Graphic card/CPU configuration for best memory graphics in Flight Simulator 98?

Have you tried using Hyper-V and Windows XP? Should be really easy to try since Hyper-V is built into Windows under optional features. At least it is in Pro Windows. Though I'm not sure if it has the same feature set as Hyper-V in Windows Server, which is what I'm familiar with.
Hi. No, I have tried Vmware Windows XP (and then, passed to Vmware 8.1). It seems to work better in the latter.
(Is Hyper-V supposed to work better for FS98 in any of those systems?)
 
@jacilore maybe it's trying to detect vram seeing some huge number like 4gb (cards at the time had 12-16mb max) and the buffer used to store that number is overflowing or freaking out in some way (like the way you could clock some arcade games) try limiting your vram to 8 - 16mb maybe it's not detecting your 3d card and reverting to software rendering (if it is detecting it try the software mode) if it's not try changing the card type in dgvoodoo to something really old or try
3D Analyze (not at the same time as dgvoodoo2) https://www.3dfxzone.it/dir/tools/3d_analyze/download/
Hi Davros. If I didn't understand bad, you mean to limit the VRAM available in order not overhelm the program or something like that?.
But the part about it detecting or not detecting my 3d card, what do you mean or how could I check that?
Change the card type in DgVoodoo, yes I can try all those kind of things, the same as limiting VRAM.
Also I will try to check 3d Analyze.
(I have several doubts about what you all have kindly written, but I will try some things and then I will keep asking back if needed. Or maybe I will succeed and you will save that last part.)
Many thanks your support.
 
Hi. No, I have tried Vmware Windows XP (and then, passed to Vmware 8.1). It seems to work better in the latter.
(Is Hyper-V supposed to work better for FS98 in any of those systems?)
I don't know but it's made by Microsoft so I thought it might work. Don't think you'll get proper GPU acceleration in Hyper-V (I think you can in VMware), but maybe that doesn't matter for FS98.
 
Well I think it does matter, homerdog. At least it seems you can only get 8 bit screen resolutions without 3d acceleration, instead of 16 bit. So, I think I'll leave that for a last chance. But thanks.
I will make some trials next days and will tell you by here.
Have all a happy new year if no news before.
Regards
 
Hi Davros. If I didn't understand bad, you mean to limit the VRAM available in order not overhelm the program or something like that?.
Yes

But the part about it detecting or not detecting my 3d card, what do you mean or how could I check that?
I guess in the options of fs98 under graphics also you should be able to tell by looking at it if its running in software mode or not (I dont have fs98)

Watch this about pc-em start at the 6:30 mark
ps: did the problems your having happen back in the day on original hardware ?
 
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Hi Davros again.
I really don't know what to run in software mode is. In FS98, and in all Flight Simulators I know (FS2000 and FS2004), I always seem to be running in Software Mode, as I can't see any option to run it under any other mode, so I guess I a m always running in Software Mode. Anyway, how would the other mode be called? (Maybe that could give me a hint).

Apart from that, the video sounds very interesting., but I don't know what changes I should do. Anyway, I'm learning and discovering things.

About the beginning of the problems, it's very interesting. I started FS98 in a very old computer, and it ran very slow there, so I didn't realize of these problems. But i don't know if it was because the issues didn't exist or because it ran so bad that I couldn't notice it
I really would like to check it again, knowing what I know, now, but I don't know where it is. I have to look for it in a messy room.

So I will write here about my findings.
Thanks for your support once more.
 
Hi Davros again.
I really don't know what to run in software mode is. In FS98, and in all Flight Simulators I know (FS2000 and FS2004), I always seem to be running in Software Mode, as I can't see any option to run it under any other mode, so I guess I a m always running in Software Mode. Anyway, how would the other mode be called? (Maybe that could give me a hint).

Apart from that, the video sounds very interesting., but I don't know what changes I should do. Anyway, I'm learning and discovering things.

About the beginning of the problems, it's very interesting. I started FS98 in a very old computer, and it ran very slow there, so I didn't realize of these problems. But i don't know if it was because the issues didn't exist or because it ran so bad that I couldn't notice it
I really would like to check it again, knowing what I know, now, but I don't know where it is. I have to look for it in a messy room.

So I will write here about my findings.
Thanks for your support once more.

Being a Microsoft product it uses DirectX (5.0). But it may not be possible to get hardware acceleration in a VM. Maybe you could install Windows XP on one of the older computers you have access to. You'd need a computer old enough to still have WinXP drivers available. I think NVIDIA cards up to Kepler (GTX 700) and some Maxwell (GTX 900, but maybe only the GTX960) have XP drivers available. Note that you can't boot from NVME so you'll need a SATA drive.
 

Being a Microsoft product it uses DirectX (5.0). But it may not be possible to get hardware acceleration in a VM. Maybe you could install Windows XP on one of the older computers you have access to. You'd need a computer old enough to still have WinXP drivers available. I think NVIDIA cards up to Kepler (GTX 700) and some Maxwell (GTX 900, but maybe only the GTX960) have XP drivers available. Note that you can't boot from NVME so you'll need a SATA drive.
The entire Maxwell line is supported, but you have to modify an inf file.
Here are the details.
 
