I found the same result when trying to replace my conf.ini with a backup - but forgetting to copy the backup to the Il2 directory (if you get my meaning - ie. not having a conf.ini) maybe yours is corrupt or something similar? failing a reinstall there isn't a way to replace yours, but here is a copy of mine... though my system is quite low end - you will probably need to make some changes - who knows it might be of some help
[il2]
title=Il2-Sturmovik Forgotten Battles
hotkeys=HotKey game
[window]
width=1024
height=768
ColourBits=32
DepthBits=24
StencilBits=8
ChangeScreenRes=1
FullScreen=1
DrawIfNotFocused=0
EnableResize=0
EnableClose=1
SaveAspect=1
Use3Renders=0
[GLPROVIDER]
GL=Opengl32.dll
[GLPROVIDERS]
Open GL=Opengl32.dll
DirectX=dx8wrap.dll
[NET]
speed=8000
routeChannels=0
serverChannels=31
localPort=21000
remotePort=21060
SkinDownload=1
serverName=No Name
serverDescription=
remoteHost=67.106.81.137
localHost=86.27.131.56
socksHost=
checkServerTimeSpeed=1
checkClientTimeSpeed=0
[MaxLag]
farMaxLagTime=10.0
nearMaxLagTime=2.0
cheaterWarningDelay=5.0
cheaterWarningNum=-1
[chat]
region=(dx=0.6923828,dy=0.14973958,x=0.0,y=0.0)
adr1=MY_ARMY
adr0=ALL
msg2=i'll\u0020circle
msg1=1
[game]
Arcade=0
HighGore=0
mapPadX=0.6689453
mapPadY=-0.046875
viewSet=75
Intro=0
NoSubTitles=1
NoChatter=0
NoHudLog=0
NoLensFlare=0
iconTypes=3
eventlog=eventlog.lst
eventlogkeep=0
3dgunners=1
[HotKey game]
PrintScreen=ScreenShot
P=pause
Pause=pause
[HotKey gui]
Escape=activate
[HookViewFly Config]
timeFirstStep=2.0
deltaZ=10.0
[HookView]
MouseLeft=Len
[HookView Config]
AzimutSpeed=0.1
TangageSpeed=0.1
LenSpeed=1.0
MinLen=1.0
DefaultLen=20.0
MaxLen=3000.0
Speed=6
[HotKey builder]
MouseLeft=objectMove
MouseRight=popupmenu
Enter=freeView
Shift MouseLeft=worldZoom
Alt MouseLeft=select+
Alt MouseRight=select-
Alt Ctrl=unselect
PageDown=change+
PageUp=change-
End=change++
Home=change--
Ctrl MouseLeft=insert+
Insert=insert+
NumPad-0=insert+
F=fill
Ctrl MouseRight=delete+
NumPad.=delete+
Delete=delete+
Backspace=cursor
Tab=cursor
F10=land
F11=onLand
NumPad-=normalLand
NumPad+=toLand
NumPad-5=resetAngles
NumPad-8=resetTangage90
NumPad-7=stepAzimut-5
NumPad-4=stepAzimut-15
NumPad-1=stepAzimut-30
NumPad-9=stepAzimut5
NumPad-6=stepAzimut15
NumPad-3=stepAzimut30
[MouseXYZ]
F1=SpeedSlow
F2=SpeedNormal
F3=SpeedFast
MouseRight=XYmove
F4 MouseRight=Zmove
MouseMiddle=Amove
F5 MouseRight=Amove
F6 MouseRight=Tmove
F7 MouseRight=Kmove
[MouseXYZ Config]
RealTime=1
[HotKey Console]
Shift Tab=Activate
[Console]
HISTORY=1024
HISTORYCMD=1024
LOAD=console.cmd
SAVE=console.cmd
LOG=0
LOGTIME=0
LOGFILE=log.lst
LOGKEEP=0
[sound]
SoundUse=1
SoundEngine=1
Speakers=1
Placement=0
SoundFlags.reversestereo=0
RadioFlags.Enabled=1
RadioEngine=2
MusicVolume=8
ObjectVolume=14
MusState.takeoff=1
MusState.inflight=1
MusState.crash=1
MusFlags.play=1
MasterVolume=14
Attenuation=7
SoundMode=3
SamplingRate=2
NumChannels=3
SoundExt.occlusions=0
SoundFlags.hardware=0
SoundFlags.streams=1
SoundFlags.duplex=1
SoundExt.acoustics=0
SoundExt.volumefx=0
SoundFlags.voicemgr=0
SoundFlags.static=1
VoiceVolume=12
Channels=2
SoundExt.extrender=0
SoundFlags.bugscorrect=0
SoundSetupId=8
ActivationLevel=0.02
Preemphasis=0.85
RadioLatency=0.5
AGC=1
PTTMode=1
SoundFlags.UseRadioChatter=0
SoundFlags.AutoActivation=0
RadioFlags.PTTMode=0
RadioFlags.PlayClicks=0
ActLevel=0
MicLevel=0
SoundFlags.forceEAX1=0
