Hi everyone. I don't normally post on forums for help because, most of the time, I don't need it. I've finally been met with a problem that I cannot solve on my own, however, so I'm hoping you all may be able to assist me with it.

 

Two years ago when I had my computer built for me, I made sure that the right parts would be put in so that it would run FSX the right way. By the right way, I mean that it would look good, and I would get good frames. Most of the time, this was the case, but recently, my FSX as taken a serious hit.

 

I'm not sure the entire cause, but I just can't get solid performance out of FSX. I typically like to run add-on scenery, with add-on aircraft, at medium-medium high settings. I run REX Essential, as well. An example of the flying I like to do would be flying the PMDG NGX and FlyTampa St. Maarten scenery. To my great frustration, I just can't get over 15 FPS.

 

My computer Specs are as follows:

 

AMD Phenom II x4 (quad core) at 3.2 GHz (currently overclocked to around 3.5 GHz)

ATI Radeon HD 5870 2GB approx. memory

4GB DDR3 RAM

500GB HDD + 1TB External drive

 

With these kind of specs, I should at least be able to get decent frames in add-on scenery, I assume (but you know what they say about people that assume to much).

 

I've tried the many FSX tweaks that are out on the internet, but also to no avail. I just recently did a complete and fresh re-install of FSX, flushing out the useless junk lying around in my FSX folder, and installing only a few add-ons (such as NGX and FlyTampa sceneries).

 

I can run pretty much any other PC game available just fine. The other games I play include Crysis/Crysis 2, Call of Duty (which I don't enjoy), Fallout, GTA IV, etc.

 

For reasons that cannot be explained, FSX just will not perform properly. I know it's a CPU intensive sim, but it can't be THIS CPU intensive.

 

I apologize for the lengthy and perhaps confusing post, and I hope that maybe one of you can assist me.

 

Thanks very much in advance,

 

Dan

beech017

......... I mean that it would look good, and I would get good frames.

 

I just can't get solid performance out of FSX. medium-medium high settings. I run REX Essential, as well. An flying the PMDG NGX and FlyTampa St. Maarten scenery.

 

To my great frustration, I just can't get over 15 FPS. Yup - Scattered cumulus, a bit of cirrus, the NGX into Juliana - medium-medium high settings - I would expect 15 with your machine.

 

AMD Phenom II x4 (quad core) at 3.2 GHz (currently overclocked to around 3.5 GHz)

ATI Radeon HD 5870 2GB approx. memory

 

With these kind of specs, I should at least be able to get decent frames in add-on scenery, Like 25 - 30, maybe?? Naaahhh, don't think so..

 

I can run pretty much any other PC game available just fine. The other games I play include Crysis/Crysis 2, Call of Duty (which I don't enjoy), Fallout, GTA IV, etc. Yep - everyone else here can also play Crysis, BFBC2, Far Cry, Fallout, etc.. as well!

 

I know it's a CPU intensive sim, but it can't be THIS CPU intensive. ooooh yes it can. I will tell you, Dan - it can bring a 4.9gig i7-2600K proc to it's knees - trust me!

 

Dan

beech017

 

Dan - the ATI card is great - but that 3.5-gig proc is most of the issue here. FSX is "ok", with an Intel 920 clocked to 4.3 gig, and will give modest pleasure with just a few 'sacrifices', but to get better with less is unrealistic. Nowadays the equipment of choice is the Intel i7 series, running Win7-64, and tied to an Nvidia gpu.

 

There are a couple of things you can do that will help.

1). Clean up the machine with something like CCleaner:

2). Do a defrag on both drives.

3). I assume that both the OS and FSX are resident on the 500 gig drive. If so - get another drive - around the same size as the original 500, and move FSX over to it. Having the OS and FSX on the same drive causes i/o contention, and performance suffers.

4). Download Ken Salter's "Alacrity" to launch FSX. It will clean up all of the background processes first. This will give your memory more room, with the proc doing less work.

5). Go into the System properties and rebuild the paging file. First, set it to Custom, with 100 MB in each box, set it and reboot, then do it again, except reset it back to System Managed - or, if you wish - leave it at Custom, and make each box 4096.

Lastly read and follow Word Not Allowed's tuning guide here at Avsim. It has lots of good information - some of which you can use.

 

OK?

 

+1 on Word Not Allowed's guide:

 

http://forum.avsim.net/topic/370594-read-before-posting-software-hardware-guide-for-fsx/

 

And indeed: "I know it's a CPU intensive sim, but it can't be THIS CPU intensive." Yes, it can.

Well guys,

I just want to say thanks so much for the hints. Word Not Allowed's guide quite possibly improved my frames tenfold. I know see locked around 20-25 FPS at UK2000 sceneries in the PMDG NGX.

 

Again,

 

Thanks so much for the hints. Perhaps I can finally get close, if not right at, the performance I like in FSX.

 

Thanks again!

 

Dan

beech017