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Q314652: Flight Simulator 2002: Troubleshooting Video Issues

Article: Q314652
Product(s): Microsoft Home Games
Version(s): 
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbimu
Last Modified: 24-JUL-2002

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Flight Simulator 2002 
- Microsoft Flight Simulator 2002 Professional Edition 
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SUMMARY
=======

This article explains how to troubleshoot video related issues in the Microsoft
games listed at the beginning of this article.

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2002 relies heavily on proper video adapter
performance. Some computer systems may experience sluggishness or poor graphic
display because the video adapter does not perform optimally.

When using Flight Simulator, you may experience one of the following symptoms:

- Poor video performance in the game.

- Poor game performance (choppy game play).

- Graphics in the game are distorted.

MORE INFORMATION
================

Use the following methods in the order presented.

NOTE: The following steps are lengthy, so you may wish to print them out before
you begin.

Method 1: Verify Video Adapter Memory
-------------------------------------

Use the DirectX Diagnostic Tool to determine how much video memory is installed
on your video adapter. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, and then click Run.

2. In the Open box, type the following line, and then click OK:

  "Dxdiag" (including the quotation marks)

3. Click the "Display" or "Display 1" tab.

4. Note how much video memory the Approx. Total Memory line contains under
  Device, and then click Exit.

If less than 8 megabytes (MB) of video memory are installed on your video
adapter, install additional video memory on your video adapter, or install a
video adapter with more video memory.

For additional information about Flight Simulator 2002 system requirements, click
the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  Q309673 Flight Simulator 2002: Minimum System Requirements

If your video adapter meets the game requirements, proceed to the next method:

Method 2: Install an Updated Video Driver
-----------------------------------------

A driver is a piece of software that your operating system uses to communicate
with a piece of hardware that is installed in your computer. Most video adapter
manufacturers release updated versions of their video drivers on a regular
basis.

An updated driver for your video adapter can increase the performance,
efficiency, and stability of the features of your video adapter.

Identify the manufacture and model of your video adapter and then contact your
hardware manufacture to see if updated drivers are available.

To identify the manufacturer and the model of your video adapter:

1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.

2. Double-click System.

3. If you are using Microsoft Windows 95 or Microsoft Windows 98, click the
  Device Manager tab.

  If you are using Microsoft Windows 2000 or Microsoft Windows XP, click the
  Hardware tab, and then click Device Manager.

4. Expand "Display adapters".

5. Under the "Display adapters" branch, note the manufacturer and the model of
  your video adapter, and then click OK.

6. Close all of the open windows on the desktop.

For additional information about how to identify the driver version of your video
adapter, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft
Knowledge Base:

  Q159487 Games: How to Determine the Version of Installed Video Driver

For information about how to contact your video adapter manufacturer, click the
appropriate article number in the following list to view the article in the
Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  Q65416 Hardware and Software Third-Party Vendor Contact List, A-K

  Q60781 Hardware and Software Third-Party Vendor Contact List, L-P

  Q60782 Hardware and Software Third-Party Vendor Contact List, Q-Z

If the issue continues to occur, proceed to the next method.

Method 3: Check for Known Video Issues with Your Video Adapter and Flight Simulator 2002
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

For additional information about known video issue in Flight Simulator 2002,
click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge
Base:

  Q309638 Flight Simulator 2002: Known Video-Related Issues

If the issue continues to occur, proceed to the next method.

Method 4: Switch to Full Screen Mode
------------------------------------

The frame rate in Full Screen mode is faster than the frame rate in Window mode.
If you want to enable more features in Flight Simulator, switch to FullScreen
mode. To switch between Full Screen mode and Window mode, press ALT+ENTER.

If the issue continues to occur, proceed to the next method:

Method 5: Adjust Scenery Settings
---------------------------------

1. Start Flight Simulator 2002.

2. Click Settings.

3. Click Display.

4. Click the Scenery tab.

5. Under Global Scenery Quality, click Minimal.

6. Click to the clear the "Dawn/Dusk Texture Smoothing" and "Terrain Texture"
  check boxes.

7. Click OK and test the game.

If the problem continues to occur, proceed to the next method:

Method 6: Adjust Aircraft Settings
----------------------------------

1. In flight, click the Options menu and then choose Settings.

  NOTE: If the Options menu is not visible, press ALT.

