Every time you think youv'e finally zero'd in on correcting a problem and your finally running in the "zone", another one takes it's place, or the same one returns unexpectedly at some later date, generally sooner rather than later. And then I'm always guessing, is this a hardware or software problem, or does one precipitate the other.
Strangely, it's not unlike a living entity, it has its good days and bad days but that makes absolutely no sense to me. Perhaps its like I've read before on the matter, a poorly written piece of software, as simple as that.
Maybe this is what a sub $100.00US piece of programing gets you. While not a good comparison perhaps but Word 2003 - I've used it since it was introduced, it's never failed to work properly, but, it did cost several hundred dollars when I bought it, but I feel it was an excellent value. Again, maybe not a good comparison but I still believe in the old addage "you get what you pay for". And MS built the FS programs to a price point for a lot of reasons. Some could argue that for under $100.00 it offers a lot of value bugs and all, given all the complexity and what it can do until it fails and you have to stat over. Personally, and I've always felt strongly about this, I'd pay hundreds of dollars for a flight sim program that works as well as MS Word, but that's just me, and they probably couldn't sell enough to make it a profitable project.
So it is what it is. I've spent more time with X-Plane recently but still not my cup of tea for a lot of reasons. But who knows, over time it could develop in ways I can't imagine at this point. FS9? Runs great on my current rigs but I just can't stay involved and I don't know why. Maybe in some twisted way the challenge of just getting FSX to run with stability is what find compelling, LOL. NOT!!!
Fortunately I have plenty of other ways to divert my time so no reason to stress for me. And given that I only use my home PC's for FSX'ing and a little E-Mail/Internet stuff, and with summer "a cummin in' my mind is turning to thoughts of golf, fishing, generally being outdoors more. There is life after FSX.
I guess after all this time and money spent and hours put in trying to get FSX to run without problemss, I'm more disappointed than anything.
But that's life.