As many know, I had a nasty CTD (Crash To Desktop) problem 6 months ago. I seemed to have solved it with a new system (Yeah, it was overkill)So I'm happily using AFCAD2 and TTools. Here is how the CTD happened last weekend:1) Used a 3rd party AFCAD2 file for KSJC. I usually add the AI first and then do a flyover in the sim and inspect the parking. After that, I will open AFCAD and edit the 3rd party file, re-naming the parking to avoid duplicates, and to create or edit parking. This time I went direct to AFCAD, openned file, and edited to meet my needs.2) I did the inspection flyover with a Shockwave B-24. I launched from KSJC.3) I ended the flight. The black screen lasted about 30 sec. I had a sudden doomed feeling. The "Flight Sim has encountered a problem and needs to close" box appeared. I ended the sim.4) Started a new session with Shockwave P-51D from KSJC. Session lasted 30 sec when CTD occurred with same "problem" box from Microsoft.5) Removed AFCAD2 KSJC file from Addon Scenery folder.6) De-compiled and re-compiled traffic .bgl with TTools.7) Flew Shockwave P-51D from AFCAD2-modified KSAN to same KPHX. No problems8) Flew dependable Abacus F-18 from same KSAN to now default KSJC (but with all the AI added). CTD occurred approx 120 mi. south of KSJC.9) Tried to start a flight originating from KSJC. The flight tried to load (default Learjet) but "problem" box appeared about 30 sec later, and CTD.10) Removed all parking from KSJC with AFCAD. 11) Removed KSJC data from airport file12) Removed 3 aircraft entries from aircraft file TTools decompiles that I added prior to the CTDs. They were the Tu-204 TNT from Aardvark, Dash 8-400 Horizon from PAI, and the FSP A340-300 Cathay Pacific texture. Air France textured A343 has been flying fine from modifed PHX for months.13) Launched flight from KSJC with Shockwave P-51D to Sacramento with absolutely no CTDs or other problems.Sorry for long post. But it seems to me this sequence indicates either a bad AI ac, or somehow a bad AFCAD file. But even after I deleted the modified file from Addon Scenery, the CTDs continuedto get worse until steps 10-12 were accomplished.Very Wierd! Just like the first wrestling match with the CTDs.Any thoughts, feedback is welcome. The only addons I use are AI ac from FSP, PAI, Aardvark, Tomkiewicz-Waldron. The only question around AI ac are the last 3 I removed. All flyables have worked fine and none were added just prior to the CTDSo before I go experimenting in my own, I thought I'd post this.Thanks again for reading it!!Rick

Hi there Rick,CTDs with preceding relatively long black screens and MS "problem boxes" are often caused by bad (third party) addon scenery objects on the ground but these always take place when flying over the same area at the same altitude or lower. In these cases one of the the scenery .bgl and the related texture files somehow cause a conflict, resulting in CTDs but always when approaching the same position from any direction.Have you tried this out yet ? Have you tried flying over the "problem area" at a higher altitude ?I've been messing around with AFCAD files (I always make my own based on the stock airport) and TTools for years but have never encountered your specific types of problem, in any case not as any direct result of that "messing around".I hope this reaction can direct your thoughts to other possibilities because I'm convinced that your problems are not related to AFCAD files or AI aircraft tracks created via TTools.RegardsHans

Thanks for the response, Hans.Your post does send me in a different direction. Then you thinkthe CTD was caused by a piece of scenery, or texture that was inthe AFCAD2 file, or in the aircraft texture file?I've checked for duplicate AFCADS. There are none. Could a bad AIaircraft texture file cause the CTD?So now that everything seems to work OK again. I'm going to re-insertKSJC into the airport txt file, and just gradually rebuild the AI, and the parking to KSJC until the problem is isolated.Thanks again, Hans!Rick (KMKE)

Hi Rick,I assume that you are using FS9 but FS2002 can also cause your type of CTDs due to currupted ground scenery textures. However, in FS9, a stand alone AFCAD (AF2_ ...bgl) file has no relation with any texture files nor should any bad AI-aircraft texture files be able to cause your CTDs. If any aircraft (AI or normal) has corrupted texture files then this should immediately show up in the picture of it when selecting the aircraft concerned. All AI and other aircraft should be visible with their normal liveries or paint jobs and if this is the case then there is nothing wrong with any of those aircraft. Have a go at selecting them all in turn, just to check their texture integrities.Duplicate AFCAD information will only cause AI-aircraft to not be able to correctly taxi along the addon taxiways or park in the correct places etc. depending on which of the duplicate AFCAD information is used by FS. In fact, many addon airport scenery authors have embedded AFCAD information into one or more of their scenery ...bgl files and these are quite often difficult, if not impossible to remove without destroying the airport scenery itself. When you have edited any AFCAD information and saved it as an AF2_...bgl file, always use the "fault finder" functionality to check the edited data before actually using it because undetected errors can cause unexpected AI behavior but, as far as my experience goes, no CTDs.Where do you save your AF2_...bgl files ? When selecting an airport ICAO code in Lee Swordy's AFCAD system you should be able to see all AFCAD information sources of the airport concerned, one of which should be the "stock" airport from standard FS and any other "MODs" depicting other addon AFCAD information sources concerning the same airport. When you select these "Mods" in turn you will see the ... bgl file names at the top of your screen and sometimes it can help to delete these files from the addon airport scenery folder, leaving your own AF2_...bgl file in place together with the "stock" one. But again, deleting such scenery ...bgl files will sometimes destroy the addon airport scenery itself. It remains a question of trial and error.However Rick, I still believe that your CTDs are not caused by conflicting AFCAD information or (AI) aircraft textures but by one or more corrupted scenery textures, either in the addon airport scenery itself or in other addon ground scenery textures in the area and this can only be correctly ascertained by flying around and trying to find the position where the CTD occurs. When you can confirm that the CTD always occurs at the same position then you should save the flight just before the CTD position so that you do not have to take off again and again to reach that position. After that it becomes a question of deleting scenery textures in turn and re-starting your test flight in order to find out which texture causes the CTD. Obviously, if the CTD occurs again you should re-instate the deleted texture and try the next one. When you find the offending texture, then deleting it definitely, should not be a problem because it will not have shown up correctly anyway because it was corrupted.As a last resort I'm afraid you may have to contact the author and/or to find another version of the scenery and/or to delete the whole scenery and accept the loss.Good luck !!HansHolland

