Have you looked at what is running when you get these cpu spikes?

I mean using Task Manager or a tool like Process Lasso.  You mention periods of extremely low fps, you need to find out what process is eating it at those exact times.

Another handy tool is LatencyMon, it's designed to test real-time audio for recording purposes but is also handy for general troubleshooting to detect drivers or processes that cause latency spikes.

Regarding internet connections, it's important to remember many ISP's can and do throttle connections based on traffic, service, number of users, data caps, etc. (at least in the US where net neutrality is essentially dead). It would be helpful if MS offered some bandwidth testing servers specifically for MSFS troubleshooting, because the common speed test sites will conveniently show you're getting full speeds while individual services like Netflix or MSFS may be getting throttled. This is why VPNs come in handy, as they effectively hide the type of traffic you are sending in the event your ISP has a policy in place to throttle that type of traffic (which could include throttling that type of traffic once it hits some arbitrary data limit).

I am lucky to have wide open gig fiber and very very rarely have any of the issues mentioned in this thread, along with rarely having melted PG or other obvious server-related issues.

I had this too but since I deleted ALL my cache everywhere in the sim it really has not happened since

18 hours ago, Mace said:

Have you looked at what is running when you get these cpu spikes?

I mean using Task Manager or a tool like Process Lasso.  You mention periods of extremely low fps, you need to find out what process is eating it at those exact times.

If you are addressing my comments about FPS inconsistency:

During the periods of very low FPS - CPU usage drops to almost zero - nVidia nSight Systems shows CPU usage per thread per processor for every process on a one millisecond basis.  I can sort all threads by CPU usage and 99% of the usage is by the Flight Sim process.   During the periods of thread blockage - there is very little CPU activity for 500 or more milliseconds.

Windows PIX data shows the same thing - during times of low FPS resource barriers and fences account for almost all the elapsed time. 

I did drop the bandwidth in FS24 from unlimited to 40mps. In addition, in ASUS Armory Crate, I updated everything that needed to be updated. There was even an update for the 4080 graphics card. Ran FS 2024 out of San Diego again and over LA this time with no audio popping or major drops in frames. I did also delete the rolling cache file before that flight, andb the sim auto set the rolling cache to 16gig. 

Increase the R Cache file to 100gig, this time departing Sacramento and once I was almost ready to rotate the plane on the runway for departure I heard a slight little pop which then I knew issue had returned again. Sure enough the issue began again and panning left or right caused major stutters and popping. 

I think tomorrow I'm going to try using Nord VPN let's see how it goes. 

Edited June 16, 2025Jun 16 by Bill A

4 hours ago, Bill A said:

In addition, in ASUS Armory Crate

After experiencing the bloated horror of Armory Crate, I disabled the motherboard BIOS option that installs it automatically, and re-installed Windows.

I also disable driver download in Windows updates so I get to choose my (GPU) drivers.

     From Windows search, type ‘Advanced'
     Select ‘View advanced system settings’
     Click the ‘Hardware’ tab
     Click ‘Device Installation Settings’
     Select ‘No…’ then save the changes

On 6/13/2025 at 2:48 PM, Tuskin38 said:

They're not even working on new features right now. The next couple sim updates are solely focused on fixes 

This is incorrect looking at the latest SU3 beta change log, the more they "add" the more they "break" which has been evident since 2020s release.

Edited June 16, 2025Jun 16 by MarcG

5 hours ago, MarcG said:

This is incorrect looking at the latest SU3 beta change log, the more they "add" the more they "break" which has been evident since 2020s release.

You must be looking at a different SU3 Beta change log than I am seeing.  The changes I see listed in the release notes are almost all bug fixes.

3 minutes ago, PlumCrazy said:

You must be looking at a different SU3 Beta change log than I am seeing.  The changes I see listed in the release notes are almost all bug fixes.

Added following actions to interact with cockpit touchscreens (avionics/EFB)

Added control over some menu scroll bars 

Added “COCKPIT FREELOOK OFF” and “COCKPIT FREELOOK ON” to allow control on the surfaces while looking around

Added notifications to keep the user informed about the progress of the download of their packages through my library

Added support for capacity and quantity in ‘Asobo_Water_Ballast_Parameters’

Added a ‘_VALVE’ suffix to all parameters previously present in ‘Asobo_Water_Ballast_Parameters’ (since they were only related to valves)

 

etc etc etc all new, all therefore new features (waiting for you/tuskin to claim they're "not features"!). Either way all new code, so no not all bug fixes 🙂

On 6/13/2025 at 12:23 PM, abrams_tank said:

Two things I would recommend:

1. Make sure your rolling cache is set large enough.  Probably at least 32 GB, and even larger if you can afford it.  Repeat the flight twice, and then note down whether this stuttering and audio popping occurs only on the first flight, or if it occurs on the first and second flight. If it occurs on the first flight but not the second flight, then it's because the area you are flying in hasn't been cached before in the rolling cache, so it could be an internet connection issue with the MSFS server.  If it occurs on both flights, then it's probably not an internet connection issue, because on the second flight, that area that you flew should have been cached already in the rolling cache.
2. Turn the graphics settings in MSFS 2024 down to the minimum and repeat the flight.  Yes, it won't be a fun flight, but it's for testing purposes only. If you turn your MSFS 2024 settings down to the minimum, and the stuttering and audio popping stop, it's because your system is struggling to handle the graphics levels that you have set. But at least you know this is the issue, and you can devise a plan to best deal with it.

Thank you, @abrams_tank for a well thought out and logic toubleshooting guide! 

On 6/13/2025 at 12:31 PM, mpo910 said:

Testing = a Adobo Job and Beta tester as well 

We talk about a released product ..I want to use it and not test it. 

But I understand you trying to help and point into some directions where issues are common. 

Just this is not something we paying customers should do...

 

What are you talking about??? You're not testing the software! You're simply trying to determine, if there's a problem at your end or with the software! It's quite common troubleshooting, if you're having an issue with something. Ruling out whether or not it's an issue at your end, has nothing to do with "beta-testing-software". 

Sorry for the rant...

I hate to confuse the issue here, but I'm running a low to medium setup (see specs below) with a nVidia 1660ti graphics card, and I just made a test flight at KLAX.  I just clicked KLAX in the Arrival space and started in the air in the Boeing 737 MAX.  I circled the field once then lowered my altitude and made a perfect landing, all smooth as silk with no stutters, pauses or anything that was not normal.

Go Figure?

Edited June 16, 2025Jun 16 by Roy Warren

11 hours ago, Bill A said:

In addition, in ASUS Armory Crate,

Please do yourself a favour and get rid of that, which will probably mean a windows re-install. 

Edited June 16, 2025Jun 16 by Ianrivaldosmith

3 minutes ago, Ianrivaldosmith said:

Please do yourself a favour and get rid of that, which will probably mean a windows re-install. 

I think the ASUS developers got paid extra for every Windows process they added, with an additional bonus for every MB of RAM they consumed.

It's annoying, because a simple fan control app would have been really useful.

2 minutes ago, flyingscampi said:

It's annoying, because a simple fan control app would have been really useful.

https://getfancontrol.com
 

16 minutes ago, Ianrivaldosmith said:

https://getfancontrol.com
 

Thanks, I was going to try that, but got put off by comments about trouble with AMD GPU's that aren't at stock settings.

I've achieved a pretty good cooling solution with motherboard fan control and Adrenalin, but I wouldn't mind linking case fan speed to GPU temp so I might give it a go.