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FSX gone!

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hobby
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FSX gone!

Post by hobby »

For two years I have been bumbling about using the Gold edition of FSX.

I use McAfee and CCleaner to keep my machine in order. FSX was installed on my 'D' Drive together with an awful lot of addon scenery including MAIW airfields and traffic.

Monday a.m. first thing clean up our computers using the two programs noted above.

I'd managed to improve the act cfg. of the CFS Lancaster and to fit and test a bombing program to the aircraft last night.

This morning I attempted to set out for Cape Wrath bombing range to be met with a message that "a named file was missing" and FSX would shut down immediately. I have no malware on my machine.

Nothing for it but to strip out the whole of my FSX setup and to re-install.

Some months ago I had W10 imposed on me by MS and after several failed attempts at installing the bare bones of FSX I searched the web for help. Seems quite a number of FSX users have had the same problem with varied good fortune at re-installing FSX. I've tried everything but to no avail.

Can anyone help please - FSX was my main hobby and I do not wish to use the Steam version.
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Re: FSX gone!

Post by Firebird »

So we can rule out the case that you have a backup.

So have you started stripping out the installation yet, or just preparing? If so what file does it say is missing?
It maybe that a file or two from somebody elses machine could be sent to you to repair it.

The reason being that FS9 and FSX use a security mechanism to check that it is genuine. Trouble is that MS (years later) decided that the mechanism was a security risk and disabled it in 7/8/Vista. On those systems you can re-enable it long enough to reinstall and then disable it again.

However, on 10 (the first OS released after the decision to stop using that security) they never installed the mechanism. Meaning that you can't install/re-install either on 10.
Now you may be able to re-install IF the disc is copied somewhere and the FSX.exe is replaced with the correct NoCD patch version of FSX.exe but this is guesswork as I haven't actually done it.

There maybe another way around it somewhere but I have not seen one nor searched for one.
Steve
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pslinger
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Re: FSX gone!

Post by pslinger »

Steve, if I understand your post correctly, if I get a new computer and Windows 10 is the operating system I won't be able to install FS9 or FSX on the machine?

Paul
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Re: FSX gone!

Post by petebramley »

Not long after WIN10 was released I tried again to get FSX to work and came across this on the web:

Installing FSX on a Win10 Machine

I experienced lack of airplane preview, black screen, inability to display full screen, random and frequent crashes.

After I installed the files below in a methodical and logical order – I now enjoy a fully functional program.

Install these files in this order – (I repeated this twice in Windows 10, and once in Windows 8.1 – same positive results)

Make sure that you’re running Windows 10 10240 RTM plus the latest point release (I noticed that they already have a new point release from the 29 July RTM version, and that’s the version that I reproduced these results).




1) MS XML Core Services (Version 4.0 Service Pack 2)
You will have some choice, but you want to download the file msxml.msi (this file includes the core services and the SDK)
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/downlo

2) DirectX 9.0c 2010 Runtime
(you can also find the Directx 9.0c install files on FSX Install Disk2 in a folder labeled as such)
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/downlo

3) Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 Redistributable Package (x86)
Install for the 32bit or 64bit Windows OS.
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/downlo

4) Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 Redistributable Package (x64)
In addition, Install this as well for a 64bit OS
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/downl

5) Install FSX. Activate it.
Let it run – and go to a black screen and wait for disk activity. The screen may flicker as it tries to render.
Press Ctl-C and exit the program.

Navigate to your FSX folder, find the fsx.exe file, right click and run the compatibility checker. Accept the values, test it, and it should work.

Exit the program. Accept the test results and accept the compatibility settings. The next time you start the game (with compatibility settings) you will see and be able to run full screen without issue.

The Bull Creek Studio (MARS) machine is running Windows 10 Professional, using an ASUS Sabertooth 990FX R2.0 running an FX-8350, with an NVidia GTX 480 video card.

Good luck! I hope this helps you resolve the same issues that I had running the FSX under Windows 10.



No guarantee that it works for you but it did get me up and running. Unfortunately I found that I still hated FSX and un-installed it again shortly thereafter. Personally I would consider dumping FSX and install P3Dv4 which is far more stable. You will also find that most of your sceneries will port over quite well with only a little bit of fiddling. The only downside is that all of the FS9 native AI models will not work in P3Dv4 but conversions have already been made to FSX/P3D native models and more are on the way.

Pete
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Re: FSX gone!

Post by Firebird »

By default, yes.

Both FS disks use the SafeDisc security system to verify that you have a genuine article. This is what prompts you to insert the relevant disk each time you start the game up, UNLESS you have install the applicable No CD patch.

The original FS9.exe was 1.2MB in size whereas the No CD patches reduce the size down to 500KB. The only thing it removes is the security.

Now, you might be able to get around the issue, never say you can't in computing, but I am not aware of the full-proof way under 10. I offer an opinion as to how you might be able to get around it BUT I have no knowledge if it works or not.

The other way is to ensure that you have a clean backup taken right after your initial install. This way you can copy the whole thing across and then create the registry entries with one of the tools available.

The other second option is to have a saved backup of your current installation and copy it over and again create the registry entries.

I am willing to learn if there is some procedure to follow to guarantee an install of either game.

The other option is to use the Steam version of FSX.
Steve
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hobby
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Re: FSX gone!

