FSX interrupts every 5sec with FSUIPC installed

[Skylon5000]

Hello,

I´m new at this forum. My name is Andreas Schier. I´m from Germany. Sorry for my bad english. :D

I have a problem with FSUIPC. I´m using the registered version.

I´m using FSX Acc (included SP2). And here is the problem.

FSX interrupts every 5sec. for a split of a second. I have installed FSX again and again.

After a fresh install, without any addons and without FSUIPC, FSX is smooth without any problems.

But after installing the registered version of FSUIPC FSX stuttering every 5sec.

I didn´t make any configuration in the FSUIPC menu. The only thing i made is to register FSUIPC.

Does anyone have an idea what FSUIPC do with my FSX ?

Thank you in Advance

Andreas

[Pete Dowson]

But after installing the registered version of FSUIPC FSX stuttering every 5sec.

I didn´t make any configuration in the FSUIPC menu. The only thing i made is to register FSUIPC.

Does anyone have an idea what FSUIPC do with my FSX ?

If it is okay without registration, then it sounds like an invalid registration, and the cross-checking is causing the restart of SimConnect links.

First make sure you are using the currently supported version of FSUIPC (4.60 minimum). If you are, run FSX, see the problem, then close FSX down and show me the FSUIPC4.LOG file from the FSX Modules folder.

It might also be a SimConnect problem, as these are often caused by re-installing FSX (because the uninstaller does not correctly remove SimConnect and it becomes a mess on the install). However, if this were the case it would be the same whether you registered FSUIPC or not.

Regards

Pete

[Skylon5000]

Hello Pete,

sorry, i made a little mistake. I have the same issue with the unregistered version.

What do you mean with invalid registration ? Please take a look at your database. I have a legal license. Look for andreas.schier@eurorscg.de.

That´s me. ;-)

Yes i´m using the FSUIPC 4.60 version. And yes i think too, it´s something with SimConnect. But for your information.

I made a fresh Windows XP installation, then FSX, after this the ACC Pack Install. That´s it. No more addons. Only FSUIPC and from this point i got the stutters.

Only for testing. Is there a download source for a very old FSX FSUIPC version. Who knows, maybe it works. ;-)

I will send you the log asap.

Thank you in advance

Andreas

[Pete Dowson]

I have the same issue with the unregistered version.

In that case it is probably a Simconnect problem. The Log file should show what is happening.

What do you mean with invalid registration ?

When there is a difference in behaviour with and without registration, then the registration is always in question.

Please take a look at your database. I have a legal license.

I don't sell FSUIPC, SimMarket does. I don't have a database. And I was not accusing you of not having a valid license, but only suggesting the possibility of the license information installed on your PC as not looking correct. For example, if your system date is for some reason wrong, and earlier than your registration purchase, it would make the registration look invalid.

Regards

Pete

[Skylon5000]

Hi Peter,

here are the logs:

********* FSUIPC4, Version 4.60a by Pete Dowson *********

Trying to connect to SimConnect Acc/SP2 Oct07 ...

User Name="Andreas Schier"

User Addr="andreas.schier@eurorscg.de"

FSUIPC4 Key is provided

WideFS7 Key is provided

Running inside FSX (using SimConnect Acc/SP2 Oct07)

Module base=61000000

Wind smoothing fix is fully installed

DebugStatus=255

594 System time = 23/03/2010 19:20:53

594 FLT UNC path = "C:\Documents and Settings\Andreas\My Documents\Flight Simulator X-Dateien\"

594 FS UNC path = "D:\Programme\Microsoft Games\Microsoft Flight Simulator X\"

1125 LogOptions=00000000 00000001

1125 SimConnect_Open succeeded: waiting to check version okay

2531 Running in "Microsoft Flight Simulator X", Version: 10.0.61637.0 (SimConnect: 10.0.61259.0)

2531 Initialising SimConnect data requests now

2531 FSUIPC Menu entry added

2969 D:\Programme\Microsoft Games\Microsoft Flight Simulator X\FLIGHTS\OTHER\FLTSIM.FLT

2969 D:\Programme\Microsoft Games\Microsoft Flight Simulator X\SimObjects\Airplanes\Aircreation_582SL\Aircreation_582SL.AIR

