I just got my TIR4 for Christmas, installed it and (after ignoring the "this does not meet Windows XP requirements" error) it worked just fine! Got into FS2004 and got a little dizzy as my view jumped all over the place until I learned to keep my head still. Flew around and wondered how I ever flew without it. :^)
However comma... the next time I launched FS2004, my screen went all "blurry" like the pc couldn't "redraw" the screen correctly. Then the screen started blanking out, and coming back each time it needed to redraw something (like the FS2004 startup screen). It finally got to the point where it wouldn't redraw anymore at all, and I had to power off the PC.
So far I've tried the following troubleshooting steps:
1. unplugged/uninstalled TIR4... no better
2. unplugged/uninstalled TIR4, then uninstalled/reinstalled FS2004, then reinstalled TIR4... no better
3. uninstalled/reinstalled nVidia drivers... no better.
4. uninstalled TIR4/FS2004/Video drivers, then reloaded in reverse order.... no better.
Now, having said all of that... the problem goes away until I reinstall TIR4. (I have the latest 4.1.028 software). I'm wondering if there is maybe a compatibility issue with the nVidia card?
Here are my system specs (everything is latest updates/drivers/bios/etc.):
Win XP Home on Dell Inspiron 8600 laptop
Intel Centrino M 1.4GHz
512MB Ram at 333MHz
nVidia GeForce 5200 video card (updated to their latest drivers shortly before Christmas)
Edit: Oops, just saw that you ask for the TIR serial number... it is 041410.
Thoughts?
[ December 29, 2005, 01:32 AM: Message edited by: Jimmy ]
nVidia issues?
Re: nVidia issues?
Yeah, I know that I'm on the low end of the spectrum for FS2004, but I've been running it fine for over a year. Obviously, I have to sacrifice some detail (I turn off 3D clouds), but most of my sliders are turned all the way up and I still get about 10-15 FPS most of the time. I don't have a PC, and I need the laptop for work, so I will make due with what I have for now.
Anyway, like I said, I've been running my current configuration fine for more than a year... problems only started occuring when I added TrackIR 4, so my best guess is a compatibility issue with my nVidia video card.
The "fuzzy screen" issues appear everywhere, not just when I'm running FS.
Anyway, like I said, I've been running my current configuration fine for more than a year... problems only started occuring when I added TrackIR 4, so my best guess is a compatibility issue with my nVidia video card.
The "fuzzy screen" issues appear everywhere, not just when I'm running FS.
Re: nVidia issues?
Are you running it on battery power or mains electricity? Do you think it could be a power problem? Not enough wattage from you power supply?
The TIR4 Pro draws its power through the USB port, albeit probably not much. My own small glitches caused by some USB devices have been eliminated by upgrading my power supply with more watts.
It's just something to think about.
The TIR4 Pro draws its power through the USB port, albeit probably not much. My own small glitches caused by some USB devices have been eliminated by upgrading my power supply with more watts.
It's just something to think about.
Re: nVidia issues?
No, it's running on the power grid. :^) The problem is not issolated to the TrackIR or Flight Sim. Once the problem starts, it does not matter what I am doing. Even after a roboot... I can sit there and not launch anything, all of my USB devices are unplugged, no programs are running, nothing is happening with the PC... after a while, the screen will start going fuzzy and then it's all over. Sometime I can work for a while (Internet, email, whatever... but avoid FS and TIR4) before it happens, sometimes it takes 2 or 3 reboots before I can do anything.
Right now, I am going on about 20 hours without anything happening (sleep mode for the last 4 hours). I've even flown in the sim with Track IR once earlier this afternoon. However, if history holds true, I will get the fuzzy screen pretty soon and have to reboot.
Still stumped. :^)
Right now, I am going on about 20 hours without anything happening (sleep mode for the last 4 hours). I've even flown in the sim with Track IR once earlier this afternoon. However, if history holds true, I will get the fuzzy screen pretty soon and have to reboot.
Still stumped. :^)
Re: nVidia issues?
Your system specs seem a little low for MSFS2004.
Do you have a PC you can try it on?
