I have used the shader modification from ******* for some time, and have installed itmanually and recently with the automated installer in FSX running in Win7-64bit.Works perfectly with old manual install - and the recent latest version withinstaller.I couple of days ago I though I would do some testing of hardware performance andwhat different hardware could handle. This computer is running Win XP 32bit. Justnoting that the automated installer and shader update did not work on this machine; Iassume becuase it is win XP. (FSX + acceleration + SP2 )Run installer - did not mark shader for re-compile. FSX started - Planes in bits .Deleted cached shaders + updated fsx.cfg to increase mark for compile : compile happened - planes still in bitsUninstalled shader mod : recompile again (as expected) : planes all OK .Installed again : recompile worked (as expected) : plane back in bits again.Uninstalled again : recompile and planes back together.Any thoughts. I have used this mod both manually and automatically , and the lastest installer is perfect on my main machine. Thanks to all involved for this. Just wondering if there might be a suggestion as what I mightbe doing wrong. It does not really matter as I was just doing some hardwaretesting on an old machine - I will probably uninstall everything later.Tom

Hi,After VGA upgrading from 285 to 580 I used automated tweaking today, good it gave me another 15% performance(FPS). But I have a problem(also before tweaking I had it) on some heavy sceneries such as KJFK(FSDT) during night my FPS drops from ~28 to 9 or 10 for one or two seconds then again back to 28 or 30!? What is the problem? Any solution? I expect FPS can drop on heavy sceneries but should stable! I mean drops to 14 or less but maintain it on same view. Why it plays and jump between 28 < -- > 9 < -- > 28?:( Core i7 @3.8 / Win7 64 / 580GTXWith frame rate “Unlimited” and locked via external FPS limiter to 30.Vsync on inspector is “use 3d application settings”.Thanks for advice Bob

Don't know if this impacts the shader issue, Tom, but you should not install SP2 if you have Acceleration installed, as it already includes a slightly different version of SP2. My suggestion is for you to remove SP2 and then do a repair on DSX using FSX Acceleration discs, then test it again. You won't lose any addons during the repair.

Thanks for all the advice guys,As with my video card, if it is a Nvidia GeForce GTX 260M CUDA @ 1 GB what would be the best graphics card to select from the drop down menu when you select your configuration before sending your fsx.cfg?Joel

Hi,After VGA upgrading from 285 to 580 I used automated tweaking today, good it gave me another 15% performance(FPS). But I have a problem(also before tweaking I had it) on some heavy sceneries such as KJFK(FSDT) during night my FPS drops from ~28 to 9 or 10 for one or two seconds then again back to 28 or 30!? What is the problem? Any solution? I expect FPS can drop on heavy sceneries but should stable! I mean drops to 14 or less but maintain it on same view. Why it plays and jump between 28 < -- > 9 < -- > 28?:( Core i7 @3.8 / Win7 64 / 580GTXWith frame rate “Unlimited” and locked via external FPS limiter to 30.Vsync on inspector is “use 3d application settings”.Thanks for advice Bob

i have the same frame drop issue with my 6970, running 3 screens in eyefinity mode , also external limiter and force vsync.

Don't know if this impacts the shader issue, Tom, but you should not install SP2 if you have Acceleration installed, as it already includes a slightly different version of SP2. My suggestion is for you to remove SP2 and then do a repair on DSX using FSX Acceleration discs, then test it again. You won't lose any addons during the repair.

Thank you. I don't have a separate SP2 installed - I used the combined patch set for the goldedition which included, as you note, a slightly different version of the SP2 patch along withacceleration disk. This is "identical" installation on a test machine to my main games machine (see signature) which works fine, and apart from the shader mod installation - works OK on thetest machine. Thanks for the suggestion

Thanks for this tool *******,Could I have some help on its feedback?" Your Cloud draw distance is set above 70nm, try using an external weather program to limit visibility and set your cloud draw distance 10nm UNDER this visibility for optimal horizon cloud blend. MAKE SURE to disable Transparency Anti-aliasing for improved smoothness with your NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460 card."Could I have tips on how to do this? External weather program? I have FEX, is that what it means? Optimal horizon cloud blend is also something i'm unaware of.. aswel as disabling the transparency.Thanks

Thanks for this tool *******,Could I have some help on its feedback?" Your Cloud draw distance is set above 70nm, try using an external weather program to limit visibility and set your cloud draw distance 10nm UNDER this visibility for optimal horizon cloud blend. MAKE SURE to disable Transparency Anti-aliasing for improved smoothness with your NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460 card."Could I have tips on how to do this? External weather program? I have FEX, is that what it means? Optimal horizon cloud blend is also something i'm unaware of.. aswel as disabling the transparency.Thanks

Hi David,External weather programs (such as ASE) allow you to set a max visibility limit, that way, if an overcast is depicted you dont get to see the 'blue band' in the horizon.What I do, is set the max surface visibility limit to 50, and limit clouds to 70nm. Not sure if FEX includes a weather program that allows you to graduate visibility like ASE does.

