Anandtech has followed up on this issue:http://www.anandtech.com/systems/showdoc.aspx?i=3060To review, 32 bit operating systems have a maximum of 4GB of Virtual Memory space available. This has nothing to do with the physical memory that is installed in the computer. This strictly a software issue. The lower 2 GB of Virtual Memory are for the programs. The upper 2 GBs are for the operating system. Vista is currently using much more of the lower 2 GB of virtual memory space than XP for game play. This has made Vista prone to chronic OOM game crashes. XP is a lot Less vulnerable to the dreaded Out Of Memory (OOM) crash than Vista. Some Vista users have set a "3 Gig Switch" to force the system to use 3GB for the programs and leave only 1 GB for the system.If a player is currently using that 3GB switch, it might be worthwhile to research this a bit further. That 3GB switch is taking from Peter to give to Paul. At some point, Peter is gonna want his back. This might be a good opportunity to unhook that switch, because . . .Microsoft has created a HOT FIX to address this issue. Right now, it's only available directly from MS. In 2 weeks, we will be able to download it from here: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/940105For everyone else, it will be part of Vista's SP1. The issue appears to be this: With the introduction of Vista, DX9 software now (more aggressively?) creates a duplicate memory map of the video card's physical memory into the lower 2 GBs of virtual memory space. This is not a copy of the "book," just a copy of its "table of contents." This was set up to prevent crashes. This duplicate map could be quickly accessed to allow a quick recovery from a video ram error. Vista generally works fine, as long as there is plenty of room in the virtual space below 2GB. But now that programs need more of this 2GB space (and giant Vcard memory requirements want their share too, for backup), there isn't enough room for both video backup and program allocations to "play nice." When the 2 GB of Virtual ( - - - NOT real, Physical Ram) usage hits the 2GB stop, FSX crashes with the dreaded "OOM" message.(The best I could derive . . . talk about a Tower of Babble) DX10 has a better method of dealing with video backup and will be less prone to OOM problems. But in the meantime, it seems MS is taking Vista back to a more XP like Virtual memory configuration with this Hot Fix. Video memory backup will be handled without chewing up so much of the lower 2GB's space. This will leave more room for FSX . . . and hopefully fewer OOM crashes . . . without having to play with that scary 3GB switch. We'll see. But this is still, only an interim measure. This is going to be a painful transition period. We need to get to that 64 bit operation system. It will have 8TB (yes 8,000GB) of Virtual memory "playground" the kids to romp in. That ought to keep 'em safe and happy . . . for a while, anyway.

I guess P.T. is out of pocket for a while, but it would be nice if some Microsoftie could comment on potential benefit of this hotfix.scott s..

FLOL and not so funny at the same time, a bit like XP's hibernation fix - one can save energy upon request(!). By default, energy and our electricity bills don't seem to be much of a concern. Strange in times where we should know better... Other than that, a great write-up, Sam. Thanks. Particularly the question mark in the header. :-) Unless MS recommends something else, I would never change too many things away from defaults. Including using standard paths and the lot. Cheers and kind regards Jaap Edited for spelling