Windows 10, New computer and FSX

[KTMB 0]

Thanks for allowing me to join your ranks. I'm an old time user of FS and a former Air Force pilot. I started with FS 95, remember the square clouds? I've upgraded as the versions became available and finally settled on the 2004 version. It has been running perfect on XP on a six year old Dell. I bought FSX, Deluxe Edition, but the old Dell wasn't up to the task, poor graphics, so I continued to run 2004.

 

Just got a new Dell computer three days ago. It came loaded with Windows 10. I installed FSX and that's when the problems started.

The missions worked okay for a few minutes, maybe two or three then the screen would go black and I'd get a error message that said, "FS has experienced a problem and needs to shut down." Reboot, and try again. After about two minutes I'd get the same error message. Then things got worse. My computer would freeze and 'control-alt- delete wouldn't shut down FS.  All I could do was shut off the power and reboot.

 

Twice the computer froze when FS wasn't running. Reading some here I decided to try a re-install. I tried but FS would not uninstall. It would start then freeze and the screen would go black. I called Microsoft and they said" I had installed the program wrong". How is that possible? You put the #1 disc in then go to # 2. You can't do it "wrong" Nevertheless I tried another uninstall and was unable to uninstall FS. Every attempt would result in the computer freezing/seizing.

 

Today I contacted Dell. They did a diagnostic and found corrupted files and 'compatibility Issues". They tried to uninstall FS and couldn't. They finally wiped my machine and reinstalled everything. The computer now works perfect, again but I won't even consider trying to re-install FSX.

 

I've been reading here and it seems that most of you have had luck running FSX on Windows 10 that you installed from the free offer from the Internet but I haven't seen anyone who has tried FSX on a new computer that came with Windows 10 installed. Is there a difference? I was once a pretty good pilot but I'm a computer dummy/dinosaur and I don't have the skills necessary to diagnose what's wrong or what I need to do. I was impressed with the graphics I saw on FSX and would like to fly it but I fear it might not be compatible with a factory installed Windows 10 OS.

 

Any thoughts, suggestions, hints would be deeply appreciated.

 

Tom

[Cloudrider 4]

Hi Tom,

 

To be honest, from the symptoms you've detailed I would suggest the problem was with the PC / Operating System / Registry rather than FSX. Whether the issue was introduced with installing FSX or not would be debateable, but those higher level functional symptoms around Ctrl+Alt+Del etc. points towards Windows. So maybe you were just unlucky with the machine from Dell, or maybe the corruption came slightly later.

 

I would go for it and try reinstall / config again but bear in mind - be patient; don't go clicking around, hitting keys trying to get a response; wait for responses but not forever and do everything as cleanly as possible; follow instructions; If in doubt cancel and revisit.

 

Nige

[beechcaptain 109]

And don't install FSX to default folder in "\Programs (x86)\".  This can save some issues cropping up as well.

Always best to set to run as administrator and make sure UAC is shut down and turn off your AV/spyware programs as well when installing and running FSX to test. 

 

I'm sure you'll get it worked out and enjoy FSX!

 

Cheers,

 

Glenn

[dbw1 448]

I would suggest having a look at p3dV3. I'm pretty happy with it and had good luck with it.

Good luck with the new computer. Comments here on Win10 are generally pretty favourable. I'm picking up a new gaming laptop this week with Win10(my first exposure to it). Like you I started with flight sim a long time ago...1980s. Man, what an evolution for it.

[vc10man 732]

Hi Tom

 

I too run Windows 10 Pro 64-bit upgraded via the free MS offer from Win7 Pro 64-bit, and have installed FSX-SE and have had not a single glitch.

 

If you need any assistance, please feel free to PM and will do all I can to get you up, up, and away.

 

Incidentally, I too was in the Air Force(UK)but unlike you not aircrew. Line engineering.

[Anxu00 176]

I would suggest either go to FSX-SE or P3D, the choice of which really depends on your add-on investment if any.  My box FSX even refuses to install on my win7 box after MS did a bunch of updates to the OS.

[RLJR 14]

I have windows 10 and FSX. At first I had your problems and then after all the updates it is working OK. Do the windows updates until it says there are no more to do. Go to the video card manufacture site and check for updates. Do the control alt delete to bring up the Task Manager and select the start up tab. Disable all that is not needed. Run FSX then and see what happens. I suspect you will be OK.

Good luck,

RLJR

[magnetite 38]

If this is a hard freeze, where you can only undo it by hitting the reset or power button on your PC (not in Windows), it sounds like a hardware issue to me. I had this problem a few years with an older computer, where the whole system would freeze up. Couldn't move the mouse, couldn't do anything. The only way to get Windows back to working order was to push the reset button. Even then the issue kept coming back. Turned out to be my motherboard was going bad. Replaced it with a new one, and I haven't had an issue since. 

