Random stuttering every few seconds

I know this has been put on here many times but I have tried many of the solutions in the forums and have got nowhere so just wanted to see if anyone has any other suggestions.

 

In a nut shell every couple of seconds I'm getting a 1-2 Second stutter where the sim drops to around 10-15 fps from my usual 35 or so. I have no intention on wanting a better FPS I just want to try and get that stutter to go. This is usually more at larger airports like Charles de Gaulle (LFPG) but it does happen every now and then at smaller airports like Cardiff (EGFF) and Bristol (EGGD). I do not have AI installed and I have removed Simlink and GSX as I no longer use them just in case they were effecting the sim but it hasn't helped much.

 

Could this be down to the scenery loader ? I have implemented some of the advice from the following thread:

https://kostasfsworld.wordpress.com/fsx-software-and-hardware-guide/

Including the "FIBER_FRAME_TIME_FRACTION=0.15" tweak but with 0.20 not the .15. Could this be part of my issue ? I was having this problem before implementing this tweak.

 

Any thoughts are greatly appreciated !

Try to post your FSX.CFG file here.

 

Jorgen

Try to post your FSX.CFG file here.

 

Jorgen

 

FSX is not affected by such settings, is my experience. Set it once and forget it.

"Set it once and forget it."

 

That is exactly what I want to do.

 

Jorgen

I've had exactly the same thing with both FSX and DCS World and it turned out to be the anti-virus programs. I use Windows 10 default security (Defender?) as well as Malwarebytes. All stuttering disappeared as soon as I entered exclusions for the folders where the games are located Edited January 7, 2021 by rooitou

A very valid point!

 

Jorgen

Just to amuse me, go to one of your problem airports, take note of the stutters, save the flight. Exit FSX, remove FSUIPC, restore your saved flight and tell me if there is any change to your stutters.

 

I'll only ask this once here because people will get cr*ppy with me but this would be a good situation to try what I suggest.

Mark, surely rooitou's advice to add FSX to the antivirus exclusions would have the same effect with FSUIPC? In other words, also add FSUIPC to the antivirus exclusions.

Mark, surely rooitou's advice to add FSX to the antivirus exclusions would have the same effect with FSUIPC? In other words, also add FSUIPC to the antivirus exclusions.

 

I think in this case it is possibly something like anti virus causing the OP's issue. I expect he would try the anti virus suggestion first anyhow and if it works all good and he'll disappear but if it doesn't, he really should try what I suggest.

Thanks for all the replies everyone ! I first humoured Skywatcher12 and removed FSUIPC which didn’t have any effect but thank you for the suggestion. I then tried adding exclusions to my Antivirus which has thankfully removed the stuttering ! Thank you all !

Thanks for all the replies everyone ! I first humoured Skywatcher12 and removed FSUIPC which didn’t have any effect but thank you for the suggestion.

 

lol

 

Thanks. I did think it was anti virus as I said in this case but if it wasn't, then my suggestion might've been a great one!

Sorry folks one last question... Having sorted the original stuttering issue, I purchased Active Sky 16 and surprise surprise the stuttering is back. I have made sure there is an exclusion in the anti-virus for the AS16 program folder. And tried removing all my addon sceneries just to see if it helped, as I expected it did not. Any suggestions ?

Two things to try for AS16:

 

a) Go through all AS16 settings and turn down anything that you suspect would take more processing power.

 

b) Set Custom Weather to clear skies, etc. I have an i5-10600K and RXT 2080 Ti and I still get a little stuttering flying through very stormy clouds. The less weather there is locally, the smoother FSX will be.

Did you remove the stuttering???

I thought I would jump in this one, I too experience stuttering in FSX. My FS9 installs and msfs run great.

 

Have tried all I can think that many here have advised to try, of which includes disabling Malwarebytes Bytes and WIN defender, shutting off network connections, adding to the exceptions in Malwarebytes and Windows defender, uninstalled FSUIPC, lowered sliders, disabled add on scenery, but alas still stutters. Frame rate experiments from 20 to unlimited have no effect as well. Recently I had Task Manger running in my second monitor to see if something would pop up like processor usage or something crazy but all remains steady.

 

For reference my installs are on a secondary internal SSD, drive H:, IE H:\FSX and H:\FS9

 

Here is a possibility I am looking into - google search this for some info: Simple Stutters Fix for FSX

 

 

I am not giving up the fight, if I ever get it figured out I certainly will post!

 

Mike

MikeDV, try a default install of FSX in your C: drive (install in C:/, not a Program Files folder) and see if performance is better. Even separate internal SSDs can have slight slowdowns depending on the motherboard.

MikeDV, try a default install of FSX in your C: drive (install in C:/, not a Program Files folder) and see if performance is better. Even separate internal SSDs can have slight slowdowns depending on the motherboard.

 

Don't do that. It's a mistake.

Instead, make sure it ain't a slowdown due to the ssd. Make sure the FSX folder is NOT barred by the anivirus and any addon folder has permission granted. Moving the sim just isn't necessary at this stage.

Don't do that. It's a mistake.

Instead, make sure it ain't a slowdown due to the ssd. Make sure the FSX folder is NOT barred by the anivirus and any addon folder has permission granted. Moving the sim just isn't necessary at this stage.

 

Thanks guys, actually my install started off at C:\FSX (Also an SSD) and the stutters were there back then also.

 

Mallcott - yes, tried all that, even uninstalled add on scenery, shut off Malwarebytes completely and disabled WIN defender, took the PC offline, let’s see...

 

Oh, this happens regardless of the plane, whether stock or third party, GA or jumbo.