41625 D:\Programme\Microsoft Games\Microsoft Flight Simulator X\SimObjects\Airplanes\B737_800\Boeing737-800.AIR

74844 System time = 23/03/2010 19:22:07, Simulator time = 08:20:56 (03:20Z)

74859 Aircraft="Boeing 737-800 Paint1"

77844 Advanced Weather Interface Enabled

121141 Sim stopped: average frame rate for last 46 secs = 29.8 fps

129062 Weather Mode now = Theme

129062 C:\Documents and Settings\Andreas\Application Data\Microsoft\FSX\Vorheriger Flug.FLT

149047 System time = 23/03/2010 19:23:22, Simulator time = 08:20:55 (03:20Z)

149047 *** FSUIPC log file being closed

Average frame rate for running time of 46 secs = 29.8 fps

Memory managed: 23 Allocs, 22 Freed

********* FSUIPC Log file closed ***********

********* WideServer.DLL Log [version 7.60a] *********

Blocksize guide = 4096 (double allowed)

Date (dmy): 23/03/10, Time 19:22:07.609: Server name is MEDIA

15282 Initialising TCP/IP server

15297 Initialising IPX/SPX server

15297 IPX/SPX socket() failed [Error=10044] Socket type not supported

15297 Failed to start IPX/SPX Server

15297 Initialising UDP/IP server

16032 Broadcasting service every 1000 mSecs

71500 Closing down now ...

Memory managed: Offset records: 23 alloc, 21 free

Read buffer usage: 0 alloc, 0 free, max in session: 0

Write buffer usage: 0 alloc, 0 free, max in session: 0

Throughput maximum achieved: 0 frames/sec, 0 bytes/sec

Throughput average achieved for complete session: 0 frames/sec, 0 bytes/sec

********* Log file closed *********

Andreas

[Pete Dowson]

here are the logs

There's nothing wrong there. Everything is fine, though you certainly omitted to mention that you were running WideFS too!!

Perhaps there's something on your Network responsible for your 5 second interval pausing?

When you tried with FSUIPC unregistered, was WideFS unregistered too? They are independent in this regard.

If you don't enable WideServer, do you still get the problem?

In your network settings, have you set fixed specified IP addresses, or are you allowing Windows to seek IP connections every few seconds?

There's no 5-second interval action in FSUIPC or WideServer, but there may be elsewhere, possibly enabled by whatever you are selecting.

Regards

Pete

[Skylon5000]

Hi Pete,

when i install FSUIPC and WideFS without any registration, i have the stutters too.

I tried with and without fixed IP Adress. Stutters.

I disabled both network cards. Stutters.

I disconnected my Microsoft Force Feedback 2 Joystick. Stutters.

I deleted FSUIPC again. NO stutters.

So it´s absolutly clear that FSUIPC make the stutters. But it´s absolutly clear too, that other users don´t have this stutters.

But the question is, does FSUIPC communicate with a component which make the problems ?

Something like sound card, joystick etc ?

Pete it´s possible to send me an old FSUIPC version to andreas.schier@eurorscg.de ?

Who knows, maybe it helps.

I have no more idea what i can looking for to investigate this problem.

FSUIPC is very important for me, because i´m using the fantastic Project Magenta Software.

Andreas

[Pete Dowson]

So it´s absolutly clear that FSUIPC make the stutters.

Or something which is dependent upon FSUIPC and so isn't doing whatever it is doing when FSUIPC isn't there.

But the question is, does FSUIPC communicate with a component which make the problems ?

Something like sound card, joystick etc ?

No. Without registration FSUIPC touches nothing. No joysticks, no devices, nothing. And certainly never sound cards in any case. There's no sound at all in FSUIPC.

Without registration FSUIPC is simply an interface for applications, whether they be external or internal (other add-in DLLs and Gauges). So, it will likely be something with is contacting FSUIPC. You'll need to do a process of elimination. Try no add-ons or add-ins (check your DLLs and use default aircraft only)), no applications, nothing at all, just FS and FSUIPC. If that still does it then it's something wrong with FS, some corruption maybe. More likely that's okay and you can start adding things, one at a time.

