Here we go again

[MBunjes 2]

I wish it was possible to just change something on your flight sim pc without getting into trouble but that seems to be unrealistic. For someone who just wants to fly this is becoming increasingly frustrating.

So I had a perfectly functioning FSX setup (finally) and stupidly decided to update my video driver. And now I have a system that's not functioning at all anymore.

First the taskbar is empty : no more icons unless I click on the upper edge of the taskbar. Furthermore, the taskbar is inaccessible in flight. I use a surround setup in full screen mode and upon loading the NGX everything seems fine until I try to load the CDU screen : the cursor starts flickering busy and it's impossible to stop. Stopping the CDU screen does not solve it and the screen disappears and is not accessible anymore.

I tried reinstalling an older driver but the issue remains.

 

please help

 

Martin

[Corsaire31 419]

I have a basic rule since I build my PCs ( takes us back to the 486 days ) : When you're happy with how everything works, don't touch it ! And of course deactivate all automatic upgrades. ( My graphics driver is from early 2014 ... works great   )

 

Before you reinstall your previous driver, try to use a specific deinstall tool that will remove everything of the new driver (can't advise more as I am ATI user, I let the Nvidia specialists do it). Or use a previous restore point ? ( may be you didn't do one before updating ? )

[Andrew Godden 945]

Martin,

 

When you do a reinstall of the older drivers, perform a custom install and make sure you tick the box that will enable a complete fresh install.  This is meant to totally remove any existing driver elements.

 

Failing that, totally uninstall all NVidia programs via 'Programs and Features' in the Control Panel and reinstall the old drivers.

 

Cheers

Andrew

[MBunjes 2]

I have a basic rule since I build my PCs ( takes us back to the 486 days ) : When you're happy with how everything works, don't touch it ! And of course deactivate all automatic upgrades. ( My graphics driver is from early 2014 ... works great   )

 

Before you reinstall your previous driver, try to use a specific deinstall tool that will remove everything of the new driver (can't advise more as I am ATI user, I let the Nvidia specialists do it). Or use a previous restore point ? ( may be you didn't do one before updating ? )

 

Nvidia specifically advises against using third party uninstallers and I don't use restore points because they cost too much real estate.  I agree with you though about not fixing anything when it ain't broke.

 

Martin,

 

When you do a reinstall of the older drivers, perform a custom install and make sure you tick the box that will enable a complete fresh install.  This is meant to totally remove any existing driver elements.

 

Failing that, totally uninstall all NVidia programs via 'Programs and Features' in the Control Panel and reinstall the old drivers.

 

Cheers

Andrew

 

I always do. I uninstalled the driver first, restarted, chose custom install, ticked only the driver and clean install. Tried three different drivers already but I'm afraid something is corrupted (taskbar?)

I don't know whether the surround settings are influencing things but you have to reconfigure surround after every driver update so I don't think so.

 

Martin

[Andrew Godden 945]

Martin,

 

I'm now just thinking broadly about anything else that could cause this.

• Do you use the Aero peek function on the Taskbar?
• Are you using the Windows 7 Basic Theme personalisation for the Desktop? If not, try it as I seem to remember having some problems along these lines years back and using this theme resolved it.
• Does it happen with any other aircraft?
• Does it happen with an FSX default aircraft?

Your problems seem to occur with the NGX.

 

Cheers

Andrew

 

[MBunjes 2]

Thanks for thinking along with me Andrew.

 

Yes, I use Aero because I'm using Vsync in pseudo-full screen mode. FSX stops aero and I enable it again by using an automated FSUIPC script. Never been a problem.

I loaded up a default plane and managed to replicate the issue by opening a panel view : the cursor started flickering and it was not possible to close the offending window anymore, the option was greyed out.

I then loaded a new (not saved) flight with the NGX. Everything looked fine. Opened the CDU left, immediately the cursor started flickering but this is containable by just right-clicking in the CDU window.

So far so good. What's not so good is: the taskbar is not on top anymore and  don't very much like alt-tabbing to start another program. You'd think the taskbar was auto-hiding but that doesn't work with Nvidia surround.