He has a AMD Radeon R7-200 and a GTX 1060
For that game I think he would be better emulating a P166mmx and a S3 Virge or a Banshee
ps: Jacilore If you have FS2000 + 2004 why are you even bothering with FS98 ?
I get playing old games but not when later ones are more or less the same game only improved
 
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Emulating would be great but he seems to be having some trouble with that. The R7-200 series does have XP drivers available as far as I know. I'm not even sure WinXP will work for this, but it has a decent chance and should run on the older computer the OP listed.
 
He wouldnt need XP drivers he's not running XP
He will need win98 Virge or Banshee drivers depending on the card he chooses to emulate
 
He wouldnt need XP drivers he's not running XP
He will need win98 Virge or Banshee drivers depending on the card he chooses to emulate
I think we're talking about two different things. I was saying he could try to install WinXP natively on the older computer. According to the table below FS98 will run on WinXP.
Full compatibility list per operating system

SimulatorWindows 95/NT 4.098/2000XPVista7 x32/x648.1 x32/x6410
FS/Win95Yes/yesYes/yesYesyesyes/noyes/nono
FS98yes/yesyes/yesyesyesyes/noyes/nono
FS2000Choppy FPS choppy fps/yesyesyesyes/noyes/nono
FS2002Noyes/yesyesyesyesyesyes
FS2004nochoppy FPSyesyesyes/yesyesyes
FSXnonochoppy fps yesyes/yesyesyes
 

Being a Microsoft product it uses DirectX (5.0). But it may not be possible to get hardware acceleration in a VM. Maybe you could install Windows XP on one of the older computers you have access to. You'd need a computer old enough to still have WinXP drivers available. I think NVIDIA cards up to Kepler (GTX 700) and some Maxwell (GTX 900, but maybe only the GTX960) have XP drivers available. Note that you can't boot from NVME so you'll need a SATA drive.
Hi, thanks for the suggestion.

I have tried FS98 in:
- Windows 7 In a semi-old I7 PC AMD Radeon R7-200 and in a semi-new PC with a GTX 1060.
- Windows 7 and XP in a new PC through VMWare virtual machine.

In all of them, I get the same problem. So I'm not sure that trying WP in a host PC would work. I mean it would need a very sophisticated explanation for all those different combinations giving the exact same problem, while XP in an older PC would actually work. Anyway, maybe I will get to that if other things don't work.

Apart from that, actually I have been able to get 3D Hardware acceleration in the VMWare XP virtual machine.
 
ps: Jacilore If you have FS2000 + 2004 why are you even bothering with FS98 ?
I get playing old games but not when later ones are more or less the same game only improved
Hi Davros. That's a good question.
It looks a little dumb, I know.
My first FS was FS2004, nearly 20 years ago, and I was very happy with it, but by chance, I got a copy of FS98 and when I flew it by some time, it discovered my standards for realism had got down, so going back to FS2004 seemed truly realistic.
I left FS for a while, and all the new FS, yes they are MUCH more realistic than even FS9 and FSX, but they don't have the aircraft and sceneries that I like.

But few years ago, I retook the hobby with a "project" of recreating old airports traffic in the 70's. in those 3 FS, especially my hometown TFN and its routes.
And working on enhancing FS98 gave me again a lot of satisfaction. The only drawback is this issue with the textures, but I'm still willing to fight for it.

That's more or less the explanation of all this "fuss".

He has a AMD Radeon R7-200 and a GTX 1060
For that game I think he would be better emulating a P166mmx and a S3 Virge or a Banshee

Do you think is easy to test the PCEm with those specifications?
 
Hi, thanks for the suggestion.

I have tried FS98 in:
- Windows 7 In a semi-old I7 PC AMD Radeon R7-200 and in a semi-new PC with a GTX 1060.
- Windows 7 and XP in a new PC through VMWare virtual machine.

In all of them, I get the same problem. So I'm not sure that trying WP in a host PC would work. I mean it would need a very sophisticated explanation for all those different combinations giving the exact same problem, while XP in an older PC would actually work. Anyway, maybe I will get to that if other things don't work.

Apart from that, actually I have been able to get 3D Hardware acceleration in the VMWare XP virtual machine.
I'm starting to think the problem might be with the game and not with your OS/hardware configuration. Is this texture problem something was was previously known about?
 
Do you think is easy to test the PCEm with those specifications?
Yes look at the video I posted
ps: did the problem your having happen back in the day

pps: I do have Microsoft Combat Flight Simulator installed (I'm a military flight simmer as opposed to a commercial flight simmer) and it should use the same engine (released in 1998) and it works fine under win 10 (no compatibility options used) as long as I dont turn the resolution up to high, Super Ultra Widescreen wasnt around in 1998 ;) also seems to run better in a window - granted I dont have any 3rd party textures installed.
my options screen
1704664155820.png
you could also try turning off mip mapping
 
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Yes look at the video I posted
ps: did the problem your having happen back in the day

pps: I do have Microsoft Combat Flight Simulator installed (I'm a military flight simmer as opposed to a commercial flight simmer) and it should use the same engine (released in 1998) and it works fine under win 10 (no compatibility options used) as long as I dont turn the resolution up to high, Super Ultra Widescreen wasnt around in 1998 ;) also seems to run better in a window - granted I dont have any 3rd party textures installed.
my options screen
View attachment 10540
you could also try turning off mip mapping
I missed the part about custom textures. Definitely try turning off MIP mapping.
 
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