Perfect Flight 2000 Project

FS2000 Frequently Asked Questions

CONTENTS:
Installation issues
Finding the product identification number
Rebate issues
Dealing with errors and crashing problems
Flight Simulator 2000 upgrade issues
Minimum configuration requirements for Flight Simulator 2000
Scenery issues
Using Flight Simulator controls
Finding more help

Installation Issues

Where can I get help installing Flight Simulator 2000?

Many installation problems can be solved using the troubleshooting steps below.

Make sure the compact disc is clean. If you see fingerprints, smudges, dust, dirt, hair, etc. on the all-silver side of the compact disc, clean it off. The best way to clean a compact disc is to moisten a soft cloth with either window cleaner or water, and wipe in straight lines outward from the center of the disc.
Make sure the Flight Simulator CD is correctly inserted in the CD-ROM drive.
If you have an external CD-ROM drive, make sure it is plugged in and turned on.
Make certain your CD-ROM is operating correctly. To do this, click Start, point to Programs, and then click MS-DOS Prompt. Change to the CD-ROM drive at an MS-DOS prompt (if your CD-ROM drive letter is D, type "d:" (without the quotes) then press ENTER, type DIR /S, and then press ENTER. A listing of all of the files on the compact disc should scroll on the screen and you should not receive any errors.
Run Scandisk on the drive where you're installing Flight Simulator. To do this, click Start, point to Programs, Accessories, System Tools, and then click Scandisk.
Defragment your hard drive. To do this, click Start, point to Programs, Accessories, System Tools, and then click Disk Defragmenter.
Free up space on your hard disk. To do this, click Start, point to Programs, Accessories, System Tools, and then click Disk Cleanup.

For further assistance, please contact Product Support.

When I install or run Flight Simulator 2000, I see a message asking me to insert the CD labeled "FS2KCD2" or "FS2KPRO2." What should I do?

Whenever you see a message asking for "FS2KCD2" or "FS2KPRO2," please insert Flight Simulator 2000 Disk 2 and continue. Disk 2 contains data that enables you to view scenery and other important information.

If while using Flight Simulator 2000 you encounter any of these problems:

scenery and textures do not display properly
sections of articles or images are missing from the Help system
VORs are not working

exit Flight Simulator, insert Disk 2 in the CD-ROM drive, and restart Flight Simulator. If that doesn't correct the problem, please uninstall and then reinstall the product. Be sure to insert Flight Simulator Disk 2 when you see a message that asks for "Flight Simulator 2000 Disk 2," "FS2KCD2," or "FS2KPRO2."

Important: The manual incorrectly states that Disk 1 must be inserted in your CD-ROM drive when you start Flight Simulator. In fact, you should insert Disk 2 in your CD-ROM drive when you start Flight Simulator.

Unless you installed all the Flight Simulator 2000 scenery, Adventures, interior views, and video files on your hard disk by choosing a complete Custom installation, keep Disk 2 in your CD-ROM drive while running Flight Simulator; this will reduce the number of times you are asked to swap disks.

When I start Flight Simulator 2000, I see the message "Cannot locate the CD-ROM - Please insert the correct CD-ROM, select OK and restart application." What should I do?

You should insert Flight Simulator 2000 Disk 2 into the CD-ROM drive and pause a moment to allow the CD-ROM drive to recognize the disk. Then, click OK in the message box. Then, restart Flight Simulator 2000.

Finding the Product Identification Number

How do I find the Product Identification Number (PID)?

On the Help menu in Flight Simulator 98 or Flight Simulator 2000, click About Microsoft Flight Simulator.
In the Product ID box or on the Product ID line, note the PID number.

Rebate Information

Am I eligible for a rebate on Flight Simulator 2000?

You might be if you live in North America! More Information.

Dealing with Errors and Crashing Problems

Why do I get an error, exception, page fault when running Flight Simulator 2000?

Page faults and exceptions can be caused by a variety of things. The solution may be as simple as exiting a program running in the background, or it may require changing Flight Simulator configuration options. To see a list of resolutions for these problems, see Steps to Resolving Errors.

Why does Flight Simulator 2000 sometimes lock up, freeze, or hang?

Lockups, freezes or hangs can be caused by a variety of things. A common reason for this type of problem is conflicts between hardware components. To see a list of resolutions for these problems, see Steps to Resolving Hangs.

Flight Simulator 2000 Upgrade Issues

Why do I have trouble downloading the Flight Simulator update?

Your Internet Service Provider (ISP) is responsible for both the connection speed and any timeouts that you may experience. The update file is available on our site on the Downloads page, but how it moves across the Internet is out of our control. If you are having trouble installing the update after you have downloaded it, please contact Product Support for further assistance.

I bought the standard version of Flight Simulator and didn't realize there is a Professional Edition. Can I exchange the standard version for the Professional Edition?

There is no software upgrade that will convert Flight Simulator 2000 to Flight Simulator 2000 Professional Edition. For more information, see the Customer Support page.

Minimum Configuration Requirements for Flight Simuator 2000

Why is the minimum configuration for Flight Simulator only a P166?

Flight Simulator 2000 was tested on P166 machines and shown to run, although many features must be shut off in order to maximize performance (see the article Maximizing Performance in Flight Simulator 2000). The new technology in Flight Simulator does take some horsepower to run and we didn't want to remove features that display outstandingly on high-end machines. While some of the features have a serious impact on slower machines, we had to make the decision to either cut features to suit slower machines or leave them in with the caveat that features would have to be shut off to get good performance on slow machines. As with most software programs, the minimum configuration is simply that, a base level.

How can I get Flight Simulator 2000 to run faster?

See the article Maximizing Performance in Flight Simulator 2000.

Scenery Issues

Why isn't the familiar scenery object near my airport/city in Flight Simulator?

We know that everyone would like the scenery around their home airport to contain all of the details that they would see in the real world. In the areas where we've created custom scenery, you will find more objects than at the more generic airports. The airports themselves, along with the runways, buildings, and taxiways, are placed using data that we acquire from various sources. This is not done by hand for obvious reasons. With over 20,000 airports, it's not feasible to place custom objects at every location, because that has to be done by hand.

We've made extraordinary efforts to place airports properly, but there will be discrepancies from the real world that can't be avoided given current technology. You'll find most of those discrepancies to be remarkably minimal. Keep in mind that scenery objects have an impact on software performance; the more objects that must be displayed, the greater the workload on the computer.

There are also terrific custom scenery areas that can be purchased or downloaded from the Web. Check the Web sites of Add-on developers to see if there is custom scenery for your area.

Using Flight Simulator Controls

I liked being able to pan around the cockpit in FS98. Can I do that in FS2000?

Yes, you can. To read the article about panning, see You're in Control Here: Panning Views Using the Hat Switch.