FSX-MS FSX Problem When Minimized

[Dane Watson 38]

I have noticed sometimes when I minimize FSX to the taskbar and then go back to the taskbar to reopen it FSX refuses to open, I then have no choice but to force a close.

I read somewhere that this is a known problem with Win. 7 and 10.
Does anyone have any fixes for this?

[electricman 5]

I have this problem to but after enough clicks on the taskbar's FSX icon as on the screen it reopens again. I use opusFSI for the weather and the latest version4 opens a little window sometimes causing FSX to minimize, I have W7 and didn't find a solution nowhere yet, it has to do with the focus being drawn away from a window to another and it looks like W7 can't multitask. I asked the dev from Opus to change the window back to in game to get rid of the problem, he promised me an update this week.

Herman

[airernie 263]

I have the issue occasionally and found, at least for me, the best solution was to open Process Explorer, right click on  FSX, select 'Window' then 'maximize'.

Ernie

 

 

[diajohn 164]

I right click on the taskbar icon then choose FSX.

[Bozdog 63]

HI Dane,   I am not at home at the moment,  but I think its something like Press CTRL & ENTER together, or SHIFT & ENTER    that normally sorts for me. (Or clicking on it in the task window about 10 times!)

If that's not the solution let me know, I have it written down somewhere at home.  Might even be CTRL ALT and ENTER  or CTRL SHIFT ENTER,  I am almost certain ENTER is one of the Keys !

 

Cheers

 

[Dane Watson 38]

12 hours ago, Bozdog said:

HI Dane,   I am not at home at the moment,  but I think its something like Press CTRL & ENTER together, or SHIFT & ENTER    that normally sorts for me. (Or clicking on it in the task window about 10 times!)

If that's not the solution let me know, I have it written down somewhere at home.  Might even be CTRL ALT and ENTER  or CTRL SHIFT ENTER,  I am almost certain ENTER is one of the Keys !

 

Cheers

 

Thanks Bozdog, whenever it happens again I will try out your suggestions - but it doesn't  happen that often, just that when it does happen it is really annoying.

[Dane Watson 38]

14 hours ago, airernie said:

I have the issue occasionally and found, at least for me, the best solution was to open Process Explorer, right click on  FSX, select 'Window' then 'maximize'.

Ernie

 

 

Thanks Ernie, I'll check that out.

[Dane Watson 38]

16 hours ago, airernie said:

I have the issue occasionally and found, at least for me, the best solution was to open Process Explorer, right click on  FSX, select 'Window' then 'maximize'.

Ernie

 

 

It just now happened - I was prepared with Process Explorer. Did what you suggested and yes, it worked.

But the question is why does this happen?

[DaveCT2003 1,820]

Can you please post your system specs?

You didn't mention it, but are you running in the Full Screen or Windowed Mode?  I remember this issue with Windows 7 in Full Screen, but I've never seen it using the Windowed Mode under Windows 7 and Windows 10.  Due to working development and Beta Testing many products, I averaged 4 to 8 full flights (2 or 3 hours) per week for about 12 years and as I said I've never seen this in Windowed Mode.

Running FSX in the Windowed Mode is highly recommended, and there is a tweak to get rid of most if not all of the surrounding border.

If you're having this in the Windowed Mode, here are a few things to try:

- Update your graphics drivers.

- Ensure you're running FSX "As Admin".

- Ensure you have the HIGHMEMFIX=1 in your FSX.CFG file.

- Chage your Sound LOD to 1 in your FSX.CFG.

- Monitor you Frame Rate just before minimizing and see if it's in the single digits. If so, you probably need to groom your system/simulator and/or reduce graphic settings.

- You might also try using Alt-Enter to see if that works for you.

 

[ARCO 245]

Dane, I too had this problem - using fullscreen mode with Windows 10 (and 7 prior to that) -, but found that Alt+Ent, eventually having to repeat it, would do the job each time rather than using the "Maximise" command which would never work.

Now Dave, you raised an interesting point given your IT background, without hijacking Dane's topic, could you shed some light on the benefits of using Windowed mode, I read several threads here and elsewhere regarding this and realised that opinions were about 50/50, no clear advantage (I for one could not see any but I am no IT guru...)

Many thanks and good luck Dane.

[electricman 5]

It always happens in full screen mode, windowed mode is difficult to apply since Vsync doesn't work anymore then. I have a 60hz refresh rate on my monitor and use 1/2 vsync in NVidia inspector and therefore limit frames to 30 in FSX, that would be all for nothing then?

Herman

[SteveW 1,792]

When in fullscreen (Exclusive Mode) another app disturbing the windows z order can leave FSX missing from the desktop as it is hidden in fullscreen mode. Pressing ALT+ENTER is the switch between fullscreen and windowed mode. Pressing the combination twice (or thrice) is the operating system way of "measuring the available fullscreen space" and should bring back the missing FSX window as it goes through windowed mode and back.

[airernie 263]

7 hours ago, DaveCT2003 said:

but I've never seen it using the Windowed Mode under Windows 7 and Windows 10. 

Windowed is all I ever use and it probably happens every couple of weeks or so.

Fortunately in my case it usually happens during the loading sequence, so it doesn't interrupt my flight.

[SteveW 1,792]

That seems more like the window cords off screen which can also happen again from another app altering the z order. The ALT+ENTER combination pressed twice should always bring it back.

[airernie 263]

Thanks Steve,

I'll give the key sequence a try the next time it happens.

Ernie