I'm having a really bad day. So bad I'm really regretting having bought this product. I won't bore you with all the details. The latest problem has come about as a result of exiting FS2002 with the PMDG737 as the current aircraft after applying the patch. I can no longer load FS2002. I get an error in panels.dll.I've removed all traces of PMDG737 from my system with one exception - the gauge files. I cannot delete any of them. If I try the following message is displayed: -http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/27427.jpgHas anyone any ideas as to how to get rid of them before I go mad?

I too am still getting a crash on trying to load FS2002. (also have 2004 installed) If I move or rename PMDGOptions.dll, the crash goes away. I'd like to hear something from PMDG on this...Ryan

Ray-Okay- lets see if we can get you through THIS little sticky point. A couple of items first:1) There is NO reason why those gauges should be prevented from deleting- UNLESS: There is something resident in memory on your machine that Windows picks up as "using them." This would lead me to believe that either MSFS is still hanging in the system tray or something residual with the installer is hanging in the system tray. Not sure why either of these would be the case- but....that's all I can think of.2) CTRL+ALT+DEL this machine. That is the only way to clear such problems.3) Go back into that directory and tell me if you can delete those gauges?4) Then lets reinstall the airplane from the release version.5) Go into the registration menu and get your airplane registered. (use the web site- you'll save me some typing!)6) Run FS2002 and make sure the airplane is fully registered.7) Run the Service Update.Let me know if you need additional help.

Robert,Thanks for your reply. Because of forum problems I've not been getting notifications when a message was posted to this topic.Right, first things first. I've now deleted these gauges. I'm running XP Home and had to boot into DOS mode to do it. I'd previously rebooted the machine a couple of times so it was impossible for the installer or FS to be holding on to them. I could delete any other gauge so the problem only existed with PMDGs.Now onto my other point and this is really important as I've spent the last 12 hours trying to resolve my FS2002/PMDG problems following the installation of the patch.Having restored a full version of FS2002 from a backup which was taken prior to the install of the PMDG I was able to load FS2002. Great I thought. I'll install the PMDG now. I loaded it and it worked fine so I exited and ran the patch. I rebooted when it was finished. Now here's the killer. The PMDG was the active aircraft when I exited FS2002 but trying to load FS2002 resulted in the standard MS error message and it pointed to panels.dll as the problem file.I tried deleting all references to the PMDG in Explorer including my registration. All files were deleted okay with the exception of the PMDG gauge files but as you now know these have also gone. However, I still can't load FS2002. Something has become corrupted and I'm afraid it points to either the installation of the patch or the PMDG being the active aircraft when I exited FS2002. The setting in FS2002.CFG for the flight to load is "Previous Flight" and I think the combination of that and the PMDG737 being the last aircraft used is causing a problem.I've now deleted FS2002 in its entirely and I'm restoring from my backup. This will take 2-3 hours after which I will save a newly created flight with a default aircraft as my startup flight. I will then zip up that installation and copy it to another drive. I'll then install the PMDG and the patch and see if things work properly. I'm quite experienced with computers which is why I was able to resolve this problem but I'm afraid to say that my confidence in the 737 has been affected. I'm very reluctant to install it in FS2004 as things stand.I'll get back to you via this topic tomorrow now. I'm exhausted after today's events.

Ray-did you try deleting the last saved flight from your fs2002flightsmyflts folder?

Lefteris,No. Is that the way to get around the problem? Until today my startup flight had a specific name but after restoring FS2002 it was "Previous Flight". Is it that specifically that caused the problem? It would make sense if it did since I had the 737 on my system for a month prior to today's debacle but my default flight was NOT "Previous Flight".I'm in the middle of a restore now so I can't check your theory out.

Ray,I have followed this thread and running this service update is really screwing things up badly. My FS2002 is running OK except for after 5-10 minutes its does a CTD with the PMDG aircraft usually around end of taxiing right before take off time this is from a cold and dark cockpit. I will now tackle FS9!!!!!!!!!!!!TonyHang in there.

