Not sure how long this has been going on, but I noticed the phenomenon tonight while playing with SweetFX settings (including after removing SweetFX so that is not the cause). If I load up a saved flight that was saved in spot view and fly around everything is fine. Then I go into the VC, again things are fine. No fps issues, and GPU usage up to around %40 or so maybe, even in the ORBX PNW scenery both over Seattle and towards the mountains and also over a generic default scenery such as around KSAC. However, if I stay in VC view and fly around for a bit, then go back to spot view that's when the weirdness happens. 

GPU usage shoots up to between 70-90% depending on where I'm looking and both in addon and default scenery. Additionally, panning in the spot view becomes very jerky. Sometimes alt-enter to go to windowed mode and back will reset it. Any idea what would be causing it? Even stranger is that while it is happening I can go back to the VC and be back around 20-30% usage, go back to spot view and it shoots up again. Is this normal and I never noticed it before? The jerkiness is new, but I think that effect was mostly around the Orbx scenery which I haven't done much flying around actually so maybe I never noticed it before.

 

I did have a fiber fraction line in it set to 24 (heard that 22 or above was needed for Orbx type scenery) but I removed it as part of testing after reading that it could cause stuttering.  I'm 99.95% sure this would happen if I just started up a fresh flight as well. I just mentioned starting a saved flight in spot view to illustrate that initially spot view has no issues.  If it helps I can upload a copy of my fsx.cfg.  I've tried 3 times now to post this and it kept disappearing and I'm thinking my fsx.cfg copy/paste had something to do with it.
 

Does the problem go away if you direct the view towards the sky (the bottom of the plane)?

Does the problem go away if you direct the view towards the sky (the bottom of the plane)?

No, the high GPU usage continues.  BTW planes used for testing were the default B58 and Airbus.

Wow, so for whatever reason I decided to swap out the following line in my fsx.cfg

 

[bufferPools]

RejectThreshold=131072

 

 

with the following one

[bufferPools]

Usepools=0

 

 

Now, I had tried usepools 0 before and not seen any performance increase, and seeing as I was getting GPU usage spikes as mentioned earlier, I thought it would be a bad idea to use it having read it can overload the GPU if it can't keep up and usage gets high.  Ummm, weirdest thing ever now.  With buffer pools set to 0 (off) I do NOT get the spike up to 80-99% GPU usage and it always stays down around nn-60% usually more around 45-55.  I don't know why it's keeping the spike from happening but it is.  I tested multiple times around KSEA area over OrbX scenery and could NOT get the spike to happen.  Go back to just the RT setting and I could get the spike every time.

Ok, well I learned I can't use bp=0 tweak.  It may have worked fine in the Orbx area.  Then I loaded up at KSAC with REX running weather (my testing flights in the KSEA area use the default "fair weather" theme) and there was a nice bit of broken clouds.  The only scenery I have in KSAC area is default other than an upgraded airport.  So, I still had fps on unlimited for testing purposes, but also ended up trying locked in game and in NI at 30 with the same results.  GPU usage was 85-99% (presumably because of REX weather) and panning around the default b58 in spot view I had massive flashes in the view that looked like tearing or something.  Note that this was a constant usage, it was not low and then spiked.  So I'm sure this was just bp=0 overloading my gpu.

 

I added the following lines to the cfg instead and while it has actually managed to make it harder to get the choppy spot view + gpu usage spike, it still does occur.  Just not a quickly

 

[bufferPools]

BufferPools=1

PoolSize=10485760

RejectThreshold=524288

 

Now, here's something that may help you guys help me figure out what the problem is.  Alt-enter to go windowed fixes the spike and then I alt-enter back to full screen and all is still normal.  Is there a chance this is video driver related?  I'm currently on the 310.90's.

