I recently bought a new PC (spent a fortune) to run FSX and FS9 (mostly FS9). After 3 days it broke down and had to be returned. Got it back 10 days later. More problems, didn't even get as far as installing FS this time! So I am sending the whole thing back for a full refund..Problem now is that I am left with no PC for FS (I use a Dell XPS laptop for all other stuff, so the PC is only for FS and all associated stuff). I learned through experience and through reading hundreds of posts here and elsewhere - as well as several emails from PMDG, Level-D and so on - that FS9 (which I run 90% of the time) and even FSX are now rather old programmes and the very latest hardware/software will not necessarily run them properly. For instance, there are hundreds of people (according to PMDG, who said this is a 'known issue'), who get black screens when trying to access PMDG & Level-D menus. I know there are people who have posted saying "I have Windows 7... nVidia GTX470.. (etc. etc.) and have no problem": all I can say is you are lucky, because I am definitely not alone in having spent a fortune on my favourite pastime only to be very, very disappointed. Maybe those who have no problem just don't have the add-ons that cause the problems - I dare say FSX and even FS9 run just fine out-of-the-box and with various known add-ons, but I would be very unhappy to have to have FS without my Level-D 767 or the PMDG 747s etc.So, being able to start from scratch, I have to think carefully about what PC to buy. I definitely cannot buy the latest nVidia graphics cards - PMDG specifically said that GTX 4 series cards are known to create problems (and nVidia is in no hurry to issue drivers to correct problems with old software like FS). I am also dubious about the ability to run FS9 with add-ons like PMDG 747 in Windows 7 - although again I am sure some will say they have no problem. The point of this post (to the nitty gritty at last folks!) is to ask for your opinions about what I should buy. I think that what I should spend my money on is a top-of-the-range CPU - I had an Intel i7 950, albeit clocked at 4.00GHz. I can save money elsewhere and perhaps get an i7 980 Extreme or whatever the best would be. As for GPU, I know that the nVidia 8000 series works with FS, it's what I had in my setup before (GeForce 8700 - maybe I can upgrade that within the same series?). I would get Windows 7 64-bit as I like the OS, but I also have a spare CD-ROM with Windows XP 64-bit I could install and compare performance between the two OSs. I am loathe to go back to a 32-bit OS because of the OoM errors I was experiencing: would seem stupid to spend all this money and stick to 32-bit, no?So I have to think carefully about what hardware to order. I don't think I am up to building my own system these days, I am a good deal more ham-fisted than I was 20 years ago when I used to build my own rigs and get SO frustrated when things go wrong - can't even get the screws to fit sometimes! - it's not worth the increased blood pressure. Some will disagree, but I have always had such great customer/technical service from Dell, I am going to get them to make the PC. Not sure what they will be able to supply, hardware-wise. That 4-year next-day at home repair service has been a life-saver more than once in the past too!So, enough. For now.. Advice and comments very welcome. No need to post saying you have all the latest hardware and you have no problem with FS - I envy you if so, but I've been down that road and got my fingers bitten. Maybe it's the add-ons I have installed..Thank you,Martin

I recently bought a new PC (spent a fortune) to run FSX and FS9 (mostly FS9). After 3 days it broke down and had to be returned. Got it back 10 days later. More problems, didn't even get as far as installing FS this time! So I am sending the whole thing back for a full refund..Problem now is that I am left with no PC for FS (I use a Dell XPS laptop for all other stuff, so the PC is only for FS and all associated stuff). I learned through experience and through reading hundreds of posts here and elsewhere - as well as several emails from PMDG, Level-D and so on - that FS9 (which I run 90% of the time) and even FSX are now rather old programmes and the very latest hardware/software will not necessarily run them properly. For instance, there are hundreds of people (according to PMDG, who said this is a 'known issue'), who get black screens when trying to access PMDG & Level-D menus. I know there are people who have posted saying "I have Windows 7... nVidia GTX470.. (etc. etc.) and have no problem": all I can say is you are lucky, because I am definitely not alone in having spent a fortune on my favourite pastime only to be very, very disappointed. Maybe those who have no problem just don't have the add-ons that cause the problems - I dare say FSX and even FS9 run just fine out-of-the-box and with various known add-ons, but I would be very unhappy to have to have FS without my Level-D 767 or the PMDG 747s etc.So, being able to start from scratch, I have to think carefully about what PC to buy. I definitely cannot buy the latest nVidia graphics cards - PMDG specifically said that GTX 4 series cards are known to create problems (and nVidia is in no hurry to issue drivers to correct problems with old software like FS). I am also dubious about the ability to run FS9 with add-ons like PMDG 747 in Windows 7 - although again I am sure some will say they have no problem. The point of this post (to the nitty gritty at last folks!) is to ask for your opinions about what I should buy. I think that what I should spend my money on is a top-of-the-range CPU - I had an Intel i7 950, albeit clocked at 4.00GHz. I can save money elsewhere and perhaps get an i7 980 Extreme or whatever the best would be. As for GPU, I know that the nVidia 8000 series works with FS, it's what I had in my setup before (GeForce 8700 - maybe I can upgrade that within the same series?). I would get Windows 7 64-bit as I like the OS, but I also have a spare CD-ROM with Windows XP 64-bit I could install and compare performance between the two OSs. I am loathe to go back to a 32-bit OS because of the OoM errors I was experiencing: would seem stupid to spend all this money and stick to 32-bit, no?So I have to think carefully about what hardware to order. I don't think I am up to building my own system these days, I am a good deal more ham-fisted than I was 20 years ago when I used to build my own rigs and get SO frustrated when things go wrong - can't even get the screws to fit sometimes! - it's not worth the increased blood pressure. Some will disagree, but I have always had such great customer/technical service from Dell, I am going to get them to make the PC. Not sure what they will be able to supply, hardware-wise. That 4-year next-day at home repair service has been a life-saver more than once in the past too!So, enough. For now.. Advice and comments very welcome. No need to post saying you have all the latest hardware and you have no problem with FS - I envy you if so, but I've been down that road and got my fingers bitten. Maybe it's the add-ons I have installed..Thank you,Martin

