Well,

 

Here we go again. I haven't seen CTD's for sometime now and thought it would be safe to install GEX because I've been doing a lot of night flying and the UTX/FSX night lighting is poor, like a halo, as I'm sure everyone here knows.

 

Anyway, last night I decided to purchase and install Flight1 GEX 1.095. I have the freeware version of FTX - KHMQ and the first time I installed GEX I forgot to set FTX back to default. So I got some write errors. Set FTX back to default re-installed and set FTX back to FTX.

 

BTW: also just upgraded my power supply to 1000W.

 

So flying at night from KOAK to KLAS and about 30-45 minutes later...bam CTD...there are two boxes...but I cannot see the box behind the Windows 7 box saying close or check online. So, of course I'm saying this cannot be happening because my system was very stable I've gone from coast to coast and as far south as Jamaica with my new bird (Lancair legacy). So, I load the flight again, and bam...same thing...maybe just a little further south then the first CTD.

 

Has anybody experienced this? I have a system backup and I'm thinking of during a restore and asking for a refund...but it would be nice if I could use GEX.

 

Thanks Gang,

Ray

 

P.s. other installs UTX, Traffic X, some 3rd party airplanes, and some 3rd party airports.

Anyway, last night I decided to purchase and install Flight1 GEX 1.095. I have the freeware version of FTX - KHMQ and the first time I installed GEX I forgot to set FTX back to default. So I got some write errors. Set FTX back to default re-installed and set FTX back to FTX.

 

GEX replaces your default textures and does some modifications to Ultimate Terrain X. You could have left FTX at FTX/Orbx Scenery. Nothing would have happened to your default scenery or FTX scenery. When you activate FTX in the Scenery Library through their program, FTX scenery takes over scenery for the FTX scenery areas you own. So while flying in FTX territory, FTX scenery/textures take over and none of the default are used. When you go out of the FTX area, the default textures take over. If you turn on default textures in your FTX program and fly in, say, PNW area, you will have default textures showing. So that setting only works while flying in FTX/Orbx areas. Outside, it's the default textures or some other addon scenery takes precedence. So, you need to install the GEX scenery which will replace your default textures but make a backup, if you desire, of the default so you can bring back the default if you don't like GEX (can't believe that would happen! ha!). I didn't make a backup as I'm satisfied totally with the GEX textures. A backup will take up a lot of HDD space too. Flying from Oakland to Las Vegas is outside of the FTX scenery and you would be better off opening FTX Central and going back to the default as none of the FTX/Orbx scenery textures cover the area you are flying in. I need to know what the write errors were. You can go into your system Event Viewer and see what caused the crash by clicking on the Start button, typing Event Viewer in the search box then looking up in the menu and clicking on Event Viewer. Once open, go to Local, then Custom Views then Administrative Events. Go to the date and time of the crash and you should see the FSX event.

 

To be sure you understand me correctly, everything you did already is okay (except you reinstalled (what?)). (You said: "Set FTX back to default re-installed and set FTX back to FTX".) Just install GEX and the stuff for UTX. Make sure you check out NickN's settings for UTX with GEX installed (NickN is the developer). That info is located here: http://www.simforums.com/forums/topic29041.html. Scroll down almost to the end about setting up UTX. This alone may help you fix any problems with lighting, etc. Go Fly!

 

Hope this helps.

 

Best regards,

Jim

Thanks Jim,

 

Yep...I had to set FTX Central to Default FSX and leave it their. What I had done was set it to Default FSX re-installed GEX (because the first attempt I got the read only error message) from the interface and then I went back to FTX Central and set it back to Orbx, which I should not have done. Because that cause the CTD. So last night I went to FTX Central and set it to Default FSX and the flight from KOAK - KLAS went smooth as butter.

 

My only confusion and I think you just cleared it up is that if I fly in an Orbx area with FTX Central set to default will I see the Orbx scenery. I think that is a yes.

