Fix Microsoft FLight Simulator software update from consuming 100% CPU and GPU

ncflagg · Aug 26, 2021

Users have reported for over year now how inefficient the menu is in MSFS. It seems there is no frame limit whatsoever and while sitting at even a static part of the menu, CPU and GPU will max out.

I found a very simple workaround; right-click the title bar for MSFS. In the screenshot below, I marked when I right-clicked. Notice that GPU drops to nearly nil while CPU drops to expected levels and the download continues at the same speed. Won't work too well if you still want to use your PC, but decent enough workaround to get through a night of downloading an update. Maybe this will help the Devs fix it.

Issue previously reported from 2020:
https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us...r-flight/40395789-21c1-4e64-89c1-07759bf50821

https://forums.flightsimulator.com/...menu-downloading-and-minimized-fps-cap/325714

https://www.reddit.com/r/flightsim/comments/jlebsf/msfs_2020_100_gpu_usage_on_download_screen/

https://forums.flightsimulator.com/t/100-gpu-load-even-during-update/367164

This has been a known issue for over a year now. C’mon MS/Asobo, save some trees! The forests are burning down.

:)

Eletricdrum

Ok.. Our friend "CmdrKeene" have a good how to for that:

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/for...

ncflagg

The feedback link you submitted appears to apply to Windows 10, and not any MS product.

ncflagg

Sadly, my workaround is only effective per update file meaning, the update stops after the current fspackage.xxx finishes downloading. You then have to clear the right-click menu to continue. I suppose this behavior could still be useful with an AutoHotkey script.

Additionally, to those who have persistently claimed that CPU/GPU were being utilized to decompress the files, that’s clearly not the case since all the files are being processed after they’ve all finished downloading; a further insult to injury.

Eletricdrum

Hi, my name is Fernando and I am an independent consultant for Microsoft products.

Nice tip, I'll use it in my PC...

Did you already send this feedback to Microsoft?

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/sen...

Brian McMahon

My GPU is running at 60% also in the update screen and the exe for flight simulator is running about 45% CPU while trying to download the updates; they didn't think this out. Basically they need a separate updater from the main application. The main application
was a bad place to do the updates if it exercises the CPU/GPU doing nothing. Mine has been downloading for 2 hours so far, it started out fairly good then slowed to a crawl. At this rate it will probably finish after another 12 or so hours.

Fix Microsoft FLight Simulator software update from consuming 100% CPU and GPU