Problem - GPS blacks out when undocking

[MrRocketShooZ]

Hi all,

Having an annoying problem in FSX. When I start the GPS in any aircraft it opens fine in the main window (I'm running FSX windowed in DX10 mode). However as I have two monitors I prefer to undock the GPS window and drag it to my second monitor. Whenever I do this it usually turns black, and the arrow cursor becomes the hourglass and flashes between the two (strobes between arrow and hourglass). While this is happening the frame rate drops dramatically making FSX very choppy. Even if I close the GPS window the frame rate stays low and the cursor keeps flashing the hourglass.

Usually the GPS reappears eventually. When this happens the hourglass disappears and the frame rate goes back to normal. Sometimes this takes only a couple of minutes, other times it can take half an hour or more.

I haven't been able to find any info on this problem using google or the search feature here. Has anyone else had this problem or know how to fix it?

Edit: I should mention I am running FSX Gold with all updates. Also have REX and some other addons installed but the problem has occurred from day one.

Best regards,

[abrussell]

Moving gauges to a second monitor will decrease your frame rate. My system drops about 8 to 10 fps when I do this. Fortunately, in my case, I'm still running at 30fps. Your problems appear to be from overtaxing your system. Turn off the DX10 preview. If the problem persists, back off on your settings. Especially autogen, ai traffic, and water. Hope this helps.
Bruce

[napamule2]

Just a reference read.
'Multiple monitor setup information is also available within the Learning Center in Flight Simulator X. To open the Learning Center, follow these steps:
Start Flight Simulator X. Click Learning Center. Click the Index tab, and then click the letter D to go to the Display section. Under Display, click Using Multiple Monitors.

To learn more about how to view the game on multiple monitors, see the Using Views topic in the Learning Center.

When you have an additional window open, you can easily move it between monitors. Remember that the radio stack, the throttle quadrant, and the other cockpit elements open in their own window and can be moved. Depending on your system, using multiple monitors may affect system performance.

Important: Although you can view multiple undocked windows on different monitors, you should not let a single Flight Simulator window stretch across multiple monitors because doing this may adversely affect system performance.

To fix a known issue that affect multiple monitor support for Flight Simulator X running in Windows Vista, visit the following Microsoft Web site:
http://www.fsinsider.com/tips/Pages/SupportAlertVistaMulti-MonitorFix.aspx .'
Chuck B
Napamule

[MrRocketShooZ]

Thanks for your reply Bruce!


Moving gauges to a second monitor will decrease your frame rate. My system drops about 8 to 10 fps when I do this.

My frame rate doesn't drop at all with gauges on the second screen. I don't think overtaxing the system is the problem as when the error is not occurring I get very good performance and no noticable frame rate loss even with 5 or 6 gauges open. When I first installed FSX I had it running on low settings and the error occurred just as often then. Moreover moving gauges to a second screen, including GPS, has no noticeable affect on my system except for when the GPS screws up.


Turn off the DX10 preview. If the problem persists, back off on your settings. Especially autogen, ai traffic, and water. Hope this helps.

I've tried in DX9 mode and the error still occurs except the gauges get whited out not blacked out. Unfortunately I've already tried lower settings for everything and it makes no difference.

To reiterate, when the GPS first opens, it opens fine. I then undock and move to the other screen. Sometimes it blacks out at this point, sometimes it doesn't. I usually then re-size it, which often blacks it out if it hasn't already. When it's blacked out the FPS drops from about 30 to about 10. Eventually it comes good, re-appears, and the FPS goes back to normal. I really don't think it relates to taxing the system as if this were the problem the FPS drop would be permanent with it open, not just when it's blacked out. It's more like it's getting stuck in some sort of loop it can't get out of.

[napamule2]

I this was happening to me then I would suspect it to be a Direct X issue and would download latest DirX. But I could be wrong.
Chuck B
Napamule

[MrRocketShooZ]

Hi Chuck,

What videocard are you using? I'm using an Nvidia 8800GTS. I think it may be a driver issue with running in windowed mode. Changing the multi-screen mode from performance to compatibility seemed to help on my PC. Running full screen there is no problem but I usually prefer to run windowed so I can switch between FSX and other programs more easily.

I don't think it's a Direct X issue as it occurs in both DX9 and DX10 mode.

Best regards,

[abrussell]

Posting your system specs would aid in diagnosing your problem.
Bruce

[napamule2]

Mr,
You said: 'Hey Chuck ... What videocard are you using? I'm using an Nvidia 8800GTS'.

