How I solved MY OOM FSX problem

[Artur Munteanu 1]

First of all I must say that with 777 and last version of 737 NGX was really impossible to fly latley. On every flight an OOM occure. So I do a research on web, and make my own setting with some tools found. Now my FSX configuration is:

• FSX SP2
• GROUND ENVIROMENT X
• ULTIMATE TERRAIN X EUROPE
• REX 4 TEXTURE DIRECT
• GSX FOR GROUND SERVICE
• WOAI for AI traffic at 100%
• other traffic at 10%
• PMDG 737 NGX
• AirbusX

 

My system is:

• Win 7 64 bit SP1
• Hard disk 1 terr
• Video Card GE Force GT420
• RAM 8gb
• Processor Intel I5-2500 3.30Ghz

So as you can see is not a high-end system.

 

Texture set to 2048 with "texture Max load editor" so I don't have to meesup with fsx.cfg file (just google to download it).

I also use "memory cleaner" to free my memory usage.Under option I check only "trim process working set every 5 minute" and "clear system cache every 5 minutes". All other option let uncheck. Also google to find the software.

 

The very IMPORTANT thing I done is this:

 

I've download the "Explore Suite" from "http://www.ntcore.com/exsuite.php". This software allows you to modify "FSX.EXE" to handle more than 2GB adress space with 64 bit OS. Is very simple:

 

1. Download and install
2. Make a copy of you're "fsx.exe" (VERY IMPORTANT)
3. Lounch Explore Suite and open the file "fsx.exe" You should see a window with more options
4. On the left column under fsx.exe click to "file header"
5. you should see now on the right under "Meaning" a voice called "click here"
6. Just do it (click here)
7. This will open a menu with various voices to check. Don't touch anything alse BUT only check the voice "App can handle >2gb address space"
8. Click OK
9. Save all with the icon of floppy on the top bar.

Important: this is valid only for 64bit OS and NOT for 32bit OS!

 

For those wich use "Ultimate Traffic 2" I really have to say that even with traffic at 25% selected you will encounter OOM problem. I have to uninstall my UT" because with all the config was impossible to fly without an OOM. So I put the WOAI traffic in fsx. Unfortunally UT2 is a huge memory eating software, and for ex. at EGLL London X from Aerosoft or Dubai International from Fly Tampa I was only capable to land , and then wasn't able to taxi, because an OOM occure.

 

This was my solution for OOM in FSX. I've made several days of test and I have to say that now I am able to fly again without any OOM.I hope will be a help for some of you also.

 

 

[~Craig~ 10]

Some good ideas.   I've used Explorer Suite with other sims that really benefitted from it (like the OMSI bus simulator) but I was under the impression it wouldn't make any difference to FSX, as FSX uses the maximum (up to 4GB) memory allocation that it's able to (as a 32 bit software), from Win 64 bit anyway.

 

With OMSI, the base software that the game was written with, limited memory usage to 2GB, and Explorer Suite was able to extend this.

[Artur Munteanu 1]

The point was that tired of numerous OOM I stop the sim and ask myself: "Wait a minute, do I want to fly or do I want to see the high ultra plus SHD movies???" So I said that the pourpose of the sim was to fly, if I wanna see scenery in SHD I look at bluray movies or at HD TV. SO I make a compromise to quality and performance. I choose the last one. Unfortunally I have to renounce at UT2, but I must say that the WOAI makes his job also. I don't say that this is the ultimate solution to OOM, but it could help maybe.

[ST1322 10]

I must say that UT2 takes from 150 to 200 of VAS. I wonder how other ai solutions work - like My Traffic Pro. Any one knows?

[Heronjr 3]

Hi Artur,

 

Nice try!

 

At the present moment, as there is no way to blow the VAS 4GB barrier, we are all searching for a magic that, at least, maintain more than 300MB alive at the end of our flights. Some say there is a constant VAS leak during the use of the PMDG-T7 in order that, after 2 hours things go fast toward the OOM.

 

In my side, I do not try T7 long hauls greater than 3 hours, but I can fly my NGX pretty well, always ending with 1.2 to 1.5GB remaining VAS. So, I may conclude there is really a kind of a queer behavior with the T7 which eats up VAS. Therefore, I cannot understand your problem with specifically the NGX.

 

You've touched a sensible point which is the AI management. Since long, AI has being pointed as one of the main memory eaters and, till today, 25% is the average maximum recommended by software vendors, FSX tweak masters and sorcerers. So, you also do not recommend the use of a commercial AI manager in favor of a simpler one.

