperatly or install SP 3 first?Did you install SP 3? When?At what stage did you install Netframework? Which ones and also in what order?Computer model if it is HP, Dell etc.This will be a bit hard to remember I know but please try as it could be worth your efforts?I think your problem could be a Microsoft issue that is not widely known but I want the facts first.For your info Mark & Jim I have loaded ASX on XP with any of these combinations "SP 1,2 & 3 and with FSX SP 1,2 & Accel" with no issues (after the MS XP/Netframework issue was fixed)RegardsSteve

Hi,We'll stay right here.1. ASX installs just fine under Microsoft Official Service Packs. All you need is a proper install of SP1. That is stated under our requirements everywhere we sell ASX.2. Don't need any documentated studies. Just read any FSX General forum and keep track of how many FSX users stuck with SP1 or have tried Acceleration and have reverted back to SP1. So that is the baseline requirement, SP1.3. Yes, ASX will install under Acceleration. Not sure where you get that from. But if you get the message that SP1 of Simconnect cannot be found, then SP1 stand alone may need to be cleanly installed. That is in our Troublshooting documentation. There may be a slight install difference when you install SP1 stand-alone compared to SP1 under Acceleration.If you would like full refund, just let us know and I will take care of it, right away.Thanks,Jimhttp://www.hifisim.com/banners/hifi-community-sigbanner.jpghttp://www.hifisim.com/

Hi SteveThanks for jumping in, I will respond inline to your questions.>What I would like to know is how you installed XP? eg;installed with Dell XP Pro/SP2 disk that came with computer>Base package of-course first...with SP1 or 2?So the base CD already had XP to SP2>Did you install the up-dates seperatly or install SP 3 first?Installed SP3, then some of the updates that came in afterwards, some Net 1.1 service packs as well as a service/security patch for Net 2.0>Did you install SP 3? When?Last weekend, did a total fresh install of XP and then FSX on a new hard drive>At what stage did you install Netframework? Which ones and>also in what order?Can't recall exactly. I know i installed the different service packs after installing XP SP3 but couldn't tell you the order.>Computer model if it is HP, Dell etc.Dell Precision 370, 3.2 P4 Hyperthread CPU, 4GB RAM, 500HD, 320HD, 8800GT Video, SB audigyInstalled FSX RTM, then Acceleration as it was my understanding that this was preferred method as Acceleration installs SP1 and SP2. Thats is why I can't understand that I have to uninstall Acceleration, download a copy of SP1, and install that, and I can't understand why most fsx users are staying at SP1.MArk

3. Yes, ASX will install under Acceleration. Not sure where you get that from. I got that from your FAQ and the fact I can't install ASX and your response was to uninstall Acceleration.

After my Blood Pressure and Blood Sugar came down to single digits, I uninstalled Acceleration, then installed FSX SP1... then installed Active Sky X... which installed okay but couldn't get back into FSX, so I couldn't test anything }(So I thought, "Mark, before going on another rampage, re-install Acceleration"... which i did and got everything working.So Jim, sorry for going on a rampage, I still think HiFi should reconsider and make an installer for ASX that works with FSX AccSP2. Still think it is a rig-a-ma-row to do it like especially after taking the painstaking task of reinstalling my whole system (Windows XP, XP service packs, patches, etc, etc) then FSX and all the addons, only to have 1 single add-on (ASX) not install.Purchased add-ons that install just fine under my first FSX AccSp2 install:UTX, GEX, CS 130x, FC8.2, FP 1.5, just to name a few, plus a bunch of other Freeware apps and packages.So sorry once again, its amazing how a 40 year old man can turn into a spoiled 12 year old brat :+SincerelyMark Thompson

>Do you have documented studies that "Too many FSX users are>going to stick right there." with SP1??!! I find that>ridiculous!It's almost as ridiculous as the idea that microsoft/aces would release a service/expansion pack which breaks the sim for many users and then decide not to release any further patches or updates, heh. but what can ya do? :)cheers,-andy crosby

AndyWhat sort of problems does SP2 cause, maybe there lies my frustration of trying to get back into the teens for FPS.Mark

when it was first introduced there were serious problems with ctd's and stability, particularly related to nvidia video cards. after 6 months or so at least some of those have been solved by updated drivers from nvidia, but it was an easily reproducable crash bug and seemed pretty silly that they would ship with it. it also introduced other memory leaks and instability, if you look at like avsim fsx forums there's loads of stories about the app flipping out after an hour into a flight, or when arriving at destination and dropping within a few thousand feet, etc. there's a lot of workarounds and tweaks like the /3G switch which seem to help reduce these occurences, but i know personally that i still have to tiptoe around carefully and use windowed mode before doing certain operations or i will likely crash to desktop.. there are a lot of voodoo and theories out there but it's clear that nobody knows all the answers, i've tried at least 3 different tweaks that somebody claimed to fix a crash that still happened for me, so there's just a lot of variables about OS and vid cards, memory, etc..not sure what to say about your framerates though.. if anything sp2 was a performance improvement for me (subtle, but noticeable compared to sp1 particularly with water) so i'm not sure if your fps has much to do with it. if you're not crashing like crazy then you probably have a good setup and don't need to worry about the sp2 issues.. for your fps maybe just want to fine tune your driver and detail settings, there's a lot of good guides out there like on avsim or the pmdg ops site.cheers,-andy crosby

Hmm, you know another reason I did the clean re-install is that I would be on a 2hour plus flight or longer and during my decend, BANG! crash to desktop, or my plane would go crazy... at first I thought it was Active Sky SP3, then I thought it was online (vatsim) traffic, then scenery... it may just have been fsx sp2 :hangAndy, Thanks for your advice... I will look around