[LATER]

I notice you said "no add-ons" early on. But then you talk about Project Magenta, so something doesn't add-up. Can we be really really clear. Is this truly a "virgin" FSX install, nothing else whatsoever, just FSUIPC4? Perhaps you ought to post your DLL.XML and EXE.XML files just to be sure?

Regards

Pete

[Skylon5000]

Hi Peter,

for the investigating of the stutters, i installed a virgin Windows XP and a really virgin FSX. After this i installed the Acceleration Pack

for getting the Service Pack 2. And then nothing really nothting. I made my first flight, all is smooth without stutters. Then i installed

FSUIPC and i have the stutters. I have to make one test this evening. I´m flying with airliners only. And yes i´m using the default airliners only.

But i haven´t tested what happens with the little plane which comes up when i start FSX. I don´t know the name. Trike ???

I didn´t using Project Magenta in the moment. So virgin FSX + ACC PACK + FSUIPC. That´s all.

There is no Virus Scanner or Firewall on this machine.

I will send you DLL.XML and EXE.XML late evening.

Thank you

Andreas

[Skylon5000]

Hi Pete,

here is the dll.xml:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="Windows-1252" ?>

-

Launch

dll.xml

False

False

-

Object Placement Tool

True

False

..\Microsoft Flight Simulator X SDK\SDK\Mission Creation Kit\object_placement.dll

-

Traffic Toolbox

True

False

..\Microsoft Flight Simulator X SDK\SDK\Environment Kit\Traffic Toolbox SDK\traffictoolbox.dll

-

Visual Effects Tool

True

False

..\Microsoft Flight Simulator X SDK\SDK\Environment Kit\Special Effects SDK\visualfxtool.dll

-

FSUIPC 4

False

Modules\FSUIPC4.dll

But there is no exe.xml. It should be in this folder, right ? > C:\Users\Administrator\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\FSX

Thanks

Andreas

[Pete Dowson]

here is the dll.xml

That's okay. It is only loading FSUIPC4.

But there is no exe.xml.

That's okay too.

I think we need to see what SimConnect is doing. If there's a SimConnect.xml file in that same folder, show me that. But there probably isn't, and there shouldn't be.

Get a SimConnect log file. Instructions for this are provided in the "FSX Help" announcement above. Just run FS for long enough to see a few of these regular 5-second "stutters", then close FSX down, ZIP up the resulting FSUIPC4 and SimConnect logs and send them to me at petedowson@btconnect.com. I'll see if there's anything happening at that sort of frequency between SimConnect and FSUIPC.

One question: are all your FSX options and settings defaulted, or fairly standard?

At present I haven't a clue what could be wrong, but I'm assuming it must be something to do with the data exchange between FSUIPC and SimConnect, because really, in an unregistered install and with no add-ons or other add-ins, that's about all that's going on.

With that in mind, there is some extra logging you can do in FSUIPC too. Add these lines to the [General] section of the FSUIPC4.INI file:

Debug=Please

LogExtras=x400

Then run FSX to do the same test again. FSUIPC will log every exchange it has with SimConnect. ZIP up the logs and send those too.

Regards

Pete

[Skylon5000]

Hi Pete,

i sent the logs.

Thank you

Andreas

[Pete Dowson]

i sent the logs.

Got them, but it's getting late here now so I'll look at them in the morning.

It is interesting that you say:

In this moment where i activated the two logs i have now stutters every

second and not every 5 seconds.

because if merely logging gives regular stutters it does tend to indicate some sort of disk access problem -- after all nothing else is being done when logging except for the regular relatively continuous output of data to disk, which would be being cached and written to disk at intervals.

When you have the 5 second stutters do you notice any disk activity? Could you watch for it? It is starting to sound like some sort of scenery scan -- in which can it could be related to the "nearest airport" reports SimConnect sends, though they would be at intervals depending on how fast you are moving through the scenery. If you are static I don't think SimConnect sends any, and I certainly don't request them unless you've moved a good distance.

