Hi Hifi Team!I have a server Vista HP 64 bit and a client xp32 ????(Maybe that is the problem??)I can get traffic IA working OK but whenever I try to connect with ASX I get the same as other user have reported.....can not update weather error.I also tried everything BUT when I tried the manual uninstall it di not allow me to do so because of the protection system.Are there any other ways to update the file?Kind regards and God blessAlfred

Hi,It may be that very protection system that is causing the error. Vista protection is very strange and you may need to disable all protestion. How you do this, I have no idea.Thanks,Jimhttp://www.hifisim.com/banners/hifi-community-sigbanner.jpghttp://www.hifisim.com/

Hi Jim!Thank you for your quick reply!It was a suggestion by Al Jordan that fixed it for me.It has to be the cumulative install of the SDK ?.msi files that helped me.It may be a good idea to update your helpfile that is included with trouble shooting simconnect with Al's tip. I spend most of yesterday installing and uninstalling sp1 and 2 without being able to fix the error message about not being able to update weather.....I did exactly as was suggested in the help-file without being able to fix the problem UNTIL I stumbled across Al Jordans suggestions (THANK YOU AL!!!!!!!!).Maybe with his kind permission you could include that in your trouble shooting / help file and save others a lot of headache?Kind regards and God blessAlfred

>It was a suggestion by Al Jordan that fixed it for me.Alfred, can you post a link to Al's solution? or post it here?Thanks,

Hi Ron!I do not know how to link a topic but here is Al's post.All credits go to him!"Quote" just went through this myself last night, after attempting to reinstall my simconnect facilities on my wide-client PC. From what I can determine, ASXsp2 needs the exact version of Simconnect.msi that came with the FSX SDK, SP1(a). What you must understand is the simconnect.msi that we copy out of the SDK folder change versions with each SDK update; and I think ASX is version checking the simconnect facilities installed. Simconnect installation are cumulative, like .NET Framework entries, in your Add/Remove Programs table. You need to install all simconnect.msi versions as you patch forward the SDK.(Very specific order)Uninstall all SDKs.Uninstall all simconnect entries from Add/Remove Programs.Install the SDK from FSX Deluxe DVD.Copy the simconnect file to safe location and rename "simconnect_RTM.msi"Install SDK SP1a patchCopy the simconnect file to a safe location and rename "simconnect_SP1a.msi"(If you have FSX-SP2) Install SDK SP2 patch(If you have FSX-SP2) Copy the simconnect file to a safe location and rename "simconnect_SP2.msi".Now, on the wide-client PC, install all the different version simconnect files you just saved away, in-order, without un-installing any of them.Install simconnect_RTM.msiInstall simconnect_SP1a.msi(If you have FSX-SP2) Install simconnect_SP2.msiYou should now have two or three simconnect entries in your Add/Remove Programs List.FWIW, I have not had to change any of the ini/cfg files, locations, or versions, as described in the ASX Networking instructions. Once you have had simconnect working over the network, it seems all the other simconnect configuration files work over the various versions of the msi file without having to be changed or patched-foward.Hope this helps.PS, Damian or Jim, what I don't understand, is if ASXsp2 is looking-for and using the specific simmconnect_SP1a "pipe" and we have FSX-SP2 installed on the server, wouldn't there be some possible inconstancies? I ask becuase, ASX seems to do some funny things lately and I think it's becuase ASXsp2 is using a differnt version simconnect facility (sp1a) than what is installed in FSX (sp2). I need to e-mail this thought seperately to Jim but I also wanted to bring it foward publicly as well.Al Jordan | KCHSFSX Server: Q6600-3.6GHz (WinXP x64) | Asus P5K-E | G.Skill 8500C5(2x2GB) | EVGA 9800GTX | Zalman CNPS9700 | Antec 900 | Corsair 620HX | Samsung 24" | XFi-XtremeGamer | WD Raptor x2 & Caviar x1 | TrackIR4 | Saitek & CH ControlsFSX Client: E6700 (Vista-U x64) | Asus P5B-D | Corsair 8500C5D(4x1GB) | EVGA 8800GTS(640MB) | Zalman CNPS9500 | Corsair 520HX | LG 22" | WD Caviar x3NickN Tweaks *** | *** In Memory of FS2004!_FlyHalf-End of an Era"End Quote"Hope it is helpful to you! YOU MUST FOLLOW HIS INSTRUCTIONS in every detail.All the best and good luck!God blessAlfred

Alfred,I'm so glad you found the information useful and great work passing along the information for others to follow as well.PS, got'a like the name! :-beerchugBest regards,'Alfred' Jordan

Alfred,Thankyou very much for taking the time to write such a detailed description on your solution of the simconnect problem.I'm no network wiz thats for sure, so I need all the information I can get when it comes to things like this.It seems that I have FSUIPC talking between the server and the client computer with FSX, as I get a connected message at the top, but ASX doesn't seem to be making the connection.I'm going to go through your process tonight and see if I can't get it to connect. I find as soon as I start messing around with the I.P.address, I lose my connection to the internet that runs through a Linksys router. So I didn't have much luck with that. But I'm assuming that if FSUIPC is connecting, then I don't have to mess with the I.P. address. I've followed the instructions on networking the best I could, but just can't seem to get ASX to make the connection.And one last question. I haven't looked on the FSX dvd yet, but to install simconnect, am I looking for an executable file or is it installed automatically when you instal SDK?Again, thanks for taking the time here to try and help.

