The website and forum will be intermittently unavailable while we're making some security updates.
File uploads to the download hangar are also disabled until further notice.

FS9 Crash at Start Up

Use this forum to discuss technical issues related to the operation of your computer. Graphics, Hardward, Software, settings, etc.
Post Reply
MikeyW
Second Lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Posts: 46
Joined: 24 Aug 2006, 16:23
Version: FS9
Location: KLGB

FS9 Crash at Start Up

Post by MikeyW »

Hi,

I'm wondering if anyone else has seen anything like this. I'm running FS9 on WindowsXP, nothing special. Nvidia 9800GTX video card, 2GB Ram, 300GB partition on a 1TB harddrive, with an Intel Core 2Duo E6700. No over-clocking. Nowhere close to a full hard drive. Tons of AI and scenery, with pretty much all sliders maxed. FS9 has been running OK for the past couple of yrs (only problem is FS9 will crash because of nVidia driver madness after about every 3-4 start ups if I don't reboot the PC).

Yesterday, after building some scenery, I tried to start FS9. I got the splash screen, then I got the usual message that FS was re-indexing the scenery index, then I got the pop up that it was re-building the scenery database and that it might take a while. This time however, when it got 100% done with the database, FS completely crashed and the splash screen disappeared. There's no messages, no nothing - it just disappears. Everything is else is still running fine. Usually when FS crashes, it completely locks up the computer, the screen fills with artifacts, and I have to reboot. But now, everytime I try to run FS9, it just disappears after it gets 100% done with the database.

I tried removing fs9.cfg and letting it build a new one, but it still crashes as before (it does actually build a new fs9.cfg before it dies). I took a look at scenery.cfg, and it looked about the same as always. I commented out the new scenery, but that didn't have any effect. If I remove the scenery.cfg file, FS9 tells me that I have to reinstall FS9, so I put it back. I don't know what else to do other than re-install FS9, which I really don't want to do. Does anybody have any ideas?
User avatar
MIKE JG
MAIW Developer
MAIW Developer
Posts: 10976
Joined: 12 Aug 2006, 02:25
Version: MSFS

Re: FS9 Crash at Start Up

Post by MIKE JG »

This sounds like your computer trying to load a scenery that might have a missing ground texture.

Try loading a different default flight from your flt files. Anything other than your previous flight. If that works, you know it's related to the last scenery that was trying to load on start up.
-Mike G.

Recovering flight sim addict, constant lurker.

Check out my real life RV-8 build here: RV-8 Builder Log
MikeyW
Second Lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Posts: 46
Joined: 24 Aug 2006, 16:23
Version: FS9
Location: KLGB

Re: FS9 Crash at Start Up

Post by MikeyW »

Thanks Mike. Unfortunately, I don't get that far in the start-up. I get as far as the initial splash screen, then the index pop message, then the database rebuilding message. It completely disappears immediately after that. It's about 35 seconds to a minute into startup process after I click the FS9 Icon. It never makes it to the config/setup screen.
User avatar
Firebird
MAIW Admin
MAIW Admin
Posts: 12112
Joined: 11 Aug 2006, 21:04
Version: FS9
Location: EGLL

Re: FS9 Crash at Start Up

Post by Firebird »

OK to save you some time with your scenery.cfg download this app http://library.avsim.net/esearch.php?Ca ... LID=157376. I should say that i use it and have found no problems with it, in fact it found two problems with my scenery.cfg which weren't causing me issues (yet).

You can use to easily disable ALL your scenery, apart from the default MS folders, but before you do that under the actions menu you can delete all the scenery.dat files on your system. Just in case one of those is corrupt. Then disable all but the default scenery.

It should rebuild the active indexes and hopefully it will load OK. If it does you then have to locate the senery that is causing you the problem. There are various ways to do it, but probably the best way to do it is to enable the first half of the sceneries and try again. If it crashes, then only select the first 25% and re-try. If it loads select the first 75% and re-try. You get the picture.

This should enable you to establish the problem in the quickest time. using this util will enable you to make a change and then load to test, rather than load, make the change and then re-load to test.

Of course it it fails the first basic test then you have a serious issue and is probably down to a corrupt default MS lib.

let us know how you get on.
Steve
_______________________________________________________
Image
Quid Si Coelum Ruat
_______________________________________________________
MikeyW
Second Lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Posts: 46
Joined: 24 Aug 2006, 16:23
Version: FS9
Location: KLGB

Re: FS9 Crash at Start Up

Post by MikeyW »

It turned out to be one of my modules; fsbrowser.dll. I really like that module, too. For some reason FS9 doesn't like it anymore. I ended up reinstalling FS9 (but backed up my old install). The new install ran fine and then I started replacing folders from my backup. When I replaced the modules folder, FS9 crashed. So I just renamed my backup FS9 back to its original name and switched module folders. It ran fine. Then I started adding my old modules a couple at a time and restarted FS9. It didn't take long to find the culprit. Some day I'll try to figure out why FS doesn't like fsbrowser anymore, but not today. Thanks everyone!
User avatar
Firebird
MAIW Admin
MAIW Admin
Posts: 12112
Joined: 11 Aug 2006, 21:04
Version: FS9
Location: EGLL

Re: FS9 Crash at Start Up

Post by Firebird »

Glad you found the cause.
It seems strange that it suddenly causes the crashes, as there has been no update to it or FS9. It would seem to suggest that either that module has become corrupted or something else is causing it to interact badly.

