Yet another "newbie" question...

[cerphr]

I installed FS 2002 in 12/03 and have used it maybe 10 hours a week since.  (Getting a kick out of it almost daily... just moved up (ha) to 777 approaches tonight!)

Lately I have been getting (1)some screen freeze when using gps direct mode, (2) some jerky screen movement, (3) incorrect aircraft movement while in flight, (4) loss of communication while in flight and/or taxiing.

Is there some sort of program maintenance or housekeeping I should be doing to keep things running smoothly in FS2002?

P4/256mg/40gb (if that helps)

Thanks in advance for any assistance rendered!

[Scottler]

Sounds like a RAM issue to me....at least the jerkiness does anyway.

[N4733D]

When you hit the GPS Direct-to -D-> button, it is natural for it to lock up (mine does for probably 10 seconds). Your plane doesn't move during this time, so you don't have to worry about crashing. You would lock up too if you had to load a database of like 25,000 airports. Yep, the rest of it sounds like a personal problem to me. RAM!!!!

[Fly2e]

I would say RAM myself. Possibly try a disc defragment and see if that helps a bit! Otherwise additional RAM is very cheap and you get ALLOT for your buck!
Good Luck!

Dave

[cerphr]

Thanks... I will find out what "RAM" is... and get another quart or two...  

Thanks for the help!

[Scottler]

lol...RAM is Random Access Memory.  It's basically the short term memory lobe of your computer's brain.

You'll probably want a MINIMUM of 512.  If you're not sure what your computer can handle, talk to some computer folks at the local PC store and they should be able to guide you in the right direction.

[firecop535]

You also may try clearing out your temporary internet files and checking the box that states "Delete all offline content" before loading FS. It helps me.

By the way, Hello all from a "newbie".  ;D

[Bazza]

Welcome to both "newbies" - you have come to the right place for problem solving.

I too have noticed the freeze when selecting GPS.   I explain it to myself as the GPS unit searching for the closest satellite - however, it is a standard problem that I suspect everyone has.      I usually "load it" before taking off along with all the other housework and that way it doesn't interfere.

I'm not sure about some of your other problems though, additional RAM as suggested is a good starting point.  I can't see it being responsible for your communication worries or your incorrect flight performance, perhaps you could  be a bit more specific in these respects.

I used 256 meg of RAM for many years and never really had a problem with it  - perhaps you could back of on the "sliders" and see if this helped - it would be an indication.    Lack of RAM would certainly explain the jerkiness, indicative of low frame rates.    Do you know how to check on them ?

Good luck and welcome.

[RFB]

[quote]I too have noticed the freeze when selecting GPS.

[cerphr]

Lack of RAM would certainly explain the jerkiness, indicative of low frame rates.    Do you know how to check on them ?


No I don't...
I have the slides moved way high... I will experiment with them.  I don't have any other power sucking sofware on this relatively new P4... granted it only has 256 ram as I have determined with ya'lls help.  I clean the temp files almost daily ... I don't defrag... I better get in the habit
Thanks for all the advice

[N4733D]

Yep defrag helps a mucho bit. Where is that "delete all offline content" button anyways? I get tired of cleaning up after IE.

[Poseidon]

Well, the jerky screen movement sounds to me more like graphics card and not RAM. What card does your PC have? If it is a GeForceMX 64 for example it is definitely the reason of your problem.

Try reduce the display details and more specifically the anti-aliasing and tri-linear filtering.

[4_Series_Scania]

If your running XP with 256MB of RAM I'm hardly surprised its poor......

The same p4 (Despite an MX card if it had one!) will happily run FS2002 with 512MB+ of RAM,

XP's a snail with 256MB as I found to my cost a few years back when I "upgraded"  ::)

Incidentally, with Win98/ME FS2002 ran great with an 'ol p3 667, 256MB SDRAM and a GeForce2 MX400, the same machine under XP was truly awful until I upped the RAM.

Hope this helps,

Paul.

[cerphr]

Yep defrag helps a mucho bit. Where is that "delete all offline content" button anyways? I get tired of cleaning up after IE.

Click Tools, clk internet options, clk delete files under the general tab.  That opens a smaller window where the "delete all offline contect" statement appears with a box for you to check.