 

Now I need to review NickN doc on the setup, thanks for the link, because it looked about the same to me. But again, I have another small little issue...and that's using Nvidia surround with three wide monitors...it's super great...BUT...the left and right views are stretched and zoomed in.

 

BTW: Sometimes...ok a lot of times...this stuff can be real confusing...but having you guys here has been a life saver...Thanks so much for the work you guys do!!!

 

Regards,

Ray

My only confusion and I think you just cleared it up is that if I fly in an Orbx area with FTX Central set to default will I see the Orbx scenery. I think that is a yes.

 

No. Default will use the GEX textures (which are now the FSX default textures). You have to set FTX Central to North America to get FTX scenery/textures in FTX scenery locations. You can continue to use FTX North America textures in non-FTX areas (like Las Vegas), but I heard you could get some issues with the scenery. If you load the default textures through the FTX Central program, go to the Scenery Library in FSX. You will not seen any FTX scenery loaded or activated. Now, go to FTX Central and load North America and you will see all the FTX scenery is located at the top of the Scenery Library. That's how they turn it on/off. North America loads all those scenery areas into your scenery.cfg and default removes all those entries from your scenery.cfg/Scenery Library.

 

I have another small little issue...and that's using Nvidia surround with three wide monitors...it's super great...BUT...the left and right views are stretched and zoomed in.

 

I am not familiar with 3 monitor setups but, when it comes to multi-monitor setups I always recommend individuals look at the following link - http://www.wsgf.org/forums/multi-monitor-gaming/multi-monitor-gaming. Perhaps you will find a solution there or, you can register, and ask some of the experts there.

 

Best regards,

Jim

Jim,

 

GEX and FTX Central North America do not play well together at all, that's why I got the CTD. So I'll leave FTX Central to Default FSX, because, one I don't know where the bounderies are while flying and if I have to switch these on or off while flying would really take the whole experience away from fyling.

 

So, will this effect the Orbx airport and how it looks? of course I can fly there this evening and see, but was wondering.

 

Thanks,

Ray

Your default textures (GEX) will not be utilized whatsoever while in the FTX North America areas. They don't even get rendered. Just the textures from FTX are rendered. When you fly out of the FTX region to default texture areas, FTX will still call their installed textures until you go in and change FTX Central back to the default (see page 6, FTX Central Explained, in the PNW manual). They do recommend you return FTX Central back to the default if you are installing an addon to make sure it is compatible. But this shouldn't include GEX as GEX is really not an addon. It just replaces your default FSX textures and these are never used when flying with FTX North America activated. Here is what FTX says in their manual about GEX:

 

FLIGHT1 - GROUND ENVIRONMENT X (GEX)

 

"GEX is a default FSX texture replacement product and their textures won't appear inside FTX NRM since we

 

use custom landclass textures which are called from within the ORBX folders only. This means you will see GEX

 

outside the FTX NRM boundaries, and our textures as soon as you cross over into NRM. There is nothing to

 

do when flying inside FTX NRM. However, you may want to use FTX Central to switch to the 'Default' region

 

when flying outside NRM with GEX in different parts of North America."

Thanks Jim...hey I just released you're not too far from my old stomping grounds. I'm from MD, and moved south about 7 years ago...was very tired of the commute, the raising and lowering of the alert level, and the DC sniper thing. I heard they got away from the alert colors...glad to hear. What do they call it now?

 

-Ray

Not sure what they call these alerts now. Not sure Homeland Security knows either! We are again complacent. I retired mainly because of the commutes up and down 95 were absolutely no fun most of the time and I remember the DC sniper thing well. Everytime I got out of my car to go shopping or to get gas was no joy. I was hoping in my mind that if I was a target they would make it a head shot and make it fast. Unfortunately for many, most of the people hit were killed instantly with head shots. A lot of retirees are moving to NC. A beautiful State. I was thinking of going there too except my son's family and my grandchildren all live close by in Olney MD.

 

Best regards,

Jim