I must admit I haven't seen anything like this before, even on my archaic Dell 8100 laptop - 1.0 Ghz, 256K RAM, 20MB HD w/ 6 GB free. Pretty ignorant in the ways of graphics processing and tweaking, so I'll give you what I know how to find on my stock card:GeForce2 Go, AGP Bus, BIOS Version 3.11.01.13.12, 16MB, Display driver version 6.13.10.2963.I departed RWY 32 from KOKV (Winchester, VA) with the default C172 bound for KHEF (Manassas, VA) with the default Fogged In theme selected. I was just about to cross the nice ridge of Appalachian mountains over which I drive each weekday when I decided to take in a bit of IFR practice at home instead. I filed IFR from KIAD (Washington Dulles Int'l) back to KOKV and requested the alternate ILS 32 approach via LDN transition (Linden VOR perched not a mile from where I proposed to my lovely wife on a mountain overlook). I made a standard rate turn toward LDN, and as I approached it from the NE, I looked around at the changing weather patterns and fog in the mountains.Yikes!http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/37548.jpgI don't know quite what's going on here. I don't know how to remedy this or if I even can on my computer, so please be so kind as to provide some recommendations.Fixes jump to mind from reading the forums for the past seven months, but the first and foremost recommendation I've seen is to update my video driver. However, if that is the problem, I don't even know how to do that. Thanks for your patience and help.Kevin

Kevin it has to do with some settings on how the card handles the z-buffer I believe. You should play around with driver settings (may have to use a tweaker or tweak the registry yourself) to get rid of this serrated edge problem. I had it with my old Radeon 64 and reg tweak involving the z-buffer got rid of it. Noel

KevinI'm no expert in these matters but - no offence meant - I think the GeForce2 card with 16 meg is getting a little old now. Maybe an upgrade would help you a lot?David

I would agree with David. You may manage to fix this little glitch with some tweaking of various settings, but for sure you need to replace that card. From looking at your system I would say it is perfectly adequate except for that particular item! I recently bought a new Dell 8300, and gave a friend the Geforce 4 64mb Ti4200 that I had installed in my old computer...and he's more than happy with its performance. This card cost me about

Cloud, I'm also using the I8100, and although the fog doesn't display properly if the visibility layer is below the height of a mountaintop on my machine, it still doesn't look as bad as yours. (Maybe it's because I have 32mb video ram?). Why don't you try downloading the latest 44.82 Dell drivers that was just released a few days ago and see if that helps...http://www.itsnotpersonal.com/fly/images/banner.gifhttp://www.itsnotpersonal.com/fly

Thanks for the replies, everyone. This is my backup rig so I can sim away from home. My priority computer (home desktop) is a P4 2.53 with 512MB RAM in desperate need of something besides onboard graphics. I appreciate the recommendation and know you're right about the card upgrade, David and Al, but the home computer is where the upgrade money is going for now.I'm really not that picky about graphics quality though I appreciate a first-class screenshot as well as the next guy. I'm more of a GA away from big cities guy, and flight procedures and fluidity are my most important items. I'm getting decent enough framerates and smoothness away from highly detailed airports to hang on to this laptop for the life of FS2004, though I'll surely have to give it up by the next version.Noel, I'm computer literate enough to use most software programs pretty capably and tweak many settings and items within FS, but I'm not well enough versed in registry tweaking to even know what a z-buffer is, much less how to tweak it. Is this tweak something that I should leave for a more educated person to do, or can I find a tutorial or get a hint or few that will help me do this?Jeff, I appreciate the recommendation for the particular driver number. I'm still clueless about updating my video driver, though. Can someone please provide a tutorial link so I can learn how to do this?Thanks again for your help and patience,Kevin

its the GF2 card mine did the same now that i got my radeon 9600 pro I still havent tested it... :) (but im hopeing its fixed)

You can go tohttp://support.dell.com/FileLib/Type.aspx?...0&DeviceID=100229.63 was the last version that was quite flawless, then came a few others after that that had bugs, and now the 44.82 drivers appear to be quite flawless as well...

Please resize to 800 X600.Thanks,http://saltydogfly2.avsim.net/images/avsim_sig.jpg"Ah, the Luftwaffe - the Washington Generals of the History Channel." - Homer Simpson

I have a question, should the fog look like this:

http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/37671.jpg

[p class=dcmessage]This is how my fog looks, it has a "hard" edge to it. I always thought this is how COF was supposed to look, but I've seen a few shots that look different, do I have a problem? System specs:WinXP ProAMD 1900+1 GB RAMGeforce 4200 Ti with 45.23 driversDX 9.0b

Mine looks the same way (ATI 9700 pro, 3.6 drivers)and I have also wondered if this is correct. For some reason I expect to see softer edges.

I think it may depend on the type of fog if its Fog of war its just a black sheet.

I'm also having this sort of fog, which is the ONLY significant bug/problem I'm having with FS2004 right now. The go-around that I'm aware of is to increase the height of that visibility layer to be above the height of the highest hill or mountain. Anyone has any other ideas? :)www.itsnotpersonal.com/fly/images/banner.gifwww.itsnotpersonal.com/fly