new to fsim9 and having problems

Your processor and RAM are low, as well as the 64MB video card can cause problems. I have heard that FS9 can make the PC shut down because of an overload, I've had it happen when I was playing Doom 3, so i guess it's not out of the question

thanks, if i keep the 1.4 Ghz celeron processor and upgrade to a 1 Ghz RAM setup, do you think I'll be ok?

The most likely problem would be as FEM said the video card but I wouldn't rule out overheating after such a long time running a graphic intensive piece of software like the flight sim.
Clean out the inside of your case, especially the CPU fan and the close blades on it.
The stock heat sink fans have close blades that get clogged with dust, that's why fans like Zalman are wide and copper (less overheating).

My PC is pretty new so I doubt it has to do with overheating as I dont think much dust has gotten inside of it yet. I am wondering about a ram upgrae if it should be hand by hand with a processor upgrade or can I keep my 1.4 celeron?

If you can upgrade the CPU that would be great, any addition of ram up to 1 gig will be a big help with the texture rendering.
But your biggest problem is the video card, you should be running a 128mb card for good results with the sim.

Don't ever rule out overheating as a problem.

Hey Radarman and FEM, quit pickin' on the 64mb video cards! This is the third post I've checked in the past two days where you've faulted a software error or something of the sort to a hardware video-card problem. I've been running flight simulator on my laptop for the past year with a 64 mb video card, 768 ram, and a 1.9 ghz processor, and have never had issues like the ones described. My computer loves to keep pretty hot too (being a laptop) and I've yet to experience this. If the 64 mb video card were responsible for as many problems as you guys attribute it to, then I certainly wouldn't be able to have played it problem-free for the past year.

On top of it, the graphics I get are GREAT for the simulator. On my laptop I have the scenery set to very dense, clouds on full cover with 60% 3d density and about 70 miles of viewing, and can still pull 18-30 fps! This may not be the 80 fps that i know FEM gets (i was very impressed that day by the way !) but this is still MORE than enough to have a great and realistic flight experience.

I mean no offense by this post, but don't insist that everyone needs to upgrade their videocard to solve whatever problem is happening.

Sorry, but I do see your point.

Your right, in a way. A good 64mb card can run the sim with good results. But too many people use new drivers for them, especially NVIDIA and they like older drivers.
I had a 64mb card that gave me problems and bought the 128 that I have now and am at last enjoying the sim. Most 64mb cards in desktops means that they are older machines with multiple problems, a OS that needs to be clean installed, overheating. I speak from experience with the last, my machine is long in the tooth and I did have those problems. But a new card, new h/d with a clean install of Windows, 2 extra fans.

I can imagine how hot your laptop gets and how the sim keeps running is a wonder, so many are using laptops now.

Sorry if it looks like we're jumping on those cards but as they get them up to 256mb it's amazing how some of us can still work with a lower one.
You have a good CPU and plenty of ram.

Originalgrunge, you may not know, actually, you don't know, cause I didn't have the PC when i joined up here, bit when I flew with FS9 for the first time, I had a 8MB video card in a old PC.

It was sad, I had 256 ram, and Win. ME.

So I AM speaking from some experience, but I noted processor and RAM first, because the 64 vid card does do a good job.

Actually, if you want physical proof, Go in the screenshot gallery, there's a pic in the 04 ones, if you sort in Descending order by date (that means newest first...i always used to confuse those), you'll see one called B-4 or some other number. That shot was taken by a 64MB card, and it looks better than at least 45% of mine that I take.

Then again, i prefer quantity over qualit anyhow 😛

My apologies for jumping on you guys for a topic like that =). Actually, if I could I'd love to throw a 256 in, but those certainly don't do well with laptops!

Not a problem, there must be a way to use an external setup for a video card, but you are having such good luck and FPS with what you have I wouldn't mess with it.

Not a problem Originalgrunge, i'd agree with Radarman, why messs with what works?

I know a kid thats got a 64MB, and he runs fS9 at 1152x1024 (not sure, but its the next selection up from 1152x864) and he doesn't seem to have problems with it at all.