 

There are other factors that should be considered, as the global scenery used and the destination airport complexity. For instance, flying the PMDG-T7 from BIKF-Reykjavik to Aerosoft EDDL-Dusseldorf there is a great chance you'll OOM near Amsterdam, no matter what scenery you have there. In the case you survive Amsterdam, your T7 will really have a hard time approaching EDDL.

 

It would be very interesting if you measure the initial and final VAS quantity with the FSUIPC memory counter using FSX.exe with and without Explore Suite. Initially, avoid OOMs choosing a flight of 1 or 1.5 hs. Than fly 2 hours and go on adding time. If there is really a big difference in the remaining VAS using Explore Suite, without changing any other factor, then we can say we've reached somewhere.

 

For sure I will try this software and hope be back here with good news. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

Best,

[tf51d 284]

This will open a menu with various voices to check. Don't touch anything alse BUT only check the voice "App can handle >2gb address space"

Click OK

Save all with the icon of floppy on the top bar.

 

Important: this is valid only for 64bit OS and NOT for 32bit OS!

 

If you have FSX SP2 installed, then this should already be done. Only FSX RTM and FSX SP1 needed you to set this manually. Also your statement that setting the large address aware bit is only valid on 64bit OS is completely wrong. In fact  if you have a 32bit OS (Like I have) setting the "Large address aware bit"  is a necessity! You also need to set he USERVA in your boot.ini. for it to work. (This is not needed with 64bit OS). Without this you will only have 2GB VAS available to FSX 32bit or 64bit. With it set you free up to 3GB for 32 bit OS and the full 4GB VAS for 64bit OS. As I stated, though, if you have FSX SP2 or Acceleration .installed, it should already be set.

 

Tom Cain

[Artur Munteanu 1]

IMPORTANT:

 

At point 7 I have to make a correction: It must also to unceck the option "32 bit word machine" for OS 64 bit.

 

 

 

If you have FSX SP2 installed, then this should already be done. Only FSX RTM and FSX SP1 needed you to set this manually. Also your statement that setting the large address aware bit is only valid on 64bit OS is completely wrong

I don't know how it should be done for a 32bit OS. I only know that you cannot make this modify with a 32bit OS, because there is a risk to change the boot option (bcdedit).

Also SP2 didn't change the usage of 2GB barrier of fsx.exe

"Microsoft released another service pack for Flight Simulator X about the same time as its expansion pack (below). The update is primarily for Vista users that have DirectX 10- (DX10) compatible graphics adapters. This version takes advantage of DX10's improved shader model and more pixel pipelines and increased performance for Vista, approaching overall FSX performance on XP. It also adds the capability for players who do not have the expansion pack to participate in multiplayer activities with users of the expansion pack, along with support for multi-core processors.^[13][14] FSX-SP2 also fixes some more bugs over the original release of Flight Simulator X. SP1 is not compatible with SP2 or Acceleration in Multiplayer. People with SP1 cannot enter a session with players who have SP2 or Acceleration in Multiplayer. According to the documentation, users are required to install SP1 before installing SP2." (sourse wiki)

They never talk about fsx.exe application can use more then 2Gb adress space. Don't know where you take that information.

[cmpbellsjc 2,960]

They never talk about fsx.exe application can use more then 2Gb adress space. Don't know where you take that information.

Trust us, FSX is large address aware since SP2 even through the wiki page you looked at doesn't mention it. Any developer who, including Pete Dawson who has been developing FSUIPC for FSX the past 7 years will tell you the same.

 

Just google "FSX SP2 large address aware" and you'll get a ton of results confirming the fact.

 

 

Sean Campbell

[Artur Munteanu 1]

 

Maybe, I'm not an expert, but also you trust me as since I have quit UT2 and make the change with explorer suite, I've never had OOM. Maybe it's a coincidence, or maybe not, hwo knows? As I have mentioned before, I don't say that THIS is the ultimate solution (the topic title say "MY OOM PROBLEM and not OOM PROBLEM), I only want to share my personal experience, since it works for me. Maybe works for someone else to.

Unfortunally I don't have FSUIPC reg. version, so I cannot make all the test, but maybe someone else can meke all the test and come with some news.

 

 

 

[tf51d 284]

 

 

Maybe, I'm not an expert, but also you trust me as since I have quit UT2 and make the change with explorer suite, I've never had OOM. Maibe it's a coincidence, or maybe not, hwo knows? As I have mentioned before, I don't say that THIS is the ultimate solution, I only want to share my personal experience, since it works for me. Maybe works for someone else to.

