abax2000

Fully understand that this not a cure, but it will be proof that this is indeed the mechanism that gets triggered. Your analysis is the first I come across that gives a logical explanation on this issue; the "race condition" assumption also makes sense. If it is proved that the underlying mechanism is the one you describe, then I hope that experts (quite a few in this hobby) can "immune" addons and apps against it. PS: I have kept some logs from WhatIsHang during 8min freezes. The following was repeated in all cases: Execute Address: 773E70F4 ntdll.dll!KillFastSystemCallRet Call Stack: 03D4FD3C 75461818 KERNELBAS.dll!Sleep+0xf ... ... ... Hope this can help more knowledgeable guys.

It seems that you've got something there! I am freeze-free for some time now, using the affinity mask (core0 left for OS and accompanying apps) and unlimited frames. To my experience the 8min freeze is not directly related with ASN, as I have seen it (many times) without ASN in use (I have seen it many times with AS2012 in use). As you mention, ASN must be one of many things that can trigger it. If someone knows what he is doing (and currently experiencing the freezes), he could modify the registry setting (e.g. to 30sec) and see if the freezes go down to 4min. I also read in the article you provided, that windows should report in Event Viewer the timeouts. I was never able to find any record in EventViewer of these freezes. Would you know where in EventViewer should we look for them?

Could you please direct to the relevant windows documentation? It does happen in HD. In fact, it seems that is happening to a very wide range of hardware, so most probably It is connected to os/software issues.

AS2012 seems that works ok. I thought that all HiFi products use the same network.

Are the ASN servers down? ASN reports "Downloading weather", but never completes. A couple of times, it reverted to static weather.

Please take all of the following with a pinch of salt. It looks to me that 8min freezes can be caused by any (unidentified yet) sim overstress (see note), so it can be PMDG aircrafts or ASN or some traffic addon or heavy/faulty scenery or..... This seems to match the fact that so many users with different sim setups and different machines experience this problem. After going through Jim's advices, I am still not able to pinpoint the culprit (although I have a "cleaner" sim). For the last couple of weeks, I am almost ( :ph34r:) freeze-free with the following basic settings: unlimited frames, addon scenery only related to the planned flight (all other deactivated), FSX on three cores (affinity mask used), all other running programs only on the free core (weather addon, maps, EFB). I am not sure (on the contrary) that this will prove bulletproof for ever, but looks fairly ok till now. Whatever triggers the 8min freezes, seems to affect a certain "thing" that takes 8min to recover, regardless of processing power, OS, addons or memory. Unfortunately, no expert yet can identify what can have this "recovery time" of 8 min. If this would be identified, I am sure that someone of all the talented and knowledgeable fellow-simmers could trace back the possible causes. Notes: the alleged "overstress" is surely NOT something obvious. It is definitely not VAS, RAM or GPU load. During the freeze, I have observed any possible combination of CPU load (all cores idle, any only one fully loaded, two fully loaded). Never seen all three or four fully loaded.

Seems like it's lacking PWM control (since it has only 3 pins) which would be needed in order to be controlled by the mobo. You can only adjust speed with the provided knob (speed regulator).

Forgot to mention that i did had all scenery disabled (except UTX which i have tested in an earlier test with no success). I'll try also the latest recommendations and report back. Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk

I tried several things, following the recommendations here (and elsewhere). All things in Vargveum post checked, but with no luck. DEP was ever at "Turn on DEP for essential Windows programs and services only". fsx.cfg rebuilt, dll.xml plain vanilla, sceneries inactive, overclock totally reverted (back to std clocks)...still no luck. I attach again the reports from WhatIsHang and WinCrashReport, if Jim has still the energy to have yet another look, in case something emerges. Note: WinCrashReport contained 7 events (for fsx.exe). The report contains only the three first due to size limitations. Can other fellow simmers with the same problem please check the version of their fsx.exe? Mine is 10.0.61637 (which I believe is FSX Acceleration), although I have FSX Deluxe updated to sp2 (via the downloadable updates). WhatIsHang.txt

Jim, I don't have any AppCrashView report, since it logs only crashes, which is not (is only a long freeze of 8 min) leaving no traces in Event Viewer or AppCrashView. I can only log it with WinCrashReport and WhatIs Hang (and of course SysInternals tools).

Hi Jim, thanks for the detailed reply. I do not use TrafficX (or any other traffic addon). Furthermore I run the sim with all but the basic entries commented in dll.xml. I have also revisited my overclock (in a much older rig than yours though). Although it was double checked through the usual tools and for long times, I stepped back. This gave me several freeze free flights, until it happened again. I do have ProcessMonitor, but I seldom use it for the reasons you mention. I will give it another try though.

