I posted about this in the General Discussion forum a while back and I'm still having the same problems. Very often (nearly every flight), my FS9 goes to black screen. My monitor is responding as if it is in "standby" mode with a flashing power light.I also hear alternating on/off high pitched "static like" sounds coming from my PC speakers. I cannot recover from this situation except to hard-boot the P.C. I started down a few paths, even re-installed FS with NO add-on's on it's own drive and I'm STILL getting these annoying crashes. Later, I bought DOOM3 and saw the EXACT SAME crash playing this game. The only thing I've seen in forum posts that is closely related to my issue points to hardware acceleration settings (in Control panel AND running DXdiag. none have made any difference. Also, both FS9 and DOOM3 are DirectX games. I am now running version 9.0c, but saw the issue in 9.0b as well.I've been thinking it could be sound card related. Can FS9 run without a sound card? I know I won't hear anything, but I figured if it WAS sound card related, removing the card MIGHT remove the problem and narrow the culprit. Any ideas? Here are my system stats:Dell XPS Gen IIIntel 875P chipsetIntel P4 HT 3.2 HT 800 MHz FSB1GB DDR SDRAM 400 MHzATI RADEON 9800XT 256 MB (CATALYST 4.9)SB Audigy 2 sound card (Latest drivers)Thanks in advance,

Yes, you can run FS9 (and the system) without the sound card. The easiest way to do this is to disable the sound card in Device Manager. Probably best to reboot after doing the disable deed, then check Device Manager to make sure it's indeed shut down. Go fly and see what happens.What kind of monitor do you have (CRT or LCD)?Greg

I would check BIOS for any settings relating to standby mode. I would also check your settings for monitor shutdown. Right click your desktop, select properties, select Screensaver tab, select Power button, ensure the Power Scheme is set to Home/Office Desk, ensure all the boxes below are never, except for Turn off monitor can have time. If the problem still exists, change the Turn off monitor to never and see the problem still exists.If the entire computer is hibernating, it may be a BIOS setting or a Windows hibernate setting, select the Hibernate tab, deselect the Enable hibernation setting and see if the problem is corrected.W. Sieffert

Thanks for the tip. I'll give it a try. It does not seem like it's a hibernation thing though, since I get the wierd sounds. I'll have a look though. I'm trying everything at this point..

Also Doom 3 and FS 2004 is two of the absolute most demanding software programmes you can run. Me I can run Super Pi, prime 95 blend torture test, 3DMARK03 and still not being stable in FS 2004. Me I have an Audigy 2 too and don