Well, I'll say one thing about the pools 1, poolsize, rt tweak I did above, it made flying over OrbX PNW from KSEA to downtown smoother than it's ever been even at the same framerates.  Before it had more "micro stutters" in it.  I guess I'll live with the occasional GPU spike that needs to be cured with an alt-enter.  Oh and that testing was done while on my slower 3.3-3.9Ghz speedstep enabled overclock with HT on and AM=84 vs. my newer 3.7 OC with HT off and AM=14 that I got going earlier in the week.

So, I seem to have actually finally fixed this problem.  In the process I've learned a LOT about the various tweaks I was applying to fsx.cfg.  I've also made a few compromises in sliders along the way with minimal impact to what I care about.  My final fsx.cfg is posted below.  Basically compared to the original one, especially after reading an older (end of 2009 post) from Nick N (the Nhancer guy) I went back tonight and did some revision to sliders and a few in config file settings.  One big thing is I set LOD radius to 4.5 instead of 6.5 (and really didn't notice a difference).  Also after reading his description of how autogen works in SP2 and that higher settings can actually increase FPS and/or smoothness I bumped AG from normal to dense.  I also removed ALL airport vehicles (slider to none).  I wasn't really impressed with them anymore anyway.  I guess they were "cool" at first when FSX was new but they're kinda pointless now and it seems like half the time you never have them at your gate anyway.  I also reduced cloud distance to 60 from 90 after seeing from 28K that there wasn't a hugely noticeable difference in distance.  60 miles is still really far away towards the horizon.  

 

Other tweaks were got rid of AC cast shadows on itself and replaced with cast shadow on ground, bumped ai traffic UP to 25 from 20 for commercial and GA, bumped ferries and whatever the 3rd one is UP to 10 from none, cars to 4 from 6.  Also I gained about 1-2fps or so by going from max scenery density to one notch down.  I will ONLY use that last tweak for OrbX PNW though (for now at least).  It seemed to only get rid of cargo cranes at the port in Seattle.  After doing all this I'm much more consistent at being close to or at 30fps and flight is MUCH smoother, less stutters etc.  Even better is after these changes I could NOT get the gpu spike to come back. I literally flew between KSEA and downtown for 15 minutes switching views and it would NOT happen.

 

[bufferPools]

BufferPools=1

PoolSize=10485760

RejectThreshold=524288

//RejectThreshold=131072

[VirtualCopilot]

VirtualCopilotActive=0

[sOUND]

AmbientUI=0

AmbientUIMusic=FSX01

AmbientUIMusicVolume=-6.000000

PrimaryDevice={DEF00000-9C6D-47ED-AAF1-4DDA8F2B5C03}

SOUND=1

SOUND_FADER1=0.260000

SOUND_FADER2=0.490000

SOUND_FADER3=0.490000

SOUND_FADER4=0.760000

SOUND_LOD=1

SOUND_QUALITY=2

UISound=1

VoiceDevice={DEF00002-9C6D-47ED-AAF1-4DDA8F2B5C03}

[slewTextInfo.1]

AirSpeed=1,5

Altitude=1,3

Heading=1,4

Latitude=1,1

Longitude=1,2

[AContain]

LabelColor=FFFF0000

LabelDelay=1000

ShowLabelAirline=0

ShowLabelAirlineAndFlightNumber=0

ShowLabelAirspeed=0

ShowLabelAltitude=1

ShowLabelContainerId=0

ShowLabelDistance=1

ShowLabelFlightPlan=0

ShowLabelHeading=0

ShowLabelManufacturer=1

ShowLabelModel=1

ShowLabelTailNumber=0

ShowLabels=0

ShowUserLabel=0

[ATC]

AutoOpenAirTrafficWindow=1

COMM_MSG_AI_ATC_COLOR=FFFF7840

COMM_MSG_ATC_AI_COLOR=FF00FF00

COMM_MSG_ATC_USER_COLOR=FFB6FFB6

COMM_MSG_NONE_COLOR=FFFFFFFF

COMM_MSG_USER_ATC_COLOR=FFFFD21B

PilotVoice=196608

ShowATCText=1

UsePilotVoice=1

[TextInfo.1]