The i7 950 should be fine but if you want the extra two cores which should be a nice boost get the 980x. I haven't heard about any of the issues with the GTX400 series but if you don't want to go with that go for the GTX200 series. Buying a GeForce 8700 will be a huge bottleneck on an i7 system.

Martin:Let's be clear, all (ALL) new hardware will run any program that was made to run on the Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7 kernels. The majority of corporations and home users are still running Windows XP and using programs specifically made to run on XP which is 9 years old this month. As it were, FS 2002, FS 2004 and FSX are all made to run XP or Vista. So unless you find a piece of hardware that SPECIFICALLY says that it was made for Windows 7 it will run any legacy software just fine going back to XP.The problem is not so much with the hardware, its with the software that people program that tend to move outside of the SDK or normal FS.cfg parameters that cause the problems. However, in the case of NVIDIA, many users have been screaming bloody murder about their drivers for many years so I have used high end ATI cards only and have few, if any, issues.So, please don't take the "Flight Simulator is old" misinformation as a factor when choosing your hardware. FS2004 screams on the latest i980X with an ATI HD 5870..and so does FSX for that matter. I run all the major addons from LDS, PMDG, Wilco, Captainsim as well as most major scenery from Aerosoft, UK2000, FlyTampa, etc, as well as 100% custom AI and PFE or RC4 for ATC and never have any issues. The issues DO appear when I start messing around with the cfg files and chasing tweaks here on the forums without properly understanding what the consequences are for my actions. Also, the only crashes are anomalies I've had are with the PMDG 747 or Ultimate Terrain products that stray wayyyyy outside of the FS SDK to provide the features that MS didn't see fit to include. But in the same token I've never had a single hickup with the LDS 767 which also is outside of the SDK but is very, very well behaved. SO, when looking at the issues I tend not to blame my hardware.Let me preface the fact that I build my own systems and have done so since my last store-bought system back in 1992 which was a 486 DX2/100 from AT&T and each system since then was specifically built to run FS at the highest levels. When you buy a system from a high end mfg like Alienware there are a LOT of tweaks done to the bios and the other hardware and drivers to gain as much performance as possible...in some cases even the OS is tweaked. This is a double edged sword because while you get great performance in most cases, YOU don't know what was done so if you are having problems it could well be because of an incompatibility of a tweak or optimized driver. By building your own system you do the tweaking and at various points you can test to make sure that you didn't break anything until you arrive at a perfect balance between screaming performance and stability. If you cannot build your own system then at least take the time to understand what you are buying.For example: Software mfgs blaming hardware for failure is a lot like a tire maker blaming the existing road for having an occasional pebble which causes their tire to explode. Software programmers much execute their code according to the kernel not the other way round. The kernel, like a road, exists unfortunately, some software exhibit a lot of sloppiness in their code and like a poorly designed tire will explode at the most inopportune time. The road or kernel was there before the software or tire was built so one must design the product accordingly.SO, here is my advice as it pertains to buying hardware for FS2004 or FSX. Look into your wallet and buy the fastest and latest hardware that you budget allows. If all of the programs you wish to run utilize DX9, DX10 or DX11 and are made for Windows XP, Vista or 7 then you will have no issues unless it is an issue with the software developer (or driver mostly for your video card) and they don't wish to admit it. Keep your drivers UPDATED...I can't stress this enough because many in the community are afraid to update their drivers and OS and eventually end up with a mix of old and new drivers that weren't really made to work together. DON'T chase every FSX or FS9 tweak because the vast majority only serve to do nothing but mess up your flight Sim installation without any benefit at all.Hope this helps.

