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FSX freezes in cruise flight

DeeJay

By DeeJay
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DeeJay Senior Member

DeeJay

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Hi everyone!


I know this is not related to any ORBX product, but I thought there would be the best chances to meet some experts here who might have a clue how to solve the following, very annoying problem in FSX:


 


When I fly any "complex" plane at high altitude for some time, FSX frequently freezes without any warning or error message. The only thing to go on from that situation is to quit FSX with the task manager. It happens by far most of the time with the Majestic Dash 8-Q400, but also with the PMDG 737, and occasionally with Aerosoft's A320. It seems there is no correlation with any scenery because it happens over the standard FSX scenery all the time while in cruise flight.


 


Just 3 things I can clearly say:


 


- It ONLY happens at high altitude (15.000 ft and above) while having excellent FPS


- It NEVER happens at low altitude, not even over ORBX PNW + FSDT Vancouver + AI traffic + Majestic's Dash 8-Q400 or any other complex addon


- Since I'm not using FSPassengers anymore, this error has clearly become less frequent, but it's still there.


 


It's the only kind of errors that really occur frequently. Apart from that, FSX is running very stable meanwhile.


Have you got any idea what could be the culprit?


 


My specs:


- Intel i5 3570k @ 3,4 GhZ (not overclocked)


- NVidia GForce GTS 450


- 8 GB DDR3 RAM


- 1 TB HDD (Western Digital @ 7.200 rpm)


- Windows 7 64-bit


 


- FSX with Acc pack installed (DX10 preview mode)


- DX10 fixer


- REX2


- EZCA


- ORBX FTX Global Base


- GetWeather


 


I would be very glad about some ideas.


Thank you very much in advance!


 


Regards, Dominik


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DeeJay Senior Member

DeeJay

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@Bill: If I don't take any action it freezes forever.^^ Do you need the payware version of FSUIPC to have the autosave function? If so I could exclude that because I only have the free version installed.


 


@Wolter: OK, I'm gonna check that and report back. Thanks!


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DeeJay Senior Member

DeeJay

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Search the internet for a file called uiautomationcore.dll, download it and stick it in your FSX directory.  FSX seems to need it when running in 64 bit environments.

 

I know. But I already have it. Thanks anyway.

 

 

Dominik,

the freeware FSUIPC works a treat ;)

 

Well, I've opened the FSUIPC window in FSX and all it can show is these 2 pages:

 

2jddrxok.jpg

 

Don't think I can change a lot here ;-)

 

 

 

Apart from that I have monitored the temperature of my CPU and the amount of processes running while flying. Let's start with the second point:

 

movkrmku.jpg

 

It's not nearly 40 if I count it myself. However it shows about 60 at the lower left corner of the window (  ???  ???). Is this what you meant?

Anyway, the magic limit of 4 GB RAM (for 32 bit processes) hasn't been reached at all.

 

About the temperatures: They reach a maximum of 68-69°C with a CPU workload of nearly 100% for each core most of the time. I don't know if this is OK or already bad. But they also reach this temperature in other aircraft than the Q400 and the PMDG 737. However this time - when I tested the system (even with time acceleration) it didn't freeze of course, no matter what I did^^

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DeeJay Senior Member

DeeJay

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Hi,

 

Just to be sure, try the version you DO have on your system: I would be curious if this would do the trick! Help is here in this topic.

 

OK, I copied that file into FSX and I'm testing. However, it must find some time first to trigger a situation when such a crash (or freeze) "should" normally happen in order to test if it doesn't happen again.

 

 

 

You can try others tips  &tricks: search for OOM, for example about the limit of RAM.

 

Did I get that right that this method is only to get more RAM on 32bit systems, or is my French too bad to get it right? :blink:

 

 

Back to the temperatures: Do you think 67-69°C is OK for a CPU if it runs at 100% over a longer time. Or might this be the most probable cause for the error?

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gr.eg Senior Member

gr.eg

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Hi,


 


Thank for your interest.


 


My answers:




Did I get that right that this method is only to get more RAM on 32bit systems, or is my French too bad to get it right? :blink:




No: it's for 64 bits systems; it will increase the VAS so that the free RAM can jump to 3 Go (otherwise, it's limited up to 2 Go even on a Windows 64 bits OS executing 32 bits applications such as FSX).


 


 



Back to the temperatures: Do you think 67-69°C is OK for a CPU if it runs at 100% over a longer time. Or might this be the most probable cause for the error?



No, I've been higher for a few years. No pb with that.


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Paul J Senior Member

Paul J

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Did I get that right that this method is only to get more RAM on 32bit systems, or is my French too bad to get it right?

 

Hi Dominik: You have a 64-bit system, you do not need to do anything to give FSX any more memory - as long as the OS has more than 4GB (and your system has 8GB) - FSX will get access to the full 4GB. The 2GB limitation applies only to 32-bit operating systems - and you don't need to play with BCEDIT.

 

Re: Bruce's recommendation for the UIAutomationCore.dll - he may be correct, and you may have the wrong version in the FSX folder. It should be 6.0.5840.16386. This is the correct Vista 32-bit version, and works very reliably with FSX. If you have any other - replace it with this one - ok!

