Thought I'd give an update on the status of my latest issues I gave my computer over to a guy to install the new CB HDD that I ordered last week. He did a complete reinstall of W7 and all the drivers, checked the condition of all the hardware and connections, gave it a clean bill of health and handed it back to me. Today I installed FSX using nicks guide again to test the new HDD, only took me 2 hours this time, but I ended up back where I left off. Frame rates seem to be more consistent on the new drive, but the stutters and lag have returned. Here is my latest discovery though: I don't have Acceleration so I'm installing both SP1 and SP2. Today I noticed most of the trouble occurs AFTER I install SP2. As soon as I installed it, my problems returned. Again: major stuttering, lagginess(?), and what I can only describe as tracking lines that you see when playing videotapes off a VCR. So I uninstalled SP2 and all of it went away. Thoughts?

Sounds like something from SP2 doesn't agree with your system. I'd say, if it's running fine on SP1, leave it. Just make sure that any addons you install can be installed on SP1 and don't require acc or SP2.

Most of my addons do require SP2 I believe. haha, what a nightmare. I'm almost at the point of selling it. Getting too busy these days to keep looking for solutions.