Graphics Are Running Choppy On My Hi-End System

[rustywater]

I recently upgraded my computer (2.8 GigHz, 512 Mb Ram, GForce4 Ti 4600 (128 Mb Ram Video), WidowsXP Pro), and my MS Flight Sim 2002 is running choppy. It seems that it isn't using the accelerated drivers. It use to work smoothly on my 1.0 Gig computer on my Windows 98se machine and I would think it would be much better on this one. My other games work very well and smooth (even Lo-Mac for crying out loud). Can I say "Lo-Mac" on this forum? Anyway, is there a patch that I don't know about? Can anyone help me.

Thanks,
Russ

[Liam]

The common answer to this question is usually to update your Graphic card drivers....it's worth a try.

[rustywater]

Did that already. but I'll double check. Why are all my other sims running okay? Like I said, even a graphics/memory hog like Lock-On works fine.

[Liam]

Well you've upgraded so I guess maybe you reinstalled FS?

Take a look at the options on FS, make sure they all seem good.

[rustywater]

Was there a patch released on FS 2002 that I don't know about?

[jrpilot]

Hello,


I am experiencing the same problem I tried changing the setting and everthing but keeps happening I am going to try reinstalling F$ but I'll see what happens

[rustywater]

It's weird. I am using the same card (GForce4 Ti4600) as before, have the same amount of memory (512), but just upgraded my system from 1 Gig to a 2.8 Gigs. It worked really smooth on that one. I don't know???

[Fettler]

Hello Rusty.

If you right click on the clock in the right hand corner of the screen, a menu will pop up. Click on Task Manager. Your CPU usage should be at around 12 per cent. If like mine was, you find that your PC usage is at 100 percent all the time then something is wrong. Your computer is working flat out, and thats why your graphics wont be able to work properly in Flight Sim. In all probability, if this is the case, you have a virus which is slowing your applications down (the internet will be sluggish too)
If it is a virus that you have, once you get rid of it you should notice a dramatic improvement in performance with Flight Sim. Of course, there may be another reason for your graphics problems,but at least this way you can eliminate the possibility of a virus infection. I have had AVG on my PC for months, but this thing sneaked through and has gone unnoticed for weeks. All that time it has been slowing my PC down, and I thought it was because I reinstalled Windows XP. Good Luck anyway.

[hooterg]

Just to keep this thread going -- I have the same problem running FS2K2 on my 1 GB, 512 RAM, Windows 2000 Professional lap top.  I had a slower machine before, and I think the sim ran better.  This machine has a Radeon Mobility card.  When I run the flight sim, the CPU loads up to 100% even though the ram usage is relatively low.  No other programs load up the CPU, so I don't think I have a virus.  I've tried lowering frame rates, changing aircraft, and eliminating AI flights.  I've also played with all of the display settings I can find, both in the sim and on the graphics card.  So I'm stumped.  Wonder if there's some kind of analytical routine that can be run to spot the problem.

[cerphr]

Wonder if the thread I started under "another newbie question" is helpful to you.

There has been good input there.

Good Luck

[RFB]

Very odd for such a system to be running the sim with choppy graphics.

Id say you got a virus or spyware hoggin your resources, or maybe some flaky memory.

But you might check your BIOS setting for the video memory size. I set mine at 128Mb, since my vid card has 128Mb. Sometimes that setting in the BIOS is called "apprature size" (forgive spelling) Set that at your video card's memory size, this should help a whole lot.

I use a PII 450 on an Asus 440BX mobo w/320megs 100Mhz ram thru a GF 5200 FX 128Mb vid card...sim runs extremely smooth on Win98SE OS.

About the only time I notice choppy performance is when I set the detail adjustments above half way setting and in congested areas with alot of ground scenery.

I also fly a model in the sim that contains over 32,000 poly faces....my Centurion as pictured on the left. If anything is going to be a hog with making things choppy, it should be that model, but the sim runs just as smooth as if I ran the sim with one of the stock airplanes with far far less poly faces.

[rustywater]

Well Gents, I solved my problem. I went and purchased Flight Simulator 2004, and that works perfect. There is no virus in my computer (I keep the virus definitions up to date), and there's plenty of memory available.  There has to be something else, but at this point, it doesn't matter since I'll be using the newer version of Flight Simulator.  Thanks for your help.