Issues and fixes I found on PMDG 777

[arleeds 1]

Hey guys,

 

I have just re-installed Windows and FSX with PMDG 737 NGX and 777 and tried installing my add-ons which consists of

 

1. EZCA EZDok camera

2. REX 4 Direct Texture

3. ENB series 24hr v 1.1 (uninstalled it)

4. Active Sky Next (uninstalled it)

5. Radar Contact 4.3 (unistalled it)

 

I reinstalled win7 and fsx because I had issues like:

 

1. Cannot TOGA

2. My Plane tends to go of course (even on  clear skies settings) when using active sky+REX 4DT

 

Fixes:

 

1. For TOGA: If you had copy pasted ENB series in your MSFS folder, delete the enb.cfg file, (which will make another .cfg file) or delete the whole enb files and you should be able to TOGA again...

 

enb won't be on again, but my plane over bloom effects, anyday! (I think this has something to do with its key mapping in the .ini file)

 

2. Haven't figured this one yet, but all i had to do to get back on course is to pause and unpause the sim

 

 

I hope this can help some of you guys that have issues Iike I did...

 

 

Now, I'm going to install Radar Contact 4.3 with its fsuipc and test it again (the version that comes with it, and the 4.9/latest version) and see whether the TOGA problems re appears...

 

Update: used the REX 4 DT with FSX real world weather (static), and it made me off course, gonna try revert and see what happens... if it still happens, gonna set turbulenceScale=0 in the cfg  or it might be hardware issues? I have already set NEVER to sleep mode in the OS..

 

Possibilities :

1. FSX real weather is not PMDG 777 "friendly? (reading from other posts)

2. hardware issues? if so, I managed to do the take-off-compressed time x8-landing in the tutorial (VRMM-OMDB) on clear skies

[arleeds 1]

Nope, wasn't the weather either still drifting off and losing alttitude on clear skies, had to pause and unpause to make it go back to course.

 

NB: using REX 4 Direct Texture with clear skies, TurbulenceScale=0 fsx.cfg

 

 

update:

Suspecting that the drifts and pausing and unpausing to be VAS, OOM issues, going to look for tweaks...

[Kattz 132]

Is your aircraft going off course during accelerated time-flights only?

[arleeds 1]

Is your aircraft going off course during accelerated time-flights only?

it did both, I think it is because of VAS and OOM,

 

So I tweaked the fsx.cfg file,

 

the things i changed:

 

[bUFFERPOOL]

UsePool=0  <----- before it was 8******** (8mb), 0 = using GPU as so it says in Word Not Allowed's blog

[JOBSCHEDULER]

AfinityMask=14 <------- turned off my HT when OC my cpu to 4.3Ghz @1.312v (ouch.. lucky i have a H100i to keep it below 60c on normal load, 29c-32c on no load)

TEXTURE_BANDWITDH_MULT=40 <------ from 120

UPPER_FRAMERATE_LIMIT=30 <------- using fsx's limiter, not using external fps lock

LOD =4.5

TurbulenceScale=1.0000

 

REX = using 1024 flat out on clouds (doesn't matter when setting: clearskies) and runways, using DXT5 than 32 bit

 

and i think its doing the job... doing the 777 tutorial run from VRMM to OMDB, using REX 4 Direct Texture but on clearskies at the moment, hasn't gone off course yet...

 

next will be trying with fsx real world weather (static)

 

and set vsync 1/2 on nvidia inspector to smooth out EZdok

 

Doesn't matter if have the latest components, FSX will eat it for breaky... do you have any suggestions to max my rig?

[Kattz 132]

Hmm... that rig should be able to push your FSX config easily.  Do you have the latest BIOS on the mobo?  Sometimes makes a difference in memory allocation.

 

I am away from my sim computer for the next two weeks while working away from home.  If you are still having issues in two weeks, PM me and I'll see if I can help tweak that up.

 

Meanwhile, have you cleaned up the system?

 

Recommendation - get the free CCleaner from Pirisoft and clean out the trash that a lot of other programs miss.  Then, optimize the registry with the same program.  You'll have to run the reg cleanup 4-5 times to make sure that everything is gone that is not needed any more.  Finally, with the same program, stop your background processes that are running unnecessarily and set up a selective startup so that stuff doesn't immediately start up if you are not needing it.  That helped my system a lot and the tool is free and safe.

[arleeds 1]

Hmm... that rig should be able to push your FSX config easily.  Do you have the latest BIOS on the mobo?  Sometimes makes a difference in memory allocation.

