FSAutoStart

[cowpatz]

In an effort to improve frame rates I thought that I would give this a try. I have to say that the supporting documentation is abysmal.
I can work out the services and programs to stop but what I dont know is:
1. What is the path supposed to be in "Path to APP" under the configuration?
2. What needs to entered to get FS9 to run automatically.
3. When finished with FS9 how does one restore the system back to normal?
Many thanks
Steve

[Charl]

[color=#808000]1. What is the path supposed to be in "Path to APP" under the configuration?
[/color]Usually, "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Flight Simulator 9"
2. What needs to entered to get FS9 to run automatically.
Probably just "FS9" no quotation marks
3. When finished with FS9 how does one restore the system back to normal?
It should unload and restore your system settings automatically.

[cowpatz]

Thanks Charl but that didn't help.
I need to know what goes into these red boxes to get it to work.
The FS9 exe file is in C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Flight Simulator 9\fs9.exe
I need to know the command ref to if any. I dodnt know why this stuff is not in the documentation. Not everyone is a computer programmer.



Many thanks
Steve

[Charl]

I'd only lead you astray if I were more specific, as I don't run that software.
I have to tell you, unless you are accidentally running a myriad of heavy background apps while the sim is running, you are wasting your time on this path.
Get a decent Core Duo computer (the Kiwi $ has never been stronger, and they are truly dirt cheap) and enjoy your sim without all that stress...

[HardCorePawn]

Leave the box at the bottom alone... unless you want it to automatically start up other things like TeamSpeak or SquawkBox or any other FS addon type program that is external to FS...

As for the top box, just click the browse button and when the dialog pops up, use it to browse to where FS9.exe is located and it should populate the box with the correct info. If it only populates the folder... ie. "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Flight Simulator 9\" then you will need to enter FS9.exe in the "Command Line:" box...

Then make sure you have entered something in the 'Profile Description'... like MyConfig or DefaultConfig and then click the save button.

Also, I am pretty sure that if you use this program to kill all the idle/unused/unwanted services and programs before you start FS, the only way to restore your machine to its 'normal' configuration is to restart.

[cowpatz]

Thanks. I have tried that but did not put in a description. Folk sing this applications praises but I find it unintuitive and somewhat dated. It needs a restore function. I am just wondering if I make another profile with the same things I shut down included but this time the action will be to stop and restart. Maybe this might bring them back online without the need to reboot. I will just have to make sure I leave the FSAutoAtart GUI running or it wont be possible.

Charl you are correct and an upgrade is in the wings, but I have a couple of other issues to deal with at the moment (The house is on the market and needs tidying up).
Yes the processors are cheap but then there's the:

Mobo
Graphics card AGP to PCI
DDR2 or 3 RAM
Hard drives to SATA
Power supply
New case

Theres a few $$$$$$$

Cheers

[cowpatz]

I finally got the program to work and to be frank it just wasn't worth the effort. There was no noticeable increase in frame rates.
Even implementing the recommendations in the tweak guide made little difference. Frame rates drop down to 8 going into NZQN and to 5 if the VC is used. Its like landing with a slide show. NZAA is not much better. This is with the Ifox B1900 which does have the photorealistic panel.
System specs are
CPU 2700 Athlon thunderbird
Ram 2 GB DDR
Vid Radeon x800 256 DDR3

Not impressive I know but it should do better than that.

[Charl]

See my post above.
Don't imagine you can cobble together a super flightsim computer either - go out and buy a box from a reputable dealer.
You'll find it's probably cheaper than the end product if you messed with it bit by bit.
I have learned this over a period of many hours, and many computers...

[cowpatz]

I would rather build my own than buy packaged. Generally I find that in order to keep prices down retailers will cut a corner here or there. Usually the components do not allow much provision for a future upgrade ie. mobo's that wont support DDR3. The RAM is pricey now I know but it will come down and I want the option to use it if I wish without replacing the mobo. I find with retail there is always a compromise made. Sure you can possibly upgrade the components but that comes at a cost so why not do it yourself?

[Charl]

See my post above
If you are smart, well-connected, and your time is worth nothing, I'd understand why you'd want to build your own.
But for just about everybody else, the sum doesn't shake out.
I cost pain and suffering at time-and-a-half or better.
By the time you've added up the build, the frustration, the crashes, the fixes, the troubleshooting, the coffee...
you'd be better off buying something custom made with a warranty, that works, out of the box.
I find a lot of the time, some of the bits I'd like aren't even available as a loose item.
And if you think upgrading little by little is an option, think PCI...AGP...PCIExpress, and 64-pin...128-pin...No Pin Anybody's Ever Heard Of, and DDR...DDR2..DD3, 400MHz FSB...800MHz...1600MHz
You soon realise that you are in a loop of carefully planned obsolescence.
Buy the box, upgrade once, dump the box.
This is the world Wintel have crafted for us.