Martin,I will reply once again. I think you maybe taking out of context what you were told by someone from PMDG. Some people have issues with a multitude of things one of which happens to be NVIDIA cards not just the GTX4 series of cards. In your particular experience, with your specific hardware and configuration, you were having issues not only with PMDG products but other aircraft as well. I as well as MANY others fly PMDG products as well as other system taxing products with a GTX4 series card and experience zero issues. We only hear of issues from a minority of users. Your new PC failed in 3 days, then you had problems again after receiving it back. Have you ever considered that an unstable system or improperly configured system was the cause of your problems? You may not be alone in the fact that you have experienced problems but those that do are in the minority and usually there is an answer as to why they are experiencing problems and a usually a way to correct the problem. An unstable overclock is a prime example. I can't tell you how many times I have heard someone say I stressed my computer in Prime95 for 24 hours its perfectly stable. Well, Prime95 is not FSX. FSX will tax your system in ways Prime95 cannot. They finally come to their senses and relax there OC or memory timings and then FSX starts magically working. This is just but one example. There are also other "tweaks" to system files or FSX itself that resolve issues within the simulation. Hopefully Ryan Maziarz of PMDG will read this thread and jump in on the conversation.Regards,Bob

Martin: However, in the case of NVIDIA, many users have been screaming bloody murder about their drivers for many years so I have used high end ATI cards only and have few, if any, issues.

No NV a really excited user here but that is a real Joke and you have it backasswards, if anything drivers and driver support is where ATI has failed. Nvidia aren't perfect, but there driver program is and has been consistantly better than ATI for more than a decade.Best regards

Martin,I will reply once again. I think you maybe taking out of context what you were told by someone from PMDG. Some people have issues with a multitude of things one of which happens to be NVIDIA cards not just the GTX4 series of cards. In your particular experience, with your specific hardware and configuration, you were having issues not only with PMDG products but other aircraft as well. I as well as MANY others fly PMDG products as well as other system taxing products with a GTX4 series card and experience zero issues. We only hear of issues from a minority of users. Your new PC failed in 3 days, then you had problems again after receiving it back. Have you ever considered that an unstable system or improperly configured system was the cause of your problems? You may not be alone in the fact that you have experienced problems but those that do are in the minority and usually there is an answer as to why they are experiencing problems and a usually a way to correct the problem. An unstable overclock is a prime example. I can't tell you how many times I have heard someone say I stressed my computer in Prime95 for 24 hours its perfectly stable. Well, Prime95 is not FSX. FSX will tax your system in ways Prime95 cannot. They finally come to their senses and relax there OC or memory timings and then FSX starts magically working. This is just but one example. There are also other "tweaks" to system files or FSX itself that resolve issues within the simulation. Hopefully Ryan Maziarz of PMDG will read this thread and jump in on the conversation.Regards,Bob

I have an NV 460 and love it, no issues at all with PMDG aircraft, or anything else. Also have Win 7/64 but use van older Q6600/ddr3 4gb processor, oc'd. Itbdoes well for me with FSX.Bruce.

Thanks for the replies. I can't help but feel though that, I DID dig into my wallet and buy what was pretty good hardware (I haven't altered the specs yet, which appear as signature at the foot of my posts) - including two SSDs to run Win7 and FS from. I think that the sorts of issues I was seeing, with black screens (not CTDs) on one or both monitors when accessing FS menu items is a drivers issue. The problem with the nVidia 460 is that there is only one driver available (I found the 260 beta, the only other option, had the common issue of not retaining all of the nVidia Control Panel settings after a reboot: very annoying to have to reset these every time - I had exactly the same issue with a number of drivers for my nVidia 8 series GPUs too, but there I had plenty to choose from).I sort of thought of ATI, but too many people have complained about AA problems in FS when using ATI cards. Also, the last time I bought a top-of-the-range ATI card it lasted just 3 months longer than its guarantee date then expired, which didn't please me much. Never had issues like that with nVidia, though I dare say I was just unlucky (yet again!).Very odd that people like Bruce say they have an nVidia 460 and have no issues with PMDG in Win7/64-bit. I can't imagine why I should have the same hardware (apart from an i7 950 CPU) and get so many problems. What GPU drivers do you have installed Bruce? I guess that in the end I am going to have to get the same sort of system once again and hope that this time it will be OK. Am going to try to get something from Dell though, as I have had nothing but great technical/customer support in the past, and it is very comforting (as I get older) to know that at the end of the day, someone else will take on board any hardware problems that arise (and as I say, they will arise, chez-moi!!).Martin

Remembered now why I didn't opt for Dell in the first place - their prices for pretty much the same machine as I ordered elsewhere are nearly £1000 sterling more!!M.

Re-ordered another PC, specs similar (as signature). 10 days for delivery - meanwhile fingers crossed to say the least)!Martin