First, let me say RC4 is an amazing program that has really elevated the enjoyment of flight sim. I just encountered my first problem! I recently installed Imaginsim's KMSY (New Orleans) and was preparingto do a flight from KMSY to KIAH. I downloaded the flight plan for FS9 via simroutes (which I do regularly). After starting FS9 and positioning at the gate, I put FS9 in window mode, opened RC4, loaded the flight plan and started RC4. When I pressed ALT + ENTER to go back to full screen mode in FS9, the window just goes black and I have to exit FS9 and start over. This has happened every time I tried to load this flight plan. Incidentally, I have not tried a different flight plan to another airport from KMSY yet (this just happened tonight). However, just to check, I positioned my aircraft at KIAH (Blueprint sim) and loaded a previous flight plan from KIAH to another airport into RC4 and when I go to full screen mode, everything works fine, as it does with every other airport I have. The blackout only occurs with KMSY. Any solution is much appreciated!Todd

First, let me say RC4 is an amazing program that has really elevated the enjoyment of flight sim. I just encountered my first problem! I recently installed Imaginsim's KMSY (New Orleans) and was preparingto do a flight from KMSY to KIAH. I downloaded the flight plan for FS9 via simroutes (which I do regularly). After starting FS9 and positioning at the gate, I put FS9 in window mode, opened RC4, loaded the flight plan and started RC4. When I pressed ALT + ENTER to go back to full screen mode in FS9, the window just goes black and I have to exit FS9 and start over. This has happened every time I tried to load this flight plan. Incidentally, I have not tried a different flight plan to another airport from KMSY yet (this just happened tonight). However, just to check, I positioned my aircraft at KIAH (Blueprint sim) and loaded a previous flight plan from KIAH to another airport into RC4 and when I go to full screen mode, everything works fine, as it does with every other airport I have. The blackout only occurs with KMSY. Any solution is much appreciated!Todd

do you have the most up to date version of makerwys? there is a link pinned to the top of the forum describing how to download and install itonce it's up to datestart rc, click the rebuild rc scenery database button, and let mskewys get all the new airports and runwaysjs

Thanks for your speedy reply. I downloaded the makerwys file you suggested and installed it as instructed in the file. I then rebuilt the database in RC4. After all of that I'm still having the same problem, except now the problem occurs every time I try to start RC4, no matter what airport I'm flying from. Another thing - once the FS9 window goes black and I end the program, I try to stop RC4 (pressing the quit button) and the program doesn't respond. I have to force quit RC4. Almost like the program just locks up. I'm not sure why this is happening all of the sudden because RC4 was working great until just recently.Todd

Have you updated FSUIPC from the links at the forum top? Todays versions are:Full installs - FSUIPC4 4.70 (:(, FSUIPC 3.99Interim updates - FSUIPC 4.714, FSUIPC 3.997c

Another thing - once the FS9 window goes black and I end the program, I try to stop RC4 (pressing the quit button) and the program doesn't respond. I have to force quit RC4. Almost like the program just locks up. I'm not sure why this is happening all of the sudden because RC4 was working great until just recently.

I am sure that this is not at all related to RC4, only to the switching from windowed to full screen mode. A black screen then is almost always (I would say 100%) due to video driver problems and the way FS handles full screen mode. Neither FSUIPC nor RC are in any way related to the screen mode FS is trying to use, and have no influence over it at all.The only reason it doesn't occur all of the time, perhaps only at certain airports, is because it is very timing-dependent. A millesecond more or less in processing the image can make the difference.Forcing FS to terminate when any other program is connected can often mean having to force terminate that program too because its connections are suddenly cut off and this can result in a stuck program, depending what it was doing at the time.Quite often the black screen doesn't mean a completely hung FS, but "merely" an inability to redraw the picture. Sometimes there are ways around it. Thy these when it happens:1. Press ALT O E D to see if the display options open. If so, make one small innocuous change, and OK out.2. Press Ctr+Alt+Del to bring up the task manager, but then escape out without doing anything.3. Try ALT + ENTER again. Sometimes switching back and forth a few times helps.For a long term more sensible solution I would either try a different video driver for your card -- a later, more up to date one, or an older, stabler one, OR run FS in maximised Windowed mode, which makes it much easier to get to and use other programs on the same PC. I've always found frame rates pretty much identical between full screen and Windowed mode, assuming you run both at the same resolution (the native one for your screen).RegardsPete

I do have the latest version of FSUIPC. Also, I was only having an issue with the back screen with KMSY only until I did makeryws and rebuilt the database in RC4 - after I did those things I get the black screen any time I try to use RC4, not just with KMSY. The only reason I think the issue is with RC4 is because when I don't have it running I can minimize the FS9 window then go back to full screen without any issues. Only when I open RC4 and start the program do I have issue going back to FS9 full screen. I just don't know why I'm having problems with this when it's worked fine up until now.Also, I checked and I do have the latest drivers for my video card.I'll try the things you suggested, Pete, and let you know if they work.Thanks for the help, gentlemen.Todd

You also have the option of using alt-tab to switch among open Windows applications. That's less of a load on video than windowing applications.

