Djang0

I haven't experienced anything like this but I can only think of your graphics setup. Anyway some questions that might be useful.Q1) How long have you had this behaviour, did you change your hardware or software setup shortly before these problems started?Q2) Do you have the latest DirectXhttp://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details...&displaylang=enand NVIDIA drivershttp://www.nvidia.com/content/drivers/drivers.aspQ4) Is your screen resolution compatible with your games?Q5) Are you sure your videocard is insalled correctly, perhaps you need to select the correct NVIDIA profile?StartMenuSettingsControl PanelDispalySettingsAdvancedGeforce 6600GTPerformance & Quality Settings

I have received that message but there sometimes I can't determine the reason. However I have found that sometimes if I start FS before connecting to the internet then I may get the message.

Which HP PC model do you have (how old is it)? Can you give more detailes about your system?First of all before you upgrade anything you may be able to make some small improvements by making some optimisations to your system. As well as the basic HD defrag and error check etc consider:1) Kill all unnecessary background applications and services via StartMenuRun type msconfig. virus scanning software can be particularly resource hungry. However make sure you do not disable some important security software like your firewall.2) Also If you have Intel shared graphics downlaod the latest driver:http://downloadfinder.intel.com/scripts-df...pport_Download#3) Also tweek your FS9.cfg file there are many forum threads about this do a search.5) Customise your Windows page file via StartMenuSettingsControlPanelSystemAdvancedPerformanceSettingsAdvancedChange and also insure that the Page File is optimised for Programs, not the cache.4) Be realistic about your FS quality settings.Now, from the limited info you gave your system seesm similar to mine before I upgraded anything. I don't think it is worthwhile fyling FS9 from the VC without a video card, certainly not for addon aircraft, but upgrade the memory first.5) Consider how many free memory slots you have, you probably have 2 so if your mother board is nothing special then I wouldn't go for top quality RAM. I got 2X 512MB modules and it made a *huge* diffreence to my PC in general (for the future I its better to have more RAM). If you want to spend less then get 2X 256MB modules .6) Check whether you have APG or a PCIe graphics slot (I would expect you to have PCIe). I wouldn't bother looking below a 6600GT. The last time I checked these were the best compromise for capability v cost.Hope this helps.

Roger, whats your system spec? I'm not a graphics card expert, but I understand that to utilise all of your graphics cards driver features you need to be in full screen mode (i.e. FS not running a desktop window). It makes no difference if you undock subpanels or use multiple monitors (this wpuld require more system resoyrces of course) as long as they are viewed in full screen mode.You should be able to run any FS addon aircraft in Full screen mode. What sort of problems have you had?

Does anyone know if there is an optimal relationship between FPS (and possibly RR) and the VC pan rate (i.e. in fs9.cfg [CONTROLS] section "PAN_RATE=###". I had ###=850 but have been experimenting with higher settings (right now I'm using 1600).Specfically I wanted to know what the theoretical maximum pan rate would be for a given locked FPS to make the viewing look as realistic as possible.

>>I know I already had some problems with full screen... I just stick>with windowed screens stretched to their limits.>But if you never use full screen then you are wasting many, if not most, of the advanced 3D capabilities of your graphics card? What are your system specs?By the way everyone, since I started this thread I haven't had a crash (yet)! I tried re-starting my PC with Windows managing the page file, and then manually set my page file again. But I'm still interested in any suggestions people may have as to the cause of this behaviour.

>>From what I know, it's quite unnecessary to set MipMap higher>than 5 even on high power PCs.>I've heard several people say this... what then is the point having settings greater than 5? I thought that at the higher MIP settings long distance terrain views look more realistic at higher visual settings.

Perhaps someone here can help me. I'll try to give as much detail as I can.Recently, all of a sudden, FS9 began crashing when either:I tried to go from window mode to full screen (via Alt+Return);Just resizing the FS window in window mode.It does not crash every time I try to switch and I can go from full screen to window (via Alt+Return) or going from full screen to desktop (via keyboard Windows Start Menu key) ok.A crash will occur soomething similar to this: I press Alt+Return or click to resize the FS window - the picture freezes, though sometimes the sounds continue normally - the mouse pointer changes to an hour glass and flashes repeatedly very quickly - If I press Alt+Return again the FS9 window may go black - only FS9 crashes, I can open other programs while FS9 is locked.A crash can occur when:Using older NVIDIA drivers;Disabling my PCIe card and using my mother boards on board graphics memory;Flying a default plane;Flying a simple addon plane;Flying a complex addon plane;In any view mode, including VC and 2D;In any phase of a flight or in a cold and dark cockpit;Whether or not AISmooth is running along side FS9;Whether or not Fs9 is patched to v9.1;Whether or not FS9 sound is enabled.I have checked:My system for viruses and spyware;Checked my hard disk for errors;Defragmented my hard drive;Completely reinstalled FS9 and every FS software (tried several times).That my RAM is working ok;My keyboard keys are not getting stuck - I tried another keyboard.The next step is a Windows reinstall :-eek but I want to avoid this. The only epoch that might be relevant is that I tried using multiple fs9.exe .cfg files. I made copies of the fs9.exe and .cfg files and renamed them to, say fs9addon.exe and fs9addon.cfg. The .exe file went to the FS9 root folder. This allowed me to have a customised .cfg file with lower visual setings for addon planes rather rather than adjusting settings between different planes. The crashes had not occured before I tried this, but did not start as soon as I tried it. However I am not using multiple files now and I have since re-installed FS9 (insuring all old config files were deleted) and FS9 still crashes.Can anyone ***HELP!!!***, has anyone had similar problems?:-violin

Does anyone ever bother overclocking the 2D acceleration???

