Following the advice in the Win 7 forum thread "Migrating FS9 WinXP 32-bit to Win7 64-bit" I got FS2004 up and running over the weekend on the new system.  However,I've encountered a few problems.  One appeared to resolve itself when I copied my WinXP FS2004 install backup from an external drive.  Two are minor and can be ignored.  Two involving A/C can be delt with by going with same the planes by other manufacturers (but I'd rather not if there is a way to fix the problems with them).  Two other problems came with the WinXP install when I copied it to the Win7 system.  Finally two I consider major enough I'll dump the Win7 system and go back to the WinXP system if they can't be resolved somehow...Here they are (I'm saving the major ones till the very end):

 

1)  When I first installed FS9 on the new system I did reinstall all addons such as Ultimate Traffic and AcktiveSky wxRE and some scenery addons like my MegaScenery or FS Global 2005 (haven't got around to upgrading to a new system yet) and only the aircraft addons I have on CD-ROM so they would be properly enterd in the add/delete software list.  The only freeware aircraft I re-installed was the Porject Fokker F28.  When I tried to load one and switched to the panel view FS9 crashed.  This problem went away on its own after I renamed the FS9 folder "WIN7FS9" and copied my XP F2004 install from the  external drive.   Icopied the FS9.cfg from the XP system, too, and ran the 4gb_patch last.

 

2) On both the Just Flight 757 Professional and 777 Professional all the flight/engine display panels, FMC and the electronic check Flight window (not the FS checkflight window) are either completely blank or devoid of any numbers or letters even though the engines are running (unless I'm forgetting to do something here.  Its possible, I haven't flown anything for a couple of years!).  The engines PFD display have the power scale outline but thats all.  I also have the QualityWings 757 which doesn't not suffer from this problem (which didn't go away when I copied the XP install from the external drive) as well as the Wilco 777.  I hate to give up the JF planes however mainly because I have dozens of liveries for them I hate to lose (and it'd be money down the drain)!

 

3)  At least on one occasion the cursor arrow turned black (later it turned back to white).  This is one of the issues that can be ignored.

 

4) The other issue that can be ignored is a flikering I get on the Kuhn Garmin 530 installed on a JCA 717 with ValueJet livery that happens ONLY on this particular plane and livery ONLY at KSAN (US Airports 1 scenery).  No problem with the 530 with any other plane including the JCA 717 at this airport or at any other airport (so far).  Flickering is minmal when the 530 is turned on so I can live with it.  Worst comes to worst I can just not use the 530 with the ValueJet JCA 717 (the 717 isn't equipped with the 530 anyway)!

 

Old Problems that came with the WinXP install:

 

5)  When looking for an airport in the Airport list I have both a "United States" and "USA" listed in the country list.  6 or 8 states no longer show up in the United States list. To find an airport in one of these states I have to select "ANY".

 

6)  When FS2004 starts up a shrunken splashscreen appears (roughly only 2/3 normal size) in the upper left hand corner of the screen (standard screen monitor).  The normal sized splashscreen appears when a saved flight is loading.

 

Major Problems

 

7)  When ever I press a keyboard command such as the S or A or select somethng, say a saved flight, aircraft, or view option the last selected menu screen (or the splashscreen the 1st time something is selected after FS9 is started and a flight loaded.  A black rectangle is visible where the scenery loading, terrain loading box appears when a saved or created flight is loading. A second press of the S, A, or whatever key makes this go away.  A third press and the normal view (of the menu bar in the case of the A key) or menu bar appears.  While this doesn't appear to cause any problems with FS9 I still consider it major since it isn't NORMAL FS9 behavior!

 

8) Last and THE most major problem has to do with the TinMouse II 737-200.  Since I posted a detailed description on the TinMouse forum, I'll only describe it briefly here.  The plane loads okay in sport plane view, but when I try to switch to the panel view I get a black screen (or the prior screen/splashscreen view) and FS9 locks up.  I have to hit the esc key, select end flight and exit FS to get out of the problem.  If I just retart FS2004 and try to load a different saved flight, or just a different plane, it won't load.  I have to restart my system completely clear the problem.

 

I'd rather go back using FS9, even with its single digit FPS rate than give up my TinMouse II or have to deal with item 7!  I'm REALLY hoping others have encountered these problems (particularly the last two) and can offer some help on resolving them!  The frame rates I'm getting on the new system are MASSIVE even with the most detailed addon scenery with pretty much everything set to maximum but won't mean much if these last two problems can't be fixed...

 

 

Scott,

 

I migrated my hugely expanded FS2004 from my old WinXP machine to a new Win7 64bit machine about a year ago and initially had some strange and unpredictable problems like you also seem to be having.

 

I initially installed the native FS2004 onto my new machine from the four CDs by using all the default options with which WinXP never had problems. However, Win7 is far more strict than WinXP ever was, especially when it concernes addons (like programable cockpit instruments) which use all kinds of (possibly old) programming methods which Win7 could regard as being potentially malicious. Some of these addons can even cause unpredictable errors and CTDs, even blue screens of death.

 

To resolve most of your problems (like I did) I would want to suggest that you install your initial FS2004 by using the "custom" install option, the most important of which is that you install it into a different HD partition from the one (usually C) inwhich your Win7 resides.