Lefteris and Robert,I have now successfully installed the PMDG and the patch for FS002. However, there is a combination of settings that will lock users out of FS2002 and I think everyone should be made aware of these. I cannot overemphasise this enough.If the default flight in FS2002 is set to "Previous Flight" once the PMDG and its patch are applied the user will not be able to restart FS2002 if the PMDG is the active aircraft when FS2002 is exited.I was able to prove this beyond all doubt. I followed exactly the same steps this morning as I did last evening with the single difference of having a saved flight as my start-up flight.If you're feeling adventurous you might want to try this for yourself but if you don't then I understand. I think you should advise people to avoid using "Previous Flight" as the startup flight. Whether this is the same in FS2004 I really wouldn't like to say but rest assured I won't be trying it.Now a couple of observations on the PMDG Aircraft Installer and Patch Installer. Both of these applications initially pointed to my FS2004 folder so I changed that to my FS2002 folder. However, on subsequent screens that choice was ignored and it still pointed to FS2004. When I changed the path the entry in the window showed F:FS2002FS2004. That is not acceptable in an installer. The inexperienced user could easily miss that error and continue. What the consequences are I wuldn't like to say.Further along the patch install the dialogue box for the location of FS2002 again pointed to FS2004 and on changing it it again showed F:FS2002FS2004 in the window. You might want to consider amending the program to avoid this confusion.At the end of the install for both the main program and patch I was asked to reboot the system. Why? What changes are PMDG making to my Windows installation that requires a reboot? No other 3rd party addon for FS that I have require me to reboot the system. Please explain why this is necessary. If changes are being made can you please tell me what they are?Thank you.

Ray,I'm having a similar problem with the PMDGOptions.DLL causing an error upon 2002 startup. I wonder if it's related to this sort of thing with saved flights. My default flight is set up to put me at the create flight screen with the RealAir C172 selected at KTUS on the ramp. I'll try changing that back to the MS default and see what happens.I too get the installer tacking a "/Flight Simulator 9" onto the FS2002 path as well - hopefully the new installer due out in a few hours will fix that, you're absolutely right, an inexperienced user would install it to the wrong folder even though they DID follow the instructions to the letter because of this...Ryan

Hi Ryan,Can you eloborate on the error please? Can you actually get into FS2002? I couldn't - hence my frustration. Whatever you do don't choose "Previous Flight" as your default flight. You could end up with the same problem as me. I haven't had any PMDGOptions.DLL error messages.In the meantime I'll await the revised patch. Yesterday was a truly dreadful day - hopefully today will be better.Cheers,

Tony,There's new patch due out in a couple of hours which might cure your troubles.Cheers,

Just to show that I can post good news as well as bad I'm now pleased to report that after considerable devotion I now have the PMDG737 working in both FS2002 and FS2004.To those who feel they can't overcome there current problems I would urge you to stick it out. This time yesterday I couldn't load FS2002, format my F drive or delete PMDGs gauge files and things looked very bleak. Thanks to a backup and PartitionMagic I was able to overcome all these problems and I'm a happy man again. :-beerchug Cheers,

Ray-Couple things:I just tried everything that you describe. No problem resulted.I'm not sure what to tell you the issue is ray- but I would ask that your refrain from dictating was "is acceptable" and what "is not acceptable."That I count- the installation README and the software menus warn your FIVE TIMES that this might happen and you should watch for it.If you would like- I can may you a personal installer that requires you to type your entire path in by yourself. That isn't acceptable either....We are working very hard to support users- but we are finding that the majority of problems fall immediately into two categories:1) Software related2) User relatedI know more about what is happening behind the scenes in the installer than anyone else here.....

Hi Robert,<>Well thanks for trying and I'm surprised you didn't experience the problems I did.<>I didn't dictate anything - I just stated it. There is a diference. Please don't suggest I am being dictatorial because I don't think I am.<>I've already said in an earlier message in this thread that I have now successfully installed the PMDG in both FS2002 and FS2004. The fact that I was able to do this with the current installer means I was able to work around the problems I've already mentioned.You asked Lee Hethrington to drop the sarcasm a few days ago. I get the feeling some of that is creeping into your reply. I appreciate you have all been under a great deal of pressure but I have too in the last 24 hours so let's call it a day eh?

"You asked Lee Hethrington to drop the sarcasm a few days ago. "Um... Ray?That was me... Not Rob.