KeyCat

Thats good news, looking forward to the patch and hope there are other fixes as well. /KC

Sorry for that Pyroflash, not my intention to mis-qoute you. But IMHO it would still be no problem since the mission designer decides what to be available to fly. I see pro's and con's with both approaches and in the end it's up to ED. /KC

Easily fixed by mission design. If you want "fair" game only include DCS titles in the mission and if you don't care and/or play co-op's mix FC2 and DCS. /KC

Hi Emmer, Same as you... C-drive is OS and FC2 (& BS) is installed on D-drive. OT: See you have F10's "Johan Red" marking in your profile, fond memories of that since I live ~3 km from the old F10 airbase. /KC

I'm trying to better understand what the memory usage (Working Set) actually is since the difference is quite big between different tests and also why it's a huge difference from the Peak Mem Usage value showed in Taskmanager (see attached pics, all taken after the CTD happend). The information I found from MS regarding the Working Set is... Is the Working Set showing the "simulator.exe" process virtual memory usage and Peak Mem Usage (in Task Manager) showing "simulator.exe" process actual RAM usage, anyone knows? /KC

+1 /KC

Got it and likes it! Makes it a tad easier on your eyes when flying at night... Thanks again! /KC

Thanks mate, PM sent! /KC

Hi JujuMan First of all thanks for sharing! Wanted to try it out but for some reason the mod does not show up in ModMan 7.3.0.0 ater putting it in correct directory? Tried to download it twice from LockOnFiles.com but no go, any clues? /KC

You should be able to point ./Temp directory in FC2/DCS to another drive using a directory symbolic link (a.k.a NTFS junctions). See http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=205524 for some more info. /KC

A bit low on motivation but still trying to find cause/solution/workaround to this issue and have been setting up Performance Counters in XP to see more exact what RAM-usage is when the CTD happens. Attached are eight screenshots showing simulator.exe memory usage (working set) for FC 2 1.2.1 when CTD happens in both SP and MP, see first for diagram legend. Only thing I can conclude from this so far is that it doesn't happen on exact same memory usage but always when simulator.exe memory usage is high, just guessing here but maybe it's some other Win32 resource that runs out!? Anyone have any advice/thoughts? Also, are there any other counters to track that would be helpfull for the developers? PS: If anyone want's the Performance Counter profile for XP Pro to do same tests just let me know... /KC

Thanks for the concern Mustang really appreciated! I truly misses all the MP fun on the 104th server. You are correct, I did try out various boot.ini options (including the /3G switch + various /USERVA settings) back in June but problem persisted. Checking my notes the only difference was that FC2/BS completely froze instead of CTD'ing (no error messages, logs etc). I will try again with your suggestion and see what happens but it may take a couple of weeks. I also tries to collect more data/info using XP's Performance Counters but maybe it's better I post the result in orginial FC2 thread? Thanks again Mustang! Hopefully this issue will someday be solved (I know that moving to 64-bit OS works but thats not an option for me). /KC

You can find most of it in these threads... I have also tried to collect some more fact/data by monitoring performance counters in XP, let me know if it is of interest and I will upload screen shots... FC2 http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=53874 DCS:BS http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=54162 Initially I suspected it to be MP related but it's not, it's just that large MP games uses up RAM (or resources) faster so it was there I noticed it first but I can reproduce it on my machine 100% of time in both SP and MP (unfortunately the dev's haven't been able to do the same). /KC

Wished I could agree with you but I can't! I'm still being plagued by CTD's in both FC2 and DCS:BS when memory usage get high ever since the last patches arrived ~8 months ago... /KC

Good catch Mustang and glad it worked for you guys and lets hope it works for McVittees as well... Looking back at my notes I took back in May/June I don't see I tested with that specific value (3072) as parameter to /USERVA in Windows XP when using the /3G option. I did test with quite a few other values with no success and IIRC there was a limit that when crossed I couldn't boot into Windows XP. Anyway, I will give it another try someday and see what happens. @Mustang: How far have you gone? Can you fill up the RAM usage of "simulator.exe" way beyond 1.2 GB (should be easy to test by flying around in F11 view with high time accelereration)? Wierd that for you the limit is/was 1.2 GB and for me on XP it's ~1.35 GB, anyone have ideas why (besides we are using different versions of Windows)? @Igormk: I assume you use Vista or Windows 7 32-bit, correct? /KC