Hey:Interesting that you mention that... I am having the same problem in the area between San Juan (Puerto Rico) and St. Thomas. What's interesting about my instance is that it doesn't happen right away when I fly in the area, it happens after being there a certain amount of time (for example, I can almost complete a full pre-flight sitting at SJU, but when I taxi I either get an FS error screen or a CTD). Same on approach, I had a CTD just South of TJSJ. What's odd is that I've used the scenery for the longest time on a previous FS install without one problem, and now this... It's odd stuff indeed. I am going to try mix-and-match with the version of the scenery I have installed in my other FS9 installation (on my external hard drive) to see if that fixes anything.All I know is that since reinstall my FS has been a total headache, what used to work perfectly fine before is now hopelessly broken.Daniel P.http://www.precisionmanuals.com/images/forum/supporter.jpgMember of SJU Photography. [A HREF=http://www.jetphotos.net/showphotos.php?userid=9004]Click Here[/A] to view my aircraft photos at JetPhotos.Net!The official psychotic AA painter. :)

I get the same thing at EGLL. AIPlayr.dll is cited as the culprit. So far I have tried to troubleshoot everything in sight to no avail.-----------------------------------------Sergey Kireyevhttp://www.precisionmanuals.com/images/forum/pmdg_pf.jpg

KSEA to KHSD at about the area where there is approx. 1262 miles left to go, CTD 3 times now in the exact same spot. I'm trying different things also.

Hey Daniel,Could it be that it's not really a question of time after which your CTDs occur but rather that they occur as soon as corrupt scenery textures come into view, e.g. when you turn a corner while taxiing or when you fly over or approach such scenery at low altitudes. Scenery (corrupt or otherwise) is normaly only activated when in direct view and at relatively short distances. That's also the reason why when you fly over such corrupt scenery at high altitudes, the CTDs will not occur hence giving the idea that your problems seem to be intermittend.Good luck !!HansHolland

Hi Sergey,In almost all cases when a ..dll file (a piece of program) is cited as being the problem source it's not the ..dll file itself which causes the problems but it's the data supplied to it that is somehow corrupted, missing or incomplete. These errors are however notoriously difficult to repair and a total restore of FS is in most cases necessary. The basis of such a total restore should be uninstalling FS, deleting ALL risidual FS files including any linked utilities and reinstalling the original FS from the CDs. After that you should reinstall all your addons from the original downloaded ..zip files which could be a long and tedious procedure when like me, you have a huge quantity of addons.I assume that you have initially tried to delete your EGLL scenery in order to see if your problems persist in that area.There is however another "total restore" method which has always worked fine for me but that relies heavily on having a full and trusted backup of the total FS folder including the folders in C:....My DocumentsFlight Simulator Files and in C:....Application DataMicrosoftFS9. Any utilities like AFCAD, TTools, AirEdit, EditVoice, PAI Installer, DXT graphics, etc. which are normally directly linked to FS should also be backed up together with the FS folder in order to maintain their synchronisation with FS whenever a "total restore" is deemed necessary.After reinstalling standard FS which sets up all necessary registry entries etc, I copy the total backup FS folder to the new one thereby fully overwriting the newly installed one. I then replace the above files in C: and place the utilities back where they belong creating the necessary desktop short cuts as I go along. Any addons installed since the backup creation are then reinstalled.I hope you have such a trusted backup. I make such backups whenever I think everything is working fine and I store any new addon ..zip files since such a backup in a separate file specially set up for that purpose.Good luck !!HansHolland

Hello folks!I was very interested to read your actions and task to solve a CTD problem.I had a same situation. I want to fly in a new environment (Bolivia region) and loaded down different sceneries and create some new AI traffic for this region. After I finished all my work I tried to fly in this area but a short time after starting FS2004 without any warnings a CTD appeared and I had a view to my

I am alittle confused, Aerni. Are you saying MIL_CARGO is wrong? Isnt that a valid parking placement? there are MIL_CARGO and MIL_COMBAT spots in the afcad program.

Dear AlexProbably you have right.I