Strange problem rendering buildings

[skwaL]

Maybe someone besides support here would have some general idea on what is going on, here is the issue. When I load ANY FightBeam or FSDT airport some buildings show up.....some dont. And the building that don't show up generally will show up if I fly close to them, the screenshots attached are essentially the break down of my problem. Now every time I will load the sim and any of the FSDT or FB Airports every single time, the buildings that show and the buldings that dont are different. It seems like my rendering distance at all these airports is being stupidly short.

What I have tried so far:
- Reinstalled the airport
- Reinstalled addon manager
- Both couatl and addon manage menus show up in the sim
- Updated Visual C++ Libraries
- Updated graphic drivers, deleted and created fresh FSX.CFG
- Tried both DX9 and DX10 settings (I generally run DX10)
- Tried changing settings in NVidia Inspector
- Changed Antipopup and AltitudeCulll values

Couatl seems to be working fine so does the addon manager.

Any suggestions are welcome

P.S. I have posted this topic on both FSDreamTeam and FlightBeam forums in hope that someone would be able to help me out.


Thanks,
Konstantin

[virtuali]

And the building that don't show up generally will show up if I fly close to them

Already discussed here:
http://www.fsdreamteam.com/forum/index.php/topic,10296.0.html

and here:
http://www.fsdreamteam.com/forum/index.php/topic,2794.15.html

[skwaL]

I saw those posts. But my sim initially always had the HIGHMEMFIX in the fsx.cfg and I never changed compatibility settings.

[braindamage02]

I've just upgraded my PC (all new hardware) and installed a new copy of Win 10 Pro 64.  I was previously running Win 7 Home 64 with zero issues with FSDT or Flightbeam airports.  Now with FSX (Deluxe + SP1 & SP2) reinstalled, I have this same issue of some buildings missing.  Here's what I've done:

- Confirmed everything I've installed has been as administrator.
- Confirmed Windows Defender was off for both download and install (I do not have any other anti-virus software installed).
- Confirmed no FSX related programs, including FSX itself, are running in compatibility mode.
- Followed these steps from http://www.fsdreamteam.com/forum/index.php/topic,2794.0.html

- Uninstall the scenery. Reply YES when asked if you want to remove the Addon Manager and the Couatl Engine. Reply YES to both questions.
- TURN OFF your antivirus. Don't just exit from its interface, but turn off the real time protection. Actual wording changes between  products, however, it's the option to scan every file that gets open in real time, without user intervention.
- Reinstall the scenery with the Antivirus TURNED OFF. Don't launch FSX yet.

and

The only possible explanation, is that another addon is clogging Simconnect with so many commands, that our own are received with a delay. It might be worth trying to disable *every* other 3rd party module in DLL.XML and EXE.XML, by setting the <Disable> tag to True, then trying one by one, and see if it makes any difference.

Even with the Addon Manager being the only module running, I still have missing buildings that only appear after getting very close to them.  The buildings that are missing are usually different with every launch.

The OP also posted in the Flightbeam forums and stated that the determined solution was to install Acceleration.  If the airports worked perfectly on my Win 7 install but not on Win 10, I fail to see how changing the sim I use is an acceptable solution.  Any other input would be greatly appreciated.

[virtuali]

- Confirmed everything I've installed has been as administrator.

The installers automatically install themselves with admin rights so, it's not something that could be wrong, and it won't cause this issue anyway even if they didn't.

- Confirmed Windows Defender was off for both download and install (I do not have any other anti-virus software installed).

The antivirus doesn't have anything to do with this. If you had an antivirus problem, one of the modules won't run, so you won't see ANY buildings, not even when getting close.

Confirmed no FSX related programs, including FSX itself, are running in compatibility mode.

I'm sorry, but I stil think this is the most likely explanation. Every user that ever reported this issue, had the Compatibility flag checked either for FSX or for some other 3rd party program that starts with it.

Followed these steps from http://www.fsdreamteam.com/forum/index.php/topic,2794.0.html

None of these are relevant. See the explanation about the antivirus. If you see the buildings only when you get close, it means the software IS RUNNING CORRECTLY.

- Uninstall the scenery. Reply YES when asked if you want to remove the Addon Manager and the Couatl Engine. Reply YES to both questions.

TURN OFF your antivirus. Don't just exit from its interface, but turn off the real time protection. Actual wording changes between  products, however, it's the option to scan every file that gets open in real time, without user intervention.

Same as above. The software is running. These steps are ONLY needed when it's NOT running, so you don't see anything, not even when getting close.

Even with the Addon Manager being the only module running, I still have missing buildings that only appear after getting very close to them.  The buildings that are missing are usually different with every launch.

So, the only explanation left is the Compatibility mode enabled.

The OP also posted in the Flightbeam forums and stated that the determined solution was to install Acceleration.  If the airports worked perfectly on my Win 7 install but not on Win 10, I fail to see how changing the sim I use is an acceptable solution.  Any other input would be greatly appreciated.

There's no difference between FSX SP2 and Acceleration, regarding this problem. The user probably THOUGHT it was "fixed" by changing the sim, because when doing this, he got either his Compatibility settings reset (FSX install with all of them off by default), or the FSX.CFG has been reset.

In fact, you don't say if you tried to rest the FSX.CFG, and apply ONLY the HIGHMEMFIX=1 fix, and nothing else.