The log should tell me if it is anything to do with this, but meanwhile please check for disk activity -- and be sure to defragment your disk properly. A badly fragmented disk is a major cause of stutters in FSX, and they'd tend to be regular too.

[LATER]

I just had a quick glance at what you sent me, and first off there's only the second set, the one with the full FSUIPC logging too. Didn't you do the first test with only SimConnect logging, so I would know to look for 5 second events?

Second, looking through the logs there's nothing irregular. Everything is smooth and on time. It is looking more and more like some disk cache related problem. If you go to http://www.sysinternals.com you'll find some good monitoring programs there. Procmon can monitor disk activities among other things, for instance. You might want to investigate down that avenue.

On my previous FSX system, a dual processor SkullTrail running (water-cooled) at 4.5GHz I was getting great performance EXCEPT for a periodic slow down -- the frame rate would take a dive at regular intervals -- not 5 seconds, more like 20, but the drop was quite severe. I never did figure it out, but it never happens on my new Corei7 system, also running water-cooled at 4.5GHz. The main difference I think is the memory speed -- my new one has of course the Corei7 memory interface advantage plus DDR3 2000 MHz memory, whilst my old one was the usual separate NorthBridge memory interface with DDR2 memory at only 800 MHz. But why a bottleneck affecting things at regular intervals? Beats me. Maybe it's like highway queueing -- fast, slow, fast, slow ...

And why only when FSUIPC is running? It must surely be the data exchange -- that's all that's going on. With FSX SP2 or Acceleration versions, SimConnect uses memory pipes* -- it stuffs data in one end and sends me a message, I pick out the data at the other end. It would be constantly using fresh memory in a big cycle. Maybe the free memory on your system is just that amount which take 5 seconds per cycle then needs a big garbage collection?

[* SimConnect was worse before, using TCP/IP for data exchanges, allocating and freeing buffers in memory all the time. Ugh].

If you have the first log I asked for I'll look at that as well, but I suspect all I'll come up with are more theories. I might just try a test version, patching out the airport requests I make, but looking through the log I don't think they happened during the time of the log in any case. At least I've not found one yet.

Regards

Pete

[Skylon5000]

Hi Pete,

thank you very much for your help. Yes, i´m think too, it´s a S-ATA Controller problem.

In 1-2 weeks i will become a professional S-ATA Raid Controller for my system.

I will report you if the problem exist.

Thank your very very much.

Andreas

[Skylon5000]

Hi Pete,

here i´m again. :D

Okay, i got a new computer. Now i have an I7-980X Extreme Processor overclocked to 4,13GHZ, a new board (so a new S-ATA Controller) and new RAM. Only my GTX285 and my two WD Raptor are the same. I told 3 weeks before, that i will become a new professional S-ATA controller but now i have a new computer. :D The controller will arive in 1-2 weeks.

But the problem exist. :(

Stuttering with FSUIPC installed.

Move out the whole "Modules" folder > no stuttering.

I have started a post in a german Flight Simulator Forum. 4 persons have excact the same problem. Before my post in this forum, nobody had the idea that FSUIPC make this stuttering. They moved out the Modules folder and the stuttering is gone.

Pete, there must be a problem. I´m wondering that nobody else have the same problem in this forum here (Simflight not the German one). I posted in the German forum and 4 persons answered within a few hours. It´s clear. We all are using the German Flight Simulator X. I can´t imagine that there is any context. But now i think it is not my hardware.

Do you have any idea ?

Andreas

[Pete Dowson]

Pete, there must be a problem. I´m wondering that nobody else have the same problem in this forum here (Simflight not the German one). I posted in the German forum and 4 persons answered within a few hours. It´s clear. We all are using the German Flight Simulator X. I can´t imagine that there is any context. But now i think it is not my hardware.

Do you have any idea ?

Sorry, no. There are tens of thousands FSUIPC users. I am using it 100% There is absolutely nothing in FSUIPC with a 5 second cycle. Maybe it is a specific bug in the German version of SimConnect?

