So how much Virtual Memory does FS2Crew use anyway?

[byork 2,258]

Gents,

 

With the release of the PMDG 777, the discussion about OOM errors in FSX has resurfaced (even though the PMDG 777 has no memory problems based on my tests and only uses up a bit more memory than the NGX!)

 

What's an OOM?

 

It stands for "Out of Memory".

 

In plain English, FSX has a 4 GB internal memory limit.  4 GB is equal to 4096 MB's.

 

To make it even simpler to understand, think of FSX as being like a big refrigerator.

 

If, though a combination of add-ons scenery, airplanes, AI traffic and weather that run 'inside' the simulation (the refrigerator), you use up more than 4 GB of memory (space), your FSX will shut down.

 

In other words, you've stuffed way too much stuff into the confined space of your refrigerator, and now your refrigerator is going to blow up!

 

 

 

Okay, so you've got 4 GB's to play with before FSX shuts down...

 

 

 

How many of those 4 GB's of memory does FS2Crew Voice Control use?

 

Well, you should know, so let's do a test...

 

 

Test #1:  PMDG 737NGX at a default airport.  FS2Crew not loaded.

 

 

In the first screen shot, I've loaded the PMDG 737 NGX.  The NGX's panel.cfg is clean.  There are no FS2Crew entries on it.  Therefore, FS2Crew is not being loaded at all.

 

For my methodology, I opened up all the  various spot and camera views and switched to the VC cockpit.  AI traffic is present.

 

I let the sim sit for about 3 minutes to stabilize.

 

To obtain the data, I'm using Process Explorer.

 

 

As you can see in the screen shot, FSX with the NGX loaded is using 2,337,460 K worth of memory.

 

Using a Kilobyte to GB converter, that's about 2.23 GB's worth of memory to keep it easier to read.

 

This gives you about 1.77 GB worth of free room to play with in FSX before you run out of memory space.

 

 

 

 

 

Test #2:  PMDG 737NGX at a default airport.  FS2Crew loaded and all checklists and voice commands have been run and all FS2Crew panels have been opened.

 

 

Okay, I've just rebooted FSX.  Via the FS2Crew Configuration Manager for the NGX, I've now re-enabled FS2Crew Voice Control for the NGX. 

 

FS2Crew will now load into memory when the NGX is loaded.

 

Like in Test #1, I cycled though all the various NGX spot and cam views, spun around the aircraft a few times, and moved to the VC cockpit.

 

I then opened every available FS2Crew panel including the Video Marshaller.

 

I then simulated a complete flight by running all the FS2Crew voice checklists, briefings and voice commands to put a full load on the speech recognition system.

 

As you can see in the screen shot, FSX is now using 2,512,164 K worth of memory.

 

Using our K to GB converter again, that's about 2.40 GB's worth of memory.  This is about 171 MBs more than when the NGX was loaded without FS2Crew.

 

Note that this is not an exact science.  There's still other stuff running in the background like AI traffic that going to add to the memory count.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Conclusion:

 

Very, very roughly speaking, using FS2Crew Voice Control in my test used up 171 MB's worth of memory space out of FSX 4 GB (4096 MB) limit.

 

That's not very much, and it's a very small price to pay in terms of overhead when you factor in what FS2Crew gives you, but as serious FSX users you should be aware of how much virtual memory your addons are using.

 

And even 171 MBs is being conservative because other non-FS2Crew programs are still running inside the simulator.

 

This is why support issues for FS2Crew NGX, our most popular and complex product by far, are virtually non-existent.  

 

Not to toot my own horn, but it's why FS2Crew NGX gets one glowing review after another.

 

(Note that 'FS2Crew Button Control' will be even less than 171 MB's that because there's no overhead associated with the speech recognition system involved.)

 

 

 

What you need to know:

 

OOMs are a complex subject, but generally speaking the main enemy of FSX is 3rd party scenery that use huge, massive textures with your scenery sliders, like LOD, set too far to the right.  Turn your LOD down!

 

For example, if you run FSDT's Vancouver scenery with everything full right using full Hi Def textures, you're probably not going to last long too long especially if you're using a PMDG plane.

 

 

For more info, please read this great guide by Word Not Allowed, which for some reason I can't direct link to, but it's available via a Google Search:

 

https://www.google.com/search?q=fsx+oom&oq=fsx+oom&aqs=chrome..69i57.1175j0&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

[Q_flyer 766]

Wow, that is fascinating.