 

If your Large Address Aware bit wasn't set on your FSX.EXE file, then I would say, You either didn't install SP2 before you set it with CFF Explorer, or if you did install SP2 first, something went wrong with your SP2 installation. You may want to verify the installation, as that bit should have been set if SP2 was installed correctly. You should be able to check by looking in your program and feature list in your control panel. If It should say Microsoft Flight Simulator SP2. If you select the view  installed updates, you should see SP1 and the RTM (It won't say that ) as well.

 

Tom Cain

[Artur Munteanu 1]

 

Well I do a research and here: http://www.iflysimx.com/topic/274-large-address-aware/ I found an intresting point : it say that FSX with SP2 HAS infact the ABILITY to use 4GB instead of 2GB, BUT... "The FSX uses basically only 2GB of RAM, it doesn't matter if you have a 64-bit OS or a 32-bit OS!" So in order to benefite for it, it must be given the input to fsx.exe, that's why they recomand the "explorer suite", it seems to me like an engine car wich say" ok I have the ability to move the car, but you must insert the key in order to start".

So wich is the truth?

If your Large Address Aware bit wasn't set on your FSX.EXE file, then I would say, You either didn't install SP2 before you set it with CFF Explorer, or if you did install SP2 first, something went wrong with your SP2 installation. You may want to verify the installation, as that bit should have been set if SP2 was installed correctly. You should be able to check by looking in your program and feature list in your control panel. If It should say Microsoft Flight Simulator SP2. If you select the view  installed updates, you should see SP1 and the RTM (It won't say that ) as well.

 

Tom Cain

Sorry man but I have installed SP2 since it comes out, with all the newer version of add-on wich doesn't even allow you to install if you have no SP2 installed. Trust me, there is nothing wrong with my SP2. nI wonder why if a person try to help there is allways someone wich must say that is something wrong with his software... Forget it man, my fault if I was coming with some ideas. In fact I don't even care if someone else has OOM errors, I'm happy that I can fly without it. B)

 

BTW, my FSX version is : 10.0.61472.0 (fsx-sp2.20071210-2023)

Also I forgot to mention under add-on that I also have "accu Feel (A2A)" and RAAS PRO, REX Essential plus OV (for WX) and REX 4 for texture, and under scenery I have tons of airports from aerosoft, fly-tampa and LSH (LHBP).

Now if I didn't have SP2 as you say, oir maybe my SP2 is installed corrupted, I am the first in the FSX History wich can use all these add-ons without SP2 installed or corrupted!!!

Trust me man, I'm not a yesterday user, I use FSX since the release date in later 2006. So let's stop fantasticate come back on earth with the problem of OOM, wich is doesn't seems to me that no one of the "expert" find any solution. At least I try to give one :wink:

[tf51d 284]

Well I do a research and here: http://www.iflysimx....-address-aware/ I found an intresting point : it say that FSX with SP2 HAS infact the ABILITY to use 4GB instead of 2GB, BUT... "The FSX uses basically only 2GB of RAM, it doesn't matter if you have a 64-bit OS or a 32-bit OS!" So in order to benefite for it, it must be given the input to fsx.exe, that's why they recomand the "explorer suite", it seems to me like an engine car wich say" ok I have the ability to move the car, but you must insert the key in order to start".

 

So wich is the truth?

 

Did you bother reading the comments below that post? The ones that say FSX SP2 is already LAA? I think you are mixing up RAM vs VAS, they are 2 different things When we talk about  an application being Large Address Aware, we are referring to it's Virtual Address Space (VAS) not the actual Physical memory (RAM). In fact you can run a LAA App on a system with only 2GB RAM. The system manages what to use in memory (RAM) and what to page out to your Virtual Memory  (VM Not to be confused with VAS) or as it's also called Page file. VAS is a the virtual address range that the OS allocates to each process. This is how you are able to run multiple processes on your computer at the same time. Each process is allocated the same VAS size. for a 32bit App it's 4GB, whether it's a 32 or 64bit OS. The normal limit is 2GB for the app with the remaining 2GB reserved for the system. The LAA bit allows the APP to allocate for itself a larger space. Up to 3GB out of the 4. for a 32bit OS, how much is set in the systems Boot.ini file with the /USERVA switch or the /3GB switch for WinXP systems and the full 4GB VAS for 64bit OS's.  

 

Tom Cain 

[cmpbellsjc 2,960]

Texture set to 2048 with "texture Max load editor" so I don't have to meesup with fsx.cfg file (just google to download it).