Regards

Pete

[Pete Dowson]

Pete, there must be a problem. I´m wondering that nobody else have the same problem in this forum here (Simflight not the German one). I posted in the German forum and 4 persons answered within a few hours. It´s clear. We all are using the German Flight Simulator X. I can´t imagine that there is any context. But now i think it is not my hardware.

Do you have any idea ?

Sorry, no. There are tens of thousands FSUIPC users. I am using it 100% There is absolutely nothing in FSUIPC with a 5 second cycle. Maybe it is a specific bug in the German version of SimConnect?

You say it occurs even with FSUIPC unregistered and with no add-ons using it. In such a state it is dormant, merely posting data in its offsets when SimConnect provides new updates. The weather scanning is regular, but more like a one second interval (and that is adjustable in the INI file). The only other requests the recent versions make are for "nearest airports", but for those to occur you have to be moving over the scenery (are you?) -- and they are not regular, like every 5 seconds, but certainly could be based on speed -- and then they'd depend on SimConnect identifying the changes, not on FSUIPC requesting.

The best I can do to help you nail it is to tell you how to change the weather intervals, or to stop them, and possibly to supply a version with an option to stop "nearest airport" requests. There's nothing else which is possibly going to make any different whatsoever, and I don't hold out much hope for those.

The only times I've ever had a significant "stutter" at regular intervals (twice now on different systems over the 3 years of FSX), it has ALWAYS turned out to be hardware or driver-related, but hard to identify what. The last one disappeared when I updated from my Skulltrail overclocked system to my i7 overclocked system.

Regards

Pete

[peterhayes]

Pete

This may totally irrelevant but on one of my systems I used to get these regular stutters if "Pause on Task Switch" was ticked FSX.

The other time that I saw it (without the message bar about re-loading textures) was if "Keep FS Clock synchronised" was checked in FSUIPC via the SIM.

As I say, they may have nothing to do with the problem, but are just a couple of lateral thoughts.

Regards

PeterH

[Skylon5000]

Peter Dowson wrote:

The best I can do to help you nail it is to tell you how to change the weather intervals, or to stop them, and possibly to supply a version with an option to stop "nearest airport" requests. There's nothing else which is possibly going to make any different whatsoever, and I don't hold out much hope for those.

Hi Pete,

that sounds good. I only need FSUIPC and WideFS to use the Project Magenta MCP and Boeing Glass Cockpit. That´s all what i need. To be certain i configure nothing in FSUIPC, i´m using WideFS only. So when you tell me, what i must do to disable all this what i doesn´t need, it would be fantastic.

Thank you Peter

Hello PeterH,

i checked out what you descripe, but the stutters are there again.

Thank you

Andreas

[Pete Dowson]

I only need FSUIPC and WideFS to use the Project Magenta MCP and Boeing Glass Cockpit. That´s all what i need. To be certain i configure nothing in FSUIPC, i´m using WideFS only. So when you tell me, what i must do to disable all this what i doesn´t need, it would be fantastic.

You can disable all FSUIPC's weather reading and setting facilities completely by setting the Weathe Interval Factor to 0. In a registered FSUIPC you can do this in the Winds tab. Alternatively, as an experiment, you could just try increasing the number (it defaults to 2) to see if that changes the frequency of your "stutters". If it does there's something wrong with SimConnect's weather reading and decoding mechanism.

With an unregistered FSUIPC you'd have to edit the FSUIPC4.INI file to change the "WeatherReadFactor" in the [General] section.

The only other option which might be worth inhibiting is that for collecting data from nearest airports. There isn't such an option at present, but I'll add one and let you know. I can't see how the actions of SimConnect there would cause you regular stutters, however, because if you aren't moving there wouldn't be any updates, and if you are moving the amount of data updating would depend on how fast you are moving and the density of airports in the area.

With an unregistered install there really isn't anything else FSUIPC is doing that you can stop, because it is then merely receiving data from SimConnect to provide to programs like your PM, and of course dealing with requests arising from them.

Regards

Pete

[Pete Dowson]

The only other option which might be worth inhibiting is that for collecting data from nearest airports. There isn't such an option at present, but I'll add one and let you know.