 

pj
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gr.eg Senior Member

gr.eg

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@DeeJay,


I've omitted to answer to you for the DLL -> in english:, copy the DLL you DO have on your PC instead of taking one from Internet. you should find YOUR DLL (same OS, same version, same language as YOUR OS...) in the folder C:\Windows\System32 ; then copy this one in your main FSX folder.


Verify that FSX is OFF smile.png


If the DLL is locked, reboot your PC and do the same things. Eventually, you have the SAME backuped DLL in the folder C:\Windows\winsxsx\86_microsoft-windows-uiautomationcore_* something like that (you can verify with a byte comparison, date, length, etc.).


 


Please, tell me if that's OK!


Thank you in advance.


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Paul J Senior Member

Paul J

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Please, tell me if that's OK!

   That's not ok.

 

UIAutomationCore.dll is an API - an Application Programming Interface which communicates between the operating system and the application: in this case between Windows 7 - 64 and FSX. Unfortunately, at the time Windows 7 came out - FSX was "End of Life" and so this particular W7 API - 6.1.7600.16385 - was not tested with FSX - and it does cause a number of issues - certainly freezing and black screens. The answer to this is to use the Vista Pre-RTM version, placing it into the root folder of FSX.

Download it, and rename it as "UIAutomationCore.dll"   You can Rt-Click on it, and check the "Properties" to verify the correct version.

The version number should be 6.0.5840.16386. This is the Vista 32-bit Pre-RTM version, and works properly with FSX. There is a second Vista version, which came with Vista Service Pack 1 RC Refresh2 and Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1). This is 6.0.6001.18000, and, while it does work, it is not as reliable as the earlier version.                     

Place it into the root folder of FSX. DON'T put it anywhere else, and do not register it, as it will then replace the legitimate W7 default version, which is 6.1.7600.16385, and will be needed by many other, more modern applications.

 

All the Best,

 

pj

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gr.eg Senior Member

gr.eg

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Hello,


 


I just verified mine: it's v6.1.7600.16385 and FSX works like a charm... For me the pb isn't that the version isn't compatible, the pb is that FSX can't use the DLL found in Windows folder.


But if no one tests and I'm the only one which can say that's OK, of course the debate will never advance...


 


Topic closed for me, thanks for your help.


 


PS: just one quick precision; the topic has been completed with the name folders to distinguish 32 and 64 bits versions of Windows 7. The right one for w64 stands in the windows...\winsxs\amd64_microsoft-windows-uiautomationcore_xxxxxx one.


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DeeJay Senior Member

DeeJay

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OK, it always takes a little lime to test it..


 


@Paul J: Now, I've really used the wrong UIAutomationcore.dll just because I was curious if the problem really has to do with this dll-file in my case. It seems you're absolutely right: Just a few minutes ago it happened the first time at relatively low altitude. Now I'm finally gonna test the file you've linked for me and report back once again if it works or not.


 


Thank you very much for these very advanced tips! Not only to Paul, but to all the others who helped me. Hope the frustration has come to an end now ;-)


 


Cheers, Dominik


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Paul J Senior Member

Paul J

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HI Domink; Yeah - it's been a pretty common issue, and actually first "cured" sometime in 2011. It's usually triggered by an excess of mouse clicks - generally when using a complex aircraft, with associated "heavy" scenery. In my case, it was the LH Maddog, Active Sky clouds and water, along with fairly dense scenery - and was quite predictable. Fifteen minutes into a flight, I would get a black screen, with the sound appearing to continue quite normally.


 


The version issue came about because a Microsoft helpdesk tech was advising folks (not only Flight Sim users) having this issue to replace the the default version (6.1.7600.16385) in the system folders with 6.0.6001.18000 (Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 1 (SP1) RTM ), by using regsrvr32.


This installation system and .dll file was picked up and promoted on a good number of sim forums, (and still exists here and there), but this version will not only still fail within a couple of months, but will also cause other, more modern applications to fail also, as they will be looking for the version as used in their development. The answer to that method is to simply place the dll into the root of FSX, as this is where it will look first. Unfortunately - this is the wrong version. As mentioned above - the right one is 6.0.5840.16386.


 


For a good explanation of how the 64-bit version of Windows 7 handles 32-bit applications (like FSX) here's a nice, understandable website. :)


 


All the Best,


 


pj

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DeeJay Senior Member

DeeJay

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OK, bad news: I've made one flight with the "proper" UIAutomationcore.dll, and that one crashed already before reaching cruise altitude. And that was NOT over complex scenery - not even at the airport I took off! (Bergen-Flesland). Only default scenery, however with FTX Global textures and REX2 installed in the PMDG 737 NGX.


As always, no warning, no error message, no black screen... just a freezing screen! Obviously, it has either nothing to do with the .dll file, or exactly at my PC this file doesn't work, whyever.... Oh, how frustrating is that?! I can't do a single flight in a jetliner without having fear that the screen freezes every second. No idea what else I could do.