2. Click the Aircraft tab, and then click Minimal in the "Global Aircraft
  Quality" box.

3. Click to clear the "Aircraft cast shadows" and "Landing lights" check boxes.

4. Click to clear the Reflections check box.

5. Click OK, and then test the game.

If the issue continues to occur, proceed to the next method: Method 7: Adjust
Game Hardware Settings

1. In flight, click the Options menu and then click Settings.

2. Click the Hardware tab.

3. Move the "Target Framerate" slider all the way to the left, to the Unlimited
  setting.

4. Under "Fullscreen Display Resolution", select 640 X 480 resolution.

5. Click "Enable Hardware Acceleration" (if available).

6. Under "Hardware Rendering Options", click to clear the "MIP Mapping" and
  "Multi-Texturing" check boxes.

7. Under Filtering, click Off.

8. Click OK, and then test the game.

If the issue continues to occur, proceed to the next method:

Method 8: Adjust Air Traffic Control and Increase the Cache Size
----------------------------------------------------------------

1. Start Flight Simulator 2002.

2. Click Settings.

3. Click Air Traffic Control.

4. Move the Traffic Percent slider all the way to the left. (0%)

5. Click OK.

6. Click Scenery Library.

7. Increase the Cache Size setting to 200.

8. Click OK, and then test the game.

For more information about each of the options mentioned in the preceding steps,
click Help on the appropriate tab (Scenery, Aircraft, or Hardware).

If the issue continues to occur, proceed to the next method:

Method 9: Install the Latest Version of Microsoft DirectX
---------------------------------------------------------

To download and install the latest version of Microsoft DirectX, visit the
following Microsoft Web site:

  http://www.microsoft.com/directx/default.asp

For additional information about how to download and install the latest version
of DirectX, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft
Knowledge Base:

  Q179113 How to Download and Install DirectX

If the issue continues to occur, proceed to the next method.

Method 10: Change the Refresh Rate Setting in DirectX
-----------------------------------------------------

To change the default refresh rate setting in Dxdiag, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, and then click Run.

2. In the Open box, type "dxdiag.exe" (without the quotation marks), and then
  click OK.

3. On the More Help tab, click Override.

4. Click Override Value, type a refresh rate setting in the Override Value box
  that is supported by both your video adapter and your monitor, and then click
  OK. Try one value at a time.

  NOTE: Typical values are 60, 62, 72, and 75.

5. Click Exit.

NOTE: If you change the video refresh rate to a setting that is not supported by
your monitor, you can damage your monitor. See the documentation for your
monitor or contact the manufacturer of your monitor to determine compatible
refresh rates before you change the default refresh rate setting for your video
adapter.

To determine a refresh rate setting that is supported by both your video adapter
and your monitor, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.

2. Double-click Display.

3. On the Settings tab, click "Advanced" or "Advanced Properties".

4. On the Monitor tab, make sure your monitor is selected. If an incorrect
  monitor is selected, or if a standard or unknown monitor is selected, click
  Change, click the manufacturer and model of your monitor, and then click OK.

5. On the Adapter tab, click the Refresh Rate box.

REFERENCES
==========

For additional information about optimizing Flight Simulator 2002 performance,
click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge
Base:

  Q314225 FS2002: How to Optimize Game Performance

For additional information about troubleshooting display issues in games, click
the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  Q263039 Games: How to Troubleshoot Display Issues

For additional information about slow performance in Flight Simulator 2002, click
the article numberS below to view the articleS in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  Q314140 Flight Simulator 2002: Video Is Slow and Choppy

  Q314256 Flight Simulator 2002: Game Performance Is Choppy

Additional query words: msgame fs2002

======================================================================
Keywords          : kbimu 
Technology        : kbGamesSearch kbFlightSimSearch kbFlightSim2002 kbFlightSim2002Pro kbSimSearch
Version           : :
Issue type        : kbhowto kbinfo

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