Constant frame rate crashes. Any ideas?

[martinlest2 58]

I have my fps capped at 60, and the PC achieves this most of the time. But for some years (literally) I have put up with the frame rates suddenly dropping to 3-4 fps for several seconds; troubleshooting it has lead nowhere: I wonder if anyone here has any good ideas? I don't think it's hardware related as I have had FS9 on different machines and had the problem on all of them.

 

It happens every five minutes or so, and seems to occur irrespective of aircraft or region. I don't get it on the ground, only in flight, so maybe it's related to ground texture loading?

 

I have looked at Task manager - no processes suddenly take up resources when this occurs: only FS9.exe is really using the CPU.  Also tried Process Monitor, but again, nothing special happens during the few seconds of low fps - no new processes or anything different happening from when I am getting 60fps, as far as I can see.

 

I can get the problem in areas where I have minimal addons - parts of Africa, so that rules out a number of programmes

 

I could start disabling addons one by one, but that'd be a long trial and error process, so if anyone has ideas about a 'prime suspect' or (even better) has had this problem and fixed it, it's be very good to know.

 

Thanks,

 

Martin

[pgaudet 0]

Martin:

 

I see your computer specs in your signature and you should be able to run FS9 with no issues.  What freeware/payware addons are you running in terms of ground texture etc?

 

What resolution are you running your two monitors at when flying in FS9?

 

As well post the main sections of your FS9.CFG file and we'll take a look.

 

Unless you are running numerous addons in an area you shouldn't be seeing drops in your fps like that - esp from 60 down to 3-4.  Funny you didn't notice in process monitor anything like files not found or something.  Its like you are missing a texture file or something?  Could it be your virus protection program if you are running one?

 

I know you say this has been happening for years now but can you remember at all if it happened after you installed a certain addon (freeware / payware)/

 

Thanks.

 

[mebull 27]

 

 

I could start disabling addons one by one, but that'd be a long trial and error process, so if anyone has ideas about a 'prime suspect' or (even better) has had this problem and fixed it, it's be very good to know.

 

Hi Martin,

 

The only thing you didn't mention is which or what aircraft you are or have been using. If it happens that you have been flying the same aircraft all of these times (which I doubt) or a panel of the same creator it might be a gauge issue. Well, . . . . maybe? Second thought would be whether or not you have checked your textures including any VC textures for proper format and alphas where appropriate?

 

Sorry, that is all I've got for now.

 

Regards,

Mel

[martinlest2 58]

Mel, thanks, but I did mention: "...seems to occur irrespective of aircraft or region"

 

Only addons that would active in Africa would be REX, FSGenesis, GEPro: also ActiveSky 6.. and I run AISeparation... FDC... all I can think of for now. The monitors are run at native resolution - 1920x1200 for the FS9 monitor.

 

I use Microsoft Security Essentials: I could try shutting it off whilst flying I guess.

 

No, I unfortunately can't recall when this started. I have put up with it, mostly because it is going to be a real pain to find the reason this is happening. Even so, next time it starts, I'll try closing down some of the other FS programmes that I run when I fly, but I am not optimistic!!

 

thanks,

 

Martin

[WingZ 547]

I use Microsoft Security Essentials

...and you have "Real-time Protection" checked?

Well, it's just doing its job.

Loading a file into the sim will be duly checked, and FS will wait patiently while this is done!

There are other things that can be happening unbeknownst to you: I had trouble with the Java updater JQS.exe wanting to phone home every so often, and ruining frame rates.

 

Try a vanilla FS9 install: it soon identifies whether you have "Other" influences on performance, unrelated to the sim. Using a utility like FIlemon also helps identify what is lighting up at the time you get flightsim problems. Of course, you should not use this always, as it uses resources too.

 

 

 

I see your computer specs in your signature

Interesting... I do not! what forum view are you using?

[Hoochy 6]

Could be the Active Sky Weather updates...

[mebull 27]

 

 

Mel, thanks, but I did mention: "...seems to occur irrespective of aircraft or region"

 

My apology, I certainly did overlook that! Aside from the others excellent thoughts, what about texture formats?

