Hardware Windows 7 screen flickering

[kevinvr]

Hi All,
I have read all the info and tried those 3(msvcr.dll etc) files but nothing seems to help. I got a new computer and here are the specs:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
OS Name Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium
Version 6.1.7600 Build 7600
Other OS Description Not Available
OS Manufacturer Microsoft Corporation
System Name KEVIN2
System Manufacturer System manufacturer
System Model System Product Name
System Type x64-based PC
Processor Pentium(R) Dual-Core CPU E5200 @ 2.50GHz, 2500 Mhz, 2 Core(s), 2 Logical Processor(s)
BIOS Version/Date American Megatrends Inc. 0408, 4/10/2009
SMBIOS Version 2.5
Windows Directory C:\Windows
System Directory C:\Windows\system32
Boot Device \Device\HarddiskVolume1
Locale United States
Hardware Abstraction Layer Version = "6.1.7600.16385"
User Name Kevin2\Kevin
Time Zone Paraguay Daylight Time
Installed Physical Memory (RAM) 4.00 GB
Total Physical Memory 3.99 GB
Available Physical Memory 2.93 GB
Total Virtual Memory 7.98 GB
Available Virtual Memory 6.89 GB
Page File Space 3.99 GB
Page File C:\pagefile.sys
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
I normally just fly with the DGIV because it is so nice, but whatever I do my screen flickers in the bottom half when standing still or flying. I must be doing something wrong or maybe my onboard video card is not good enough. Even when I make the resolution lower it still flickers.
I will be extremely gratefully if someone can help me.
I have this same problem with MS Train Simulator and FS2004.
Couldn't get any help in those forums.
I did see someone mentioned vistaboost somewhere , but I didn't want to try it because it was used in vonection with vista...don't know if I should try it?
Thanks
Kevin

 

[Evil_Onyx]

Are you running a program like task manager or any program that is set to "run on top" at the same time as orbiter as they can course that type of flickering?

 

[orb]

If screen also flickers in Train Simulator and Flight Simulator, than it may be something with graphics card driver or settings. Try reinstalling it.

I did see someone mentioned vistaboost somewhere , but I didn't want to try it because it was used in vonection with vista...don't know if I should try it?

VistaBoost is also for Windows 7. You may call it Win7Boost if you want, and it's recommended that you use it with Windows 7. [Windows 7 is nothing more than upgraded Vista. It's not even in version 7.0, but 6.1 (and Vista is 6.0)]


What is your graphics card?

---------- Post added at 17:21 ---------- Previous post was at 16:57 ----------

Do you have any bar turned on at the bottom of desktop additionally to taskbar? Or any tray icon that would give you often notifications?

 

[TSPenguin]

Please read this thread. It has all the information you are looking for.

 

[kevinvr]

If screen also flickers in Train Simulator and Flight Simulator, than it may be something with graphics card driver or settings. Try reinstalling it.

VistaBoost is also for Windows 7. You may call it Win7Boost if you want, and it's recommended that you use it with Windows 7. [Windows 7 is nothing more than upgraded Vista. It's not even in version 7.0, but 6.1 (and Vista is 6.0)]


What is your graphics card?

---------- Post added at 17:21 ---------- Previous post was at 16:57 ----------

Do you have any bar turned on at the bottom of desktop additionally to taskbar? Or any tray icon that would give you often notifications?