[Cat_Dad 17]

Tom,

 

As a former Air Force sim tech, (F-4E and F-111D) I too get lost in this new computer technology. It use to take a room full of computers and interfaces to run the sims with much less performance than from your Dell or my computer shop custom build. 

 

All the comments above are good places to look at and start from. My two cents to you would be to make a "copy" of the new reload that Dell did to your computer. Then you can go back to that if needed when you start having problems with FSX. For me personally, FSX is now almost like a brand new sim compared to how it ran on the older/slower machine. While my system is not a cutting edge technology, (i4790 @3.6, two 250 GB SSDs, (one for operating system and one for the sim,) 16 GB of DDR3 memory, and a GTX 980 video card. Windows 7 Pro). After hearing all the stories about Win 10, I will stay with Win 7 until I am forced to upgrade as I did with Win XP. I think  they always say, if it ain't  broke, don;t fix it. 

 

From what I have read in theses forums, it sounds like that new P3D3 program is the next step up over the 10 plus year old FSX program. Both of those programs are light years from the old Singer-Link GP-4B computers that powered  the F-4 and the F-111 sims. Yet his  same technology is what got us to the moon and back. Just think how much easier it would have been to have Dell or current similar computing power back then.

 

Again, make a copy of your operating system to bring  your computer back to factory fresh conditions. Then go out and have fun using FSX or what ever sim platform you decide to use. 

 

 

Terry

[KTMB 0]

Thank you all for the immediate and comprehensive help and advice.  I'll be toying with this for a couple of days and I'll let you know what transpires.  Learning Windows 10 is challenge enough at the moment so I'm putting FS on the back burner until I feel more confident.

 

In the interim I'll just be content to run FS 2004 on my old machine. I'm currently doing an around-the-globe trip in the Gooney. That should mollify me for a while at least. Thanks again and I'll check in often.

 

Tom 

[jmdriskell 178]

Dells come with lots of bloat ware.  When the operating system is expanded when you first fire up the machine, lots of problems can occur.  You might want to ask Dell for the Windows 10 install disks and do a clean install.  Or try this:  http://www.howtogeek.com/224342/how-to-clean-install-windows-10/

 

Good luck

[magnetite 38]

Dells come with lots of bloat ware.  When the operating system is expanded when you first fire up the machine, lots of problems can occur.  You might want to ask Dell for the Windows 10 install disks and do a clean install.  Or try this:  http://www.howtogeek.com/224342/how-to-clean-install-windows-10/

 

Good luck

 

In addition, you could use a program such as WinReducer 10 or WinToolkit to chop out the bloatware, and repackage it into a much slimmer installation.

[KTMB 0]

Just an update. I took some advice offered here, and shut off my anti-virus software, and moved to 'administrator' level and tried a reinstall of FSX today. Big problems. The install wizard started then a small window opened that read, "removing applications"  with a status bar graph. The computer made a sound as if the disc drive was spooling up. This continued for over ten minutes with no progress on the bar graph and the drive sound continued. There were no other signs of installation. No status, nothing but the message box. As suggested I didn't touch any keys or make any changes while this was going on. I let this continue for almost fifteen minutes before deciding something was wrong.

 

 I clicked on the cancel tab on that message box but it didn't stop or change anything. I tried closing the 'install wizard' but that didn't work either. Control- Alt- Delete did nothing. I went to the old default Alt-F4-Enter but the computer would not shut down and the "removing applications" window remained open and the disc drive still spinning. The status bar graph never progressed.

 

Okay, so what's next? Unplug the thing.  I did and let it rest for five minutes before trying a restart. Everything seems to work, no files missing, Internet connections good and no error messages. The computer seems to work fine.

 

Next step. I'm taking the computer to Best Buy along with FSX and asking the 'Geek Squad' to install it. Obviously I'm not smart enough or there is a problem with this new Dell machine. 

 

Can anyone shed light on the "removing applications" message?

 

As a side note, I've installed two other programs on this computer. Adobe Photo Shop and  Microsoft Office, both from installation CDs and both loaded perfectly and run correctly. No problems or issues with either program. Apparently there's something I'm missing with FSX or...?

 

Tom

[KTMB 0]

Latest update. I took the Dell back to Best Buy and the Geek Squad found several issues with it. They agreed that it had some problems and offered me three options.

1.Return it and they would ship me a new one.

 

2. A full refund.

 

3. Buy a different computer.

 

I opted for a new HP machine with a little more power than the Dell. And, it was $100.00 cheaper.

 

HP  750-114

Intel core i5 6400 CPU @ 2.7 GHz

64 bit OS X 64 based processor

2 TB Hard drive 

 

Should that run FSX?

 

I have not tried an install yet and Best Buy suggested I bring the computer back to them and let them install. Any thoughts on this option?

 

Tom

[VeryBumpy 272]

That new HP is certainly no powerhouse but should run vanilla FSX ok. Don't expect super high resolution or high graphics settings. Also, start adding anything but extremely light addons and FSX will start to choke badly.