Hi Ron,Not a problem as I always enjoy helping others, especially when it actually accomplishes a goal.First, let me reiterate a point that was not completely understood by some. The SDK is sold and delivered as a seperate (manually) installed feature of the FSX "DELUXE" boxed set (SDK folder on DVD). The SDK is nothing more than a collection of utilities, guides, examples, and docs, provided to FS enthusiasts and developers. In past releases of FS, we always had to wait 6 to 12 months for the FS version specific SDK to be released after a new version of FS hit the streets. This lead to a much longer delay for add-on developers to begin their magic with the latest version of FS. Now, with FSX, the SDK was included for the first time with the Deluxe boxed set to help sell it, by not just including more planes and guages over the Standard boxed set.A little history of SimConnect: One of the new features of FSX was the Simconnect functionality, built within the FSX game enviorment, running all the time as a thread directly on the FS PC, whenever FSX is launched. Up until FSX, Pete Dowson had been mapping this kind of FS memory space and making them available outside the FS game environment to third-party add-on utilities such as ActiveSky, in a program call FSUIPC. Well everyone, including MS, wisely concluded the Mr. Dowson, who is not exactly a Spring chicken anymore (sorry Pete, didn't know how else to word it nicely) and decided that this FSUIPC external-functionality better start officially working its way into the FS series, properly supported by MS. Not only does the community rely heavily on FSUIPC and WideFS, both in its freeware and payware forms, but it broadens the FS market-place by officually supporting add-on developers and making it easier for them to interface with the game, locally or remotely on another PC.Well, one of Pete Dowson's other cool FSUIPC related features, starting with FS98, was his ability to take those same FSUIPC memory mappings of the game, and present them across the network on another PC, thereby generating a FS enviroment in memory on any number of remote PC's. From FS98 to FSX, this utility has been known as WideFS. WideFS, now embeded in the FSUIPC executable for FSX (enabled with the purchase of another key) does the FS memory translation onto the TCP network. The client-side utility to WideFS is the "WideClient.exe" executable that you run on one or more remote-PC's, and it presents the FS memory space from the network, directly to any related FS add-ons which are looking for that FS enviornment in memory, but now being fooled into thinking they're actually running on the FS PC itself.So, MS decided that this remote "WideFS" cabablity should also be made available in FSX, but as an added feature, only sold with the Deluxe box sets of FSX. The perfect place to deliver/sell this "remote" Sinconnect functionality, mimicing WideFS, was in the SDK, as a utility feature.What has some new FS folks confused, is the fact that we as a FS community are in the middle of a major transitional period with the FSX version. Simconnect (in the FS game) and Sinconnect-client (WideFS) capability on the remote PC are making their respective debutes while FSUIPC and WideFS are realizing their respective sunsets. That is why you have some add-ons developers working with Simconnect, getting ahead of the learning curve as fast as they can, and other developers struggling, still relying on the older FSUIPC/WideFS ways of doing things.Trust me when I say, the developers who are using simconnect memory interfaces in FSX have had a large learning curve over the past 18 months and we as a community are starting to now realize those gains and benifits of moving forward, only after hitting a number of big speed-bumps along the way.Is Simconnect or Simconnect-client perfrect yet, heck no. But Pete has literaly tutored the MS FS developers and pushed them in the right direction, keeping the FS community and the business aspects of the game in mind. FSXI should prove to be very interesing with regard to a more matured Simconnect environemnt, locally or remotely.Now, the SDK on the Deluxe FSX DVD can be installed anywhere, on any Windows box. FSX (the game) does not need to be installed on the same PC. Remember, we are simply talking about a collection of files, executables, examples, and docs. Install the SDK from the DVD anywhere and following the instructions above, keeping the simconnect (remote capability) msi files named accordingly above as well.You do need to follow the HiFiSim ASX netowrking instructions to get the Simconnect-client configuration files on both the FS PC and and the Remote PC properly set up. The FS (Server) PC configuration tells FS and its internal simconnect capablity where and how, on the local TCP network, the FS memory speace should be provided. The simconnect-client configuration files (copied out of the SDK) need to be configured on the remote-PC to propely listen on the network, to dectect when a FS sesion has been started on the server, the same way WideFS and WideClient worked together. But, in the simconnect-client's case, you don't have to manually start a client process each time a FS session is launced over on the server; like you did for the WideClient.exe executable. The remote simconnect-client process starts on the remote-PC when ever that remote PC is booted into Windows, then setting there, listening on the local network for a FS session to appear in the packets.I have been running both a Simconnect-client and WideClient simultaniously on the same remote PC for over a year now and they work completely independant of each other, without conflict. But, proper configuration of each (Simconnect and/or WideFS) is required. FWIW, as a current example, my ASX, XGraphics, and some AI-traffic tools use the new simconnect-client capability. My Radar Contact (ATC) program and FlightSim Commander NavMap still use the older WideFS/Wideclient connection. All of them communictate nicely over their respective pipes to the FSX server PC. So as you see, its really the add-on itself that requires your attention as to which remote-PC capablity it currenlty uses across the network, in this transitional time of FSX and its underlying processes. And one last thought; pay attention to folder-shares requirements between the two Windows PC's. You have to get the required folders properly shared-out with proper permissions to write inside these shares, or complicated Add-ons such as ActiveSky will appear non-functional. These shares are also described in the ActiveSky networking instructions. If you need help with folder-sharing and/or permissions, we're all here to help, and to learn from each other as well.Hope this helps...Regards,

