FSX Fatal Error *After Defragmenting*

[BoeingGuy 0]

Hi all,Ever since I defragmented using Auslogics Disk Defrag (which I've uninstalled because it doesn't really help), my FSX keeps giving me fatal errors. I know I've already posted about this, but it is for sure happening after defragging with this utility. Is there anyway to fix this? Messing with all GFX and Scenery settings didn't help.Thanks!

[Guest slopit12]

Yeah its really annoying eh? I did the same thing. I used Defraggler on FSX specifically as I read somewhere it can improve performance...big mistake. So I got the same problem as you, error message on start up...but good news, I fixed it really easily.I use XP (so if your on Vista, I don't know if this still applies). I used System restore, and restored back to a time before I did the defrag. Restarted FSX and it worked fine, no problems since. Be warned I did get some weird duplicated on a couple of programs I updated recently, but managed to fix them pretty easy.System restore has saved my #### on quite a few occasions!

[beatle 0]

If System Restore fixed your problem, then it sounds more like an issue with a newly installed program, driver, or windows update - System Restore can't undo a defrag, so unlikely it was the defrag that caused your problem.For the OP, if it was really the Defrag that caused your problem, then you may have a "weak" area on your disk, and the defrag got some corrupted data while moving stuff around on the disk (I've had two SATA drives die on me in the last 6 months though, so I see HDD failures everywhere now :-> ).

[Guest firehawk44]

I have used the Auslogics defragging utility and have never had a fatal error afterwards with FSX (or one attributed to the defrag utility). Whenever you get a fatal error, you need to check your Event Viewer and see exactly what module or program that caused the crash. I normally Google the exception code that caused the error to gather more information on exactly what might have caused crash. Sometimes I can pinpoint it directly to a system driver or corrupted dll, sometimes not. You might want to run a diagnostics on your HD(s) too.Best regards,Jim

[BoeingGuy 0]

Thanks for the replies,I can't use System Restore because I have collected a lot of valuable data since defragging (pictures, music, etc.) and restoring would make all my hard efforts on that futile.It doesn't happen on startup--it happens during the flight. A while into the game, the mouse cursor will become the "busy cursor" and the game will freeze. It then exits saying "A Fatal Error Occurred, Windows is checking for a solution, FSX is restarting, etc."I will check the event log and see what I can find.Thanks again!

[Guest Nick_N]

GO BOEING!Hey... give this a try..Start your coumputer using the Windows XP install disk, just like you are going to install Windows EXCEPT when it reaches the 1st screen select the RECOVERY CONSOLE instead of the Windows install option..Log in to the admin system of your Windows with your password (if you use one.. leave blank if you dont)Once you get to the DOS PROMPT type the following and go have a beerCHKDSK C: /R (caps not needed)After the process completes REPEAT that for every drive on the system and you will need to input the correct drive letter for each run. Running that from the RECOVERY CONSOLE is DIFFERENT than running it from within Windows which is why I posted this method.It can take anywhere from 30min to several hours to complete and if its still running after 6-8 hours (RARE) I would say the drive is defective becasue the tool is caught in a loop trying to fix things it can't. How long it takes depends on the size of the drive and how much data is on it, and, its speed... a huge 500GB hard drive full of data may take some time to complete and 4-6 hours may be a normal time for the scan.if it finds a bad sector on the disk it will attempt to repair by extracting the data on that bad sector and then marking the table to NOT USE that sector for wrtiting to the disk in Windows. That marker will remain until you wipe the hard drive and start clean however if it does find something it can also be an indication of a hard drive starting to go bad.The result MAY recover you and may not... but it is the best tool to try and see if the problem can be resolved

[BoeingGuy 0]

GO BOEING! :-beerchugWill this also work for Vista? :)Thanks Nick!

[Guest Nick_N]

>GO BOEING! :-beerchug>>Will this also work for Vista? :)>>Thanks Nick!Yes but it is different to access the command prompthttp://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/e...5e1033.mspx#EVDOnce you get to that prompt input point its the same command I posted aboveI cant give you any more directions on how to get there because I dont use VistaClick on how to access the system recovery options in that link aboveEDIT: This may help http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorials/tutorial147.html