 

Since your running GSX that tool you downloaded is not necessary and if you make any changes in the sim during the flight, the 2048 will get reset back to 1024. A better way since you have GSX installed would be to open the Addon Manager and set your 2048 there and that value will stay forever even if you make changes using the menu during the flight. Addon Manager is the only program out there that will continuously keep that value set regardless of what you do.

 

Also, if you want to really conserve VAS, ditch the 2048 and run 1028 for even further memory savings. The difference in appearance will be negligible.

 

 

For those wich use "Ultimate Traffic 2" I really have to say that even with traffic at 25% selected you will encounter OOM problem.

I dont. I run UT2 at 85% and never encountered an OOM due to that. In addition I have all the WOAI cargo packages installed and run those at 100% to make sure they all show up.

 

 

 

I have to uninstall my UT" because with all the config was impossible to fly without an OOM. So I put the WOAI traffic in fsx. Unfortunally UT2 is a huge memory eating software, and for ex. at EGLL London X from Aerosoft or Dubai International from Fly Tampa I was only capable to land , and then wasn't able to taxi, because an OOM occure.

 

The UT2 module shouldn't use much memory. In actuality, ditching UT2 and going to WOAI is probably a worse move as the WOAI models aren't even FSX native models and will perform worse than FSX native models. Also if you download the WOAI packages that are titled as FSX packages, they include textures that are even larger than the UT2 textures which will consume more memory, plus they are still not FSX native models even thought the package says it's for FSX.

 

One other note about WOAI that you may not know. When you install the packages and then convert the flight plans to FSX format, assuming that you did that, if you look at the recompiled flight plans that are included you will see that a lot of flights at set to show at a 0% setting which means that if your traffic slider is set as low a 5%, you will still get a lot of traffic sshowing. Some of the flight plans from some packages are randomized better so that the AI slider will actually work, but some packages are set to show 100% traffic no matter where your slider is.

 

WOAI while being a great package, especially for FS9 users is much less efficient AI package than UT2 is. Between some of them including larger textures, the FS9 models and the fact that it uses .bgl based traffic files makes it a lot less customizable than UT2 which uses simconnect to inject the traffic. In addition, in the UT2 UI, you can customize the amount and distance for the AI to spawn which can lead to using less memory and you can also set the max altitude for which the traffic on the ground won't display, again saving memory usage and FPS.

 

Anyway, I'm glad that all that stuff, some of which is not necessary that you originally posted, is working for you, but I wanted to let you know what you really did and what's going on behind the scenes, especially related to your AI traffic.

 

 

Sean Campbell

[tf51d 284]

I dont. I run UT2 at 85% and never encountered an OOM due to that. In addition I have all the WOAI cargo packages installed and run those at 100% to make sure they all show up.

 

Same here, I ran UT2 at 100% AI and hadn't have OOM issues, and that's with the 777, NGX on a Vista 32Bit OS system. I did switch to WOAI (Also at 100% airline AI) because of the way UT2 injects traffic I found to be the source of micro stutters and pauses in the sim from time to time. No such issue with WOAI. I have just recently switched to using  FSX-SE, which I think ultimately (As well as P3D V2.5 which appears to be just as efficient) with it's improved VAS management is the way forward, in terms of avoiding OOMs, at least until P3D goes 64bit. While I haven't had a big OOM issue with FSX Classic. (Although it had happened a few times.) Since moving to FSX-SE I never even come close. Except when the destination is KLAX runway 25R/L with the T7, which is discussed and acknowledged as a source of a VAS leak in another thread.by PMDG. Problem appears to be with the last few cycles on Navigraph data for those approaches.

 

Tom Cain

[signmanbob 592]

If you look into the manual for the NGX, Ryan made a great guide for tweaking FSX to prevent OOMs. One of his suggestions was to use Bojote's web tool at http://www.venetubo.com/fsx.html

 

Also download and use this Scenery Config Editor tool http://sourceforge.net/projects/fs-sceditor/ and only activate scenery that you are using for your flight.

Many new airports come with a lot of photo-real scenery and any photo-real scenery loads into FSX even if you are not near the airports. This burns up VAS.

 

I was fortunate to have Ryan actually get into my computer and tweak everything. I must have just caught him in an especially good mood, because after he fixed up my computer (which was before the T7 was released), I have never had an OOM, not even with the T7 (unless I didn't follow his instructions).

That said, I do have something that is leaking memory when I fly over southern California, especially the San Diego area. Until I figure out what it is, I just have to stay away from there.

I see that all of the instructions that he gave me on OOMs are in the manual for the NGX.