747-8 Fatal error starts up after 2 years

[Cfoley 4]

I purchased PDGM's 747-400 about two years ago.  But starting yesterday, "Fatal Error" messages would pop up and reboot FSX.  It usually starts up after a few minutes at the airport terminal and usually when I change screens.   I had this problem when I first purchased add ons for FSX two years ago and only after an hour of flying, but the problem was resolved with adding UIAutomationCore.dll to FSX and had not had a fatal error since.  I also purchased FSUIPC yesterday but still have the fatal error issue.  This appears to only occur with PDGM 747, but not other add-ons.  I use Windows 7. The last add on I purchased for FSX was Fsdt GSX Ground Services but no fatal error issues with other aircraft add ons.  I checked other forums about this issue but most suggest what I have already done.   Does anyone have any other suggestions for what may be the cause? 

[Cfoley 4]

Attached I Obtained from Windows 7 "Event Viewer" which I learned about from a forum post. This is one of the Fatal Error areas in FSX.   I cannot make heads or tails of what the problem is and how to fix it from this. 

[Cfoley 4]

Attached is a better display of the error file.  I had to learn more about the Event Viewer and getting the full page up.  I can't figure out what the problem could be.

[AVSIM Admin 4]

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[RWFeldman 159]

#1. Get FSX out of your programs!

 

IMPORTANT - we do NOT recommended installing to the default file location in Windows Vista or Windows 7. (Program Files or Program Files (x86)) - Windows "protects" anything within these folders and has been shown to cause numerous problems with the install and configuration of addons.  We recommend you pick a simple folder path outside of these folders such as C:\FSX

[Cfoley 4]

I am sorry, but I am a little confused. I am not much of a computer software tech. I have FSX under "C:ProgramFiles(86)Microsoftgames/Microsoft Flight Simulator." Is that not correct? From all the forums, this is the basic set up for FSX.   Also, when I purchase addons, it automatically places it in FSX.  How would I create a new folder and place everything involving FSX?  Renaming it?

[Jim Young 2,356]

There is a long post here in the CTD forum about API.dll crashes - http://forum.avsim.net/topic/389704-fsx-oom-apidll-patcher/.  There is no known solution to the problem other than lowering your settings.

 

Best regards,

Jim

[Cfoley 4]

Thanks for the link, but reading the posts were a bit too technical and over my head.  Talking about "OOM's" and "Memory Patches"  Have no clue what those are.  What is an "OOM"?  I am guessing "Out Of Memory"?

[Jim Young 2,356]

In your crash report you posted in post #3, it indicates FSX crashed based on a faulting API.dll.  The API.dll is related to OOM's and memory issues (like really high fsx/display driver settings). OOM equals Out of Memory.  I provided the link for general education of your problem (you are not alone).  In the post, an attempt was made by someone to come up with a fix and it failed.  You could also have a bad tweak in your Fsx.cfg.  Most common is the Bufferpool tweak.  It does not work for every computer system.  A wrong setting inside the fsx.cfg can also caused your system to have problems running FSX.

 

For many OOM's or API crashes, it can be fixed by changing the heap limitations.  Here's a fix from Microsoft that you can download and install - http://support.microsoft.com/kb/947246.  It has help many others.

 

I noticed your comments about the uiautomationcore.dll.  Here are my comments I have made often here:

 

Uiautomationcore.dll - I would remove the uiautomationcore.dll from your main FSX directory.  Since you did get a crash, the Vista version obviously did not stop it.  The uiautomationcore.dll fixes only one problem and that's a crash if you repeatedly hit the FSX menu bar.  I personally cannot replicate this crash and have tried several times to crash my FSX by repeatedly clicking on the fsx menu bar.  No joy...  I really think the menu bar crash is caused by high settings where fsx is running short of memory by the constant hitting on the menu bar.  I do not have the uiautomationcore.dll in my main fsx folder and never have.  The uiautomationcore.dll belongs with the Microsoft.net framework packages and, developers of FSX and FSX addons require dotnet versions 1.1 thru 4.5 installed to make their products work properly.  I believe the Vista version of dotnet is 1.1 as it is installed with FSX/Acceleration.

 

So, you have a placebo in your main FSX folder.  It could be doing more harm than good.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Best regards,

Jim

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Cfoley 4]

UIAutomationCore.dll did originally work for me without any Fatal Error problems when I added it in my FSX file and that was back in 2011 and never had a fatal error until now. I bought an addon for the first time back then but I was getting Fatal Errors when I clicked the menu bar usually about an hour or two after take off, and sometimes during a long 9 hour flight it would happen on final approach...which really ticked me off! That is when I added UIAutomationCore.dll.  I never received any warnings about low memory during simming. I do already have my FSX settings pretty low. (See below). Also, I was suggested that I delete my default flights file and FSX CFG file and let FSX build a new one. But make a back up file first in case it does now work out right. What do you think?