 


Concerning "Alacrity", I've not found out yet how to use it in conjunction with FSX...


 


Now I'm trying to run FSX without any FSAutomationcore.dll, at least it can't get any worse without it^^


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DeeJay Senior Member

DeeJay

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Does your FSX just freeze up with the sound playing? if so try leaving it for about 8 minutes and see if it then springs back to life.

 

Yes, it does. Wow, I never had any hope of a change, so I never had the patience to wait so long.. But I'm gonna try it. If it really continues, what do you think does that mean?

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Dazkent Senior Member

Dazkent

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I am not sure why this occurs, I know i have had this issue in the past. For me it only seems to happen when running a weather engine, if i run FSX with just the default weather everything is ok. I too would love to know the reason why this happens

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DeeJay Senior Member

DeeJay

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So I will try and use FSX without "GetWeather" which was so far running all the time. The only reason why I'm using it, is not even any weather engine, but just the fact that FSX can't load real time weather because it says there is no internet connection. However there is! And no other application has got any problems with the internet connection exept the FSX real weather function.


 


At least - thanks to Paul - I'm now sure it has nothing to do with any UIAutomationcore.dll. I'm gonna go on trying everything that could matter in this case...


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Paul J Senior Member

Paul J

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FSX can't load real time weather because it says there is no internet connection

 


...in addition to Wolter's suggestion, and because of the new info from the Event Viewer, and now this connection issue, DeeJay - I would also consider doing a repair to FSX, as it looks like there may be more going on than we know about. Certainly un-install FSPassengers, and also check that the entries in the dll.xml and the exe.xml are correct.


 


pj


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MDover Member

MDover

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OK, bad news: I've made one flight with the "proper" UIAutomationcore.dll, and that one crashed already before reaching cruise altitude.

 

Make sure you have the right version, it needs to be 6.0.5840.16386 anything else will cause issues. I have used this version for almost 2 years and never had a crash to desktop or out of memory error. You should only add the file to the FSX folder.

 

Secondly, download this software: http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/app_crash_view.html

 

Let FSX crash a few times and then start the program. Report back with the names of the DLL files that caused the crash.

 

If the list shows tons of different DLL files, then it's most likely a problem with your system.

 

Third, stop digging for what the problem might be. The best way to solve this is to start by scratch. Install FSX  including all service packs, add the UIAutomationcore.dll 6.0.5840.16386 to the FSX folder (do not edit any FSX files...yet) and start FSX. If it crashes, then it's most likely  a problem with your system. So instead of trying to go directly to the problem, use the method of "ruling out" or you going to search for a solution for aaaaaaaages..

 

Of course it always helps to have all your drivers and bios up to date, to do a memory check, drive check, GPU check and stress test, you have to make sure that your foundation (hardware and OS) is performing well! Never make the assumption that your system is just fine, because everything else runs just fine (doctors who read this are nodding their head).

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  • 2 weeks later...
Chandy Senior Member

Chandy

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I had this problem some years ago with FSX. After I ditched my old computer and had a new more powerful one built I never had the problem again. I think it was the (1) Power Supply - needed a bigger one and (2) the NVidia graphics card wasn't pulling its weight - needed a newer one. After this was done (with an increase in RAM) I never had any more problems. Worth a try.


 


Regards,


 


John G


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DeeJay Senior Member

DeeJay

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Hi again,

first of all sorry for my missing reply on this topic! I had very little time in the recent weeks / months because of my job. Couldn't even think of testing things in criuse flight.

 

Well, now that I've had a little more time and could fly again, I tried everything but a new installation of FSX, and a never got the issue again since I deinstalled FSPassengers and since I switched off the REX weather engine. There was only one exeption: It happend on one flight when I didn't realize that Windows was installing updates in the background! So it certainly had to do with the amount of processes running in the background while FSX was running near the limits.

 

 


Third, stop digging for what the problem might be. The best way to solve this is to start by scratch. Install FSX  including all service packs, add the UIAutomationcore.dll 6.0.5840.16386 to the FSX folder (do not edit any FSX files...yet) and start FSX. If it crashes, then it's most likely  a problem with your system. So instead of trying to go directly to the problem, use the method of "ruling out" or you going to search for a solution for aaaaaaaages..

 

 

I know what you want to say. But reinstalling FSX with all those addons takes weeks itself. And as long as I'm not really sure this solves the problem (and in this case it probably wouldn't have), I try every other way first. And the past has proven that it's worth to search for a solution before reinstalling the whole thing from scratch.

 

 

I had this problem some years ago with FSX. After I ditched my old computer and had a new more powerful one built I never had the problem again. I think it was the (1) Power Supply - needed a bigger one and (2) the NVidia graphics card wasn't pulling its weight - needed a newer one. After this was done (with an increase in RAM) I never had any more problems. Worth a try.

 

Regards,

 

John G

 

 

CPU should be OK (might become overclocked) as well as the RAM. But if I'm gonna install a new graphic card anyway, this might be the right point to add an SSD and switch to P3D2 ;D  ...anytime in the mid term future.

 

 

Thanks again for all the good advices!

 

Regards, Dominik

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