[braindamage02]

No, I didn't say that, however it has been the case during all the testing.  Just to make sure, I just uninstalled the airports, including the Addon Manager and the Couatl and I deleted the FSX.CFG file.  Rebooted.  Installed SFO, YVR and the stand alone Addon Manager.  Started up FSX just to create a new CFG.  Closed FSX.  Added the HIGHMEMFIX=1 entry.  Back into FSX and the same issue appears.

I have checked every single .exe file on my FSX drive(including FSX.exe) to confirm none are running in Compatibility mode and none of them are (or were).  I also checked the .exe files that reside on other drives that interact with FSX and again, none were or are running in compatibility mode.  What else should I be checking?

The OP posted this in the Flightbeam forum:

I have set up a TeamViewer session with Umberto (Virtuali) from FSDreamTeam to find the cause of the issue. After almost 2 hours of him changing, and switching, and changing back various settings within the sim and registries we did not find anything. Close to the end of our sessions where we figured that Addon Manager was NOT the cause of the issue, BUT he noticed something based on this side. He noticed differences in various files stating that he was running FSX Acceleration while I was running the Deluxe Edition with SP2. Once I have reinstalled the simulator with a locally found copy of Acceleration the problem was gone. I am sure Umberto would look more into it but as far as he understood, there was a problem with FSX SP2 drawing LOD, simobjects.

So if he THOUGHT it was "fixed" by changing the sim, it seems like it was because of the TeamViewer session he had with you.  I'm sure one of the first things you checked during that session was to confirm none of the applications were running in compatibility mode.

To reiterate however, my sim has not changed.  These sceneries worked perfectly in FSX SP2 on Win7.  They no longer do in Win10.  Apart from the upgraded hardware, absolutely nothing else has changed.

[virtuali]

What else should I be checking?

Compatibility mode might be enabled for an app as a registry setting, without appearing in the file properties. You might try searching the registry for the filename of any executable that runs together with FSX or FSX itself, and see if you see key names with suspicious names that might suggest a compatibility flag has been set.

So if he THOUGHT it was "fixed" by changing the sim, it seems like it was because of the TeamViewer session he had with you.  I'm sure one of the first things you checked during that session was to confirm none of the applications were running in compatibility mode.

The only thing that was obvious from the Teamviewer session, is the problem was NOT the Addon Manager, so I suggested try installing the Acceleration pack, but only because it was the only explanation left.

However, I can confirm the problem is NOT the FSX SP2 as such, otherwise we would have been flooded by similar reports, and some of us at FSDT use FSX SP2 so, it's 100% sure the problem is not directly related to a compatibility problem between FSX SP2 and our products. But reinstalling the sim (any version, provided it's either SP2 or Acceleration, or Steam), might "fix" some registry keys.

These sceneries worked perfectly in FSX SP2 on Win7.  They no longer do in Win10.  Apart from the upgraded hardware, absolutely nothing else has changed.

I use Windows 10 myself, and can't see any issues with it.

[braindamage02]

What else should I be checking?

Compatibility mode might be enabled for an app as a registry setting, without appearing in the file properties. You might try searching the registry for the filename of any executable that runs together with FSX or FSX itself, and see if you see key names with suspicious names that might suggest a compatibility flag has been set.

I use Windows 10 myself, and can't see any issues with it.

Nope.  Not a thing about anything running in a hidden compatibility mode.  I'm done grasping at straws though so I guess I'll go back to square one.  I'll wipe the drive, install FSX and the SPs and make a FSDT scenery the very first addon I install.  If the problem persists, what would be your next suggestion?  Any recommendations for how I should proceed to ensure we have this completely isolated?

[braindamage02]

To follow-up:

I completely uninstalled FSX and all add-ons.  I ran a registry cleaner afterwards to ensure everything was removed.  I then formatted my FSX hard drive.  Installed FSX Deluxe from disk.  Ran it.  Installed SP1.  Ran it.  Installed SP2.  Ran it.  I then added just HIGHMEMFIX=1 to the CFG file.  I downloaded YVR and installed it.  Ran FSX and some buildings are missing.  I downloaded the stand alone Addon Manager and installed.  Ran FSX and some buildings are missing.  This was a clean install on a clean drive, all as administrator, nothing running in compatibility mode, no other addons.

I know the same issue was reported to Flightbeam about the same time I reported the problem.  At the time, I experienced a compatibility issue between FSDT/Flightbeam airports and the Level-D 767 where having both installed prevented FSX from truly exiting when exiting - it had to be killed via Task Manager.  Since the 767 is old software, I'll give the benefit of the doubt and assume it was the offending software.  Since I reported this issue in the Flightbeam forum, it was believed that my issue was different.  In fact, as I just did a clean install and the issue is still present, I believe the issues to be the same.  Mir asked the other poster to email specifics that he would forward on to you.

I appreciate that these sceneries work on your Win10 PC with FSX SP2 but that doesn't make them work on mine.  I'm just looking for support in getting this issue resolved.  I love these airports, they're fantastic.  I want nothing more than for them to work properly and am willing to provide any information needed to get to that point.

[virtuali]

I appreciate that these sceneries work on your Win10 PC with FSX SP2 but that doesn't make them work on mine. 

I haven't said that. I said I use Windows 10, not FSX SP2. I currently have the Steam Version, so I cannot say for *sure* if FSX SP2 has issues with Windows 10.

Some of us at FSDT use FSX + Acceleration Pack under both Windows 10 and Window 8.1, and one use Windows 8.1 with FSX SP2. I really don't see why Windows 10 would be any different, other than it has set some difficult to find Compatibility setting for FSX.

In any case, we might arrange a Teamviewer session, so I might have a look at your system directly. PM me for details.