Thanks for the help.
this is my graphics card info:
----------------------------------------------------------------
Name Intel(R) G33/G31 Express Chipset Family
PNP Device ID PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_29C2&SUBSYS_82B01043&REV_10\3&11583659&0&10
Adapter Type Intel(R) GMA 3100, Intel Corporation compatible
Adapter Description Intel(R) G33/G31 Express Chipset Family
Adapter RAM 256.00 MB (268,435,456 bytes)
Installed Drivers igdumd64.dll,igdumdx32
Driver Version 8.15.10.1912
INF File oem3.inf (iBLB0 section)
Color Planes Not Available
Color Table Entries 4294967296
Resolution 1366 x 768 x 59 hertz
Bits/Pixel 32
Memory Address 0xFEA80000-0xFEAFFFFF
I/O Port 0x0000DC00-0x0000DC07
Memory Address 0xE0000000-0xEFFFFFFF
Memory Address 0xFE900000-0xFE9FFFFF
IRQ Channel IRQ 16
I/O Port 0x000003B0-0x000003BB
I/O Port 0x000003C0-0x000003DF
Memory Address 0xA0000-0xBFFFF
Driver c:\windows\system32\drivers\igdkmd64.sys (8.15.10.1912, 5.89 MB (6,177,472 bytes), 9/11/2009 4:04 PM)
-------------------------------------------------------------------
I will find vistaboost or win7boost and try it.
Norton 360 and realplayer message icons are are in my taskbar. I can remove the realplayer one and try it, but will first try win7boost.
Thanks

 

[Hielor]

Thanks for the help.
this is my graphics card info:
----------------------------------------------------------------
Name Intel(R) G33/G31 Express Chipset Family
PNP Device ID PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_29C2&SUBSYS_82B01043&REV_10\3&11583659&0&10
Adapter Type Intel(R) GMA 3100, Intel Corporation compatible
Adapter Description Intel(R) G33/G31 Express Chipset Family
Adapter RAM 256.00 MB (268,435,456 bytes)
Installed Drivers igdumd64.dll,igdumdx32
Driver Version 8.15.10.1912
INF File oem3.inf (iBLB0 section)
Color Planes Not Available
Color Table Entries 4294967296
Resolution 1366 x 768 x 59 hertz
Bits/Pixel 32
Memory Address 0xFEA80000-0xFEAFFFFF
I/O Port 0x0000DC00-0x0000DC07
Memory Address 0xE0000000-0xEFFFFFFF
Memory Address 0xFE900000-0xFE9FFFFF
IRQ Channel IRQ 16
I/O Port 0x000003B0-0x000003BB
I/O Port 0x000003C0-0x000003DF
Memory Address 0xA0000-0xBFFFF
Driver c:\windows\system32\drivers\igdkmd64.sys (8.15.10.1912, 5.89 MB (6,177,472 bytes), 9/11/2009 4:04 PM)
-------------------------------------------------------------------
I will find vistaboost or win7boost and try it.
Norton 360 and realplayer message icons are are in my taskbar. I can remove the realplayer one and try it, but will first try win7boost.
Thanks

Vistaboost. There's no such thing as win7boost.

In fact, the same problem can be had on XP, but ClearType is not on by default so VistaBoost won't do anything.

I've also noticed flickering sometimes on Win7, but it goes away after a short time. When I get a chance I'll look into it and see if I can figure out what's causing it and what a workaround would be.

 

[orb]

In fact, the same problem can be had on XP, but ClearType is not on by default so VistaBoost won't do anything.

Actually, I have XP and ClearType always turned on (even I do it on custom installation CD and for .default user, so it's also enabled in installation process), but I still have mainly 150 FPS in Orbiter (at least on the computer I'm sitting now).

---------- Post added at 19:48 ---------- Previous post was at 19:25 ----------

OK. I just tested it, and that's in exterior view with and without ClearType. For DG-S's virtual cockpit I have 85 FPS without ClearType, but MFDs aren't much readable in 50 deg. FOV, and 80 FPS with very readable MFDs in 50 deg. FOV when ClearType is enabled.

 

[dbeachy1]

ClearType only incurs a framerate hit when text is being rendered on-screen, such as in the 2D cockpit view or a 3D cockpit view with MFDs up. It has little-to-no impact in an exterior view because little or no text is being rendered.

The best way to test ClearType is in 2D or glass cockpit view with at least one MFD up that renders a lot of text, such as Orbit MFD.