I tried everything recommended by Jim and others about the 8 min freeze, but after a series of trouble-free flights, it reappeared. In the attached file I have copied the reports from WhatIsHang and WinCrashReport. At the very end is the list of the handles that ProcessExplorer reported relevant to the thread that hanged. Can anyone knowlegeable (hi Jim :ph34r:) please take a look in this file in case there is something to be found?

I have tried most of the recommended steps to no avail. I was hoping that since this 8 min freeze is so characteristic and repeatable, someone could pinpoint the culprit. As posted already in another thread, WhoIsCrashed did not provide any insight for me. I guess I will have to run yet another series of investigation.

I have the same issue with the op. Freeze lasts exactly 8 mins every time. Jim, how did you manage to get rid of the problem with the internet connection? PS: pls take a look here http://forum.avsim.net/topic/431806-8-minute-crash/ NOTE: This topic was split off from another topic - http://forum.avsim.net/topic/431139-fsx-freeze/page-0 as members should start a new thread for their particular issue and not tag on with other topic starters. It makes it confusing to determine who's problem is what when you have several posting in the same topic.

I am having this problem for quite some time. It is 8min exactly every time. Aircraft used or route does not seem to make any difference. Frame rate setting does not seem to solve it for me either. WhatIsHang reveals nothing material (at least to me). Happens with AS2012 and ASE (not tried ASN yet). Seems something like that the sim does not cope with well but I cannot nail it for a long time. Please do not let this thread die unanswered. :unsure: Is there anybody that knows what can have a process/cycle time of 8min?

There are at least two other threads on this. Do not install 13.9. Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

Update: Seems like the system is back with 13.1 installed. Haven't tried a flight yet, but FSX is launching, free flight is opening and I even can change aircraft (lol). Haven't understood or read yet what is so wrong in 13.9, but for the time stay away. As for driver cleaners: Driver Sweeper is old by now (so of questionable efficacy), Driver Fusion in its freeware version does rather little. The new freeware DDU seems great (http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=379505) and put me back on track.

After spending all Sunday with the bloody ATI driver thing, I believe that the system is back alive...still with no proper drivers but on standard VGA adaptor. Following an ordeal of BSOD's, reboots, windows repairs, safe modes etc I ran again Atiman, CCleaner, DDU (seems like highly recommended) and then CCleaner again; so hopefully the pc is really clear of any remnants (and hopefully with nothing broken in the system that I did not spotted yet). I posted also to Guru3D, asking what are the last drivers really relevant to my 5850. Since I have this info I will install them and get over with the updates. If anyone here can also advise on this, would be great.

please verify that you notified AMD about this thread. For the time my pc is again out. After running AMD utility i have a series of bsod. I am trying to get to safe mode at least. Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

I will try asap. Just to clarify: when you previously used 13.1 you did not need to place atiumdag.dll in FSX folder. So, by installing and uninstalling 13.9 something went south. Is this right?

I have already tried the DirectX update, but it comes with a popup that there is a newer version and no action is needed. Device Manager is ok. Unfortunately I have no restore points to revert to, as I had erased all restore points just few days ago before a maintenance defrag (still I curse my luck).

Please at this thread also on the same issue http://forum.avsim.net/index.php?/topic/421549-Catalyst-13.9-not-working-and-subsequent-catastrophy And input more than welcome. Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

No solutions yet. Have send a ticket to AMD. It would be great if a software/hardware guru can help with this, as i am totally out of ideas. Any attempt to install any older drivers fails. Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

Any helping hand?

Installed latest Catalyst 13.9. Just after that FSX was repeatedly crashing (after loading flight) due to atiumdag.dll. So I uninstalled (first through Control Panel uninstall and then ran DriverSweeper), and tried to install the older 13.1. And then HELL BRAKE LOOSE. Windows not able to boot (blue screen), so I entered safe mode and reverted to standard vga adaptor. From that point, there was also a problem with windows sidebar program (not able to open). Tried to install 12.10 and then 12.8. Everytime I uninstalled through ContolPanel and then ran DriverSweeper in safe mode. Again the same problems (windows not booting, and when I somehow managed to get the drivers in FSX crashing, and other directx related apps not working also, as Google Earth)). For the moment, 12.8 is "installed" just to have an operational screen so I can use the pc for internet, emails and office apps. I ran scannow, which revealed no issues with Windows files. Also tried to download Microsoft DirectX 9 runtime, but it produced a message that there is a newer DirectX in place and no action is necessary. When dxdiag is ran, a message popsup "DxDiag detected that there might have been a problem accessing Direct3D the last time this program was used. Would you like to bypass Direct3D this time?". If "No" is pressed, DxDiag is crashing. Please Help to get the drivers back in action