[rts]
;ProcessAffinityMask=1
mouseUse=2
joyUse=1
trackIRUse=1
DisableIME=0
locale=
[rts_mouse]
SensitivityX=1.0
SensitivityY=1.0
Invert=0
SensitivityZ=1.0
[rts_joystick]
X=0 1 4 9 16 25 36 49 64 81 100 0
Y=0 1 4 9 16 25 36 49 64 81 100 0
Z=0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
RZ=0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 0
FF=0
U=0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 0
V=0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 0
1RX=0 5 11 22 33 44 56 67 78 89 100 45
1RY=0 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 0
1RZ=0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 5
1U=0 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 0
1X=0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 0
1Y=0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 10
1Z=0 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 0
1V=0 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 0
[Render_DirectX]
TexQual=3
TexMipFilter=2
TexCompress=0
TexFlags.UseDither=1
TexFlags.UseAlpha=0
TexFlags.UseIndex=0
TexFlags.PolygonStipple=1
TexFlags.UseClampedSprites=0
TexFlags.DrawLandByTriangles=1
TexFlags.UseVertexArrays=1
TexFlags.DisableAPIExtensions=0
TexFlags.ARBMultitextureExt=1
TexFlags.TexEnvCombineExt=1
TexFlags.SecondaryColorExt=1
TexFlags.VertexArrayExt=1
TexFlags.ClipHintExt=0
TexFlags.UsePaletteExt=0
TexFlags.TexAnisotropicExt=0
TexFlags.TexCompressARBExt=1
TexFlags.TexEnvCombine4NV=0
TexFlags.TexEnvCombineDot3=0
TexFlags.DepthClampNV=0
TexFlags.SeparateSpecular=0
TexFlags.TextureShaderNV=0
HardwareShaders=0
Shadows=2
Specular=2
SpecularLight=2
DiffuseLight=2
DynamicalLights=1
MeshDetail=2
VisibilityDistance=3
Sky=2
Forest=2
LandShading=3
LandDetails=2
LandGeom=2
TexLarge=1
TexLandQual=3
TexLandLarge=1
VideoSetupId=4
ForceShaders1x=0
PolygonOffsetFactor=-0.15
PolygonOffsetUnits=-3.0
[Render_OpenGL]
TexQual=3
TexMipFilter=2
TexCompress=0
TexFlags.UseDither=1
TexFlags.UseAlpha=0
TexFlags.UseIndex=0
TexFlags.PolygonStipple=1
TexFlags.UseClampedSprites=0
TexFlags.DrawLandByTriangles=1
TexFlags.UseVertexArrays=1
TexFlags.DisableAPIExtensions=0
TexFlags.ARBMultitextureExt=1
TexFlags.TexEnvCombineExt=1
TexFlags.SecondaryColorExt=1
TexFlags.VertexArrayExt=1
TexFlags.ClipHintExt=0
TexFlags.UsePaletteExt=0
TexFlags.TexAnisotropicExt=1
TexFlags.TexCompressARBExt=1
TexFlags.TexEnvCombine4NV=1
TexFlags.TexEnvCombineDot3=1
TexFlags.DepthClampNV=1
TexFlags.SeparateSpecular=1
TexFlags.TextureShaderNV=1
HardwareShaders=0
Shadows=1
Specular=2
SpecularLight=2
DiffuseLight=2
DynamicalLights=1
MeshDetail=2
VisibilityDistance=3
Sky=1
Forest=2
LandShading=2
LandDetails=2
LandGeom=2
TexLarge=1
TexLandQual=3
TexLandLarge=1
VideoSetupId=3
Water=1
Effects=1
ForceShaders1x=0
PolygonOffsetFactor=-0.15
PolygonOffsetUnits=-3.0
[Mods]
SpeedbarSpdMPH=1
SpeedbarTAS=1
SpeedbarUnits=2
SpeedbarSpdKMH=1
SpeedbarSpdKnots=1
SpeedbarAltMeters=1
SpeedbarAltFeet=1
HUDGauges=3
I guess you can copy and paste whichever parts you need, note that the conf.ini contains your joystick calibration - the bit I hlighted green, which will definately be different ( mine includes trim wheels on x52)
Pirate
Oh yes.. if you don't have a conf.ini for whatever reason you can create one. just create a .txt (text document) and rename it conf.ini - then copy and paste the above into the file, save and paste into the IL2 directory.