GRAPHICS:
Target frame rate: Unlimited
Global textgure resolution: Very High

Aircraft: Medium High

Scenery: Terrain and water
Level of Detail: Large
Level of radius: Large
Mesh completxity: 70
Mesh resolution: 38m
Texture resolution: 1m
Water effects: High 1.x

Scenery Objects: Extremely dense
Autogen density: Normal
Ground scenery shadows: unmarked
Special effects detail: High

Weather:
Cloud draw distance: 60 mi
Thermal visuualation: None
Cloud detail: Detailed Clouds
Cloud coverage density: Low

Traffic:
Airline traffic: 35%
General aviation density: 4%
Airport vehicles: Low
Road Vehicles: 28%
Ships and ferries: 30%
Leisure boats: 30%

[Jim Young 2,356]

 

 

I was suggested that I delete my default flights file and FSX CFG file and let FSX build a new one. But make a back up file first in case it does now work out right. What do you think?

 

That could help.  It has helped many as the fsx.cfg can get corrupted with bad tweaks and bad settings.  This returns it to the default and this is why it has fixed a lot of problems.  Do not delete it though.  Just rename it to fsx.orig then restart fsx and fsx will rebuild a new one.  If that doesn't resolve things you can go back and rename fsx.orig back to fsx.cfg.  They say that coming up with a fresh fsx.cfg is better than going through a complete reinstall of FSX.

 

I don't see anything wrong with your settings except for the follow:

 

Traffic:
Airline traffic: 35%     Okay
General aviation density: 4%  10% might be better
Airport vehicles: Low 
Road Vehicles: 28%     Road, ships, ferries, and leisure boats should be no higher than 10%.  Believe me, you will not notice any difference.
Ships and ferries: 30%
Leisure boats: 30%

 

Did you run the heap limitation fix?  That should help immeasurably.  Gives your system a bit more breathing room.

 

I know most people think the uiautomationcore.dll in the main fsx directory is working but I it is not.  Otherwise we wouldn't need this forum.

 

There's a program on the Internet that you can download called TakeOwnership.  Once installed, you should go to your main FSX folder, right click on it and then select TakeOwnership.  This will fix any problems that could be associated with installing FSX in the default folder.  I have had mine installed in the default folder forever and have not had problems.  If you look at all of the crashes here in this forum and look at where FSX is installed, you'll find most are in the non-default folder as recommended by Rendi in Post #5. 

 

If your crashes are only occurring with the PMDG747, then you need to uninstall/reinstall it.  It is highly unlikely though that the PMDG747 is at fault.  It does require more system resources to run than other aircraft though and I think that's the reason it is crashing.  You need to find more resources so it won't crash in the future.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Best regards,

Jim

[Cfoley 4]

Jim,  Thanks for the info.  What is "Heap Limitation fix" and what do I do? I have not tried that.  Also,  It was not just PDGM 747 when the fatal error occurs, but also with the Level D 767, so it must be elsewhere.

[Jim Young 2,356]

 

 

What is "Heap Limitation fix" and what do I do?

 

The link to the program and an explanation by Microsoft on what it does is located in my Post #9.  The LevelD 767 used a lot of resources too and it is on the same scale as the PMDG 747 in quality.

 

Best regards,

Jim

[Cfoley 4]

Jim, I went ahead and installed the heap limitations link you provided. It was simple enough. I will now change the FSX.CFG folder title. I also have lolo System Mechanic on my computer which I did a deep scan on Saturday night. I don't know if that will make any improvements for the fatal errors. I purchased lolo System Mechanic several months ago on the recommendations of my brother because on long flights, FSX would freeze up (not Fatal Errors though, thank goodness). There still would be sound but nothing moving. If I clicked the screen it would turn into transparent grey with the hour glass showing. I usually would have to wait about 5 minutes or less. It would do it often on long flights and on short 3 hour flights, maybe once or twice. On one flight with Level D 767 from Amsterdam to Portland, Oregon, it started to freeze after arriving over Greenland and froze about 30 times after that until my arrival to Portland, and that is when I installed System Mechanic, the freezes stopped.

 

One other question, when I change the FSX.CFG folder, will it effect my airport add-on's in the scenery library?

[Cai Zicheng 171]

Err. Make sure you spell PMDG correct.