>address, I lose my connection to the internet that runs>through a Linksys router. So I didn't have much luck with>that. But I'm assuming that if FSUIPC is connecting, then I>don't have to mess with the I.P. address. I've followed the>instructions on networking the best I could, but just can't>seem to get ASX to make the connection.Did you open up the firewall port in the Windows firewall on both PC's? IIRC (at work right now) open TCP port 500.>And one last question. I haven't looked on the FSX dvd yet,>but to install simconnect, am I looking for an executable file>or is it installed automatically when you instal SDK?The SDK from the DVD and the SDK patches are all installer .exe type files, offering where you would like the SDK folder to be located on one of your hard-drives; your choice. In fact, IIRC, each SDK patch installer first de-installs the previous SDK version from your hard drive - go figure... :0Between each of the SDK installations, find, copy to somewhere else, and rename each of the simconnect.msi files located under the SDK folder's installation path as described in the ASX networking instructions. Don't forget to rename each of copy of the simconnect.msi file as described above either. Sorry, at work now, so I don't have the full path.Configuration of the Simconnect remote client capability can be a bit daunting to the unitiated. If you're still having trouble with it, please report back here with following info:1) FSX Server OS (XP or Vista), NAT IP (usually 192.168.x.x), and folder-shares available by this box.2) The full path to FSX installation on the FSX-server3) Ths full path to the FSX SDK folder3) FSX Client (Remote PC) OS, IP, and folder shares availbleIf required, I will post custom simconnect-configs for your exact installation.

Hi Alfred,Wow...I didn't think I would ever get this level of help :)>Did you open up the firewall port in the Windows firewall on both PC's? IIRC (at work right now) open TCP port 500.I have shut off the firewalls on both pc's, if thats what you mean. Also, I don't know if it matters, but the client pc is working on a wireless connection and the server(the one with FSX) is hard wired.I'm at work as well right now, so I can't tinker with it. If I still can't get things working either tonight or sometime this week, I'll take you up on your last offer.Thanks again

Hi Alfred "Al"!Sorry, I have been away for a while and missed your kind reply!It is I (and others ) who have to thank YOU for finding out this important information for us.Who would have thought the Simconnect.msi are cumulative????Thanks also to take over to help out Ron (Sorry Ron for ignoring you but I have been away)All the best and God blessAlfred

Thanks for the above as it helped me with the ASX connection issue.I am running Vista 32 on a laptop and talking to my XP 32 with FSX SP2.I have applied the RTM and SP 1a on the laptop by way of running the MSI installers as above. However I am unable to run the SP2 installer as it gives me an invalid path error.Any ideas why?ASX connects fine via simconnect but for some reason I cannot apply the SP2 update to my laptop.ThanksGraham

IIRC, the next installer, in this case SP2, usually offers to uninstall the previous version. Did that happen and get interrupted perhaps? You might try re-installing SP1a then attempt SP2 again. Also, maybe re-download the SP2 SDK installer from the MS website as maybe it's corrupted? Sorry, that's the only thing that comes to mind at the moment.Regards,

I have installed the RTM, SP1a and SP2 packs completely on my FSX machine. As requested inbetween each stage I renamed the MSI accordingly and copied it into a spare directory before applying the next patch.Therefore I had a directory with 3 MSI files, RTM, SP1a and SP2. On the FSX machine the SP1a and SP2 installations had removed the previous installation as expected and all this is ok on the FSX machine.The problem I then have is installing these 3 MSI files onto my client (laptop with Vista 32). I can run the RTM and SP1a fine but then when I try to install the SP2 it tells me it cannot read from the network drive. Copying the SP2 MSI installer directly to desktop on the laptop and running it just makes it quit without a warning.thanksGraham

Were RTM and SP1a installed from across the network or were they flat-copied to the client desktop before their respective installations as well? I would not install any of them from across the network but copy/move each of the installers to the client (like you did with sp2) before executing their installations. My thinking is, perhaps the uninstaller-portion of SP1a msi is having trouble with the original msi location back across the network. Oh, and maybe not relocate/delete any of the msi installers untill all three are sucesfully installed?