Pete, I tried the button combinations you suggested with no success. I'll try the alt-tab combo and see if that helps.Any idea why I'm suddenly having this problem?I can minimize with alt-enter and then return to full screen mode as long as RC4 is not running. Would reinstalling RC4 be worth trying?Todd

Any idea why I'm suddenly having this problem?

No, but it is always going to be to do with video drivers and settings. Nothing in any add-on application I know of is able to fiddle with the screen modes. Black screens result from glitches in the timings between FS and the drivers -- I've never been sure whether this is FS's fault, directX, or the video drivers, probably a bit of each, but usually the latter is the only part you can change assuming your DirectX is up to date. I've only ever found solutions by trying different driver versions and/or changing video settings.

I can minimize with alt-enter and then return to full screen mode as long as RC4 is not running. Would reinstalling RC4 be worth trying?

I don't see how that could change anything. The difference with it running or not running will just be a timing one.You could try putting FS at a higher priority. Maybe that'll "improve" its timings. There are a few programs around which will allow you to set a program's relative priority, but I don't recall their names. Maybe as over in the general FS forum.I've always run RC on a separate PC. I don't really like anything at all sharing the same processors with FS.RegardsPete

Are you running RC 4.3 build 3845 (probably 3843 is OK)? I ask because at first only KMSY was affected and then others after a scenery rebuild per your statement. I am assuming you are comparing the same airports before and after the scenery rebuild.Pete:When operating FS in full screen mode the FS video hardware settings dominate resolution and refresh. But am I correct in Windowed mode the FS output gets resampled to the desktop screen resolution and refresh mode? I am thinking if it is an LCD that could cause the screen to go black if it can't handle switching those parameters and the response is marginal.This applies to video only but not to the comment about rebuilding the scenery database changing things.

When operating FS in full screen mode the FS video hardware settings dominate resolution and refresh. But am I correct in Windowed mode the FS output gets resampled to the desktop screen resolution and refresh mode?

Yes, of course. In fact the window could be any pixel size depnding how you size it, so the scenery and airport resolution will be different to full screen mode.

I am thinking if it is an LCD that could cause the screen to go black if it can't handle switching those parameters and the response is marginal.

I've never heard of such a case, where a working selected resolution in FS doesn't work just because you switch away and back.RegardsPete

First, let me say RC4 is an amazing program that has really elevated the enjoyment of flight sim. I just encountered my first problem! I recently installed Imaginsim's KMSY (New Orleans) and was preparingto do a flight from KMSY to KIAH. I downloaded the flight plan for FS9 via simroutes (which I do regularly). After starting FS9 and positioning at the gate, I put FS9 in window mode, opened RC4, loaded the flight plan and started RC4. When I pressed ALT + ENTER to go back to full screen mode in FS9, the window just goes black and I have to exit FS9 and start over. This has happened every time I tried to load this flight plan. Incidentally, I have not tried a different flight plan to another airport from KMSY yet (this just happened tonight). However, just to check, I positioned my aircraft at KIAH (Blueprint sim) and loaded a previous flight plan from KIAH to another airport into RC4 and when I go to full screen mode, everything works fine, as it does with every other airport I have. The blackout only occurs with KMSY. Any solution is much appreciated!Todd

You haven't said anything about your hardware, but my guess is that it doesn't like a texture in KMSY when you go full screen. KMSY is one of Imagine's oldest efforts and could use updating... it's textures are noticeably heavy. I haven't been able to run full screen since I went to Win7 regardless of what driver I use for my nVidia card - I've also seen folks with ATI cards having the same issue. Frankly, it's no big deal; I just run windowed with the window sized to fill the screen and the menu hidden - I still get excellent frame rates.DJ

I found the problem! I noticed yesterday there was a new menu selection on the top FS9 toolbar called VistaMare. I did a search on the AVSIM forums and discovered others were having strange issues with FS9 and FSX after installing software from Aerosoft and Lagos, and VistaMare was the culprit. I figured, what the heck, because I installed AES the same time I installed the KMSY scenery.I first deleted the AES folder and nothing changed. I then went to the FS9 modules folder and deleted ViMalScn.dll and ViMaCore.dll, 2 more files that were installed with AES. Now, RC4 works again and I get no more black screens when returning FS9 to full screen!:Whew:I don't know what those files do, but Aerosoft needs to do something about them, because they seem to cause a lot of headaches.Todd