MSTS crashing randomly to a blank screen in Windows 7

[devonangoo2003]

Hey,

Everytime I play an activity the simulator will randomly crash during it, the activity will crash in different places from the beginning to end. When it crashes it goes to a blank screen and the sound goes funny. I try to bring the computer back using task manager but cannot access it because the computer is stuck on the black screen.

This started when I began using the Windows 7 beta version, when using Vista on the same PC it was fine. On other games the issue does not seem to be a problem.

I have checked to see its not an overheating issue by giving my pc a dust down put this does not seem to be an issue and some people have suggested it could be a lack of memory but I don't see how that could be considering I have an 8GB of ram.

I have installed all updates for MSTS and BIN is installed.

Any help on this problem would be greatly appreciated,

Fergus

[gswindale]

It could well be a resource issue - MSTS is 8 years old and was certainly not designed with a 64bit OS installed, so having 8 or even 16 gigs will not make much difference.
I've had issues with Vista and 7 which includes some routes just crashing at the end of any activity?
It may well be worth turning some of your settings down a notch or 2 to see what happens.

[Lad491]

Indeed, almost certainly a resource issue.
try the following:

Move the best graphics / best performance slider two notches towards best performance.
Set your Quantity of Sounds setting to medium
Turn off shadows, high detail shadows, specular lighting, distant mountains, overhead wires (unless the route needs them)
Keep the F11 briefing window open for the shortest amount of time possible, in fact try closing it immediately it opens.

Now see if that makes any difference. If it now runs ok or better, you can experiment by turning some settings up a bit, if it doesnt try turning them down a bit more.

I have it running on an old PC with Windows 7 Home premium and the few test routes ive installed work fine

[devonangoo2003]

Hey,

Thanks for the help given previously.

To avoid having to reduce my graphics settings, I decided to re-install XP as a dual boot. Now with XP installed im still having the same problem so im starting to become worried that it could be overheating!

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[dkightley]

Irrespective as to which OS you are using, Lad491's advice is still worth taking.

With the settings turned down, once you have a steady system, then you can start turning things back up until you reach a compromise position.

[devonangoo2003]

Hey,

Thanks for the help again,

I have tried this also and it still crashes, one thing I have noticed while changing over OS is its no longer random it happening at the start of an activity.

[Lad491]

It might be due to the F11 briefing screen. Msts treats that as a sound and there is a limitation on the number of sounds which can be played. Closing the window the second it opens, without reading it, and not reopening it at all might help. Setting your quantity of sounds setting to medium may also help, Otherwise a search for sounds will find some threads with suggestions for modifying your sounds cfg file which also can help.