Instrument panel will not display on laptop

[John Bell]

I installed FS 9 (2004) on a new laptop and the instrument panel will not
show. Here is a link to a screen capture:
http://www.cockpitgps.com/fsproblem.jpg.

My computer is an eMachines 5405, here are the details:
http://www.emachines.com/support/support_info.html?prodName=M5405

I have tried different resolutions and I still get the problem.
Interestingly enough, the problem is only with the main instrument panel.
The radio stack works and the virtual cockpit works as well as all the other
views.

Any help would be appreciated. In exchange, you can download a free copy of
my e-book on using GPS at www.cockpitgps.com. I am not sure that's such a
great deal since you can download a copy anyway, but I would still
appreciate any clues on how to fix this.

Thanks,

John Bell

[D]

I know that you may have tried this, but going back to basic fault finding;
look in the toolbar that Views - Instrument Panel > Global On has a check
mark against it. Also check that the Views - View Mode > Cockpit has a
check mark against it. Hope this helps.




"John Bell" > wrote in message
m...
>I installed FS 9 (2004) on a new laptop and the instrument panel will not
>show. Here is a link to a screen capture:
>http://www.cockpitgps.com/fsproblem.jpg.
>
> My computer is an eMachines 5405, here are the details:
> http://www.emachines.com/support/support_info.html?prodName=M5405
>
> I have tried different resolutions and I still get the problem.
> Interestingly enough, the problem is only with the main instrument panel.
> The radio stack works and the virtual cockpit works as well as all the
> other views.
>
> Any help would be appreciated. In exchange, you can download a free copy
> of my e-book on using GPS at www.cockpitgps.com. I am not sure that's
> such a great deal since you can download a copy anyway, but I would still
> appreciate any clues on how to fix this.
>
> Thanks,
>
> John Bell
>
>

[Icebound]

"John Bell" > wrote in message
m...
>I installed FS 9 (2004) on a new laptop and the instrument panel will not
>show. Here is a link to a screen capture:
>http://www.cockpitgps.com/fsproblem.jpg.
>
> My computer is an eMachines 5405, here are the details:
> http://www.emachines.com/support/support_info.html?prodName=M5405
>
> I have tried different resolutions and I still get the problem.
> Interestingly enough, the problem is only with the main instrument panel.
> The radio stack works and the virtual cockpit works as well as all the
> other views.
>

I am betting on an incompatibility with the laptop's current video setup
(card, drivers).

Make sure you update directX and the "correct" video drivers.

Have you tried removing "hardware acceleration" on the laptop's video
settings, which may help isolate the problem?

Have you tried unchecking stuff and moving the sliders back, on the
Settings - display - hardware tab?

In another forum, but posted almost a year ago, I found this quote in
response to the exact same problem:
.... This is a known problem with FX5xxx cards. I had the same exact problem.
D/L the 54.03 drivers from www.3dguru.com ...

[John Bell]

>I know that you may have tried this, but going back to basic fault finding;
> look in the toolbar that Views - Instrument Panel > Global On has a check
> mark against it. Also check that the Views - View Mode > Cockpit has a
> check mark against it. Hope this helps.

I had tried this, but I went back to double check. Even though this didn't
fix it, I appreciate you giving it a try.

John Bell

[me @ comcast]

john,

i would have to agree with icebound,since you have already tried D's
suggestions.

after doing some research on your laptop, i would download the latest video
drivers form SiS which can be found here:

http://download.sis.com/

click on :
'IGP Graphics Drivers'
'SIS661FX &SiS760 series'
if your system is a
'Windows XP 64-Bit Edition' released 03/04/04 -highlight,then go

if your system is a
'Windows XP '(which probably means a 32 bit system-released 11/03/04
highlight, then go
then 'download now'

then see if your 2D panel works after installation and re-boot.

before you download Directx 9.0c , on your laptop desktop screen go to
start/run and type in dxdiag that will give you your current vesion of
Directx and you may run some tests from there.

you may want to do some research to be sure the Directx 9.0c driver is
compatible with your video card.

to get the latest Directx 9.0c driver , go to :

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=0a9b6820-bfbb-4799-9908-d418cdeac197&DisplayLang=en

i hope this all helps and you get the panel in 2D.
please concentrate on your task at hand while flying in the 757/767's and
not flying on your laptop at same time LOL !

very cool website john, thanks for the link !!

please post back with updates.

goodluck !
"John Bell" > wrote in message
m...
> I installed FS 9 (2004) on a new laptop and the instrument panel will not
> show. Here is a link to a screen capture:
> http://www.cockpitgps.com/fsproblem.jpg.
>
> My computer is an eMachines 5405, here are the details:
> http://www.emachines.com/support/support_info.html?prodName=M5405
>
> I have tried different resolutions and I still get the problem.
> Interestingly enough, the problem is only with the main instrument panel.
> The radio stack works and the virtual cockpit works as well as all the
other
> views.
>
> Any help would be appreciated. In exchange, you can download a free copy
of
> my e-book on using GPS at www.cockpitgps.com. I am not sure that's such a
> great deal since you can download a copy anyway, but I would still
> appreciate any clues on how to fix this.
>
> Thanks,
>
> John Bell
>
>

[John Bell]

I tried your suggestions, but they didn't work either. Oh well, it was
worth a try. Thanks and thanks for the complement on my site.

John

>
> i would have to agree with icebound,since you have already tried D's
> suggestions.
>
> after doing some research on your laptop, i would download the latest
> video
> drivers form SiS which can be found here:
>
> http://download.sis.com/
>
> click on :
> 'IGP Graphics Drivers'
> 'SIS661FX &SiS760 series'
> if your system is a
> 'Windows XP 64-Bit Edition' released 03/04/04 -highlight,then go
>
> if your system is a
> 'Windows XP '(which probably means a 32 bit system-released 11/03/04
> highlight, then go
> then 'download now'
>
> then see if your 2D panel works after installation and re-boot.
>
> before you download Directx 9.0c , on your laptop desktop screen go to
> start/run and type in dxdiag that will give you your current vesion of
> Directx and you may run some tests from there.
>
> you may want to do some research to be sure the Directx 9.0c driver is
> compatible with your video card.
>
> to get the latest Directx 9.0c driver , go to :
>
> http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=0a9b6820-bfbb-4799-9908-d418cdeac197&DisplayLang=en
>
> i hope this all helps and you get the panel in 2D.
> please concentrate on your task at hand while flying in the 757/767's and
> not flying on your laptop at same time LOL !
>
> very cool website john, thanks for the link !!
>
> please post back with updates.
>
> goodluck !

[James Shrubsall]

Installing the FS9 update fixed the exact same problem I was having on my
Toshiba Satellite 5200 with Nvidia Geforce FX Go5600 display adapter.
Toshiba have never released a video driver update for this adapter since the
5200 was released to market. Now FS2004 is running full tilt boogie !!!
Good luck. Hope this fixes your problem as well. Regards Jim