AirSpeed=1,5

Altitude=1,3

Heading=1,4

Latitude=1,1

Longitude=1,2

WindDirectionAndSpeed=1,6

[AccelerationPack]

ControlsFirstRun=0

HomePageFirstRun=0

[iNTERNATIONAL]

ASLAT=2

ASLON=0

MEASURE=0

[CONTROLS]

Controls_Current=Standard

Controls_Default=Standard

KBDAIL=64

KBDELEV=64

KBDRUD=64

[FACILITIES]

CITY=

COUNTRY=

GTL_BUTTON=1295

STATE=

[TextInfo.3]

AirSpeed=1,5

Altitude=1,3

FrameRate=2,1

FuelPercentage=2,4

GForce=2,3

Heading=1,4

Latitude=1,1

LockedFrameRate=2,2

Longitude=1,2

WindDirectionAndSpeed=1,6

[PointOfInterestSystem]

CycleSetting=0

[GRAPHICS]

AC_SELF_SHADOW=0

AIRCRAFT_REFLECTIONS=1

AIRCRAFT_SHADOWS=1

ALLOW_SHADER_30=1

COCKPIT_HIGH_LOD=1

D3D10=0

EFFECTS_QUALITY=2

GROUND_SHADOWS=0

HIGHMEMFIX=1

IMAGE_QUALITY=0

LANDING_LIGHTS=1

NUM_LIGHTS=8

See_Self=1

TEXTURE_MAX_LOAD=2048

TEXTURE_QUALITY=3

Text_Scroll=1

SHADER_CACHE_PRIMED_10=1693500672

SHADER_CACHE_PRIMED=1693500672

[TrafficManager]

AIRPORT_SCENERY_DENSITY=0

AirlineDensity=25

FreewayDensity=4

GADensity=25

IFROnly=0

LeisureBoatsDensity=9

ShipsAndFerriesDensity=9

utbAirlineDensity=0

[DynamicHeadMovement]

HeadMoveTimeConstant=1.000000

LonAccelOnHeadLon=-0.020000

LonAccelOnHeadPitch=-0.010000

MaxHeadAngle=5.000000

MaxHeadOffset=0.300000

RollAccelOnHeadLat=0.010000

RollAccelOnHeadRoll=0.100000

YawAccelOnHeadLat=-0.100000

[REALISM]

AllowEngineDamage=False

AutoCoord=False

AutoTrim=False

CrashDetection=False

CrashTolerance=1.000000

CrashWithDyn=False

GEffect=False

General=1.000000

GyroDrift=False

GyroEffect=0.000000

ManualLights=True

PFactor=0.000000

RealMixture=False

StressDamage=False

Torque=0.000000

TrueAirspeed=False

UnlimitedFuel=False

[Weather]

AdjustForMagVarInDialog=1

CLOUD_COVERAGE_DENSITY=7

CLOUD_DRAW_DISTANCE=3

DETAILED_CLOUDS=1

DisableTurbulence=1

DownloadWindsAloft=0

DynamicWeather=0

MaxGustRampSpeed=200

MaxGustTime=500

MaxVarRampSpeed=75

MaxVarTime=50

MinGustRampSpeed=1

MinGustTime=10

MinVarRampSpeed=10

MinVarTime=5

THERMAL_VISUALS=0

TurbulenceScale=1.000000

WeatherGraphDataInDialog=0

WeatherServerAddress=fs2k.zone.com

WeatherServerPort=80

WindshieldPrecipitationEffects=1

[Misc]

Com_Rate=7

[Main]

