Gmax and Windows 11

[John Young]

With security fixes for Windows 10 ending in October, I finally succumbed to upgrading to Windows 11 after making my PC compatible (BIOS update, secure boot and TPM enabled). That all went well and Windows 11 is working fine.

However, I can no longer export from the Gmax FSX Gamepack - it just crashes to the desktop. I have searched FsDeveloper and it is a reported problem. The only suggested solution seems to be to create a bootable partition with Windows 10 and Gmax, on it. That's not something I want to do, even if I had the skills to do it.

I also read elsewhere that I could create an FS9 model, that (strangely) does export through the FS9 Gamepack in Windows 11 and then convert it to FSX with MCX. That's not something I want to do either.

So, unless there is a better fix out there, my thanks to Microsoft - I think you have killed my hobby.

John

[Jorgen]

John,

There might be a way around your issue.

First of all, at least I think my ailing memory remembers this, you can roll back to Windows 10. At least you used to be able to.

And second, you might want to watch this video:

It talks about getting security updates until 2030 - and for free.

Jorgen

[John Young]

Thanks Jorgen, but I don't want to roll back to Windows 10. I don't think a roll back is possible in any case, only a clean install. The security of Windows 11 is more important. You can pay for an extension of Windows 10 support, but that only delays the inevitable.

John

[tango234]

That is a massive shame if there is no way around it. Presumably compatibility mode doesn't help at all.

From some googling myself going down the FS9 route is the most technically straightfoward but I completely understand you not wanting to do that. I am assuming that you do not have/want a second device just to run gmax on.

[John Young]

No, compatibility mode doesn't prevent the crash unfortunately. I can't really justify a second device just to run Gmax on Windows 10.

[Manschy]

How about a seperate desktop, John? A clean Windows 10 taken as a basis and then all you needed legacy progs and tools you need to work with (Gmax, MCX etc). Set Win 10 to the latest upgrade and then cut it off from the internet. I do so with my older music creating progs. A little inconvenient, but after getting some work ready, I export it on a SSD via USB port and then plug it into my newest rig. Doing this, you could upload your work or use it with Win11 furthermore...
That's my simple mind suggestion...

[John Young]

Yes, that is an option Manfred.

[Weescotty]

Option B if you have Windows Pro - Hyper-V with a Windows 10 VM on it, just don't setup the network connection. Does 11 with still include the complete integration for VMs like Windows 7 had?

Eg it placed a shortcut for your VM's app on the parent desktop and fired up the VM in the background when you clicked on it - totally seamless.

[John Young]

Sorry Kev, that flew right over my head.

John

[Firebird]

What Kev is saying is that you can set up a Windows 10 virtual machine in Windows 11 and then install and run your needed software on that.
Hyper-V is Microsoft's solution but you can get other third party VMs, for free, such as VMWare.

[John Young]

Just searching through the MS Hyper-V gobbledegook and a few other sites too, it seems that I can't run the facility on Windows 11 Home. If that's true, I would need to pay for an upgrade to Pro. I think I might also need to buy a new Windows 10 copy, since the one I have is part of an OEM set up that came with my current PC. I really don't want to add to Microsoft's coffers, when they are the cause of the problem in the first place.

I'm far from certain that I want to do anything as complicated as this with my PC. I'm at a low point in wanting to continue designing for FSX and P3D, given the very low demand these days, particularly P3D. It's like a time warp, I get stuck in designing and before I know it, most of the day has gone. After a few weeks of doing that, then uploading and seeing the response, it's very hard to justify the effort any more.

I'm just enjoying the sunshine for now.

[Weescotty]

0patch is going to continue supporting window 10 for an extra year, free of charge. Its what I am going to do.

[Jorgen]

That's the route I'm going down also. I see no improvement of anything whatsoever in going to Windows 11.

Jorgen

[John Young]

Security is the overriding factor for me. From what I have read over the past hour, I won't go down the 0patch route, which uses a completely different process to Windows Update.

The pricing page on the 0patch web site says that the free version will not provide Windows 10 22H2 post-EOS patches - the paid for version will though.

John

[Weescotty]

The fact that Microsoft will still provide updates to Windows 10 LTSC for many years in the future should tell you something. This is a commercial decision. IF you have followed the upgrade path 7, 8 or 8.1, 10, 11 they haven't had a penny in sales from OS's.

If no 0patch there will be a small fee to get an extra year of updates direct from Microsoft. Maybe by then 12 is out and it fixes the 11 debacle

[Weescotty]

I wonder.....
Linux Mint + WINE + Gmax ?