Okay. Download and install

http://fsuipc.simflight.com/beta/FSUIPC4606.zip

In this version the collection of airport data is configured off by default. I decided this because, in fact, it seems to be unreliable in any case -- SimConnect often doesn't even supply the irport under the aircraft's wheels as one of the nearest airports, so the usefulness of the facility is somewhat diminished (to say the least!). I haven't ripped out the code in case folks want to experiment, but it now has to be enabled by setting "GetNearestAirports=Yes".

As I said, I don't really hold out much hope of this doing anything for you, but there's nothing left to remove.

BTW. Also check you aren't getting periodic queues building up for disc access. Don't rely on the little LED telling you about its activity. Here's an extract from a reply over in an AVSIM forum thread from Kosta (whom I'm sure won't mind me quoting him):

Trust me, you WILL be surprised when you see what FSX is reading and your LED isn't even bothering to show...

Two things: download Process Monitor and see what's being loaded while you are flying. In W7, under Computer Management, open Performance, and add Logical Disk (FSX paritition), and configure it as Avg. Disk Queue Length. For the 2nd, credit goes to bojote, and I also figured, which makes sense, that higher the Queue Length, more stuttering you will have. I have to keep below 5 to have any kind of smooth flight. If it goes over 10, heavy stuttering. Even on my VRap, I have heavy duty scenery reading, and while it's way better and faster than ordinary disks (I have tested on latest Seagate, 7200, 500GB one platter), it still stutters, and I'm sure it's due to HDD reading. SSD would help. I don't have 400€ right now though...

Regards

Pete

[Skylon5000]

Hello Pete,

at first, sorry for the long delay. But i´m very busy in my job.

I have tested your FSUIPC Beta. Thank you for that. But you are right, it doesn´t solve the problem.

Meanwhile i have the professionell S-ATA Controller and new harddisks where i´m told from.

But the issue is still there. It means it can´t be the harddisk or the controller. So, what is different to the thousand user´s in the world ?

Yesterday i made a test. I used the FSX internal Frame Rate Counter. I´m used the Enhanced one,

where you can see the min, average and max data. My FSX is limited at 30FPS, my projector is set to 30HZ.

VSync is activated. Without FSUIPC installed, the average FPS is EVER 30FPS. Exactly 30FPS !!!!!!

With FSUIPC installed, the average FPS is NEVER 30FPS. Really never. The FPS is max 29,8FPS.

It jumps from approx. 29,7 to 29,8. In combination with the VSync and the 30HZ set on the beamer,

i think here is the problem. What is FSUIPC doing ? Does FSUIPC affect VSync in any case ?

When i lower all sliders in FSX to the minimum, it´s the same. So it can´t be a overload for the machine.

I can´t fly without VSync, because then i have heavy tearing and i can´t differentiate if the stutters are there or not.

Any idea ?

Thank you

Andreas

[Pete Dowson]

Without FSUIPC installed, the average FPS is EVER 30FPS. Exactly 30FPS !!!!!!

With FSUIPC installed, the average FPS is NEVER 30FPS. Really never. The FPS is max 29,8FPS.

It jumps from approx. 29,7 to 29,8.

Must be SimConnect's activity, sending data to FSUIPC on each frame. I've never ever seen any frame rate counter stay rock solid on a chosen target in any case, unless you stop all AI Traffic and other heavy-processor usage items.

i think here is the problem. What is FSUIPC doing ? Does FSUIPC affect VSync in any case ?

No. Apart from FSUIPC possibly being used by other programs, and scanning joysticks when you have assignments, it does nothing but sit there receiving data from SimConnect whenever it changes (but not more often than the internal framerate) so it can supply that data to requesting programs. This is different from FSUIPC3 which had to actively go get the data. with SimConnect you simply register the interest and wait for the data to arrive.

I can´t fly without VSync

Try setting the frame rate limit higher so there's some leeway. The VSync will still work. Additionally there are external frame rate limiters which do a far better job than FSX's so it is worth investigating those instead and leaving FSX's as unlimited. I think this link might still work: http://rapidshare.com/files/160642187/Fer_0.2.rar

Regards

Pete