FS9 and System Resources!! Need HELP!!

[Guest HeavyFan]

hi guy's! I need some real HELP here! I have Instaled FS2004 since it came out, and I've treid to get FS9 to run smooth on my system, but i keep getting alot of Stutters during flight! The sim runs pretty good and steady at about 19FPS, but after like 5-10 min of flight i get these stutters that last like 2-4sec each, and it really sucks!! So i tried turning off all unnessary programs in the background, so i have like 98% free System resources before i run FS2004! Now when the bad stutters start i pause FS, go to the desktop to check the system resources, and it's down to like 35-38%!!! with nothing running in the background, everything closed!! Now is FS9 that big of a HOG that i will not be able to run FS2004 smoothly ever??? I really like FS9, but seems i need a MEGA Big system to run this thing, which i don't have cash to upgrade my system right now?? PLEASE if anyone has Help for me on this would be really apprecited, if not, I'm afraid i will half to remove FS9 since i can't really run this thing without it stopping every few seconds, just does not feel like a smooth sim, i am getting smoother peformance out of FS2002!!! HELP!!!!System Spec's>>>DELL 8200, P4, 1.7GHZ, 256MB RDRAM, Old Crappy 32MB GE Force2MX400 AGP4X vid card, and Windows ME!I know the old Vid Card is part of the problem, but i don't think a new Vid Card would help if this FS Keeps draining all my Comp Resources down to a low Azz Level?? MIKE-:( -:(

[Ray Proudfoot 8,903]

HeavyFan,You need a bit more of a balanced system for FS9. Your processor is okay but you are well short of the required RAM. Consider 512Mb as a minimum and 1Gb will help make things more fluid.Also, that graphics card needs to be changed to one with 128Mb memory to help texture redraws. The Ti4200 is well received. Consider that or a Ti4800 if funds allow.Finally, you need Windows XP (Home). It's a much more sophisticated OS and can manage memory much more efficiently than Win9x ever could. And, it's miles more stable than Win9x.Make those changes and you will have a decent system that will make FS9 much more enjoyable.Cheers,

[John_Cillis 2,406]

Haven't seen you in a while Ray.... Good answers, all right on...Even 384 megs of RAM should be doable on a clean ME or 98 system. The biggest impact of a 128 meg card was on FS2002. Dynamic blurring is pretty much a thing of the past in that sim.... I still get a lot of enjoyment out of FS2002.... Throw in a high deck of cirrus, and it's not half bad.... And the sky better matches the sky common to Phoenix :) But COF better matches our sunsets...we're having spectacular sunsets with the remains of T.S. Erika around.....

[Ray Proudfoot 8,903]

Hi John,My middle name is "Lurkio" for a good reason :7Agreed that 384Mb RAM would help on his current OS. I would say that the OS and memory are the two most important changes with the card a very close 3rd. Looking at prices (UK ones) the OS is