Simviation Forum - computer freezing during flight

Jul 8^th, 2011 at 3:39pm

rodericksnr Offline
Colonel
remember when beer foamed
and water didn't?
Scotland

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Hello all. Forgive me if this has been covered already but even after reformatting my pc and completely reinstalling windows and everything from scratch to try solving this problem after say 4 changes of aircraft during a single flight my PC goes black.

I can still hear the aircraft but nothing brings the picture back except pulling the plug from the PC and restarting. Old nvidia drivers new drivers its all the same Undecided

During flight the PC is using around.40% CPU and 3.8GB of RAM

When everything is fine I can move ALL sliders right and still achieve 20 FPS but usually run medium high locked at 25 frames.

If I stay with one plane fsx usually runs fine. Is this a windows 7 bug as I have run fsx on Vista for years no problem.

My PC has---
Processor quad core Intel i7 cpu880 @3.07GHz
Memory 8GB Ram
64 bit operating system
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460 graphics
Windows 7 home premium Service pack 1
FSX with Acceleration installed.
all service packs included.
Just Flight Traffic 2005 v1.00
Ground Environment X Europe
Ultimate Terrain X Europe

Roddy

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Reply #1 - Jul 8^th, 2011 at 4:40pm

Daube Offline
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If you still hear the sound but no more picture, then it means that your video card crashed.
If you are very, VERY lucky, then your video card is just suffering from the heat. Try to clean its cooling system.
Else, your video card is just slowly dying.

Got bloom ?
Got mountains ?
Got damage ?

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Reply #2 - Jul 8^th, 2011 at 9:26pm

Strategic Retreat Offline
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Wish people were less
idiotic as an average

Posts: 603

In the summer, I suggest to all those who have a performance-tuned rig (air conditioning notwithstanding), or all those whose rig heats a lot anyway no matter the performances, during the use of software that ask a lot of processing power to keep the PC open (close it back when your demand of power from your PC is low and/or this is shut down, to avoid... mishaps).

If at all possible, adding an external fan blowing fresh air on the motherboard and keeping the heat sinkers as clean as possible helps quite a lot too.

A little sacrifice that spares headaches while using FS or other games. Wink

There is no such a thing as overkill. Only unworthy targets.

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Reply #3 - Jul 9^th, 2011 at 3:37am

rodericksnr Offline
Colonel
remember when beer foamed
and water didn't?
Scotland

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Posts: 31

Many thanks for that information gentelmen. I suspect my pc does not have the greatest airflow around it. I will try the side off first. Its only three months old so I don't want to damage the video card. I spend a lot on flight sim as it is. Installing air con might send my wife right over the top Wink

Roddy

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Reply #4 - Jul 9^th, 2011 at 1:37pm

Strategic Retreat Offline
Colonel
Wish people were less
idiotic as an average

Posts: 603

If you DON'T have air conditioning (incidentally, just like me), and your local temperature rises over 30° C (86° F) then the opening of the cabinet side is NOT an option and can save ~~your life~~ the life of your PC. Wink

Depending on where you have your PC sited, you can try adding a fan blowing its air partly on you and partly on the opened cabinet (like I do). It makes for more comfy PC use too. Cheesy

There is no such a thing as overkill. Only unworthy targets.

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Reply #5 - Jul 9^th, 2011 at 3:46pm

rodericksnr Offline
Colonel
remember when beer foamed
and water didn't?
Scotland

Gender:
Posts: 31

Here is today's saga. opened case, carefully blew out all dust with compressed air, air temp. = 20c, flew FSX with core temp. widget on second screen, max temps. = 64c, changed planes a few times, FSX froze, popup says FSX could not write to cfg file. Back to pulling plug ho hum Cry

PS the pc case has a 8 inch side fan, top and front 4 inch fans plus power supply fan on rear.

Roddy

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Reply #6 - Jul 9^th, 2011 at 6:36pm

EVVFCX Offline
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Been there done it-well
most of it.
Pontefract, West Yorkshire

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Hi,

First of all, don't run any pc for long with the covers off, if you have fans which either blow air out or in, then with cover off your not getting air flow where it should be.

