Strange frame rate drops

[geoffco 0]

Hi folks,Firstly I don't know if this should be in the "MOBO, RAM, CPU's & Other Hardware" section rather than here - I don't know where the problem comes from exactly but it certainly looks like a graphics issue!My current system is as follows, however the problem was also present on my previous rig (same GFX card and OS): i7 2600K @ 4.8GHz, Asus Sabertooth P67 B3, 4GB Corsair XMS3, evga GTX285 1GB, enermax 1kW PSU. I am running fs2004 on Windows XPx64. I have the latest nVidia GFX driver (v170.something) and use nView to run a fullscreen resolution of 3840x1200 over two large 28" screens. I have used Nvidia Inspector to set the AA / AF settings for the FS2004 profile and in the sim, I also use the GTA San Andreas bloom modification.The problem is as follows: I get good smooth > 20 FPS in all views, regardless of AI / weather etc (as I darn well should on those specs!) except that sometimes the FPS will randomly drop to < 10 and stay there. It often happens when changing view but sometimes without any intervention. The interesting thing is that I can /recover/ to good FPS again by going back to the windows desktop with ALT-TAB and then going back to the sim! While this works, it is an annoyance.If anyone here can shed light on what is actually happening here, and better still supply a fix, I would be most greatful!Thanks,Geoff_{PS. I know we are all FSX / Windows7 oriented here now etc etc. If your answer is no more useful to me than 'get windows7' or 'upgrade to FSX' then you may as well not bother posting :)}

[Glynn 405]

Hi folks,Firstly I don't know if this should be in the "MOBO, RAM, CPU's & Other Hardware" section rather than here - I don't know where the problem comes from exactly but it certainly looks like a graphics issue!My current system is as follows, however the problem was also present on my previous rig (same GFX card and OS): i7 2600K @ 4.8GHz, Asus Sabertooth P67 B3, 4GB Corsair XMS3, evga GTX285 1GB, enermax 1kW PSU. I am running fs2004 on Windows XPx64. I have the latest nVidia GFX driver (v170.something) and use nView to run a fullscreen resolution of 3840x1200 over two large 28" screens. I have used Nvidia Inspector to set the AA / AF settings for the FS2004 profile and in the sim, I also use the GTA San Andreas bloom modification.The problem is as follows: I get good smooth > 20 FPS in all views, regardless of AI / weather etc (as I darn well should on those specs!) except that sometimes the FPS will randomly drop to < 10 and stay there. It often happens when changing view but sometimes without any intervention. The interesting thing is that I can /recover/ to good FPS again by going back to the windows desktop with ALT-TAB and then going back to the sim! While this works, it is an annoyance.If anyone here can shed light on what is actually happening here, and better still supply a fix, I would be most greatful!Thanks,Geoff_{PS. I know we are all FSX / Windows7 oriented here now etc etc. If your answer is no more useful to me than 'get windows7' or 'upgrade to FSX' then you may as well not bother posting :)}

HelloIf you want FS2004 to be fully compatible with your OS then stay well away from Windows 7.Whatever anyone says, there ARE incompatibilities with Windows 7 it just depends on how many of these annoyances you can personally tolerate.I prefer all my software to play nice together so I stick with XP64 for FS2004.

[ZachLW 37]

What incompatibilities? Let's substantiate our claims (I know you're not one to blow smoke, though)! I've finished many 3+ hour flights in the LevelD 76, Ifly 73, and Carenado C340 with heavy scenery/clouds and ASE. Not a single crash since I made FS9 large address aware.To the OP. What aircraft and situation? All? Any in particular? Sounds like signs of a memory leak which I used to get with the old PSS 757 in the VC. Just a thought.

[geoffco 0]

To the OP. What aircraft and situation? All? Any in particular? Sounds like signs of a memory leak which I used to get with the old PSS 757 in the VC. Just a thought.

Usually around Helsinki (or other Finnish sceneries) but that is more likely to be because that's where I mostly fly. Memory leak idea is an interesting one, the problem occurs with several aircraft but they all have a few common xml gauges... I'll take a look to see if something is causing a loop or something! All the coding /works/ though so this might be less easy than said!Geoff

[ZachLW 37]

Usually around Helsinki (or other Finnish sceneries) but that is more likely to be because that's where I mostly fly. Memory leak idea is an interesting one, the problem occurs with several aircraft but they all have a few common xml gauges... I'll take a look to see if something is causing a loop or something! All the coding /works/ though so this might be less easy than said!Geoff

That's what I would do. As long as you have the spare time, that is. Your rig should be giving better performance than that, even at that resolution. Could you mention one of the add on aircraft? Maybe I can reproduce this (probably not, though I own quite a few).--If you could list the addons you're using when you notice the issue (scenery, any a/c, weather program, etc.) I may be able to reproduce the problem or atleast "narrow the suspects"... I doubt it though.

[geoffco 0]

That's what I would do. As long as you have the spare time, that is. Your rig should be giving better performance than that, even at that resolution. Could you mention one of the add on aircraft? Maybe I can reproduce this (probably not, though I own quite a few).--If you could list the addons you're using when you notice the issue (scenery, any a/c, weather program, etc.) I may be able to reproduce the problem or atleast "narrow the suspects"... I doubt it though.

The main three add-on aircraft I use where I have seen the issue are: VANS Airco B717-200 panel on HJG exterior modelAerosoft Eurowings Pro BAe146-200 EFISiSDT ATR 72-500 merged with Aerosoft Eurowings ATR panelThanks for the offer but I suspect you'll not be able to reproduce the issue I'm having for two key reasons: The first is that in all three I have made my own custom 'double screen' panels and the second is that in all of those, there is a large amount of extra XML tweaking that I have done myself Now you point out the idea of a memory leak, I am suspicious that one of these factors is the problem. At least I have nobody to blame but myself if I've written some cr*ppy XML Anyway, I'm about to unpack FSGlobal2010 from it's DVDs so I think I have some time to check through my code....!!Geoff

[ZachLW 37]

I see! :Big Grin: Loop? I suspect. Good luck!