Installation Problem FS 2004

😕 So you've loaded all 4 disks and its crashing to desktop?
Were there any error messages during instalation?

Have you tried loading it with the nocd crack ?

Your graphics card may be the problem 😞 Its about on par as the old Gforce 2 cards, a bit weak for fs9

One other thing, is it on the drive (C?) that has your OS on and is there a "flight folder" in "My Documents".
The answer to both should be yes for it to work.

Thanks for your reply. I was hoping it wasn't a graphics card issue and since this is the only game I'm remotely interested, I also wasn't excited in moving it a higher end card since all of my use is basically business and internet apps using dual monitors...the reason for Matrox.

Do you have a handy location for the nocd crack? I'll give that a go. And, then, if that doesn't work I guess it's an ad for a resell of my FS2004.

My G450 is an OEM version too so it only has 16MB on the graphics board even if it is DDR and the retail version only has 32MB. What level of graphics processor/memory is necessary to run FS2004?

Is it all that much better than FS2002 and is it worth bumping up the card to a Matrox Parahelia or better?

The crack is on this page.

https://forum.flyawaysimulation.com/forum/topic/41/fs-2004-no-cd-crack-file/

We like 2004 and feel it's much better than 2002. As for the card, the best bet is a 128mb ATI or Nvidia, I have and ATI 9800 Pro 128 DDR.
TTT just bought a Nvidia 256.

Radarman:

You must have just posted...

No, in fact I have it installed into another partition on another physical hard drive; my OS (XP SP1) is on the primary portion of the "first" read hard drive and the application is on the logical portion of another hard drive. All are NTFS.

I'll reinstall it on the same partition as the operating system and get back to you.

I see several references to My Documents and elements that should be in there...please expand that discussion for me or give me a reference to specifically what you are talking about. Thanks.

If you load it onto your "main" drive it gets the benefit of placing it's folders where it both needs and wants to.
It will place a folder "Flight Simulator Files" into the "My Documents" icon. Without that in there the sim won't operate.
I've heard of people "making a my documents" for another drive when the sim is on, but I think that's going to extremes and may not at all times work.

Let us know how it works out.

OK, Radarman:

It will have to be tomorrow when I reply.

Tonight I'll do the reinstall and try to locate My Documents. (BTW, thank you for your detailed discussion about My Documents...I think I've re-mapped it to even "another" partition that contains ".doc" files so I hope that doesn't screw all of this up...I also have another "stand alone XP partition" that I'll try if installing into the "C" drive of my main system fails.) I'll install it into the stand alone XP, tomorrow morning and report in afterwards.

I've read the Mr. Softy stuff on FS2004 and their minimum on-board memory is 16MB so I'm discounting this problem as a graphics board issue, alone (granted it's always that hope you're not having to buy a $200 graphics board to solve your problem).

This is what I mean by the "My Documents" icon.

If I gave up my ATi 64mb video card because I wasn't happy with it, are you going to be happy with a 16mb. Mr. Bill tells you the minimum.
It'll work but not the way you hope.
I hope you are able to get it installed, hear from you tomorrow.

Click on this
http://support.microsoft.com/library/images/support/kbgraphics/public/EN-US/MSPressPilot_PictureofWindowsDesktop.gif

FWIW, the discussion about My Documents for me was fixed by simply changing its properties to default. There is no specific file or folder entry necessary to that path. Start>My Documents (right click)>choose default.

close it all and launch.

The discussion about graphics boards, etc., is a red herring.

I appreciate your trying, though.

Hi, I want to correct something...and I know Radarman doesn't spread rumor or misinformation. But you can install flight sim anywhere you want it and it will work. I have XP on C:\ and all flight sims on E:\ and My Documents in L:\ No probs at all. Your My Docs Folder as long as it was xferred correctly, defaults to wherever you put it. The easiest way is to Rt-click My Doc Icon>Properties and just change the C to another partition. The reason for this is if you have just your OS on C:\. you can restore, or reformat, etc without losing your programs/My Docs/Pics, etc.
Your problem is definitely your Video card. If you like flying, get another card as this sim is The Best to date. You otherwise have a great system, why stop at the Video card? Your sys is like buying a Farrari with a Volkswagon engine in it. Some higher end ATI cards can do what your Matrox card does for you. You need a 3-D accelerator card with at least 128 and preferablt 256 MB Ram. Good Luck, rob

Thank you Habu, and it's nice seeing you again.

Thanks very much for the suggestions here on my install/launch problems. Having changed my "My Documents" folder back to the default XPPro setting, cured the launch issue AND I found the reference to your hack of the install file worked like a charm so there's no need to use that CD4 whirling around at 52X. Again, thanks.

BTW, I didn't include a high-end graphics card in my otherwise higher-end system because I needed a reliable dual monitor card AND I very rarely ever play any game on my system other than to aimlessly fly a 747 or 777 around an airport.

BUT, if I wanted to have a very good graphics board with dual monitor capability (that's excellent in that mode) what would you recommend. The current Matrox boards upscale from mine, 650, 750 or Parhelia don't seem to do that much more for my day-to-day business apps to justify the >$250 expense.

Some of you make a pretty strong case for changing the graphics board. Could you briefly describe what you think I'd get with this upgrade in terms of the visual/performance? Thanks, again.

Your discussion re graphics cards compelled exploration of some alternatives. FlightS is the only "game" I play, and that rarely. I just need dual monitor support and ATI apparently has it.

ATI has a very good AGP 8X and I'd like to know why one would buy a 9800 v. 9600 Radeon as it's 2X the cost. I'll do a search on graphics cards, too. Thank you, guy/gals 4 all-the-helps.

"I'd like to know why one would buy a 9800 v. 9600 Radeon as it's 2X the cost."

Behold:

twice the money - twice the performance

http://graphics.tomshardware.com/graphic/20030930/radeon_9800-30.html