Microsoft KB Archive/175196

Knowledge Base

Flight Simulator/Combat Flight Simulator: Runway is Not Visible or Game Screen is Black

Article ID: 175196

Article Last Modified on 1/21/2005

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APPLIES TO

• Microsoft Flight Simulator 2000 Standard Edition
• Microsoft Flight Simulator 2000 Professional Edition
• Microsoft Flight Simulator 98 Standard Edition
• Microsoft Combat Flight Simulator 2: WWII Pacific Theater

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This article was previously published under Q175196

SYMPTOMS

When you start a flight in any of the programs listed at the beginning of this article, you may be unable to see the runway.

NOTE: When you press the ALT key or switch to Windows mode, you may be able to see the game menus at the top of the screen.

CAUSE

This behavior can occur if you are not in Cockpit view.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this behavior, on the Views menu in Flight Simulator, point to View Mode and then click Cockpit.

If you are still unable to see the runway when you start a flight, manually edit the Fltsim98.cfg, Fs2000.cfg, or Cfs2.cfg file to change the default view to Cockpit. To do this:

1. Quit Flight Simulator if it is running.
2. Click Start, point to Find, and then click Files or Folders.
3. In the Named box, type the appropriate following line for your version of Flight Simulator:
   
   Combat Flight Simulator 2:

   cfs2.cfg

   Flight Simulator 98:

   fltsim98.cfg

   Flight Simulator 2000:

   fs2000.cfg

4. In the Look in box, click My Computer, and then click Find Now.
5. In the list of found files, double-click the Cfs2.cfg, Fltsim98.cfg, or the Fs2000.cfg file.
   
   If you are prompted to select the program you want to use to open the Cfs2.cfg, Fltsim98.cfg, or Fs2000.cfg file, click Notepad in the Choose the program you want to use box, and then click OK.
6. On the Search menu in Notepad, click Find.
7. In the Find What box, type loadwindow, and then click Find Next.
8. When the LOADWINDOW line is highlighted, click Cancel to close the Find dialog box.
   
   NOTE: If the LOADWINDOW line is not found, you must add it to the [PREFS] section of the file.

9. Change the LOADWINDOW line to match the following line:

   LOADWINDOW=1
                       

   NOTE: If the LOADWINDOW= has a value other than 1, the screen is completely black when you play the game.
   
   

10. On the File menu, click Exit. If you are prompted to save the changes, click Yes.
11. Restart Flight Simulator.

Additional query words: flightsim fltsim flt sim fs98 fs2000 fs2k black dark night view Cockpit scenery cfs2 combatfs

Keywords: kbui kbprb KB175196

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