 

[orb]

That's what I tested for virtual cockpit of DeltaGlider-S - i.e. with Orbit MFD left and TransX MFD right, and with 0.1s MFD refresh time. No significant FPS difference between ClearType (78 FPS) and without it (82 FPS). But lately I also use 8xAA, so it might have some impact on my tests. Next I'll look at differences with AA disabled.

------------------ added later ------------------
My FPS tests without 8xQ AA in DG-S VC with Orbit MFD and TransX MFD on screen:
ClearType - 135 FPS,
no smoothing - 143 FPS,
external view (no text) - 310 FPS both.

I'd rather turn on antialiasing and ClearType than enable vertical sync. to limit FPS. I don't see any difference on my CRT with v-sync off other than on FPS counter, and I'd like to have 80 and 150 FPS all the time, instead of 75 for 2048x1536 or 100 and 50 for 1600x1200 when v-sync is enabled.
-------------------------------------------------

Now, about G33/G31 GMA 3100. I haven't found anything about problems with this card in Interwebs, other than it's slow for new games.

 

[kevinvr]

I tried vistaboost and it didn't help. I still get the flicker, anyway it not too bad just a little flicker now and then.

 

[UFO64]

I've have similar issues. I updated my drivers again, and avoided applications that cause changes to the task bar and such (AIM, Steam, and anything else that might cause an icon to change). This seems to have taken care of 90% of the issues.

 

[Hielor]

Also try disabling Aero Glass and just using Aero Basic.

 

[kevinvr]

Also try disabling Aero Glass and just using Aero Basic.

Could you tell me how to do that please? Thanks, I appreciate the help.

 

[Hielor]

Could you tell me how to do that please? Thanks, I appreciate the help.

Right-click anywhere on the desktop, and select "Personalize" (should be the last option).

Scroll down in the window that pops up, there should be a category labelled "Basic and High Contrast Themes." The first option in that category is "Windows 7 Basic"; click on it.

 

[markl316]

I'd rather turn on antialiasing and ClearType than enable vertical sync. to limit FPS.

Whoa!!!! I just disabled vertical sync, and got a massive framerate spike!! hsnap:

Sorry if it's been mentioned before, but what exactly does vertical sync do? Because with it disable, I notice zero difference, other than the higher framerate.

 

[orb]

Sorry if it's been mentioned before, but what exactly does vertical sync do? Because with it disable, I notice zero difference, other than the higher framerate.

Vertical synchronization guarantees displaying of full frame in a refresh cycle of monitor. With it turned off, currently displayed frame buffer is updated without checking whether a monitor started displaying it, or not. This may cause visible screen tearing effect (tearing is always with v-sync off, but it may not be visible for higher refresh rates, regarding human eye reaction time). Tearing is visible as a part of screen from previous frame(s) and a part from current frame. If FPS is more than double and less or equal the triple of refresh rate, parts of 3 successive frames are being displayed on screen.

For example, if your monitor works with screen refresh rate of 60 Hz, the vertical sync. causes displaying of frame buffer with 60, 30, 20, 15, etc. frames per second, depending on how many frames were rendered by graphics card in a cycle. If graphics card can render frames much faster than monitor's refresh rate, double or triple buffering is used, where 2 or 3 frames are placed in a buffer, and then the card waits for at least first undisplayed frame to be finished displaying, to render a next frame to the buffer.

 

[TSPenguin]

You will experience an effect called tearing. Most notably on TFTs.
Vsync let's the graphics card only send one frame to the screen per screen update. If it is disabled it might happen that while your screen is displaying one frame, the graphics card finishes another frame and the screen continues rendering the new one. The result is that you have the top of your have a seam on your screen when the frames don't match. This is most notably with horizontal movement. Swing the camera around quite fast and you will see it.
You can also read about it in one of the previous times I explained it on here or on Wikipedia i.e.

Happy Orbiting

 

[kevinvr]

Thank you all for your help.
It seems like the vertical sync sorted out my problem. I have tried it before and it did't help, but I think after I got some updates from microsoft it seems everything is working well now.
Appreciate the help!