 

I’ll find it! I do believe it is in Windows somewhere, as even the stock install from my DVD did it. Dell PC’s are notorious for bloatware as well, that is why I ran FSX with task manager open, there was a little app that would pop in to report system status stuff to Dell and it was causing hiccups, but I tracked it down, deleted it and the freezing in my system stopped. FSX is another matter LOL

 

Mike

To truly test, run a default FSX and turn everything right down. It should then be smooth unless you have a really slow PC or a problem on your system.

 

I find FSX to be just a stutterfest of a game. I run so many games old and new. It's only flight simming I have to put up with stutters.

If it is possible to overclock your CPU, you should do that. Try 3.5 or 4 GHz.

 

Also you can try this:

 

https://www.flightsim.com/vbfs/showthread.php?259352-FSX-P3D-Software-and-Hardware-Tweaking-Guide

 

Jorgen

Thought I would check in, FWIW it was not my intent to hijack the OP's thread, I do appreciate the ideas and have tried a few...

 

Skywatcher12 - Good idea of a test default install, even maybe installing right from my DVD set, but I do remember this stuttering on my old PC. Honestly this is the only program I have any issues with on this particular machine. (Specs are in my sig). I may end up trying that anyway someday down the road.

 

jorgen.s.andersen - I have not overclocked, that may happen in the future though, I will look into it. That is unfamiliar territory for me. I did set up those suggestions in the tweak guide (Thanks!) Results - the stutters are fewer, more random, and quicker, as in it does not freeze for like a second, more like "flashes" now.

 

I will find this and nail it! Next research is the nvidia card and settings on that end. My old PC had Nvidia graphics as well so maybe there is something there.

 

 

Question - even though my FSX folder is on a separate SSD (H:\FSX), the FSX.CFG is buried down in C:\users\username etc. Should it be moved or is that the "mandatory" location?

 

Thanks everyone!

 

Mike

Don't do that. It's a mistake.

 

With all due respect, my experience and hundreds of others' experience I have read in years suggest not leaving the base FSX folder in any Program Files folder. Even the OP is doing that that. So rather than attempt to contradict others, I suggest you offer possible solutions that your fellow posters may have overlooked. Thank you.

 

Question - even though my FSX folder is on a separate SSD (H:\FSX), the FSX.CFG is buried down in C:\users\username etc. Should it be moved or is that the "mandatory" location?

 

No, because the base sim and countless third-party add-ons need the files at those designated locations.

 

I just remembered one guide I found useful to many simmers. Try all the steps there and see if it helps.

https://www.avsim.com/files/file/41-basic-fsx-p3d-configuration-guide/

 

Another poster also said to try to see if you can get your CPU up to 3.5 GHz or more. That is also what I recommend to others. That seems to be the sweet spot for smoothness. Also, remember that FSX was more designed for single core fast CPUs rather than multi core CPUs with a slower processor speed. So anyone wanting to build or buy a system that works with FSX should look at high processor speed and consider additional cores only as bonuses.

 

I have used FSX for years with a i7-4790K (over 4GHz base clock) and a GTX 970 with tons of add-ons, including FSUIPC4, and no stuttering except in heavy cloud/stormy conditions. Hopefully you find the solution that works for you soon, MikeDV.

Hi all,

 

Come a bit late to this thread but a possible cause for the stuttering may be related to windows indexing and/or SSD related settings. I helped a friend a couple of years ago who's kids PC was having stuttering issues with a number of games following the addition of a SSD and installation of the games on the it. Whilst none of the games were FS related it did include a number of games that were as old as (or older than) FSX, were very CPU heavy and used similar CPU core usage patterns....

 

After some trial and error and internet searching we were able to eliminate the stuttering on most of the games by doing the following actions...

 

Enabling trim - which was disabled.

Disabling Windows File Indexing

Disabling Disable Prefetch and Superfetch

 

A quick internet search will give a number of 'how to' pages to check and change these options.

Wow so much help and great ideas, I cant thank everyone enough!

 

 

At any rate I did note in watching this carefully just sitting on a runway that many of the quick freezes were when AI planes showed up with tail numbers etc. So I uninstalled (again) Ultimate traffic, same problem remains with default FSX AI. Next, shut off all AI. Still skipped. The only thing I have not done that was suggested is reinstall from scratch out of the box and just run it default to see if it still happens.

 

So currently, after going through all the tweaks suggested here, including the "other site" manual, disabled all indexing and sysmain (which I found is the WIN 10 version of superfetch I believe) also snagged the nVidia profiler and applied the tweaks shown, I can say I am down to only occasional freezes, or dare I say - rare! So there is significant progress here!

 

Again, thanks to everyone who jumped in and apologies again for hijacking the thread from the OP. But we are in the same situation I guess!

 

If I nail these last occasional freezes I will post here. Seems like finding a minnow in the Atlantic ocean LOL

 

Mike

Hi Mike,

 

Another possible solution regarding the remaining freezes...

 

Disable Windows Optimisation - this is MS's name for its inbuilt defrag utility and is on by default.

 

It will/should have auto detect(ed) the SSD and will not be running defrag on it but it will still run on the SATA HDD. Obviously, it will be taking some system/CPU resources when it does this which may be impacting on FSX performance.

 

Also note that if you have a 3rd party AV or anti-malware suite these may also have an defrag optimiser as part of the package.

 

If it proves to be the source of the problem you will have to decide what is appropriate for your needs regarding whether to leave optimisation on (and live with stutters) or disable it and get into the routine of manually running a defrag regularly or when required. I generally run a manual defrag every 30 days or so. IME, with todays HDD technology (formatting options and bigger cluster sizes etc) the need to defrag is much less crucial than it use to be.