Since I installed my new Geforce FX5200, CFS3's frame rates have been just pathetic. I was getting 18-20fps at 1024X786X16 res on my Geforce 2 MX400. I had the settings at 4 aircraft, 4 terrain, 4 scenery, 2 effects, and 2 clouds.  I didn't change the settings but now I'm only getting 5-10fps with a faster card and more video ram (DDR on new SDRAM on old). I adjusted the drivers with Riva and and have FS2002 running smoothly. I'm running the same drivers as before, vers 44.03. I tried using some of Ramsa's tweaks (above) and tried lowering the res to 800X600X16, nothing. Any ideas on whats going on and how to fix it.

    Christ Orenda, that's a real downer!  And an FX5200!  Och!

    We have a lot in common!  My current PC also uses the NVidia GeForce2 MX 400.  I run CFS3 at 1024 x 786 x 16, and almost the identical detail settings.  Most of the time, I get anywhere between 12-25 fps, which seems pretty smooth to me.

    All right... first, I would do what Whitey above suggested.  I'm assuming you are running Windows XP?  I would look for the NVidia "Desktop Manager" application (or whatever it's called), within Control Panel.  I'm sure you'll have something to do with you card there.  This would be the easiest place to turn on anisotropic filtering and anti-aliasing... I can't remember if you can adjust these through RivaTuner.  Turn them all the way up to start, as well.  This actually gave me an extra 3-5 fps on my Geforce2!

    Secondly, did you download the 44.03 driver from nVidia.com, or from Microsoft Windows Updates?  It may have been specific to my computer, but I had severe problems with the 44.03 that I downloaded directly from nVidia!  You will note that Nvidia's version is not WHQL certified or Digitally Signed by Microsoft.  For this reason it may conflict with Windows somehow(?).  Try to download this same driver from Windows Updates,

http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/en/default.asp

reinstall it, and see if it works.  If it messes things up even worse, it's easy and quick to roll it back through Device Manager within your "My Computer" properties.  Oh yeah, have you tried using the drivers that came with the card?  On an installation CD of some kind?

Anyway, I hope this might be of some use... I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.  Don't give up, you'll get it sorted.

As for me, I've thrown my hands up in the air, in despair, and shelled out a load of dosh for an Alienware Area-51.  I specifically requested the ATI Radeon 9800 Pro 256MB card... I'm sick of nVidia.

"As God as my witness, I shall never tweak again!!"

Yes, fixed. I installed the version 44.67 drivers and am now getting 18-20fps. I haven't really run many tests yet. I just hope these drivers don't corrupt FS2002.