Are you able to use any of the default FS2004 aircraft ???
Not all aircraft from fs2002 will work in fs2004 I rember having something like this happening before. But I can not remember what the exact problem was I removed the airplane and stay away from fs2002 planes.
was the default cessna you used from fs9 or fs2002 ???
Did you copy files from FS2002 to fs2004

That is a new one I recently had a problem where I could not select the default B747 every time i did FS would stop responding. I wound up completly uninstalling FS and reinstalled. Sounds to me like this is where you are heading as well make sure you copy any addon scenery and aircraft you might have before you uninstall. Remember after you uninstall to remove the old folder before you reinstall 8)
I tried everything I could think of before I unistalled but no luck.
I wish I had a better idear but that sounds like it might be the only answer. If you still have the same problem after the reinstall I think I would give M$ a call you might have a bad disk or a illeagel copy

Maybe you got a corrupt install?

Try searching through your CD's (the xx.cab files) and re-extract your aircraft and gauges, then overwrite the ones you have currently.

If that doesn't work, then it looks like a re-install might be your only choice.

Ric B.

Susquatch. What are your system specs? I suspect this is a display driver issue. You might like to check your video card manufacturer's site for the latest DX-compatible drivers. Also visit the Windows Update site for critical/recommended updates (especially drivers) & install the latest DirectX 9.0b.

I'll try the cabinet extract.  Might have to dig out my old notes on how to do that, but sounds like its worth a try.

Hagar:

Already loaded latest drivers and patches and DX9b.  It was the very first things I tried.

System specs are 2.2GHz Intel, with 1Gb RAM, ATI All-In-Wonder Radeon 9800, DVDR/W, CDRom, CDR/W, Creative Audigy Platinum, 90Gb/60Gb HDrives, M$ SideWinderPro Joystick.  Doubt there are hardware problems as system has worked great for over a year with tons of other stuff.

Hagar:

"Treat CAB files the same as ZIP files". 

Hmmmm.  That never worked for me.  Always had to use "Extract *.* filename.cab".  Could never know what I was getting till I did the extract!

My own favorite zip utility does not work with Cab files.  Perhaps I'll look around at a few others including WinZip to see what I can find since that does seem to be a LOT EASIER!!! ......  if it works.

garymbuska:

> "I use ALLZIP, I like some of the feature it has."

I used Google to try and find AllZip.  No luck.  For some dumb reason, all the results are very old (not likely to work with XP) or refer to gardening!

Do you have a link?  Is it freeware?

Garymbuska:

Thanks for the link.  I downloaded the file with some reservations.  It was created in 1996.  On looking at the contents, I found that the AllZip utility actually requires that the user have the PKZip/PKUNzip files in the path as well.  I am very familiar with the PKWare zip programs.  The guy who wrote PKWare software was the original inventor of the zip format.  I believe his name was "Phil Katz" - hence "PK" ware.  Phil passed away many years ago - a very very sad story.  In any event, all these programs are actually DOS programs.  They began life as CPM programs before DOS was developed.  I loved them all at the time.  But, their day passed by a long long time ago.  Based on the readme file in the AllZip "zip" file you linked me to, I did another search for the author of allzip.  It too is long gone. 

I shall take a look at AllZip, but am reluctant to put a lot of learning into something that has probably been replaced by much better and stronger tools that work better with XP. 

That said, anything that allows me to extract cab files and get FS2004 working properly is probably well worth the effort.

Thanks

Well OK.  It took forever, but I have fixed my video drivers and also completely re-installed FS2004.

Guess What?  ......  Same problem.  &^%^&%())9

But I have learned a wee bit more that perhaps one of you bright folks will be able to use.

It seems that I can indeed fly a "few" other prop planes but ..... only if I turn off the gauge view!  Also, OI have to start the program with the cessna and then turn off the gauges (use w to switch screen views) then switch to one of the other prop planes, and the program will run. 

If I try to switch to a panel view, it will crash to the desktop.  No jet engine planes will even load.

The MSoft error report indicates the error occurred in "panels.dll".

I tried extracting the panels.dll file from the original cd using WInZip.  No problem doing that, but the program still crashed the same way.

I'm thinking there is nothing wrong with panels.dll, but that one of the advanced gauges that load with the fancier planes is causing my trouble.

Any other ideas?

Any other ideas?