Is PC UPgrade required?

[epilot4040]

I just installed FS2004 on my PC and here are the problems.
1) The graphics are awful as the water appears light blue and the ground has black patches. I have tried customise scenery but no change.
2) While taxing any aircraft, left rudder turns are almost impossible the aircraft automatically turns to the right. I have tried pressing num lock and the number 5 key to align the wheels straight but no change. The nose wheels seem to have a mind of its own and keep on turning left and right, left and right without any input from me.
3) Parking Brakes seem to be constantly engaged and cannot be released so I do a slew mode climb the aircraft and release it. By doing this the brakes are released (the flight is on ignore crash mode) and then I reset the flight and the brakes can be released, applied  as normal.
I have tried two different joysticks same result.
My pc configuration is as follows
Windows XP
RAM 512 DDR
Nvidia 128 MB Gea Force 440 card
120 GB hard disk  
Microsoft Sidewinder Joystick
Logitech Forcefeedback joystick

What do you guys think needs to be done. Do I upgrade RAM or change the VGA card? Im totally frustrated and confused. I had an airliner pilot software which I had loaded and all the conflicts began afterwards. I have removed the airliner pilot software, changed the hard disk to a new one reloaded XP and now reloaded MS FS2004 but I still have these issues.
Can someone help.
Thanks    
Neville[email][/email]

[ozzy72]

Neville one question, what processor are you running?
The basic machine sounds okay but I reckon most of the trouble will be with your graphics card, you'll probably want to change it for a GeForce Ti card

[epilot4040]

Sorry forgot to add Mother board pentium 4
2.8 Hz

[ozzy72]

Yup it is the graphics card that is the problem then!
I'm running a PIII 1Ghz with 512mb RAM and a Ti4600 and getting pretty good results.
Look around at Ti cards, a 4000 series will do, but a 5000 series kicks bottom

[ctjoyce]

Save up youngin nVidia 6800GT, 1 Gig of RAM and 3.0+Ghz processer are what you should have to run FS with excellent graphics, and at a decent frame rate.

[Delta_]

I recommend you have a good luck at the 6600GT 128MB AGP version.  They are not expensive and offer such a performance increase over the 440.

You will go from  :'( to  :o with one of those.

[congo]

It's definitely NOT recommended to get a TI card if you can find better, they are well outdated, as stated above, look at getting a 6600GT as a minimum spec.

Your other problems are setting related and you need to go to the FS9 forum and ask there. It's fixable.

For instance, setting independent wheel brakes so you can apply opposite brake to offset torque on ground roll and steer properly while taxiing.

The effects you speak of are most likely present because of high realism settings, but not sure if you actually have hardware faults.

Customise or check to your control settings to see what you need to configure there. Iwon't go into detail as this isn't the correct forum for tht.

Why are you using 2 joysticks, get rid of one to stop conflicts, lose the logitech and cherish the sidewinder.

The GF4 MX series like your 440, need an entry added in one of the config files to make the reflective textures initiate, as they were not included in the original config.

[epilot4040]

Thanks to all, Your help is much appreciated, with all the inputs have managed to solve majority of the problems. The joystick conflict was because of another USB joystick which was plugged in for remote control flight simulation so the Brakes and the rudder conflict is solved most of the graphic issues have also been solved.
The only issue which remains is the water, which looks very artificial and of a unnatural blue color.
Could it be some graphics setting in Windows as I have just reloaded XP and service pack 2??

[epilot4040]

Just to add I checked with a 6600 256MB card with RAM upgraded to 1 GB and the problem still remains the same so am sure its not hardware but something in the software which is preventing the graphics.
(luckily i have a friend who has a computer shop who let me try the new card in my machine)
Cheers

[the_autopilot]

Get a 6600gt. The 6600 vanilla is a poor performer for its price.

BTW, when installing the new card, did you reinstall the drivers and delete fs9.cfg?

Cause that may be the problem.

[epilot4040]

OOPs I have no idea of the config.sys I thought if you uninstall and reinstall that would be enough. Could you please let me know what to do.
Thanks

[congo]

I couldn't find the cfg file I was thinking of in FS9, it must have been an FS8 issue, sorry.

Make sure you don't mistake the 6600GT for the 6600, the 6600 often comes with lots of slow ram and

[Hai Perso Coyone?]

Save up youngin nVidia 6800GT, 1 Gig of RAM and 3.0+Ghz processer are what you should have to run FS with excellent graphics, and at a decent frame rate.

Something similar to mine.....