OK gang, here's the deal.I recently upgraded my computer specifically for better FS performance. I now have an Athlon 2500+ XP Barton core, an ABit KD7-A board, 512MB of DDR (soon to be 1024) and a Gainward GeForce FX5600 256MB card.I run in windowed mode with my desktop set to 1600x1200 at 16bit color (32 bit color slowed down horribly). On my OLD system (Athlon 1200, 512 SDRAM, GF2 GTS 64mb) I couldn't run with 3d clouds, but could run 2d with everything else maxed and get around 10-15 FPS. Now on my new system, I have 3d clouds on but turned down very low (percentage 30, coverage minimal), and I get 30-45 FPS. Super deal!The only catch is that when I have heavy cloud coverage on my screen (particularly when I remove the 2d panel and thus have 'fullscreen' clouds), I get very bad sound stutters. The sim FPS does not appear to drop terribly, but it definitely 'jumps'. My old system did not do this -- the overall FPS was poor (3-4) but constant. In clear skies, I have less stutters, but they are STILL present. So irritating!I have the updated VIA 4 in 1 drivers, 3.70 AC97 drivers, latest NVidia, and fresh DirectX 9.0b. FlightSim's AA is OFF. My card's AA is set to 4x. Win XP Pro SP1, all patches. This is a FRESH install of FS2004 with all ProjectAI and a few Simflyer's, but no other addon scenery.Here's what I've tried from reading posts here:* Removed my SB Live card in favor of the AC97 onboard - mild improvement* In dxdiag, turned sound accel to basic - mild improvement* Changed virtual cockpit gauge quality to 'Low' - no change* Installed resized cloud, tree, autogen textures - mild improvementI'm not sure what more I can do. This was a rather sweeping system upgrade and I expected to be able to have much better results than this. :(

Try locking the frame rate at something reasonable - say in the range 25 to 28fps and see if that helps.Dave

1. Try "Full Screen" mode instead!!! (why are you running windowed mode???)2. Lock FPS at 25.3. Ensure your monitor's default refresh rates are maxed out (i.e., not stuck at 60Hz). I like to use "Refresh Force" located at: http://www.pagehosting.co.uk/rf/4. Turn off Antialiasing and ansiotrophic filtering in your graphic card (if it's enabled), and turn off V-Sync. NOTE! If you turn off vsync and notice the screen "tearing", turn it back on!Sorry if you've already done all this, just throwing out ideas.Regards, Steve

I had this problem also.I was advised to turn down the AI traffic in Settings to 10% and Bingo!!!!!!!Now running 24fps with no jerks.If it burns Kerosene and makes a noise, I'm interested.:-beerchug

>1. Try "Full Screen" mode instead!!! (why are you running>windowed mode???)Because I fly online quite a bit and task switch often. Also, I use two monitors (though I just started using two and it has not had any effect on performance). My old computer ran windowed as well and had no problems.>2. Lock FPS at 25.Have not done this yet, will try it.>3. Ensure your monitor's default refresh rates are maxed out>(i.e., not stuck at 60Hz). I like to use "Refresh Force">located at: http://www.pagehosting.co.uk/rf/It's at 75Hz.>4. Turn off Antialiasing and ansiotrophic filtering in your>graphic card (if it's enabled), and turn off V-Sync. NOTE! >If you turn off vsync and notice the screen "tearing", turn it>back on!Turning AA off in video card gives a mild improvement but the display is awful. Running 4x seems to clean it up nicely without too much of an affect. I haven't tried V-Sync, I'll look for it.

My stutters were fixed when I deleted an add-on driver (I don't have a clue where I got it...) that generated an autosave.Check the FS Main/Modules folder for autosave.dll. If it's there, remove it and see if that helpsBobL

Hi Tim I was just wondering whether you were able to improve anything? Are you still experimenting? Sound stuts under control now? Jaap