Hi Aaron,Funny you have the same problem I've had intermittently for several months now. In fact, it started ONLY AFTER I tried upgrading my RAM memory from 512MB to 1024MB by adding a second 512 MB module. After several sets of mem modules and talking to Kingston Technology just last week, I found a very important issue but this won't apply to you as you have a completely different hardware than mine with respect to motherboard, CPU, and CHIPSET. Before going any further, here's the config for my system:AMD ATHLON XP 3200+ CPU, 400Mhz. FSB supportASUS A7N8XE-DELUXE motherboard2x512MB Kingston HyperX kit (CL2 or timings of 2-2-2-5-1) SDRAM 333MHzSB Audigy 2 ZSATI Radeon 9800 Pro 128MBHere's what Kingston said - I actually got two different answers from two different techies at Kingston who have been exteremely professional and helpful to me in this matter: problem with my brand of motherboard - the ASUS A7N8XE-DELUXE - with respect to memory communication; matter has been raised to ASUS to issue a fix (a BIOS upgrade I presume); the other techie said that the problem is with the NVIDIA chipset the NFORCE 2 ULTRA 400.Here's how I have solved it but I will post UPDATES NEXT WEEK to confirm this - USING A SINGLE MODULE OF 512MB - in fact, my original OEM module - COMPLETELY ELIMINATES THE CRASHES. After doing 4 flights, two using the same flight plan which took me over 38M mesh add-on from FSGenesis over the Rockies between two custom free-ware airports LAX to Vancouver Intl, and also from other airports- no crashes. Removing ONE of the Kingston HyperX modules STOPPED THE CRASHES. Furthermore, with one module, either my OEM or the Kingston (I don't recall which I used here) - I used a third-party panel on POSKY 747-400 which previously made my system crash like yours - and NO CRASHES of any kind - PERFECT! I RMA'd the Kingston modules, paid the difference in price only (shipping was paid by Kingston) and Kingston will ship me a single 1GB 333MHz next week! They are amazing - they already replaced my previous modules for free back in April and for about 6 - 8 weeks, after changing the timings on the HyperX mentioned above from their default 2-2-2-5 to 2-3-3-7, I had no crashes. But crashes started again, probably due to heavily add-on scenery and PMDG and other add-on aircraft I've installed since then...but usually, only one crash per flight took place so they were not frequent and then only with add-on aircraft, not with the default MS aircraft. For example, the panel I mentioned above for the 747 worked without any problems on the default 747-400 (with add-on flight dynamics by Pedro Oliveira) but crashed when used with the POSKY 747-400. Now, no crashes with a single 512MB module.Looks like a memory synchronization issue with regards to my chipset and/or motherboard - I have not confirmed this with ASUS nor NVIDIA yet. You have an Intel board and CPU so it is possible the cause of your crash may not be the same as mine...but FS uses memory very intensively and my guess is that people are better off USING SINGLE MEMORY MODULES NO MATTER WHAT THEIR SYSTEM CONFIG as this eliminates timing or sync issues BETWEEN MEMORY MODULES completely.I'll let you know next week after I get my module whether my "theory" is correct but if it works with a 512MB, it should be fine with a single 1024MB module, even if it IS of slightly different construction (more chips etc...) than the 512. I also tried to set the timings manually on the Kingston 512MB to be the same as the timings of the 1GB I'll be getting, and still no crashes.Hope this sheds a little light on your problem.I think my question to you would be: do you use a single 1GB module or 2x512MB modules?!Cheers,John

One thing I forgot to mention which is CRUCIAL : The blank blue screens also happened (again, only occasionally, not everytime) with my EURO 2004 Soccer game from EA SPORTS, so the issue is not just limited to FS2004 and hence the argument that it is a memory synchronization/communication issue is significantly strengthened by the fact that it happens for two completely different 3D games made by different companies.

That's a good question. I believe I have a single 1GB configuration because my system supports up to 2GB. The really frustrating thing is the fact that this type of issue NEVER happened on the machine that this so-called "powerhouse" replaced in Marth; A Delll PIII 700 MHz with 768 MB Ram and a Nvidia FX5200 128MB card!!! I may have only got 8-10 FPS when lucky with something like the PMDG 737, but it NEVER crashed when running FS. NEVER!I even got the crash on my new computer AFTER re-installing FS WITHOUT adding any ad-on products. I think I am still firmly a beliver that it is either the ATI card or the SB card causing my issues. I'm preparing an EXTENSIVE .XLS file with my system configs and test scenarios to see if any patterns develop. I'll be flying ALL of my aircraft from two airports with the same baseline FS9 enviro to see what comes up. I hope to be able to post that over the next few days.

Do these other games use DirectX?

Hi John,I'm not sure why Kingston gave you the run-around, but there is a well-documented problem with the Asus A7N8X and Hynix-equipped Kingston RAM modules. Kingston should have given you a non-Hynix module, and everything would have been fine. In fact, due to the dual-channel technology used on the A7N8X, you'll get better performance using two 512MB chips, rather than one 1024MB chip.Cheers,Gosta.http://www.hifisim.com/images/as2betateam.jpg