HideMenuFullscreen=1

HideMenuNormal=0

Location=0,0,1679,1050,\\.\DISPLAY1

Maximized=1

SimObjectPaths.0=SimObjects\Airplanes

SimObjectPaths.1=SimObjects\Rotorcraft

SimObjectPaths.2=SimObjects\GroundVehicles

SimObjectPaths.3=SimObjects\Boats

SimObjectPaths.4=SimObjects\Animals

SimObjectPaths.5=SimObjects\Misc

User Objects=Airplane, Helicopter

ProcSpeed=7029

PerfBucket=7

DisablePreload=1

[DISPLAY.Device.NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 Ti  .0]

Mode=1680x1050x32

TriLinear=1

[Trusted]

D:\Microsoft Flight Simulator X\GAUGES\Bendix_King_Radio.DLL.niabqwihwhthwhwnbezoikoaczkwbhkhrcbtolzz=2

D:\Microsoft Flight Simulator X\GAUGES\Magnetic_Compass.DLL.trliiahabalrhknkbuubauiocrkwhkazkruabilw=2

D:\Microsoft Flight Simulator X\Modules\FSUIPC4.dll.bqbuetnzziznnwqhwqlawhkukntktlwzcrwkbhoe=1

D:\SquawkBox\sbaicontrol10.dll.ibernreeoikaeuiwcrklekktkccozrknwhbtoqbw=1

D:\SquawkBox\sbmod10.dll.kraiwebtwbqrnbzhizobqonbwtzulrweznooierz=1

D:\SquawkBox\sbtrans10.dll.ekcuklirkhhaowebtewoilanzwnkblohkahlnowz=1

D:\Microsoft Flight Simulator X\GAUGES\737-400.DLL.btknrulkewqltootlkriakeiuobbqacklkilnwut=2

D:\Microsoft Flight Simulator X\SimObjects\Airplanes\B737_800\panel

 

\GPWS_Sound.GAU.abzlhrehkeulrubleeioarrbqarobkuhwralncwt=0

D:\Microsoft Flight Simulator X\SimObjects\Airplanes\FSND_FSX_Citation X_Ultra_Package\panel\737-

 

400s.DLL.knnlqczebzltknbuczoocruqlewtcrzhwhbqbrqh=2

D:\Microsoft Flight Simulator X\SimObjects\Airplanes\FSND_FSX_Citation X_Ultra_Package\panel

 

\Magnetic_Compass.DLL.trliiahabalrhknkbuubauiocrkwhkazkruabilw=2

D:\Microsoft Flight Simulator X\GAUGES\QWBae146.GAU.zeintlruchckaeqkqocnawckbocizwolqbtatoin=2

D:\Microsoft Flight Simulator X\GAUGES\QwBAe146_TCAS.GAU.tzutrnthhkukeucurneatbhhinzqbbbzaznbieaq=2

D:\Microsoft Flight Simulator X\Modules\FSUIPC4.dll.ohhrbrkrrwltquknbccrtqnoqnarlzniuqiaciab=1

D:\Microsoft Flight Simulator X\GAUGES\Mooney_Bravo.DLL.botzkzkbehiouzqhbuaclceqrrqnzzlluuruqtkz=2

[TextInfo.2]

FrameRate=1,1

FuelPercentage=1,4

GForce=1,3

LockedFrameRate=1,2

[uSERINTERFACE]

Map_Orientation=2

OpenATCOnCreate=0

PAUSE_ON_LOST_FOCUS=0

PROMPT_ON_EXIT=1

PageID=1

SHOW_MISSION_CAPTIONS=0

SITUATION=removed for posting

ShowAllACPaintSchemes=1

SelectAircraftManufacturer=British Aerospace-QWSim

SelectAircraftPublisher=All

SelectAircraftType=All

DisplayFuelAsWeight=1

[sIM]

SYSCLOCK=1

[Display]