 

By the way: I also have, e.g. the B737-200 with it's analogue panel in my FS2004 and can fly it without any problems.

 

Good luck

Hans

Scott

Re the 757 and 777 go to the just flight web site and download the fonts from the support page of the 757. This should cure the problem with numbers and letter issue.

I had this problem with missing font types both in XP and W7.

 

I found W7 frustrating at first but wouldn't change back now. You must install fs9 correctly as Hanns has said. Plenty of on these forums.

I have 2 hard drives one for W7 and the other for FS9. Run all installs as admin and ua off.

F/ FS9

Steve

Thanks for the response, Hans!  I was beginning get the impression I was being subbed for some reason!

 

Actually, I did install FS2004 into a different HD partition from the default.  In fact, I installed it onto a separate HD entierly reserved for Fltims (FS98, FS2002, FS2004, and eventually, FSX if I can get my FS2004 woes taken care of).

 

I had far fewer problems getting FS2002 to run on my new system than FS2004!  In fact, the ONLY problem I encountered  with FS2002 (so far!) was restricted to the Dreamfleet 737-400 2D panel (doesn't have a VC).  Intinally, FS2002 would crash if I loaded a DF 737 and then tried to switch to the instrument panel.  Then I downloaded and installed the latest driver (311.56) for my EVGA GeForce GTX 650 video card and the problem went away (other than a slight "jiggle" switching to one direction to to another which doesn't happen for that particular view again unless I exit the panel view then reenter it).

 

Some good news about the TinMouse panel issue.  I discovered last night that after loading a TinMouse plane and trying to switch to the panel, hitting the esc key twice (once gets me to the black screen/prior selected screen/FS2004 splashscreen thing I described) the panel starts working normally!  I can change views as well (where I'd initially get a pinging sound).

 

A gentleman on Flightsim.com suggested the problem might be related to my video card/driver, what he called "FSAA", something I'd never hear of before. The nVidia control panel for my GTX 650 card "manage 3d settings" window has a "FXAA" setting which I assume is the same thing.  While changing the FXAA setting from off to on didn't fix anything, it occurred to me that maybe one of the other 3D settings is causing the problem.  There are several more 3D settings options on the GTX 650 card than I remember the GeForce 7000 series video card on my XP system having.  I'm hoping changing one or more of the 3D settings unique to the GTX card will make all my FS2004 issues go away.  I don't suppose you have a nVidia card and can tell me what I need to have all my 3D settings set for, do you?  Otherwise, its going to take a considerable period of time of trial and error to track down the offending setting!

Thanks for the JF 757/777 tip, Steve!  I'll do that asap!  As I mentioned to Hans, most, fi not all, the other issues might be related to the 3D settings for my GTX 650 video card.  Any thoughts on that?

HI Scott

Download Nvidia inspector and try these settings. Ive a GTX 670 and works great.

 

http://forum.avsim.net/topic/422707-nvidia-inspector-settings-for-fs9/?hl=%2Bnvidia+%2Binspector#entry2816829

 

Steve

Will do, Steve!  BTW, installing the fonts fixed the JF 757/777 problem!  Strange though, I'm sure I didn't have this problem when I intalled them on my XP system originally.  Maybe a previously installed program I'm no longer using had installed the missing fonts? Anyway, making progress!  I was on the verge of chucking my Win7 system into the deep end of my swimming pool (I still might)!

I have this driver version for the GTX670

9.18.13.1106

This is about a year old now but works great so im leaving well alone.

Steve

Mine is 9.18.13.3165  (331.65, not 311.56!) Normally, in spite of software manufacturers insisting that you always get the latest drivers for your video card, I don't change drivers unless absolutely necessary,  If I hadn't had the problem with fhe DF 737 panel in FS2002, I wouldn't have upgraded from the original driver...upgrading drivers can sometimes cause more problems than they solve!

if you go to simforums/hardware, software, computer tech, and then NV inspector drivers ect it explains how to make the changes (which I found difficult to do until I found this) within the nvidia inspector.

 

Steve

Thanks, Steve!  Just downloaded nVidia Inspector.  Strange the profile list includes FS2000 and FS2002 but not FS2004 or FSX which I need it for most.  Guess that would have been too easy!

It's there under ms flight sim 2004 I think. Not at my computer at this time but on ipad so I can't check for you.

Steve

Yes,  shown as MS Flight Simulator 2004

Steve

Yup, you're right.  FS2004 and FSX are listed under "MS Flight Simulator".  Didn't catch that when I did a quick glance at the list...Thanks for alerting this to me!  I'm guessing it still won't be an easy fix, the way my luck generally runs!  Oh, well, as long as its successful it'll be worth it (though I doubt if I ever become a fan of Windows 7)!

 

BTW, to back up a bit, aren't one automatically setup as "Adminstrator" when installing Windows (unless you add additional users on the system)?  Its that way under Windows XP (and earlier versions), wasn't it?  Also, what is "au"?  Too late unfortunately, the horse has already left the barn...

Also,don't forget to install directx9 runtimes again.

You mean re-install Directx9?  That can be done with Directx11 installed?  Forgive my ignornace, but how is that done?