 

I am away from my sim computer for the next two weeks while working away from home.  If you are still having issues in two weeks, PM me and I'll see if I can help tweak that up.

 

Meanwhile, have you cleaned up the system?

 

Recommendation - get the free CCleaner from Pirisoft and clean out the trash that a lot of other programs miss.  Then, optimize the registry with the same program.  You'll have to run the reg cleanup 4-5 times to make sure that everything is gone that is not needed any more.  Finally, with the same program, stop your background processes that are running unnecessarily and set up a selective startup so that stuff doesn't immediately start up if you are not needing it.  That helped my system a lot and the tool is free and safe.

Thank you so much for the help and insights and your time, no I haven't, gonna install cc cleaner now-- err after this flight...

 

did get the latest 1402 bios and nvidia driver, might check it again...

 

so far so good on a 118/24 wind with 0.05 ANP to BIGBO(325) hdg 327 ... hope this baby gets me to Dubai...

 

Forget about intel burn test, just play fsx with activesky and rex maybe put in GTX to the mix with real weather and accelerate it 8-16x... lol

[arleeds 1]

Just suddenly dropped 1000ft with an altitude warning on EICAS, paused and unpaused it, and the plane recovers back to FL380... (not on compressed mode)  huh.. whats going on... Im sure the crew attention thingy is not screwing with me... or is it?

 

HDG 321 to GOLEM (323) ANP 0.07 with winds 272/25...

[Kattz 132]

If I had to guess, there's an issue with the wx package talking to FSX across simconnect.  My recommendation is not to use Opus wx if you are using it.  My personal experience is that Opus can cause the issues you are seeing when it updates a region.

[arleeds 1]

ahhh.. wasn't using OPUS wx, but it might be fsx it self updating the weather scheme, I was using real weather (static) though and REX with DXT5-DXT1 settings,

 

hmm maybe thats why i dont get jumps on short distance flights, but on longhaul like vrmm to omdb is a different story, once did a FEDEX run from KJFK-PANC but with out the extra graphics on a hp z200 with no worries.. temptations on a new rig.. add ons after addons.. 

 

Some say the T7 uses alot of VAS, and there's blackhole between VRMM and OMDB, all I know, I'm gonna fly the NGX with the Stig!!

 

update:

Holy crap, 1st time using the NGX on the new rig, looks so real... 

[Kattz 132]

Yes, she looks real.  Should try it with the tan cockpit!

[arleeds 1]

Yes, she looks real.  Should try it with the tan cockpit!

Soo.. after nights of restless sleeping, tweaking and research (hint: google), I found out, for a rig like mine (see below my PP), not able to even hit 30 fps on FSX limiter (Shift+Z, fps counter), something was not right..

 

I googled "fsx tweaks 2014", hoping that someone out there plays FSX with WX and PMDG,with a similliar rig, and found out that Matt Davies, a.k.a Belynz (youtuber) does... an i7 4770k 4.4Ghz 16MB DDR3 GTX780

 

Yes, I switched to DX10, considering I have an "up-to-date" rig... but it wasn't that smooth at the beginning... still below 30 fps with out the limiter.. FFS...

 

Frustrated, I deleted the content of my fsx.cfg and copy pasted his, (with out his sound device info)

 

Did all what he did in his youtube channel...

in the nvidia inspector settings whats different to his is that I set "single display performance" because I'm only using a single monitor..

 

60-ish fps pmdg 737ngx/777 with REX HD, maxed fsx default scenery (no vehicles except GSXs')...

 

Enabled fps limiter in Nvidia Inspector.. 29-30fps <---- when set widescreen=false, widescreen=True 24-27fps can cause jumps over limiter

 

I'm no fps-######.. I looked at it only to figure out whats my rig is doing, lucky I did..

 

The downside of this story is that EZDok doesnt like Vsync,and DX10, so in order to make it work, I had to switch back to dx9, set and save my settings and switch back to DX10 and do some minor adjustments/cam editing with froogles ecs file which he generously put in his facebook page for people to download..

 

Done all off the tweaking I can find (venetube, NickN, Word Not Allowed,) and at the end of the day(s), copy paste someones cfg file. 

 

Dont get me wrong, if it weren't for them, I wouldn't know how to tweak and even OC my rig... but some how along the way from my cave to getting a pack of smoke... "new rig, new components, new drivers,needs new tweaks..."