FSX does not use and will not be reading a file called "fsx.cfg.txt". The configuration file is FSX.cfg. If you have a .txt fitetype appended to it it is because you have used a file editor which wrongly added that. FSX will not actually be reading it at all, but your original FSX.cfg instead.Always take care when editing such files to use some basic text editor (eg Notepad, not Wordpad), and always make doubly sure to save with exactly the same filename. Best to make a safety copy of the original first, just in case you make a mistake.RegardsPete

Pete, I decided to make a minor mod to the cfg file on my system (to include HIGHMEMFIX=1) and hoped to follow the guidance above.Having located the fsx.cfg file in the fsx folder on my system I right clicked the file and changed the "open with" to Notepad (was Windows Shell Common) so that I could edit it.I amended the file to include the change (under the [GRAPHICS] section of the file) and saved this modified file with its original name.When I then started Flight Sim several questions, which I think were User Account initiated,came up whereby the sim wanted to know if I would accept several files from my Level D 767 program.I realised then that the Flight Sim program had completely ignored my new fsx.cfg file and was building a new one. This was borne out when the program started as everything was set to a basic config.Presumably the sim could not open my fsx.cfg file as it was now "tied" to being opened by Notepad instead of Windows Shell Common.I am stuck now as I have no idea how to correct this to make sure that the fsx.cfg file can be opened by the sim. Any help would be greatly appreciated.I am running Windows 7 64 bit. Many Thanks. Steve.

Presumably the sim could not open my fsx.cfg file as it was now "tied" to being opened by Notepad instead of Windows Shell Common.I am stuck now as I have no idea how to correct this to make sure that the fsx.cfg file can be opened by the sim. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

FSX does not care if the txt file is tied to notepad or windows shell common, your problem is that you probably deleted or messed up your fsx.cfg file. If you want to go to the directory where FSX looks for this file enter this command in the 'search programs or files' window of your start menu:%AppData%\Microsoft\FSX\How many fsx.cfg files you see in the directory above? can you post a screenshot?

FSX does not care if the txt file is tied to notepad or windows shell common, your problem is that you probably deleted or messed up your fsx.cfg file. If you want to go to the directory where FSX looks for this file enter this command in the 'search programs or files' window of your start menu:%AppData%\Microsoft\FSX\How many fsx.cfg files you see in the directory above? can you post a screenshot?

Thanks for reply.As Pete suggested, I backed-up the original fully working fsx.cfg file onto a usb pen-drive before making the change mentioned earlier.When I had the problem whereby FSX started to rebuild a new fsx.cfg file I deleted the modified one and copied the original one back into the folder.However, the problem persisted ie, the file is ignored and a new one rebuilds upon fsx start-up.So I now have a the following files in the directory with the fsx.cfg 12/01/2011 15:53 CFG File being the original "untouched" (worked fine before) file, which is now being ignored on start-up.fsx.cfg 12/01/2011 15:53 CFG FileFSX.cfg.bak 12/09/2010 20:57 BAK Filefsx.CFG 10/01/2011 12:07 Text Documentfsx_CFG_Before_MyTraffic 2010_was_installed 24/12/2009 12:58 CFG FileMany Thanks. Steve

Many Thanks. Steve

The above files have their 'extensions' hidden.. fix that first and you'll see how 'evident' your problem is.

Hi David,External weather programs (such as ASE) allow you to set a max visibility limit, that way, if an overcast is depicted you dont get to see the 'blue band' in the horizon.What I do, is set the max surface visibility limit to 50, and limit clouds to 70nm. Not sure if FEX includes a weather program that allows you to graduate visibility like ASE does.

Thanks, i'll check it out.I seem able to change settings from extremes and still maintain the same framerate. What are the settings that most affect performance?Is it known what settings are graphics card heavy and which are the CPU? At London City runway, extremely dense scenery using aerosoft's VFR London which appears pretty intensive I get 14fps.. I can move some sliders and it never go above 14fps.In the lovely english countryside I get smooth framerates above 30.Not sure if this is the place to ask but does this seem right?ThanksSpecs:Q6700 2.6ghz OC'ed to 3.1ghz4gb gtx460 1GB OC edition

The above files have their 'extensions' hidden.. fix that first and you'll see how 'evident' your problem is.

Hi BojoteFollowed your suggestion and you were absolutely right. Corrected the file extension and problem solved.I have no idea how you knew this from the info that I sent to you but I bow to your vastly superior knowledge !I am slowly learning a bit more and it's only through people like your goodself that I get the opportunity.Many Thanks again.Steve.

Corrected the file extension and problem solved.I have no idea how you knew this from the info that I sent to you

Good place to get your questions answered, Steve:-http://www.howtogeek.com/forum/ :(