PMDG 777 corrupting FSDT

[endeavor384 1]

The last time I did a computer reformat was 2011 and i just recently did one. After a total of 3 re-formats, i finally narrowed down the problem i was experiencing. I had FSDT GSX installed which works fine with the PMDG 737. As soon as I installed the PMDG 777, I noticed I now had floating objects. The ground service vehicles would be the guy floating and might have 4 wheels while tugging the baggage carts. The fuel truck was just a guy with a shadow below. Additionally after flights > 2 hours ( best I could figure without doing an extensive amount of flight tests- same results on 4 flights over 2 hours, different results after flights around an hour), the airport textures would be missing. This included the runway center line, threshold lines, everything. The terminal building may or may not have been there entirely (not addon). If the flight was only about an hour in length, I didn't notice any issues at all regarding the airport markings, but gsx would still be corrupt.

 

I ensured my gtx 690 had the latest drivers, that I had downloaded both the latest versions of FSDT and PMDG showed no updates in the ops center. Has anyone seen this before? I essentially cannot fly the 777 without it some how corrupting textures.

 

Items tried:

• delete fsx.cfg
• delete shader and shader10 files
• delete scenery indexes and facilities indexes
• after pmdg 777 install, re-install gsx
• uninstall 777 and uninstall gsx, install 777 then gsx and then re-do steps 1-3 above

No combinations of anything above work. Looking for any assistance if anyone has recommendations.

 

Regards

 

Mark Carter

[scandinavian13 5,192]

 

 

After a total of 3 re-formats

 

This is primarily why you haven't figured the issue out. The sim community seems to be obsessed with reformats for some reason. Instead of learning how to solve issues that are usually caused by the user, a reformat attempts to fix an issue by burning the whole thing down and starting over, only usually to find the same issue exists, again because it usually lies with the user. Reformatting habitually is also really hard on your hardware, and takes away a lot of otherwise productive time.

 

I haven't seen this issue before here in the forum, in the support queue, or on my own computer, so I'm thinking something else is at play here.

[kevinh 409]

This sounds more like symptoms of VAS getting near the limit than a corruption of GSX by the 777. The 777 consumes more memory (and therefore more VAS) than the NGX. Are you running FSX? If so try reducing other memory consuming things like photo realistic scenery. Alternatively you could improve VAS usage by switching to FSX-SE or P3Dv3.

[endeavor384 1]

Hi Kyle,

 

i appreciate your opinion regarding reformats, despite it being slightly demeaning.

 

My process to isolate was indeed to start fresh. The first time I did the reformat after 5 years was I installed items, loaded to ensure in fsx they loaded properly. It wasn't until I was done I noticed this issue. I had multiple sceneries and plane addons that I couldn't accurately start pointing a finger at something. So yes, my strategy was to reformat and try to isolate. Additionally it was necessary since I obtained a new SSD so the first one was required.

 

Do you have any recommendations as to what to check for maybe? Because at this point my sim is nothing more than fsx w/ sp1&2, gsx and pmdg 737.

This sounds more like symptoms of VAS getting near the limit than a corruption of GSX by the 777. The 777 consumes more memory (and therefore more VAS) than the NGX. Are you running FSX? If so try reducing other memory consuming things like photo realistic scenery. Alternatively you could improve VAS usage by switching to FSX-SE or P3Dv3.

At this point all that is on my system is fsx w/ sp1&2, gsx and pmdg 737. No reason memory should be in excessive usage here.

[endeavor384 1]

I guess I also need to be more clear in I'm not trying to point blame. Simply provided my troubleshooting steps, and asked two questions. Has anyone seen this before? And are there any recommendations?

 

I never had this before and used both PMDG and GSX. Just looking for any guidance if possible. Public shame/belittling not what I was looking for.

[scandinavian13 5,192]

 

 

Public shame/belittling not what I was looking for.

 

Based on your response earlier, I'm guessing this was an indirect reference to my post. Why? The community is obsessed with reformatting. This is a fact. Reformatting rarely fixes the stated issues of this community. This is also a fact. The statements earlier primarily referred to "the community" and "the user," followed by a plural "you" regarding how reformats are tough on hardware. In other words, something is being made personal, when it shouldn't be.

 

As for the actual, direct reference to 'you' in particular, regarding why the issue remains, this is also a fact. Someone has a leaky faucet and burns the house down in hopes that rebuilding the house might fix it. The leaky faucet returns, but since they razed the house to fix the issue, they didn't learn enough from attempting to fix the initial leaky faucet to fix this one. Again, a simple fact. Not sure where the shaming is occurring. If I was mistaken in assuming you were reformatting to fix the issue, then all that was necessary was clarification, as it seems you provided in your response.

 

 

 

And are there any recommendations?

 

Kevin offered one, and from your response I'm not sure it was fully understood. The NGX does not use as much VAS as the 777. From what I can tell in your first post, the behavior isn't shown with the NGX installed, but it does with the 777 installed. A later post notes that you do not have the 777 installed, but it's unclear if you see the issue here or not. If you're not seeing the issue, this would make sense, given the NGX's lower VAS footprint.