I'm running a P43.2E at 3.71GHz, 1GB of PC3200 Corsair, Chaintech6800GT modded, and have had MSFS for awhile now, and the only issues I have had is shimmering, but blanking sounds like the system just doesn't have enough "ummph" to keep up.
Sims are highly dynamic, and require lots of CPU, RAM, and GPU/VRAM power. MSFS2004, and the later titles require this even moreso.
If you have a stronger PC in your home, try it on that and see if it helps. My bet is it will.
Do you have a PC you can try it on?
I'm running a P43.2E at 3.71GHz, 1GB of PC3200 Corsair, Chaintech6800GT modded, and have had MSFS for awhile now, and the only issues I have had is shimmering, but blanking sounds like the system just doesn't have enough "ummph" to keep up.
Sims are highly dynamic, and require lots of CPU, RAM, and GPU/VRAM power. MSFS2004, and the later titles require this even moreso.
If you have a stronger PC in your home, try it on that and see if it helps. My bet is it will.
Re: nVidia issues?
What happens if you run the system without any USB devices from the beguining (ie from first boot)?
From the sounds of it it sounds like it could be:-
Heat (highest probability.) From the what you have been saying about the amount of reboots to get the system going again could be enough for the system to cool down enough for it to work again for a while. The harder components need to work the hotter they will get and i a laptop there is not a lot of heat dissipation do it will build faster and stay longer. Remember laptops were not originally designed to play games so heat was not thought a factor in case design.
There is a possibility (worse case senario) that too much heat for too long can damage components. I am not mentioning this to scare you but it is a possibility.
Using beta drivers can make chips over heat though this does not happen that often.
Not enough power when USB devices and intensive applications are used (the more the CPU works the mpre power it will draw although not much).
If I were you and you are 100% sure that it si not a driver, heat, power problem then I would have a word with your supplier/manufacturer if it is still under warenty.
I really do not think that adding the TIR to your system would have caused this as I use a nVidia chipset and I do not have driver conflicts and the camera does not draw that much power. Please do not think that I am trying to alarm you I am not, I am just offering other potential causes if your sytem continues to behave as it is.
What erver the out come I wish you well and hope that it is just a minor problem.
:S!
From the sounds of it it sounds like it could be:-
Heat (highest probability.) From the what you have been saying about the amount of reboots to get the system going again could be enough for the system to cool down enough for it to work again for a while. The harder components need to work the hotter they will get and i a laptop there is not a lot of heat dissipation do it will build faster and stay longer. Remember laptops were not originally designed to play games so heat was not thought a factor in case design.
There is a possibility (worse case senario) that too much heat for too long can damage components. I am not mentioning this to scare you but it is a possibility.
Using beta drivers can make chips over heat though this does not happen that often.
Not enough power when USB devices and intensive applications are used (the more the CPU works the mpre power it will draw although not much).
If I were you and you are 100% sure that it si not a driver, heat, power problem then I would have a word with your supplier/manufacturer if it is still under warenty.
I really do not think that adding the TIR to your system would have caused this as I use a nVidia chipset and I do not have driver conflicts and the camera does not draw that much power. Please do not think that I am trying to alarm you I am not, I am just offering other potential causes if your sytem continues to behave as it is.
What erver the out come I wish you well and hope that it is just a minor problem.
:S!
Re: nVidia issues?
quote:Originally posted by Barred:
What happens if you run the system without any USB devices from the beguining (ie from first boot)?Same thing
Here's a history of my last 2 days.
Formatted the hard drive, reloaded the OS and then all the requisite drivers from Dell Support Site, based on my Service Tag #.
Used the computer with this "blank" configuration for several hours... pretty much just sufing the internet, playing flash games, etc., trying to keep the processor running non-stop. After no graphics problems surfaced, I shut down for 2 hours to eat dinner. When I came back, I loaded MSFS2004 and flew around for several hours. There were still no graphics problems. I shut down for the night. This morning, I loaded TIR4, launched FS and flew around for about 10 minutes with no problems. I closed MSFS and checked my email (web based since I haven't reloaded Outlook yet). When I was done, I clicked on the FS icon to get started again... and the screen went nutzo. :^(
So, now I'm on a fresh install - the only programs that are loaded are MSFS and TrackIR4.
