Hello My FS9 falls into task bar as if I clicked the minimize icon on the top right corner in the middle of flight. It seems to be happening every two hours or so. Once it happens, I can go back to the flight by clicking FS9 in the task bar. Anyone has any idea what's causing this? It happens with any add-on aircrafts. I have PMDG737, 747, MD-11, Level-d 767 and few other. Also running Active Sky 6.5. Thank you for your advices in advance.MikeDell Dimension 8400Pentium 4 3.4 GHz3 gig ram (set up to run 3 gig ram)Nvidia GeForce 6800 GPU 256MB memorySaitek X52 flight control

Hello,First thing come to mind :Check if you don't have any programs running background and who try to made a auto-update ..Regards.Gus.

If you're using a ZoneAlarm product, right-click the tray icon and choose Game Mode... I use Automatic Deny myself.

Thanks. May be it's the virus protection that is causing this. I've recently changed the program. I have the McAfee virus program provided by AT&T internet service. Mike

I have also been experiencing this problem. Started just a couple of weeks ago. No idea what is causing it. I also have an ISP provided version of McAfee installed.

mcafee, in my experience, cannot be shut down in any normal way. i'm not near my old FS computer so i can't remember the detials on how to over-ride the 'protection'. essentially you shut down everything BUT the core program ... the core is still running by can't do anything so the impact is minimized.even if you tell mcafee to quit it will restart ... why ... a 'feature' to avoid user stopping the program in error. mcafee IS intrusive and will SUCK computer's performance if you are running FS.my FS only computer has no antivirus. IT IS NEVER surfing the www and as a result if MUCH faster in running FS. it boots in less than 20 seconds (winXP with no garbage from builders as i built my own and the OS is a OEM) and has 24 processes running. my old FS computer takes a 45 or so seconds to boot and more than 1.5 minutes to be 'usable' and has 48 processes running.the biggest problem with computers, like dell, gateway, HP, etc., these days is all the programs pre-installed as 'features' are running even when you are not using the programs!--

Yep, I do the same as Scoob - keep a separate "disposable" laptop for surfing. My main machines NEVER go on line, dont have anti-virus stuff running and ALL updates are turned of/removed from ALL my machines from the outset. If I install a prog that wont let me do that - it goes. Never found a prog I couldnt live without. There's usually a better one somewhere else - usually cheaper too!They're my PCs and I decide when I need an update.....

Its fine to do that if you never connect to the web but I don't think such usage is at all typical. Many FS users will connect to the web regularly if they fly with "real weather" and there will be occasions when they need to connect to register add-on software. And there is no definite proof that this is the solution to the original poster's problem anyway.If a specific anti-virus/firewall software is found to be the cause of such a problem, my advice would be to get rid of it and replace it with something more solid and reliable. It is clear that most of us do not experience such problems so the vast majority of AV/Firewall programmes must be just fine. And, yes, I agree that they use resources but I have never found that they do so to the detriment of my enjoyment of Flight Simulator.Best wishes,John

Its fine to do that if you never connect to the web but I don't think such usage is at all typical.

my FS computer does go on-line ONLY for on-line weather and VATSIM. behind a firewall so exposure is VERY minimized. i do not 'surf the web' with the computer.--

mcafee, in my experience, cannot be shut down in any normal way. i'm not near my old FS computer so i can't remember the detials on how to over-ride the 'protection'. essentially you shut down everything BUT the core program ... the core is still running by can't do anything so the impact is minimized.

OK, here is how i dealt with mcafee on my old FS computer -the usual warning here: use at your own risk; may cause damage to your computer, left foot, dog, cat, house and result in a black hole passing by the earth ... etc.from winXP's start menu run: msconfig.exego to services tabunclick all programs that begin with 'McAfee...'click OKrestartwill get two warning screens on boot. just ignor/cancel these.mcafee's main process in now running but it cannot 'do anything' as it's sevices are disabled.:( :( DON'T SURF THE WEB!! YOUR COMPUTER IS NO LONGER PROTECTED. B) B) start FS and fly.after closing FS DON'T GO TO THE WWW! you must first enable mcafee's services -winXP's start menu run: msconfig.exego to services tabre-click all programs that begin with 'McAfee...'click OKrestartupon reboot mcafee will again have services and will be protecting your system. feel free to surf the Internet :(

Ok, so I have looked at on-line weather (not on my machine)Maybe I live in some kind of other world, but when using "live" weather for the area I live in, why did I always see clear weather with bright sunshine on FS when if I looked out of the window it was pelting down with rain? Or no wind when it was blowing a Hooly outside? Might as well just dial in the weather you want......DaveOh nearly forgot. I live about ten miles from a major national weather station!!!

when using "live" weather for the area I live in, why did I always see clear weather with bright sunshine on FS when if I looked out of the window it was pelting down with rain? Or no wind when it was blowing a Hooly outside? Might as well just dial in the weather you want......

FS weather is imperfect and about one hour behind real world. i have found FS weather (on the user's computer) can get stuck and needs to be reset (choose 'clear & sunny') from time to time. FS's default weather does not load from all stations. i've never seen an official list so what stations are used is a guess.

Oh nearly forgot. I live about ten miles from a major national weather station!!!

i've lived near many a busy airport. currently i can watch aircraft on short final and in takoff climb for KSEA from my house windows; and i'm just a bit SE from KBFI's LACKR fix (fun to see the aircraft cross over the house at 3000'). one time out of 10, i find, the weather just isn't correct in FS.--