Don't matter. I can run my cable to my TV and put the gps there, so I have multi-screen capablity. Yes you have to put FSX in Windowed mode. Then you drag over and can resize/reposition the GPS, etc. But if it ISN'T 'fs9!gps_500' and it's 'gps!gps_295' it might not work in FSX? So what would effect it then? The res of his 2nd monitor? And if he is using a laptop with a different Windows OS on it, would that mess it up? Compatibility? Sounds like Vista, am I right? So Win 7 would be simular UNLESS IT'S 64 BIT and then all bets are off. We need more info, to tell the truth. Why do posters want to make questions so 'mysterious' is beyond me?
Chuck B
Napamule

[MrRocketShooZ]

Hi Bruce, my system specs are as follows:

Core 2 Duo 3.2GHz
4GB DDR2
8800GTS 640MB
Windows 7 64 bit
FSX Gold SP2

I defrag regularly with auslogics.

Just to pre-empt any "Win7 sucks use xp" posts, it may be that this problem would not occur on XP but I'm not going to change OS to fix this.


Mr,
You said: 'Hey Chuck ... What videocard are you using? I'm using an Nvidia 8800GTS'.

Don't matter. I can run my cable to my TV and put the gps there, so I have multi-screen capablity. Yes you have to put FSX in Windowed mode. Then you drag over and can resize/reposition the GPS, etc. But if it ISN'T 'fs9!gps_500' and it's 'gps!gps_295' it might not work in FSX? So what would effect it then? The res of his 2nd monitor? And if he is using a laptop with a different Windows OS on it, would that mess it up? Compatibility? Sounds like Vista, am I right? So Win 7 would be simular UNLESS IT'S 64 BIT and then all bets are off. We need more info, to tell the truth. Why do posters want to make questions so 'mysterious' is beyond me?
Chuck B
Napamule

Thanks Chuck. I'm not trying to make the problem mysterious, I thought it may be a known problem in which case the description given would probably be enough, but yeah I should have mentioned Win7. I've tried compatibility mode and running as admin, this does not help. My DirectX and videocard drivers are up to date. I'm not sure what you're saying about fs9!gps_500 but I'm guessing that refers to the default FSX GPS - that's what's in my panel.cfg files for default aircraft at least. My second monitor has the same resolution as the first. I don't know what you're saying about the laptop and a different version of Windows, I'm running on a single desktop PC with dual screens.

Cheers all

[Anubis]

I have never seen such a problem. However, there are a few things you could try:

1) Most probably it is not a "GPS window problem" but a "2nd monitor problem". To find that out, you should try to drag another window and see what happens. Have you tried for example with the ATC window? Or the reference one? Or any other aircraft panel? If you experience similar problems, then the GPS has nothing to do with that

2) Try another approach: run FSX full screen and simply drag the GPS (or any other panel, see above) on the second screen. No undock procedure is required as FSX will own both screens. Do you see any difference? If so, it could be a problem of the Operating Systems which simply requires an extra amount of resources to display another stand-alone window on the second screen. Contrary to what 'experts' say, you CAN use the 2nd screen without having to run FSX windowed. Seeing is believing, as the American say!

3) You will pay a performance price running on two screens, there is no doubt about that. The video RAM required to display something on the 2nd screen has to come from somewhere, and so the GPU work required to draw anything there. It may be more or less noticeable, but it is there.

Paolo

[FlyStein]

Your system is most likely hindered by the motherboard, 4GB DDR2 and 8800GTS 640MB.

[MrRocketShooZ]

I have never seen such a problem. However, there are a few things you could try:

1) Most probably it is not a "GPS window problem" but a "2nd monitor problem". To find that out, you should try to drag another window and see what happens. Have you tried for example with the ATC window? Or the reference one? Or any other aircraft panel? If you experience similar problems, then the GPS has nothing to do with that

2) Try another approach: run FSX full screen and simply drag the GPS (or any other panel, see above) on the second screen. No undock procedure is required as FSX will own both screens. Do you see any difference? If so, it could be a problem of the Operating Systems which simply requires an extra amount of resources to display another stand-alone window on the second screen. Contrary to what 'experts' say, you CAN use the 2nd screen without having to run FSX windowed. Seeing is believing, as the American say!

3) You will pay a performance price running on two screens, there is no doubt about that. The video RAM required to display something on the 2nd screen has to come from somewhere, and so the GPU work required to draw anything there. It may be more or less noticeable, but it is there.

Paolo

Hi Paolo, thanks for your reply!
Re: 1) I always fly with a bunch of panels open on the second screen, usually switches/overhead, pfd, mfd, cs weather radar, atc, sometimes radio. I've never had a problem with the other panels, it is only GPS.
Re: 2) Sadly I've tried running full screen but it didn't make any difference. Doing as you suggest still causes the same error.
Re: 3) I'm sure I indeed lose 1-2fps running the second screen, but honestly it's not perceivable and the problem occurs whether I'm getting 30+ fps or much lower. I really do not think this is the problem as it occurs at all settings, resolutions and in both dx9 and dx10. I know my system isn't cutting edge, but I also know many people run on significantly lower specs without any dramas.

Thanks anyway for the constructive ideas.

[Anubis]

Weird, no idea then, sorry for that. The only thing I can suggest is to fly with the GPS on the main screen, making it quite small and placing it in a corner (I usually fly in that way)...

Paolo