It's not limited to MP only it happens in SP as well. I don't know if/how this will work on other machines/OS'es but here is how I can reproduce the CTD 100% of time in both SP and MP on my machine. If it is the memory handling bug/issue you see maybe it can help you rule things out... Also check out the following threads for more info on same/similar issues, IIRC I had similar references to protect.dll in my Event viewer... In DCS: BS section - CTD's in MP after 1.0.2 patch http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=54162 In FC2 section - Runtime error and crash http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=53874 /KC

Yes, it's normal and a gfx engine thing I guess. /KC

Unfortunately you managed to pick the "wrong" server, if you give it another shot someday look for so called"Full switch" servers. I haven't flown IL-2 for a while but usually I jumped on to the WoP (usually 50+ pilots evenings) and their TeamSpeak server. Great guys all around and some of the guys who fly IL-2 are truly skilled with tons of knowledge about WWII era planes and tactics! As others said, to survive do not fly alone ;) Nhaa, not so much pain if you know how to properly trim those old kites :) /KC

I have to disagree... Beeing used to organized ~80-100+ player TvsT in ArmA II I personally need a bigger player count than 4-16 in MP else the virtual airspace feels really empty (at least when it's TvsT, co-op's is another thing)! I fully understand that DCS is different than ArmA II but last spring while actively playing on 104th's server there where regulary ~40-50+ FC2/BS pilots in the air at nighttime (maybe some 104th guy knows the peak number?). IMO it was great fun teaming up with 3-4 friends in such an active airspace even if it wasn't really "organized" all over (since it's a pub server) and it would be even more fun if it was organized in some way or another! Just my 0.20 SEK. /KC

Trying ;) Thats a nice idea! Combine that with safe landings (as in IL-2) for getting full credits/points of air as well as ground kills and things will probably be a tad better. /KC

My ~45-60 min limit is when server has ~30+ players, if I fly on a server with less than 5 players I can fly longer before the CTD shows it's ugly face (it's seems partly related to GFX settings as well, higher settings fill up the RAM faster). It's not really related to MP, I can reproduce the issue 100% of the time on my PC also in SP by just flying around with F11 external view long enough until simulator.exe reaches the ~1.34 GB RAM-usage mark. Yes, to my knowledge going 64-bit is the only "workaround" for now but it's unfortunately not an option for me. Thank you for the invite mate, I will check out your web-site. /KC

This may be sliding a bit off-topic but by your comment I assume you aren't affected by the memory handling bug/issue on 32-bit OS, right? Note, I wrote "serious"... Personally I expect to be able to fly more than 45-60 minutes on a populated server without getting a CTD and I'm patiently waiting for a fix for both FC 2 and BS. /KC

Huuh? Maybe you are just pulling our legs... but isn't this the right place to discuss DCS-related things and give input to the dev's? As already pointed out... in the end it's ED's own choice to decide what to do but reading different opinions (as long as they stay civil) from various people/groups/squads may actually help them in the long run. Seems you are missing my POV ;) /KC

I understand your point Mower and when it comes to TvsT it's pro's and con's in my opinion. Some of the problems can be minimized by mission design (like 104th did on their nice pub server). Among the pro's from my POV is that FC 2.0 + DCS can mix less experienced pilots with more experienced and allows for more people (i.e larger scenarios) to take part in the fun on their own terms. I know for a fact that lots of people just can't justify the time needed to learn a hardcore sim due to their RL obligations (family, work etc.) but like to fly with others now and then anyway. @159_Viper: I have to see if I can give a good argument when I sober up a bit but shooting from the hip I say - what I said above + future DCS-modules :) /KC

True, but both have some serious issues (introduced by latest patches) that needs fixing regardless. You may not but others will, to each his own I guess ;) I can only speak for myself and my main interest is larger scale multiplayer with focus on Combined Arms scenarios where various airframes do what they do best and everyone (on same side) work as one large team towards a common goal (for example Ka-50's, Su-25's and Su-27's is a good mixture IMO). With current pace it will be a long wait (~6+ years) before we have a equal amount and varity of planes in DCS - if ever.... Don't get me wrong, I really like the DCS-series (especially DCS:BS and hopefully a DCS:AH-64 somewhere down the road) and all the challenge learning the systems etc. but I could care less if my wingmen flies a "less" challenging plane with less buttons to press in a Combined Arms scenario, my goal is to have a good time with friends where teamwork is the main mantra. Anyway, it's up to ED what they decide to do, just giving my 0.20 SEK. Cheers, /KC