CFS3 Stuttering, why???

[Ambassador]

I used to have CFS3 working fine.  About a week ago, I did my usual reinstall to get rid of some 3rd-party add-ons.  I went into program files and deleted the CFS3 folder of course.  Well, since I reinstalled again, I have been having some problems.  CFS3 will run fine for about 5 minutes and then for about 30 second periods will stutter they badly.  Everything will freeze up, no keyboard or joystick command will function, and the sounds that were playing that second will keep repeating.  Same thing happens at display settings of 5 and 2.  What should I do?

My system specifications are:

Operating system:  Windows XP Professional
Processer:  GenuineIntel 1695Mhz
Memory: 768.50 MB
Video Card:  All-in-wonder RADEON 7500
CFS Version: 3.1

Ambassador  ???

[Ambassador]

I have looked through the Tweaks post but I couldn't find anything to help me.  I guess I'm one my own.

[RichardI]

Ambassador:-
What you're describing doesn't make any sense, I agree. I suggest you go the Insider website here:-
http://microsoftgamesinsider.com/CFSInsider/default.htm

Read through the Knowledge Base articles and click on the Graphics problems link. Make sure you have done all the things they recommend there. Do tweaks one at a time !

If the game ran fine before, it should run fine again.

Rich  8)

[bobc1]

Hi Ambassador,

You can't just delete CFS3 by deleting the CFS3 main folder. You MUST uninstall or remove it from the Windows XP Pro Control Panel/Add or Remove Programs list first. If you just delete the folder it will screw up your Windows XP Pro Operating System.

After you uninstall or remove CFS3 properly from the Windows XP Pro Control Panel/Add Remove list, THEN you can delete the CFS3 folder.

If you have also "uninstalled" other games or flight simulators in this same manner you may need to format and clean install Windows XP Pro again in order to get everything to work properly.

You wrote:

"I did my usual reinstall to get rid of some 3rd-party add-ons."

This makes no sense. Maybe your English isn't very good but you need to be more accurate in the way that you explain what you've done so we can help you.

What do you mean by your "usual reinstall"?

Hopefully we can figure this out.

[1danny]

i have windows xp home and was warned to use thecomputer install and unisall system only
go to my comp
then add or remove files and let the program do it for you

[Ambassador]

Hi everyone, I see you have misunderstood:

First, I did uninstalled CFS3 using Control Panel/Add or Remove Programs list.

[bobc1]

Hi Ambassador,

It's cool to do a Disk Cleanup and Defrag every once in awhile but it's never really noticably speeded up anything for me. And sometimes if your OS isn't up to par it can really screw things up.

If you uninstalled everything properly and then you reinstalled CFS3 and it still doesn't work right I would start to consider a format and clean install of XP. Is your computer showing any signs of slowing up or are any of your other games running slower?

But before doing that I would suggest that you download, install and run Ad-aware 6.0 (and update it) first and see how much Internet gunk (spyware) that you have installed on your computer.

http://www.lavasoftusa.com/support/download/

Some of that stuff can really screw up a computer especially if you have whole bunch of it installed. In just one hour of simple surfing I had 28 cookies and one instance of Alexa/Gator already written to my registry. These spyware companies are shameless. I've heard of people having hundreds of unnecessary cookies and spyware programs installed on their computer and being unaware of them.

Then you should run your updated antivirus program. If you don't have one or your subscription has run out you can get Grisoft's AVG 6.0 for free. It's what I use. Make sure you run the "Update" feature on it after you get it installed.

http://www.grisoft.com/us/us_dwnl_free.php

If you have broadband every once in awhile go to

http://housecall.trendmicro.com/

and run their free online AV scanner. Even if you have dial up you can run it but it might take a half an hour or more.

And last but not least do a registry clean every once in awhile. I use the free RegCleaner 3.8 which you can get at:

http://www.webmasterfree.com/regcleaner.html

Just be careful that you don't delete anything important in your registry. If you run the "Automatic" feature of RegCleaner you shouldn't have any problems.

Good luck and let us know how you make out.

[Ambassador]

Defragmentation helped!!!  No stuttering anymore!!!  By the way, the most fragmented folder on my computer was the CFS3 folder.  That must have been the problem.

[glb]Ambassador[/glb]

[bobc1]

Glad you got it fixed. Because games and sims get fragmented so easily it's a good idea to put them on a separate partition by themselves. I created 6 partitions on my hard drive to keep things organized and to speed things up a bit. My (E:\) partition is just for my games and sims and that keeps my active partition C:\ where my OS is from getting fragmented by the games and sims.

I also created a small 2GB partition (D:\) just for my paging/swap file. It speeds things up a bit and also keeps my active C:\ partition from getting so fragmented. I have my paging file set to 1024MBs both minimum and maximum so that it's a static paging file making it a bit faster too.

Alienware Intel D850GB 400MHz FSB with a PowerLeaped P4_2.6GHz
512MBs PC-800 RDRAM
Radeon 9700 Pro 333/319
Seagate 120GB-8MB Cache HD
Audigy 2 Platinum
Sony 21" E540/B Monitor
HOTAS Cougar
WinXP_Pro w/SP-1
DirectX_9.0(b)
3DMark2003=5,067
3DMark2001 SE=14,233

[bobc1]

Check out this LO:MAC A-10 screenshot. You can download the 125MB demo at:

http://www.lo-mac.com/

[1danny]

wow
thats it i gotta get a new vid card

compaq 2.4
geforce 4 mx440
504mb ram
17" flat monitor

i have  about 200 bucks any suggestions

stay with nvida?

sliders at
planes=5
terrin =2
scenery=2
effects=1
clouds disabeled
mid 20's fps with wonderwoman cockpit
mid teens with virtual cockpit
heavy flack is a drag

[bobc1]

Hi 1danny,

The ATI Radeon 9700 Pros are still around $250.00 so I guess that's too much money. So probably your best bet would be an nVidia Ti 4600 which are $159.00 at some of Pricewatch's vendors.

http://www.pricewatch.com/

I usually do most of my online shopping at NewEgg. They are a little higher in price than some of the other online e-stores but I trust them. The Ti4600 128MB is $169.00 there and the Ti4200 128MB is around $139.00. Personally I wouldn't get an ATI brand video card under the Radeon 9700 Pro but that's just my preference. I hear that you can modify the Radeon 9500's to the 9700 speed but that's for people who like to take chances and modify their video cards.

You want to try to get the latest video card that you can so that it will have the features on it that the newer games and sims use. Specific lighting effects etcetera but I don't know what cards have what implemented into them or what games or sims you'll be playing.

Ti4600 128MB at Newegg

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduct.a ... =3109,3668

Ti4200 128MB at NewEgg

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduct.a ... =3107,3668

I'm having trouble finding the Ti4400 128MB at NewEgg.

I guess I'm a bit spoiled because I always want the best and fastest video card so I always steer away from the MX versions of the nVidia video cards but they are cheaper. You usually get what you pay for though.

Here are all the video cards at Newegg sorted by Chipsets.

http://www.newegg.com/app/manufactory.a ... =48&DEPA=1

Here are the benchmarks for most of the video cards on the market now. They were benchmarked using a P4_3.06GHz but the results probably hold true no matter what processor is used. Not the actual benchmark numbers but the order in which they placed.


Happy hunting.

[chomp_rock]

Try lowering your color to 16 bit. It worked for me!
BTW is the GfFX5200 (256mb) better than the raedeon 9700?

[1danny]

thanx bob

that was quite a bit of info, ipaid $150.oo for the card i have now at circuit city 6 mos ago grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
well,

at least cfs2 plays fantasticly now