Suggestions:If you overclock the system, this is standard fare and can indicate:- overheating if you o/c the system (video card, cpu)- undervoltage to memory and/or CPU- memory timing problems (you modified memory timings in the BIOS and the memory misses a step every so often)- PCI bus sync problem if you boosted your FSB speed (some PCI devices do not like this a bit).- USB conflict, causes the on-board USB controller to hang, which in turn throws crashes the operating system - most notable with USB 2.0 and 1.0/1.1 mixed in.If you do not overclock the system (all settings normal):- issuficient power to CPU and or video card during intense usage (usual cause, power supply doesn't deliver what it says it delivers - some manufacturers quote "peak" output, not "sustained"). My AMD box requires at least a 480W system to run.- memory timings or stepping incorrect for CPU- bad memory or improperly seated memory (change slots).- BIOS conflict- AGP fast-write problems (turn off in BIOS)- video card overheating (open case, blow regular house-hold fan at MAX speed, or even better, use a vacuum cleaner to get more air cooling on the card see if it gets any better - don't do what I did, which is to suck in the unused jumpers on my board :)).- Hyperthreading (if INTEL based - turn off)The fact your problem appears regular and reproducible in similar conditions indicates to me that it's either a timing or power issue, possibly a BIOS problem but unlikely.What I would try is run SiSandra and "stress" your system, and see what kind of values you see.Hope this helps, good luck.

Gosta and Etienne: Thank-you very :0))) much and it is great to know that there is a known issue with Kingston and my board.*Gosta: I have so far had no crashes since getting the single 1GB 333Mhz CL2.5 Kingston Valueram. I am at work now so I cannot verify whether the chip mfg. is Hynix or not so I'll be sure to check this out. I have also emailed Kingston to ask them what Asus asked me - do they test their memory with my motherboard brand as does, for example, Corsair but did not get a reply. I called Kingston tech support today but only their second level support, which works Mon-Fri can answer my question.--> Gosta, can you give me a link at the ASUS or Kingston website that points to this known issue (or another site as the case may be) so I can go to Kingston about this (assuming I have Hynix chips on my mem).In the meantime, I'll be sure to check what chips I have on the modules when I get home tonight.*Etienne: it's interesting you mentioned power supply and video card overheating issue - I cannot verify the video card temp by measuring it as ATI has no monitoring system but I CAN tell you that my power supply is an Antec 430-Watt; but when I read that you require a good 480Watts - well, I'm under that for sure, even at the maximum rated power by the mfg. AS for the fan, well, I do have the max. no. of case fans allowed (5) in my Antec case and since I cannot test the old pair of modules (2x512 HyperX) anymore - for Kingston RMA'd them for the single 1GB, it probably won't make any difference, but thank-you for telling me. I had read that some people had GPU overheating issues but for me, it's impossible to measure. Other than taking a risk removing my existing video card fan (retail ATI fan) and trying to install one of those blower fans which blow air out directly to th outside (like Coolermaster), I can't do anything about this for now.I'll let everyone know what happens next week. My next flight will be on the PMDG 737NG-700 on Tuesday or possibly Monday night...Talk to y'all soon.John

Hi Aaron,Yes, in fact both games, the EA SPORTS UEFA 2004 and FS2004 have one common point-they both use direct X 9.x.Before, the FIFA SOCCER 2004 (which did not crash ever) used direct X 8.x and only FS2004 was crashing. Perhaps this is a potential correlation (not necessarily causation)? Direct X may not be the problem as much as the "intensity" (system resource use-wise) of both games causing the crashes.Have you known of any issues of this type resulting from DX?NOTE: I have Direct X 9.0C but problem occured also with 9.0B (have not tried 9.0A).John

Hi John,>>--> Gosta, can you give me a link at the ASUS or Kingston website that points to this known issue (or another site as the case may be) so I can go to Kingston about this (assuming I have Hynix chips on my mem).<http://www.hifisim.com/images/as2betateam.jpg

John;Had the same problems with my A78nx-x board. Found that the centonmemory I had installed would not run at its rated speed.Try entering Bios and changing the memory speed down just a little.You'll hardly notice the difference and I'll bet the crashes stop.In my case just dropping it 10 Mhz took care of it.;-) Good luckDN