FS2004 + Windows 7 + NVIDIA fix

While some posts claim FS2004 runs perfectly Win 7, that is not entirely the case. I had annoying probs getting FS to run properly under Win7 (SP1 Pro x64) with an elderly Nvidia 8600GT, but new H81 socket mobo. Screen 1900x1080x32.

Some instruments, like the Garmin 500, flashed, or the AA was ineffective, or the framerates were bad. The erratic performance was much worse than under Win XP. As recommended, I was using new Nvidia drivers of 2014/5 vintage. Some drivers gave FR lower than 15fps, while others ran solidly at 40fps. Drivers were released only a few weeks apart. The builtin Win7 driver for NVIDIA (2009 vintage) seemed to be by far the best performance, but you could not use the 3D settings panel nor Nhancer to alter the AA settings.

I tried the 195.62 driver (Nov 2009) with Nhancer and everything is excellemt. In fact, better than it ever was on Win XP. Fs now runs solidly at 40fps, all quality settings maxed, 8x AA and filters, on a 1900x1080x32 screen.

My hunch is that the highly erratic behaviors of the different drivers is likely to be memory leaks. Its a matter of picking the driver that works best. 195.62 works with Win7 and it can still be downloaded from NVIDIA. You need to Google it up, as it is now longer listed on their support page. If your card is too new for 195.62, you're out of luck. I tried a new NVIDIA card (2014 vintage), and the flickering and 20fps problems persisted.

Note. The AA settings in FS2004 apply to the aircraft and cockpit, and should be on. The AA settings on the NVIDIA or Nhancer control panel apply to the background/terrain, and should always be on.

Good that you have it sorted... FS2004 under Nvidia certainly is driver sensitive.

In fact, it's why I have an XP box exclusively for my beloved FS9.5 install.

(I have moved many of my other computing needs to other devices, mostly these days my phone!)

It has GTS250 graphics under the Nvidia 195.62 driver, and uses NHancer for control.

This is ancient stuff, but it runs beautifully.

Inspector I have heard, works better than NHancer for WIN7

If you use shader injectors like SweetFX, AA should be off in the sim.

SweetFX seems to still be a bit alpha-beta-gamma. The AA+filters aren't great under NVIDIA + Nhancer, but it'll do for now.

After a bit more playing, many more subtle probs have disappeared.:)

* The weather, esp. 3D clouds, works well now. 3D clouds no longer get sporadically cut in half vertically.

* Small appendages outside the a/c now display well. The default c180 has two vhf aerials near the back window. Under bad video drivers these flash on and off, depending on the view angle.

The best way to keep FS9 viable in the future is to wait for virtual box to get the 3D accel right. Old hardware will eventually break down.