Win 7?
I use win 7 and don't have problems, go to search and run programs, type in UAC, turn it OFF, restart PC and try fsx again, if it works OK then it's the additional security of win7 thats causing the problem - just say a big thanks to m&^%soft for that.

I have mine installed in program files(86) but I've also taken ownership of all the folders.
Try installing fsx again but not in program files (86)
Try C:\fsx , run it and if OK, turn UAC back on again and try FSX again.

You could also right click on the FSX.exe and select 'run as administrator'

A combination of the above should sort out the cfg problem.
For a quick poss fix before doing the above, rename the fsx.cfg file and restart fsx, fsx will rebuild the cfg file for you.
You might lose your button/key press settings and all your graphics settings may be at default.

fsx.cfg can be found in
C:\Users\yourusername\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\FSX

Steve

May the Mynd be with you.
So far my number of landings either passenger or pilot equal my number of takeoffs, but that is due to change

13/07/11 Passed BMFA Fixed Wing 'A' test.
FSX Gold

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Reply #7 - Jul 10^th, 2011 at 6:18am

Crannog Offline
2nd Lieutenant
I Like Flight Simulation!
Melbourne, Australia.

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Posts: 1

I'm running Windows XP,32-bit, Home Edition, version 2002, SP3.

Intel (R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 3.2GHZ, 4.0GB DDR2@ 267MHz Ram

GPU; GeForce 8600 GT, 128-bit, 256 MB, Driver Ver;275.33, Nvidia.

My PC is 2005 vintage built to my specifications.

I have been plagued for over a year now with my FSX freezing, especially, during multiple actions in preparation for landing etc.
I could fly for hours or only 10mins, but when I start to land, it freezes.
The sound continues for a short time, but eventually FSX shuts down and sends a report to Microsoft.

I've tried just about everything I've read on various forums online, without success, unfortunately.

I've been directly in communication with Microsoft Customer Support for almost a year by phone and Email and they have offered lots of advice, but nothing that works!

I've thought about this problem as a lay-person were computers are concerned and applied engineering skills from my lifelong experience in that field.

Most things in engineering, as in health matters depend on the correct diagnosis!

Why is it that only FSX goes wrong and yet my son can play any other game on my computer?

Why was I able to play FSX with no problems a few years ago on the same computer, but not any more?

Two days ago I'm pleased to say that I found a solution that works for me.

It is a 'FIX', for another problem, but as long as it has fixed my FSX freezing problem that's fine by me!

The 'FIX', is in this very site here; http://simviation.com/1/search?submit=1&keywords=uiautomationcore&categoryId

Which leads to here; http://simviation.com/1/download-file?file=FSX_fix.zip&fileId=5112

Good Luck with this, I hope it works for you, please let me know here, thanks!

PLEASE FOLLOW THE INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY!

They seemed too simple but it works!

Thanks,

Crannog

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Reply #8 - Jul 10^th, 2011 at 1:23pm

Strategic Retreat Offline
Colonel
Wish people were less
idiotic as an average

Posts: 603

Hmmm... sometimes... when an inexplicable error happens continuously that seems not to have any logical explanation in a PC... I usually suggest to change...

...the always underestimated power supply...

BE AWARE, that what I'm saying comes down to my own experience... and it's not a 100% sure shot, but if EVERYTHING ELSE is in good working order... the responsibility of odd behaviors has ALWAYS been OF IT (at least in my case).

The suggestion I'm giving you is to borrow another, surely working power supply and run the sim with it, and if the blocking stop... you have your culprit. Undecided

There is no such a thing as overkill. Only unworthy targets.

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Reply #9 - Jul 10^th, 2011 at 5:53pm

rodericksnr Offline
Colonel
remember when beer foamed
and water didn't?
Scotland

Gender:
Posts: 31

I have just done a complete reinstall of FSX following the excellent advice from the experts on this forum onto an empty, reformatted D drive. not using (86).
UAC is off, Admin rights is on UIAAutomationCore.dll dropped into fsx.exe.
All sliders right except water at low 2 to put the system under some load and first flights look good.
Many thanks to all who took the time to reply to my cry for help. Your excellent suggestions are always greatly appreciated.
If it all goes into a "tail spin" now I will send the PC back to the manufacturer as its only a few months old. Sad

Roddy

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