[endeavor384 1]

Hi Kyle

 

Backing up, I got a new SSD so first format was to use the HD. After installing everything, I noticed this texture issue. As I had over 15 total items installed, I needed to better identify what could be causing the issue. So I did a reformat so I could start fresh and test. The last reformat was to clear everything after I isolated the "action" of adding pmdg 777. So I now have just fsx, pmdg 737, GSX installed. I did have the 777 installed but I uninstalled when I saw the texture issue again. With the 777 uninstalled, the system is fine. My formats weren't to clear the problem, but to isolate. Once I could isolate then I could better research my options. That's why I came to the forum versus opening a service request.

 

I highly doubt, as I know you're very confident, that it's pmdg. My issue is that just something between the two don't agree with each other and that's where I was looking for help. I have exercised my limited knowledge of fsx troubleshooting.

 

While Kevin's recommended item is valid, I have no other addons that would be drawing VAS.

 

I know pmdg probably gets a lot of complaints and can be frustrating but yes, I do feel your very first sentence was belittling. But that's irrevant because it was your honest truth just perceived differently than you thought. I'm over it.

 

Some forums talk about this issue could be relating to advanced animations, which I have my doubts about. Doesn't PMDG recommend this enabled? I believe I recall this in the recommendations section of the manual.

 

I will go to fsdt over this too but my original post again was more open discussion seeing if other pmdg users experienced similar behavior and recommendations as to what to look for because outside of the shaders and scenery/facility indexes, I personally don't have a lot of troubleshooting experience with fsx.

 

Thanks

 

Mark carter

[Mike777 163]

 

 

So I now have just fsx, pmdg 737, GSX installed. I did have the 777 installed but I uninstalled when I saw the texture issue again. With the 777 uninstalled, the system is fine. My formats weren't to clear the problem, but to isolate. Once I could isolate then I could better research my options. That's why I came to the forum versus opening a service request.

 

Hi, Mark and everyone,

 

Just to clarify one point, are you saying that the issue arises when the PMDG 777 is running or when it is installed but not running?  If it's the latter, then the 777's VAS usage certainly has nothing to do with the problem, and the issue would appear to be something that installation of the 777 does something to some file(s) somewhere.  Although it is possible that the 777 is causing memory issues if you have set it as default startup aircraft, even if you switch immediately to another aircraft at startup.

 

 

 

Mike

[downscc 1,327]

i'm with Kevin on this one. Monitor VAS to see if that is a problem, at a minimum it needs to be ruled out because low VAS remaining will definitely cause the described symptoms.

[endeavor384 1]

Hi, Mark and everyone,

 

Just to clarify one point, are you saying that the issue arises when the PMDG 777 is running or when it is installed but not running? If it's the latter, then the 777's VAS usage certainly has nothing to do with the problem, and the issue would appear to be something that installation of the 777 does something to some file(s) somewhere. Although it is possible that the 777 is causing memory issues if you have set it as default startup aircraft, even if you switch immediately to another aircraft at startup.

 

 

 

Mike

Hi Mike,

 

Just being installed, the issue can be seen. As soon as it's uninstalled, back to normal. So if I fly pmdg 737 without it installed, no issues what so ever. If pmdg 777 installed but I'm still flying the 737, I get the same issue of floating gsx objects.

[Poppet 703]

Mark,  Run the Addon_Manager again.   Probably will do nothing but Process of elimination and all that 

[downscc 1,327]

Also be sure you have the HIGHMEM setting set per set up instructions in the PMDG Introduction documents.  Also, your reply did not address the concerns raised with VAS. Did you check this and rule it out?

[Mike777 163]

 

 

Just being installed, the issue can be seen. As soon as it's uninstalled, back to normal. So if I fly pmdg 737 without it installed, no issues what so ever. If pmdg 777 installed but I'm still flying the 737, I get the same issue of floating gsx objects.

 

Hi, Mark,

 

Just to rule out what would be easy fixes,

 

1)What aircraft do you have set as your startup aircraft (what shows in the window of the opening screen before you do anything)?

 

2) Do you have the HIGHMEM fix per Dan's question?

 

Mike

[endeavor384 1]

Also be sure you have the HIGHMEM setting set per set up instructions in the PMDG Introduction documents.  Also, your reply did not address the concerns raised with VAS. Did you check this and rule it out?

 

 I ran the VAS program as outlined by PMDG's knowledge index. w/o 777, it got to 1,973,648k so well within range. With the 777 installed it hit 2,384,528K; again well within range.

 

 

So I did the following: uninstall GSX, (777 not installed), delete the fsx.cfg, shaders, and scenery/facilities indexes, installed 777 - HIGHMEM in place after manual insertion. Doesn't appear it auto did it but like the manual indicated, may not. Honestly, I may have missed it. I know last time I had to do reformats I had it there but seems I completely forgot about it. So I loaded fsx with PMDG 777, let everything initialize and stabilize, restarted PC, installed GSX, loaded fsx and noticed displays as they should have been. 

 

A million thanks to everyone to the advice. I greatly appreciate all of your time in assisting. I figured it had to be something simple because they worked perfectly fine before with no issues. Again, thank you all.

[downscc 1,327]

Very good. FSX needs the HIGHMEM as you learned. Thanks for sharing the solution because it will help others.