ActiveWindowTitleBackGroundColor=0,28,140,64

ActiveWindowTitleTextColor=255,255,255

BLOOM_EFFECTS=0

ChangeTime=4.000000

InfoBrakesEnable=True

InfoLowerLeftBackGroundColor=255,0,0,128

InfoLowerLeftTextColor=255,255,255

InfoLowerRightBackGroundColor=255,0,0,128

InfoLowerRightTextColor=255,255,255

InfoOverspeedEnable=True

InfoParkingBrakesEnable=True

InfoPauseEnable=True

InfoSlewEnable=True

InfoStallEnable=True

InfoUpperRightBackGroundColor=0,0,0,0

InfoUpperRightTextColor=255,0,0

NonActiveWindowTitleBackGroundColor=24,33,87,64

NonActiveWindowTitleTextColor=255,255,255

SKINNED_ANIMATIONS=1

TEXTURE_BANDWIDTH_MULT=40

TextureMaxLoad=30

TransitionTime=4.000000

UPPER_FRAMERATE_LIMIT=0

WideViewAspect=True

[JOBSCHEDULER]

AffinityMask=84

//AffinityMask=14

[slewTextInfo.3]

AirSpeed=1,5

Altitude=1,3

FrameRate=2,1

Heading=1,4

Latitude=1,1

LockedFrameRate=2,2

Longitude=1,2

[PANELS]

DEFAULT_VIEW=0

IMAGE_QUALITY=1

PANEL_MASKING=1

PANEL_OPACITY=100

PANEL_STRETCHING=1

QUICKTIPS=0

UNITS_OF_MEASURE=0

[sTARTUP]

DEMO=0

LoadWindow=1

SHOW_OPENING_SCREEN=1

STARTUP_DEMO=0

[slewTextInfo.2]

FrameRate=1,1

LockedFrameRate=1,2

[TERRAIN]

AUTOGEN_DENSITY=3

DETAIL_TEXTURE=1

LOD_RADIUS=4.500000

MESH_COMPLEXITY=100

MESH_RESOLUTION=23

TEXTURE_RESOLUTION=29

WATER_EFFECTS=4

[sCENERY]

DAWN_DUSK_SMOOTHING=1

IMAGE_COMPLEXITY=5

LENSFLARE=1

MAX_ASYNC_BATCHING_JOBS=3

[MAPVIEW_MAP]

SHOW_AIRPORTS=1

SHOW_VORS=1

SHOW_NDBS=0

SHOW_APPROACHES=1

SHOW_INTERSECTIONS=0

SHOW_VICTOR=0

SHOW_JET=0

SHOW_AIRSPACE=1

SHOW_FLIGHTPLAN=1

SHOW_WEATHERSTATIONS=1

SHOW_WEATHERSYSTEMS=1

SHOW_DATATAGS=1

SHOW_TERRAIN=1

show_flight_history=1

[FlightPlanMap]

LineWidth=2

SHOW_AIRPORTS=1

SHOW_VORS=1

SHOW_NDBS=0

SHOW_APPROACHES=1

SHOW_INTERSECTIONS=1

SHOW_VICTOR=0

SHOW_JET=1

SHOW_AIRSPACE=1

SHOW_FLIGHTPLAN=1

SHOW_WEATHERSTATIONS=1

SHOW_WEATHERSYSTEMS=1

SHOW_DATATAGS=1

SHOW_TERRAIN=1

show_waypoints=1

show_airways=1

show_markers=1

show_volume_boundaries=1

show_ac_twr=1

[RWW_WEATHER_MAP]

SHOW_AIRPORTS=0

SHOW_VORS=0

SHOW_NDBS=0

SHOW_APPROACHES=0

SHOW_INTERSECTIONS=0

SHOW_VICTOR=0

SHOW_JET=0

SHOW_AIRSPACE=0

SHOW_FLIGHTPLAN=1

SHOW_WEATHERSTATIONS=1

SHOW_WEATHERSYSTEMS=1

SHOW_DATATAGS=1

SHOW_TERRAIN=1

[MULTIPLAYER]

condAccoutPassword=0

VoiceVolume=1.520000