>>>>set up a new fixed page file of 4GB>>For what it's worth... for your spec a 4Gig page file seems way too excessive. I've got 1.5GB RAM (see my spec below) and I set a page file of 500MB to 800MB.To determine the minimum page file size:I first found approximately the optimal compromise between quality settings, graphics card setttings, and FPS while using a complex addon plane. I then loaded a default plane and flew around dense scenery at low level (e.g. New York or a busy airport if you have loads of AI traffic). I then used Windows Task Manager (right click task bar) to indicate the anticipated page file size - this rarely went below 500Mb.To determine the max page file size:I loaded a complex addon plane with all features active, e.g. FMC flight plan, and again used the Windows Task Manager to indicate the anticipated page file size - this never went above 800MB.From my own FS experiences I can't see you needing to set more than 1GB given that your system spec is higher than mine.

Am I the only person who uses the application profiles??? :-hmmm

>I would just keep 1,5 gigabyte. It

>If you really want to improve memory bandwidth>you should consider buying some top class ram (Corsair or>Teamgroup e.g.) that allows you to cranck up the FSB and lower>the timings.But would it make sense to get top quality RAM if my motherboard is entry level and only accepts up to PC3200?Is the performance benefit of high quality RAM lost if you mix it with normal RAM? What freeware programs could I use to tweek my motherboard?

Q1) What effect does overclocking your graphics cards 2D accelerator have - does it improve graphics at all? Anyone tried doing it?. I'm a bit confused because I thought the 3D chip accelerated 2D and 3D graphics.Q2) Does performing a 2D clock have any benefits for fs9?Q3) If so are benefits seen in only windowed mode, or can it improve, perhaps specifically, the 2D or VC panel gauges when in full screen mode?Q4) When you perform a 2D clock should it be the same value as the 3D clock? I recall coming across something about hardware damage if the 2D and 3D clocks are not equal, and comments like "don't mess with the 2D acceleration" etc. :-eek

There are many threads about fs9.cfg tweeks but there are two tweeks that made a *huge* difference to me:*First* I would suggest backing up your original fs9.cfg before you start fiddling. It is located in:C:Documents and Settings...your windows user name...Application DataMicrosoftFS9However you can get a fresh cfg file by deleting fs9.cfg and starting fs9, or going toStartPrograms...Microsoft Flight simulator 2004TroubleshootingReset Defaults1) Increase texture bandwidth - find the following line in the DISPLAY section of fs9.cfg TEXTURE_BANDWIDTH_MULT=###the default value is ### = 40, for your 128Mb card set ### = 200 to 400.2) Increase VC panrate - find the following line in the CONTROLS section of the fs9.cfg file:PAN_RATE=###the default value is ### = 400, set a higher value (I set ### = 850).

Q1a) I'm considering going from 1.5GB to 3GB of DDR400 (PC3200) RAM (please see my sys spec below). Currently I have 4 slots 2X256 and 2X512. I was going to get Crucial standard memory which I already have, rather than something like e.g. Ballistix. Is it worth getting rid of the 2X256 for 2X1GB?If I do upgrade:Q2a) With respect to fs9, where am I likely to see improvements with more memory? Might I see better FPS when using complex airliner addon's with FMC's etc?Q2b) With 1.5GB of RAM I currently set my paging file to min = 500MB and max = 800MB as I have never seen a paging file size indicated by Windows Task manager greater than 800MB when using a complex addon like PMDG737 + lots of AI traffic + flying low over large city + VC view active in daytime + FMC active. With 3GB RAM what paging file size would people recommend?Q2b) If I do upgrade: My banks of RAM slots are labelled something like A1 & A2 and B1 & B2. I understand that the memory is best added in matching pairs, but is there any theoretical advantage to adding the larger modules to, say bank A etc, or is the bank labeling arbitrary (i.e. labeling varies between boards or is not relevant)?

1) Have you set up an application profile for fs9.exe? When I first installed my 6600GT I had no application profile for fs9.exe and so fs9 wasn't using all the cards capabilities.2) Make sure you have the most recent NVIDIA drivers, v81.98: http://www.nvidia.com/content/drivers/drivers.asp3a)Remove references to your old graphics card in fs9.cfg if they are there.3b) As you have a 256MB card don't forget to set the texture bandwidth to at least 400 in fs9.cfg: TEXTURE_BANDWIDTH_MULT=4003) This might be specific to me but... Initially, following install of the graphics driver, there was confusing MIP mapping behaviour by fs9. NVIDIA MIP driver settings were not executed in fs9 untill AFTER I had UNCHECKED MIP mapping in fs9 settings, returned to the flight, then enabled the MIP mapping in the fs9 settings. If your not aware of this then seems as though changes made in the NVIDIA settings are having no effect in fs9.NB after disabling MIP mapping in fs9 you might have to exit fs9 and then re-start the program and enable fs9 MIP mapping to see proper MIP behaviour by FS.4) As far as MIP mapping settings go, I have read many people commenting that the slider should not be above 4 or 5. However I currently set mine to full and compensate with anisotropic filtering in the NVIDIA settings and LOD bias (NVIDIA advanced settings) set to "Clamp". However I'm still tinkering with my fs9 settings to find the optimum.Hope this helps.

I want to back up my NVIDIA driver application profiles that I've created, does anyone know where they are saved?

When I update AIRAC data:1) What files are extracted from the exe file?2) Where exactly are the updated files located (i.e. which folders)?