 

So, FS2Crew NGX only added 8% to the memory usage of FSX overall, in that scenario.   :cool:

 

I wish all the other peripheral add-ons I use carried such low overheads.   Some (like Opus) are inevitable in their higher memory use, due to the nature of their work (eg. weather which is a big overhead area in FSX).   Others, including some airport sceneries, seem to be taking more than their fair share of memory!  

 

Keep up the great work Bryan!

[byork 2,258]

Wow, that is fascinating.

 

So, FS2Crew NGX only added 8% to the memory usage of FSX overall, in that scenario.   :cool:

 

I wish all the other peripheral add-ons I use carried such low overheads.   Some (like Opus) are inevitable in their higher memory use, due to the nature of their work (eg. weather which is a big overhead area in FSX).   Others, including some airport sceneries, seem to be taking more than their fair share of memory!  

 

Keep up the great work Bryan!

 

 

Thank you.

 

Actually it's closer to 4 percent (171 MB out of 4096 MB) and that's very conservative because other non-FS2Crew apps were running inside FSX at the time  

 

As mentioned, what eats up virtual memory more than anything are huge HD textures associated with weather and scenery and a high LOD setting.

 

It doesn't matter if you're using FS2Crew or not, you're going to want to keep that under control.

 

For example, if using FSDT Vancouver, I would never install it using the HD texture option.  Those HD textures are just plain massive.

[Q_flyer 766]

I just compared the before and after memory usage and saw 8% difference :lol: .... I guess I need to improve my Maths!

 

Yes I agree, I've never been a chaser of the never ending UUURMHDT* approach..... because it does swallow up just so much memory.

 

* Ultra ultra really massively high definition textures. :smile:

[Don t moderate me this way 882]

Keep your LOD setting and texture sizes at reasonable levels - it's actually hard to "generate" an OOM from that. In other words: 4 GB VAS limitation is a LOT to play with.

 

BTW, here's the last OOM I had in FSX (  ):

 

 

[lodestar 186]

I came close to OOM a couple of days ago on approach to FSDT CYVR, after 2 years without OOM's. But it was my fault, just like Bryan said - I had CYVR HD textures installed, and enabled in fsx.CFG.

I re-installed CYVR using 1024 textures, in fsx.CFG i have TML 2048 like i had for some time. I did 5 long haul flights with 777 into CYVR since then, VAS is arround 3.200.000k in process explorer after landing, at gate. That means only 3GB  

 

 

BTW, here's the last OOM I had in FSX (  )

 

I never had that OOM!

Do you have your system overclocked? Reduce your settings in FSX and remove overclock now!  (some of most used troubleshooting metods after "do you run FSX like administrator")  :LMAO:

[jordanal 70]

Bryan, I'm curios to know if the FS2crew VAS increased at all while co-pilot audio sequences were played-back?

 

nevermind...

 

"I then simulated a complete flight by running all the FS2Crew voice checklists, briefings and voice commands to put a full load on the speech recognition system."

[lodestar 186]

Bryan, i was wondering if FS2Crew can be made to run outside of FSX, not using FSX VAS? Like Ezdok and GSX for example? But if that means simconnect stutters like with GSX, please don't do it

[byork 2,258]

I re-installed CYVR using 1024 textures,

 

That's what I did too.

 

Van still looks really good even with the lower textures.

 

 

Bryan, i was wondering if FS2Crew can be made to run outside of FSX, not using FSX VAS? Like Ezdok and GSX for example? But if that means simconnect stutters like with GSX, please don't do it

 

 

Not going to do that.

 

As the test shows, the VAS foot print is very, very minimal, and there are some real advantages to using gauges instead of an external program.

 

Among many other positive things, I can, for example, build FS2Crew right into aircraft, which saves the user the hassle of having to load some external application, and that can be a clunky process in and of itself.

 

So it's smoother and more direct and clean, and that's important for me.

 

Flight sim users often have to load a number of external programs before they fly.  I'd rather not have to add to that burden as it only increases the risk of FSX going to pot.  FSX is enough of a house of cards as it is.

 

Reality is FS2Crew is by far the most popular flight crew program on the market for a reason.

 

We get great reviews and 99 percent of our customers are repeat customers.

 

So if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

 

Our system works.  People evidently seem to like it...

 

Not going to change what works  B)

[lodestar 186]

Thanks Bryan, i have enough VAS for FS2Crew, i was just curious