When I select Real Weather from the online server I get the hour-glass symbol and cannot even kill the program using Windows XP Task Manager. I have to actually turn off the power to kill FS9. This only occurs when using the Real Weather server/online. I have reinstalled FS9 several times. I have also deleted the CFG file and forced the creation of a new file by FS9. Internet connection is via cable and works ok for everything.Any suggestions appreciated.Dick Boley KLBE

If you are using a firewall, you may have to disable it or, if you can, configure it to allow FS9 to communicate with the internet. Ray

Ray,You were correct , I think...I have been using the same hardware and software firewall (Linksys & Zone Alarm) for a year or more. However, I bypassed the hardware and disabled the software which caused FS9/FS2004/COF to work ok in Real Weather mode. Restored the software firewall & still ok. Restored the hardware firewall and ok. The activity caused a reload of the gateway, DNS, and IP address which may have done something. The strange thing is the reaction of FS2004 totally locking up in a manner that needed power cycling. I know that if you use Microsoft software (FS2004 & Windows XP) you do not have bugs but one does suspect that there may be a few left around just to prove that Microsoft is not really perfect.Dick Boley KLBE