FSUIPC freezes FS9

[tumbi]

I am a registered user of FSUIPC 3.75 and have been using it for a few months now. I bought the registered version so I could better configure all the buttons and axes on the new Saitek Yoke.

It has been going well but I have noticed FS9 can be very slow to start up after clicking the "Fly Now" button. It displays the little window "Loading scenery objects", as it usually does, but instead of the progress bar moving nicely along as it loads the scenery objects etc, it just sits there sometimes for a minute or two showing 0%, before getting going. Sometimes it does not get going at all and I have to cancel the FS9 task in Task Manager. (BTW I have a fairly up to date machine with Dual Core E6700, 4GB RAM, 8800GTX, 10,000 RPM SATA drive recently defragged - with no other applications showing in the Task manager display. FS9 commonly shows frame rates over 100fps so the delays are NOT related to a slow machine). Oh, and I have removed the Saitek Yoke and its profiles, and reinstalled my old trusty Sidewinder FF2 joystick. No change.

So I thought I should investigate and see just where this problem is. Like most FS enthusiasts I have loaded all sorts of junk over time and I suspected FS Navigator or some other modules I had installed into the Modules folder could be causing the problem. I progressively removed modules (just moved the DLL file to another temp directory) until FS started normally. Then I put back various modules until I found which module was causing the startup problems. Guess what? Yep, FSUIPC is the culprit. With the FSUIPC.DLL file in the Modules directory, I have the slow start problem explained above. With no other change other than to remove the FSUIPC.DLL file from the Modules directory, FS9 starts normally.

I downloaded a fresh copy of FSUIPC 3.75 but no change. Next I deleted both FSUIPC.INI from the Modules folder and deleted FS9.CFG from its Documents and Settings/... folder, to start afresh with new files the system will create. Now FS9 starts normally.

But without my "old" FSUIPC.INI file, I have lost all the special "buttons" I had configured. So I'll go and set them again... but when I call up the FSUIPC dialog and click on "Buttons + Switches" tab, FSUIPC locks up and I have no option but to End the FS task. I have attached an image of the FSUIPC display at that point. You can see the Buttons tab has been selected but the About text still showing! It is locked up!

I cannot believe the problem is really in FSUIPC - I have a lot of faith and confidence in Pete's software so I guess this is all related to something I have done. Can anyone please help me with advice on what I might have done or what else I can do to get things back to normal?

ThanksTony

[Pete Dowson]

With the FSUIPC.DLL file in the Modules directory, I have the slow start problem explained above. With no other change other than to remove the FSUIPC.DLL file from the Modules directory, FS9 starts normally.

FSUIPC is actually doing nothing whatsoever during FS startup, other than the original loading of its INI file and setting all of the options to match. It does this early, out of the way, deliberately to avoid any hesitations later, whilst you are flying, for instance. Apart from that it is merely awaiting the readiness of FS. Even after FS is ready, it still isn't doing much.

Apart from the possibility that somehow the FSUIPC.INI access is very slow, the only thing which could be causing any slow down whatsoever would be access to FSUIPC from third parties -- ranging from Gauges and add-in DLLs to external programs. Maybe you should start with a freshly-installed FS2004, then compare it with FSUIPC installed and without?

I downloaded a fresh copy of FSUIPC 3.75 but no change.

Well, another identical copy of the same thing obviously won't change things. there's no chance it could get corrupted because it is codesigned and checks itself. Really, the best action is ALWAYS to look in the "Other downloads" Announcemtn here and get the very latest update (3.775 is there at present).

Next I deleted both FSUIPC.INI from the Modules folder and deleted FS9.CFG from its Documents and Settings/... folder, to start afresh with new files the system will create. Now FS9 starts normally.

But without my "old" FSUIPC.INI file, I have lost all the special "buttons" I had configured. So I'll go and set them again... but when I call up the FSUIPC dialog and click on "Buttons + Switches" tab, FSUIPC locks up and I have no option but to End the FS task.

Aha! That is where the problem lies, then. You have some rogue joystick driver which is causing the problem! This has been reported a few times before -- check Windows' Game Controllers, see if it knows of any drivers for devices you no longer have. The usual problem is an old Game Port joystick driver still hunting for a device on a probably unconnected or even non-existent game port. The EPIC driver could also do the same, with no EPIC connected.

Try the attached "joyview" program, see if it helps track it down ...

Regards

Pete

joyview.zip

[tumbi]

Aha! That is where the problem lies, then. You have some rogue joystick driver which is causing the problem!

Well I can't complain about the service huh? That was a quick reply!

Thanks Pete, I am delighted to report it is now working OK again. I did have the old Microsoft Force Feedback joystick in the system, although it was not connected. Anyway I removed everything I could find regarding ANY Game Port stuff (the Saitek Yoke is USB), rebooted the system and it is running properly now.

BTW it would be REALLLLLY nice if an upcoming version of FSUIPC offered support for the Saitek Yoke. But this is not the place to talk about that. I'll go start a new thread...

Thanks again Pete. I really appreciate the prompt and expert reply.

Tony