 

So.. back to VRMM-OMDB and EGKK-EHAM and test whether VAS, OOM problems still appears on these settings

 

I pray to GOD it won't... Insya Allah

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/tb9sv75ethgq4uh/2014-5-13_16-35-21-779.BMP

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/4frep76jxs3yo2h/2014-5-13_16-29-44-100.BMP

Edited May 13, 2014 by arleeds

[arleeds 1]

Yes, she looks real.  Should try it with the tan cockpit!

https://www.dropbox.com/s/hevq87ws4l3ifuh/2014-5-12_21-52-44-618.BMP

[Airjep 1]

Hi

 

When I have these problems it normally means that the win reg. database has not been updated correct.

Where is your fsx installed on what drive and where on the drive? 

Did you kill UAC in win7?

 

PMDG is doing a lot outside fsx when running and when it cannot find the right path it drifts and make all kind of funny things. Also not being an admin on W7 can create a lot of problems.

Flight1 have a small program on their homepage that can repair the W7 database for fsx that always helped me. But again be sure that your fsx folder and exe have admin rights.

 

Try this and see if that helps.

 

Jesper

[Kattz 132]

Please keep us posted on your progress!  I'm glad it's working out and am very interested in your results!

 

Best,

 

Kevin

[arleeds 1]

Hi

 

When I have these problems it normally means that the win reg. database has not been updated correct.

Where is your fsx installed on what drive and where on the drive? 

Did you kill UAC in win7?

 

PMDG is doing a lot outside fsx when running and when it cannot find the right path it drifts and make all kind of funny things. Also not being an admin on W7 can create a lot of problems.

Flight1 have a small program on their homepage that can repair the W7 database for fsx that always helped me. But again be sure that your fsx folder and exe have admin rights.

 

Try this and see if that helps.

 

Jesper

 

Did NickN bible, which means bare minimums, and "God" powers, my rig sole purpose is for fsx.. so yeah... updated BIOS, did it all... AND

I might have found the issues in relation with TOGA, and AP not following LNAV/VNAV path, been searching around the forums and stumbled on WINDOWS TIME Services affecting FSX.

I have been facing windows time services issues lately (Im sure it's common for ROG board owners), apparently whats causing these issues is the CMOS battery... When you're system time freezes, resets to the last time windows did an sync, you know this the CMOS battery you should be looking at...

 

What I see is that almost every 30 minutes or so, I have to pause and un pause the sim just so that I "wake" the AP in such a way so it can follow its path and do other "stuff".. unlike the NGX, the T7 has its system automated, almost everything is set on auto.. 

 

The TEST:

Un ticked "fsx follows system time for free flight"

 

Route EGKK-EHAM (tut NGX #1)

 

Planes : 

1. 737 9/800, 7/600 NGX

2. 777

 

Symptoms : cabin pressurization warning, not following LNAV/VNAV, TOGA not working 

 

 

Scenario 1

 

1. If you're at the gate, doing your preflight, boarding, Clearance and so on, it will probably take you atleast 20 minutes (standard fs2crew time), by the time you get to the runway, something happened to your system (assuming its the CMOS battery), "something" in your OS "restarts" (services or something else) FSX has a minor "hickup" forgets the thread on TOGA, so buy the time hit toga, it will hold the last post of your Physical throttle...

 

2. Skip the cold and dark, long or short preload, straight to the runway, loaded a company route, fuel, payload, before take of checklist, done under 5 minutes... TOGA, done... During take off, suddenly plane goes +4000 VS.., mid flight, AP fails to follow LNAV/VNAV path, cabin pressurization fail...

 

Each time this happens, I usually pause and un pause the sim, AP recovers.. back on track, like nothing happens

 

Now what I did is un ticked fsx follows system time, in services, using admin powers, windows time set to manual, just to make sure I would sync it manually, and not sync ing on its own...

 

Findings:

These issues occur when windows fails to keep time. My flight was 20 minutes long (using the planes chrono) failures show up, i quited FSX and check on the time.. My windows time has reseted back to the last time it sync.

 

The problem is not windows time it self, its just an indicator that something is not right with your (mine) system.. researched (hint:googled) and found out the most common problem in relations towards windows not keeping time is CMOS Battery.. And for ROG users, this is common (too long on the store shelf maybe?)

 

Finally, If someone has the same problems/ issues, try looking at the time and see if it sets back, because I know issues with TOGA sometimes relates to setups in .ini files from add-ons.

 

This is just a hypothesis, I will get back to you when I changed my CMOS battery (or mobo  :angry: ), 

Please for the love of PMDG, someone that has issues like i mentiioned and able to change their CMOS battery, and confirm that those issues has been resolved, please post here.. or make a thread/sticky

 

Because its THIS IS FSX, 1 problem down, 99 to go...