 

Martin

[Andrew Godden 945]

OK.  Can you disable Surround and just go with a basic monitor setting and see what that does?

[MyPC8MyBrain 273]

if you are certain it is the recent driver update;

you can  try to roll the driver back to the old one that worked for you,

[MBunjes 2]

All right, I disabled surround and started the sim on one monitor. The issues were exactly the same.

 

I can't roll back the driver because I already installed 3 different ones that didn't work. I can't be sure it was the driver update but it seems likely. However installing an older driver did not solve the issues.

[MyPC8MyBrain 273]

this may help and it may not;

you may need to roll your driver few more times until you are using the built-in drivers (prob with low res)

as you roll back in device  manager; you will also have an option to completely delete the drivers used; exercise that right!

 

while you are in the programs uninstall panel; arrange items by date installed; and delete all recent MS updates,

clear temp folder; run CCleaner; reboot, then try to reinstall your original working driver,

 

[MBunjes 2]

Ahh, no, that's not going to work. First, I uninstalled the old driver completely so I can't roll back. Besides that I'm pretty sure you can't roll back to 3 or 4 drivers ago.

Unfortunately, I don't know which driver was my last good one.

[MyPC8MyBrain 273]

the idea in my previous post was to make sure you are using stock MS drivers before you reinstall again;

you can try and trace your actions through the system log to find out the driver version you had originally,

 

 

[MBunjes 2]

Could you please tell me how to trace previous installed driver versions ? I've no idea how to do that.

[MyPC8MyBrain 273]

follow these instructions to get started

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/226084-event-viewer-open-use-windows-7-a.html

[jaydor 345]

The easiest way to get back to how you were is; System restore.. 

 

just click on the driver update and it will restore back to the point before you installed the naughty driver..

[MBunjes 2]

As stated before, I don't use system restore

[jaydor 345]

As stated before, I don't use system restore

Then you are the loser of a very simple and easy way to rectify any problems that you create in your system.

 

You do not lose or alter any of your file system.  It just places you right back to the point before you made the mistake.

 

So there is no real estate lost as you state.  But when you ask for help and reject the advice given, then do not expect help..

[MBunjes 2]

I do not reject any advice. I'm just not able to do a restore because I don't use it. That may or may not be my loss but that's what I have to work with at the moment.

[jaydor 345]

OK understood 

 

Then google for the former driver and re-install

[MyPC8MyBrain 273]

he has to first try and locate the version he had installed initially through the logs

[MBunjes 2]

I think I solved it! Bit of egg on my face I guess but just locking the taskbar solved the issue. I just have the flickering cursor when opening the CDU but as stated before there's an easy way around that.

Thanks everybody for your valuable input.

 

Martin

[jaydor 345]

To solve the flickering curser try this. Make a back up copy first..

These are the steps to take to fix the issue with the 2D main panel window not showing up on triple-wide resolutions, which causes extreme performance drops and the windows 'wait' cursor to remain active.

1) Open the Panel folder for the aircraft you wish to fix.

2) Make a backup copy of your panel.cfg file, in case anything goes wrong.

3) Open the Panel.cfg file in notepad.

4) Scroll down to the [window00] section. (This is *usually* the main panel window.)

5) Change the line:

window_size= 1.000, 0.874

to:

window_size= 0.333, 0.874


6) Comment out the following line:

window_pos= 0.000, 0.120

When commented out, the line should look like this:

// window_pos= 0.000, 0.120

7) Save the file.

If you DON'T find window_size= x.xxx, x.xxx in your cgf file then add it.

[jaydor 345]

Your task bar can be accessed by pressing the START and right clicking the task bar and select properties.

 

You can then select how your task bar performs..

[jaydor 345]

I still suggest you learn how to use System restore, it is found here:

It will save you all this wasted time trying to find your old driver

[jaydor 345]

When you learn how to use system restore, you will get into the habit of creating a restore point before you change anything to your system. ie: new program, drivers, downloads, updates etc.,

 

That way you will always be able to correct any cockups that appear after the changes..

 

Edit:  Also perform a defrag to your system on a regular basis and it will help on FPS and smooth out FSX..