Display Card Problem with Pilot Training Program/Simulator

I am a student pilot and I was recommended to purchase Flight Simulator 2004 as it is cheaper and less demanding on the computer, but I am having display issues. Please help me

I am running Vista 64 Ultimate with a Nvdia Quadro NVS 140m with 4GB of ram on a Thinkpad T61 with 2.2ghz duo. For some reason, flight simulator runs fins until you try to change the view say from ****pit to spot plane or you change the day and time from the menu. Switching between windows will also cause a problem. The problem is that the screen appears to freeze, but it hasn't. As the engine sound still changes and all the file menus work. All I have to do is say click the map from the menu and press cancel then the screen returns to normal. I have installed all updates, Does anyone know a fix?

I think it has to do with Hardware Acceleration, when I unchecked it from FS2002 it worked fine, but the graphics were crap. Does anyone else suffer this issue with FS2004?

Thanks

 

What Video drivers are you using, sounds like an issue related to that? I haven't tried FS2004 under 64 bit mode either, not sure if that might be an issue, hopefully someone else will comment on that....

But, as a side note, how far along are you on your training and what ya flying? I'm actually about to take my Private Checkride, just gotta get a couple more hours of checkride prep... excited though. Good luck and have fun!

 

Just started, I am mainly using it to help get used to the different gauges and just to familiarize my self with the plane, I am using a 172SP. I do notice that FS is not at all close to flying a real 172 like under lean mixture the engine does not shutoff or how the plane does not need rudder compensation when climbing because of the propeller spin. What are you training in?

How do you tell what video drivers you are using?

 

Actually, flight sim will simulate that stuff, but you've got to go into the options and change the difficulty settings... turn the sliders right to hard or expert, can't remember the term, then disable auto rudder, enable p-facter (the reason you need right rudder), gyro drift, advanced fuel modeling and not unlimited, crash detection, etc, and it actually does a pretty decent job... leaning the engine is modeled once you change the settings... by default everything is set to EASY and eliminates most of the realistic stuff to make it easy for people that have no idea about the real thing to enjoy it.... stalls aren't perfectly spot on, and spins are funky, but overall it will really help you learn the basics pretty well! The only thing it doesn't really help with is the basic feel of the yoke and movement in the plane, but you'll learn that soon enough with your lessons. Check the settings, you'll be much happier with it then!

Best bet is go to the laptops manufacturer's website and get all the latest drivers, they might have something there that will help. To find your current version, find the device manager and click the driver's tab and it'll show you a version number... compare that with the newest you can find on the website, and upgrade if your's is older... that'd be where I'd start.

As for flying, actually finishing up my training in a 172 as well, got one rented for in the morning actually to finish up my solo time, then just cram for the checkride... it's taken me 10 years though ha, soloed back on my 16th birthday, but then got tied up with school and college and have just now gotten time to get finished up... but, almost there!

Let me know if you find any newer drivers and if that helps, otherwise we'll figure something else out.

 

ALL FIXED I also posted on a Flight Simulator Forum and this fixed it for me. Thanks alot all.


Right-click on the shortcut for FS2004, choose the
Compatibility tab, check "Disable desktop composition". It
occurs due to Vista Aero running concurrent to FS2004.

 

Good luck on checkride; tell me how it goes. I also changed the Realism settings like you recommended it is so much better now. Thanks

 

be77solo -
What display drivers are you using these days for your SLI1? I've been using the 169.09 drivers that I'm pretty sure you so kindly modded and uploaded to one of the threads here. I've noticed recently that FSX is becoming buggy. Machine also feels like it's running hotter at times.

It looks like Jesse is using the 174.31 drivers and it also sounds like you don't have to use the modded inf files. Your and Jesse's posts have been very helpful in the past. Thanks for that! Any additional help/insight you can provide is greatly appreciated.