Since it took about 24 hours for the problem to resurface, I'm still not convinced that I have 100% isolated the problem to the Track IR... it could have been a coincidence. My next plan is to relaod again... and run it for several days without loading any software. If no problems arise, I will reload all of my software except Track IR4... if no problems arise again after several days, then I will load Track IR 4 again and see what happens.
As for the nVidia chipset, I can't load the "normal" nvidia drivers because I have the "go" card they build for laptops. The drivers are not available on vNvidia's website, I have to get them from Dell.
<sigh> Hopefully, this boils down to a video card problem... I really loved my TrackIR for the 30 or so minutes I've been able to use it.
What happens if you run the system without any USB devices from the beguining (ie from first boot)?Same thing
Here's a history of my last 2 days.
Formatted the hard drive, reloaded the OS and then all the requisite drivers from Dell Support Site, based on my Service Tag #.
Used the computer with this "blank" configuration for several hours... pretty much just sufing the internet, playing flash games, etc., trying to keep the processor running non-stop. After no graphics problems surfaced, I shut down for 2 hours to eat dinner. When I came back, I loaded MSFS2004 and flew around for several hours. There were still no graphics problems. I shut down for the night. This morning, I loaded TIR4, launched FS and flew around for about 10 minutes with no problems. I closed MSFS and checked my email (web based since I haven't reloaded Outlook yet). When I was done, I clicked on the FS icon to get started again... and the screen went nutzo. :^(
So, now I'm on a fresh install - the only programs that are loaded are MSFS and TrackIR4.
Since it took about 24 hours for the problem to resurface, I'm still not convinced that I have 100% isolated the problem to the Track IR... it could have been a coincidence. My next plan is to relaod again... and run it for several days without loading any software. If no problems arise, I will reload all of my software except Track IR4... if no problems arise again after several days, then I will load Track IR 4 again and see what happens.
As for the nVidia chipset, I can't load the "normal" nvidia drivers because I have the "go" card they build for laptops. The drivers are not available on vNvidia's website, I have to get them from Dell.
<sigh> Hopefully, this boils down to a video card problem... I really loved my TrackIR for the 30 or so minutes I've been able to use it.
Re: nVidia issues?
Hi Jimmy, thanks for the extra info.
I would drop Rick an email with your User Name here, link to this thread and your TIR number.
I do not know of a problem with the USB driver for the TIR and nVidea Go combination, but you never know.
I really hope you can get it sorted because the TIR4 is a great bit of kit.
Good Luck.
I would drop Rick an email with your User Name here, link to this thread and your TIR number.
I do not know of a problem with the USB driver for the TIR and nVidea Go combination, but you never know.
I really hope you can get it sorted because the TIR4 is a great bit of kit.
Good Luck.
Re: nVidia issues?
PROBLEM SOLVED!!!! And it had nothing to do with TrackIR4!
After another format/reload, the graphics problems reared their ugly head again, but this time it happened before I even installed TIR or MSFS.
So, I rolled back the nVidia drivers to the previous version, and everything seems hunky dory again! I even get more than double the framerates in my "default" FS configuration than I was getting with the "new and improved" drivers.
Unfortunately, I am visiting family for the new years weekend, and I don't have my flight controls with me, so I will have to wait a few days to spend some quality time with my new TrackIR toy! But, on the flip side, I _was_ able to complete 2 laps around the circuit using the keyboard! Now, that was a pain in the keyster! LOL
Thanks,
Jimmy
After another format/reload, the graphics problems reared their ugly head again, but this time it happened before I even installed TIR or MSFS.
So, I rolled back the nVidia drivers to the previous version, and everything seems hunky dory again! I even get more than double the framerates in my "default" FS configuration than I was getting with the "new and improved" drivers.
Unfortunately, I am visiting family for the new years weekend, and I don't have my flight controls with me, so I will have to wait a few days to spend some quality time with my new TrackIR toy! But, on the flip side, I _was_ able to complete 2 laps around the circuit using the keyboard! Now, that was a pain in the keyster! LOL
Thanks,
Jimmy
Re: nVidia issues?
SWEET
Happy New Year
Happy New Year