Try a fresh download and install of it. You never know.
Steve
_______________________________________________________
Image
Quid Si Coelum Ruat
_______________________________________________________
992910
Second Lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Posts: 21
Joined: 09 Apr 2009, 05:07
Version: FS9
Location: Seattle

Re: FS9 Crash at Start Up

Post by 992910 »

Adding an additional request to this thread: as i would prefer to not have to reload everything from the beginning, what .dll extension files belong in the main FS9 folder and which ones belong in the Modules file folder?

Thanks in advance!
992910
Second Lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Posts: 21
Joined: 09 Apr 2009, 05:07
Version: FS9
Location: Seattle

Re: FS9 Crash at Start Up

Post by 992910 »

And I'm using FS 2004.
User avatar
Firebird
MAIW Admin
MAIW Admin
Posts: 12112
Joined: 11 Aug 2006, 21:04
Version: FS9
Location: EGLL

Re: FS9 Crash at Start Up

Post by Firebird »

That is a good question.
I would have to say that the best person to answer this is somebody with a fresh install of FS9. The reason being that I have addons in both places and I wouldn't like to tell you what should be there only what is in my case. If you have a problem it would be easier to say which one you are having a problem with, or which addon.

Unless of course somebody knows where there is a list of what should be where.
Steve
_______________________________________________________
Image
Quid Si Coelum Ruat
_______________________________________________________
992910
Second Lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Posts: 21
Joined: 09 Apr 2009, 05:07
Version: FS9
Location: Seattle

Re: FS9 Crash at Start Up

Post by 992910 »

It's never easy is it! :)
992910
Second Lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Posts: 21
Joined: 09 Apr 2009, 05:07
Version: FS9
Location: Seattle

Re: FS9 Crash at Start Up

Post by 992910 »

After a fresh reinstall on another computer, and moving some files, I'm back to right where I started. I launch Fs2004 (using Windows XP) and i get the errors message:

"Flight Simulator was unable to load some aircraft or software. You can continue to use flight simulator but this aircraft or software will be disbanded" followed by the following:

instructor.dll
main.dll
multiplayer.dll
symmap.dll
weather.dll

I've back-tracked and remove the Miramar scenery, yet still receive this error.

Thanks!
User avatar
Firebird
MAIW Admin
MAIW Admin
Posts: 12112
Joined: 11 Aug 2006, 21:04
Version: FS9
Location: EGLL

Re: FS9 Crash at Start Up

Post by Firebird »

If you get that error then it's beyond anything I have seem before. If that is from a fresh install, then I would say that one of two things is most likely to be the cause.
Firstly a corruption of your installation software, which I realise that it is from CDs, so there maybe a scratch on the surface that is causing the problem.
Secondly, one thing occurs to me is that you have addons that require FS9.1 but you haven't run the 9.1 update in.

I would suggest not moving any files on to the clean install, updating to 9.1 and seeing if the system loads ok. I think all you are doing is adding the problem back in.
When you get FS9.1 up and running with no problem, then try adding in Miramar and only Miramar. If it then loads the Miramar is not the problem. I suspect that Miramar isn't the issue otherwise we would have seen it before. I suspect it's an addon module that you are trying to use, as that was the first thing you mentioned.

Lets see what your investigation comes up with.
Steve
_______________________________________________________
Image
Quid Si Coelum Ruat
_______________________________________________________
992910
Second Lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Posts: 21
Joined: 09 Apr 2009, 05:07
Version: FS9
Location: Seattle

Re: FS9 Crash at Start Up

Post by 992910 »

Hey Firebird, I get that error on the computer where I have had FS 2004 for 7 years now. I installed FS2004 on another computer to just confirm the placement of certain DLL files. The 9.1 update has been installed for a long time.....

I may have to just go out and buy a new computer anyways....

Thanks
User avatar
Firebird
MAIW Admin
MAIW Admin
Posts: 12112
Joined: 11 Aug 2006, 21:04
Version: FS9
Location: EGLL

Re: FS9 Crash at Start Up

Post by Firebird »

Nothing that you have told me indicates a new puter is required, however one is always needed. :)

There is something I can't quite put my finger on here. I would still like to know whether you get the error w/o you copying stuff from your original installation across. I would be interested to know which third party addon is causing your issue.
Steve
_______________________________________________________
Image
Quid Si Coelum Ruat
_______________________________________________________
992910
Second Lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Posts: 21
Joined: 09 Apr 2009, 05:07
Version: FS9
Location: Seattle

Re: FS9 Crash at Start Up

Post by 992910 »

The only third party add-on I added was the MCAS Miramar package, yet I've removed it since I received those error messages and those messages continue.
User avatar
Firebird
MAIW Admin
MAIW Admin
Posts: 12112
Joined: 11 Aug 2006, 21:04
Version: FS9
Location: EGLL

Re: FS9 Crash at Start Up

Post by Firebird »

Well taking what you say at face failure with a clean install having the same issues something is corrupted on your installation disks.
Steve
_______________________________________________________
Image
Quid Si Coelum Ruat
_______________________________________________________
Post Reply