 

Mel

[martinlest2 58]

.. will get back to this ASAP, haven't had time to look at the problem for the last few days. Thanks for the replies...

[martinlest2 58]

There seems to be a slight increase in CPU usage for FS9.exe, according to Task manager, when the stuttering starts, but it may be coincidental. No other processes are using any CPU to any extent and, as I said before, nothing to be seen extra in Process Monitor (the newer version of File Monitor). So I don't think that these short but regular fps crashes are due to anything out side of FS9.

 

I have an out-of-the-box (which I assume is what you mean by 'vanilla') FS9 installation for testing purposes, but I haven't got round to using it yet to test this out. It's always difficult when you can't be sure that the problem is going to occur at any particular time - or even, at all. It would mean extended flying on a 'virgin', OK, 'vanilla' installation, but I will give it a try some time soon.

 

I have watched the ActiveSky window, as it updates its weather files online, and the updates do not occur at the same time as the fps crashes..

 

Also, when I get these stutters, it's not a simple resource issue - there is always about 2.5GBs of physical RAM unused at any given time.

 

Fs9.cfg main sections below, as suggested. Thanks,

 

Martin

 

------------------------

 

[DISPLAY]
UPPER_FRAMERATE_LIMIT=60
TEXTURE_BANDWIDTH_MULT=25600
//TEXTURE_BANDWIDTH_MULT=400
RUNWAY_LIGHTS_SURFACE_SCALAR=1.0
RUNWAY_LIGHTS_VASI_SCALAR=1.3
RUNWAY_LIGHTS_APPROACH_SCALAR=1.25
RUNWAY_LIGHTS_STROBE_SCALAR=1.4
TextureMaxLoad=10

[TERRAIN]
TERRAIN_ERROR_FACTOR=95.000000
TERRAIN_MIN_DEM_AREA=10.000000
TERRAIN_MAX_DEM_AREA=100.000000
TERRAIN_MAX_VERTEX_LEVEL=21
TERRAIN_TEXTURE_SIZE_EXP=8
TERRAIN_AUTOGEN_DENSITY=5
TERRAIN_USE_GRADIENT_MAP=1
TERRAIN_EXTENDED_TEXTURES=1
TERRAIN_DEFAULT_RADIUS=9.500000
TERRAIN_EXTENDED_RADIUS=3.900000
TERRAIN_EXTENDED_LEVELS=4

[sCENERY]
IMAGE_COMPLEXITY=5
DYNAMIC_SCENERY=1
DYN_SCN_DENSITY=5
DAWN_DUSK_SMOOTHING=1
SUNGLARE=1
LENSFLARE=1

[OldModules]
FSSound.dll=1
msxml4.dll=1
msxml4a.dll=1
msxml4r.dll=1
ATC-WHM.gau=1
 

[GRAPHICS]
FULL_SCREEN=0
PERFORMANCE_MODE=0
DEF_PERF_MODE=7
TEXT_SCROLL=1
AUTO_LOD=0
DETAIL_TEXTURE=2
WATER_EFFECTS=1
TERRAIN_USE_VECTOR_MAP=1
TERRAIN_USE_VECTOR_OBJECTS=1
EFFECTS_QUALITY=2
GROUND_SHADOWS=1
SMOOTH_VIEW=1
IMAGE_SMOOTHING=1
TEXTURE_MAX_LOAD=1024
COCKPIT_HIGH_LOD=1
AIRCRAFT_SHADOWS=1
LANDING_LIGHTS=1
IMAGE_QUALITY=0
TEXTURE_BLDG=1
TEXTURE_GND=1
TEXTURE_WATER=1
AIRCRAFT_TEXTURE=2
SEE_SELF=1
TEXTURE_QUALITY=3
LOD_TARGET_FPS=42
NUM_LIGHTS=8
 

[DISPLAY.Device.NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 .0]
Mode=1920x1200x32
TriLinear=1
MipBias=5

[DISPLAY.Device.NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 .1]
Mode=1920x1200x32