Post by hobby »

At 21:30 hrs I found an excellent 6 minute YouTube film which explained in detail what to do when you get the dreaded Error: 1-80004005.
You have to go to regedit and trace a file {4D336E967-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318. Double click on the UpperFilters on the right and make sure that the only entry reads 'PartMgr' (no commas). What I found was 'partmgr' (no commas). You the close regedit. Put the acceleration disk into your computer and tell it to mend itself - it takes ages to get going but eventually you should see 'successful installation.' Only it was not a 'successful installation' after more repeated tries.

I did achieve success when I returned to the 'regedit' routine and changed the 'p' and 'm' to capital letters before closing regedit and getting the acceleration disk to mend itself. I then had to feed in the Acceleration code number and, Bingo, all is working so far. a test cct of Seattle confirmed that all that should be there was there and was working.
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Re: FSX gone!

Post by Firebird »

For my own info I have been looking further into FS9 installations under 10.
It seems, according to one post, that it MAY be OK to install under 10 however there are issues.

For one it seems that FS9 installs automatically in XP compatibility mode and that you may get a black screen when starting the first time to fix this you need to press ALT+ENTER load a flight and then save it.

I am not sure about this as I was sure that FS9 checked the security on installation but not having done this myself I can't confirm this. Also that account states that you can't use it due to the security and that you have to replace it with the FS9.exe from the No CD patch for it to work after installation.

My thing here is that all reports are that to apply the FS9.1 patch you have to first load the game to a flight and and then end flight and exit THEN apply the patch.
If this is so, and the game does check the security on initial load, you could have to install the game then apply the FS9.0 No CD patch to load a flight to end flight and exit.
Then apply the fS9.1 patch then replace the new FS9.exe with the FS9.1 No CD patch to load a flight and end flight and exit again to create all the settings.

This may be the worse case scenario but until somebody actually goes through a clean install from scratch on 10 we are not going to know for sure.
Steve
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Re: FSX gone!

Post by msm8378 »

I have installed / re-installed FS9 to my WIN10 laptop numerous times with no problems. The caveat being that after the initial install from the CDROMS, I run the program one time as noted, and I then edit the permissions for the directory to give me full and unchallenged control. I then install the FS9 update, NOCD, and all other addons. Never had a failure or challenge to anything in WIN10 doing it this way...

Happy Holidays...
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Firebird
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Re: FSX gone!

Post by Firebird »

Thanks for letting us know your first hand experience.

So it would seem then that the security mechanism is only used when it is run AFTER installation and therefore the correct No CD patch HAS to be applied after installation.

That is definitely a lot easier than what I thought, and read about.
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Re: FSX gone!

Post by msm8378 »

Steve,

Search for articles concerning WIN10 and User Account Controls and System Administrative Rights and Permissions. Look for articles dated back when WIN10 first came out. Everyone was trying to overcome installation issues at that time associated with older XP/WIN7 software.

A number of good articles were written back then on the subject and how to manually get around many of the issues.

I did have one instance, where after a WIN10 Update FS9 failed to work and found that all I had to do was go back and reset the directory permissions again. Now after every OS Update that MS pushes periodically, I go back and make sure that the directory permissions are still set to give me full control.

I have several programs that require MS DOTNET 1.1 - which WIN10 will warn you is not secure and may not work properly when you attempt to install it, but it installed fine for me and those associated programs are working fine as well.

I have one program, originally published for MS Windows 3.1 that I simply physically copied the installed files from an older computer drive that had that OS on it and then spent a fair amount of time playing with the placement of the DLL files and Registry Edits to get the program working on my WIN10 system.

Many older programs can be resurrected just by doing manual copying of the installation from an older OS drive to a WIN10 system and moving key DLL files to the SysWOW64 directory and registering them.

I quess the best way to sum up WIN10 is that it can be a true cludge at times when trying to adapt older software to it, but - where there is a will there is way - works in many cases with a lot of trial and error and even a fair amount of beating your head on your desktop at times :D

Mat
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Re: FSX gone!

Post by Firebird »

The authorization issues can be got around very easily, in the same way that they could for 7/8/Vista.
Just don't install it in the default location. I am guessing that that is where you have it it. Loads of history with issues of addons seeming not working in the last couple of versions of Windows.

C:\Program Files and C:\Program Files (x86) are protected folders and my guess would be that is why the security keeps getting reset on the folder.
If you have occasion to clean re-install again try a deifferent location. Me personally I place it on its own drive F:\Flight Simulator 9.
Never had any security issues nor I have needed to amend the folder security ever.
Steve
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Re: FSX gone!

Post by msm8378 »

Good info...

I am getting ready to get a new laptop with 1TB SSD and 2TB HDD.

Will try what you suggest and install FS9 to HDD versus SSD which I am sure is where all of the WIN10 OS will be.

Only question I have is do you take any kind of hit on FPS by installing to separate HDD or Partition?

Thanks
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Re: FSX gone!

Post by Firebird »

Not at all, in fact you can get a boost as a completely different drive is being used, as opposed to a different partition on the same drive. The reason is that one drive is spinning looking for data for the OS running whilst the other one is spinning purely for FS9.
It is a small gain but you do get it. Obviously this would be reduced if you are running other proggies that are on the same HD as your FS9 at the same time.
The best performance of all is if you can split your scenery onto a separate drive from the rest of your FS9 as well. For the same reason as above. One drive is constantly searching and loading for FS9 operation whilst the other drive is searching and loading scenery.

Luckily on my desktop I have my OS on an SSD, my FS9 on a different drive and my scenery split onto another SSD, however with a laptop you are limited on your drive options.
Steve
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