Does anyone know whats going on here?

Post by **campbeme** » 08 Mar 2009, 10:20

Hey there im after advise.

Last night I had a system crash while on the Net. I hads loads of error messages come up, but before I could read any of them the Laptop rebooted it self.

Started up ok windows looks fine but FS9 looks abit crappy.

Any ideas welcome.

Mark

Post by **Firebird** » 08 Mar 2009, 12:59

It sounds like your graphics driver is corrupted. Try de-installing and re-installing it.

Ford Friendly · Post by **Ford Friendly** » 08 Mar 2009, 13:14

Actually, if you look closely at that pic, what it suggests, to me, is that certain textures somehow got hosed - or perhaps the links to them did. He said that windows itself runs/looks fine and scenery tiles in the background appear fine, which is different than what seems to be afcad texture-related. Look at the ground between runway and taxiway or on the autogen buildings in the picture.

I would try running something like System Mechanic or XP Repair Pro that repairs the registry and shortcut/file linkages. Then check a couple different locations to see if it's just one afcad/location or not. If it's location specific, easy fix - reinstall that scenery/afcad. Worst case, reinstall FS9... nah, we won't go there.

Good luck.

Post by **campbeme** » 08 Mar 2009, 13:24

Hi Steve,

I installed the latest ATI drivers last night it did not help.

Ford,

I noticed the afcad texture problem too, strange thing is I have 3 FS9 copies installed 1 on laptop and the other 2 on external Hard drives. I see the same issue which ever copy I run. What's confusing is the externals were not running When the crash happened.

Mark

Post by **Firebird** » 08 Mar 2009, 14:20

Hmmm, well if all of your copies have the same issue, then it sounds like a system problem. have you tried running something else that is pretty graphics intensive?

It seems that its system related, and hopefully not hardware. Just a thought you haven't got one of those graphics cards that needs an extra power have you?
I have had in the past an issue with the connection coming loose, but nvidia cards tell you on startup that there is a problem and that graphic quality has been reduced.

Ford Friendly · Post by **Ford Friendly** » 08 Mar 2009, 14:42

Can you confirm:
1. that it is not related to a specific afcad?
2. that none of the 3 FS9 installs share ANY files?
3. that the "whacked look" does not appear related to generic FS9 autogen or ground textures?
4. that you have run something like System Mechanic/XP Repair Pro as I suggested?
5. that no other graphics intensive program (as suggested in Firebird's post above) shows this problem?

Post by **campbeme** » 11 Mar 2009, 19:52

Hey Guys,

Thanks for the advice, but its my ATI card that has started its slow death roll.

Its a ATI Mobility X600 Radeon 256mb, which I think is intergrated into the Motherboard please correct me if im wrong. So I am not sure how to fix it.

Blue screen message says one of the ATI files is in a infinate loop and windows must shutdown. I have updated the drivers but still get the same blue screen.

Mark

Post by **Firebird** » 11 Mar 2009, 20:43

Definitely is built in, Mark.
In fact I would query whether or not it could be fixed, cost effectively. How old is the laptop?

The only thing that I can suggest is that sometimes you can problems by loading new drivers w/o properly clearing out old ones.
Try removing the current ones and rebooting into default vga mode and then installing the latest X600 compatible drivers.

If you have done that then google for X600 problems and fixes, but be prepared for either an expensive replacement or new laptop.

Post by **campbeme** » 11 Mar 2009, 20:57

Hey Steve,

Tried everything have uninstalled the drivers. Run a utility called driver clean up, then installed latest drivers still no good. Have got vertical dotted lines down the screen in VGA mode and blue screen when running the card. So I ran a destructive recovery on partition C. Still have the same problem.

Guess my 2004 Vaio is dead

Time for one of those Quad Core Turbo nutter things aye.

Mark

Post by **Firebird** » 12 Mar 2009, 07:26

Yeah, it does sound like it.

BASys · Post by **BASys** » 12 Mar 2009, 23:09

Hi Folks

Mark -
Recommend a little more research before discarding it.

ATI Mobility "cards" have been FlexFit for years,
i.e.
they're an all-in-one chip pinned plugin unit.

HTH
ATB
Paul

Post by **campbeme** » 13 Mar 2009, 16:31

OK cheers,

Will dig abit more info out.

Mark

Post by **campbeme** » 14 Mar 2009, 18:52

Sorted it.

Got myself a

AMD Phenom 9550 Quad-Core Processor 2.20Ghz
4096MB Ram
500GB Hard Drive
64 Bit MS Vista
ATI Radeon 3100 256mb

Would of liked a bigger graphics card but was on a tight budget.

Mark

BASys · Post by **BASys** » 14 Mar 2009, 20:12

Ah well
Glad you've got it sorted.

Nice machine BTW.

About that dead Vaio.........

ATB
Paul