PLEASE HELP can't start FS9

[Guest zsoltszivak744]

Hello all,First let me start by saying that I most likely did something really dumb so here goes. Fs9 has been crashing on me lately so I thought I would run the discs to repair any corrupted files. Well for some unknown reason my PC refuses to read disc 4 of the setup, I must have tried at least 30 times to get it to read. Well, had to abort the process so of course the install failed which lead to deletion of the FS9.EXE since the setup menu removed the incomplete installation and now I can not even start the SIM.Would really appreciate any insight on this.Thanks in advance:Zsolt

[dfish 1]

Try using system restore. Restore to a date before you deleted FS9. That should work.Dave FisherCYYZP4 Prescott 3.2e 478p 800mhz 1mg CPUP4P800SE Asus Motherboard2.5 gig PC3200 DDR RAM 400MHZGeForce 7600GT/512 OC'dMaxtor 80 Gig ATA 133 HD x2WDC WD800 80 Gig HDAntec 500watt true powerSharp 19 inch LCD MonitorLogitech Extreme 3D pro Joystickhttp://www.precisionmanuals.com/images/forum/ng_driver.jpghttp://fs2crew.com/linepilot.jpg

[Guest zsoltszivak744]

Hello Dave, I finally got the disc to run, I had to tilt the PC sideways to get it to work. Anyway now FS9 starts, up to the initialization page, and then minimizes without any error message. So I am slowly getting there. I'll try the restore option next. Thanks for your help.Best regards: Zsolt

[Max Kraus 338]

Usually when I have hosed my system to the degree you have, I just cut my losses and reinstall the whole thing.Hope you get it back, but through my experience, System Restore is a huge cause of all sorts of headaches. Formatting is the best System Restore.

[Guest zsoltszivak744]

Hello Max Thanks for your reply, but how do you FORMAT?I would love to try it but haven't heard of this method.Thanks again: Zsolt

[svenks 4]

Hi,Well, even if Max is right and Format is the best System Restore, he forgets to tell you that formatting will erase your hard disk!So if you flight sim is on your system drive (usually C: ), formatting this drive will erase everything: FS, your documents, pictures, your operating system - everything! Of course you will then have to re-install Windows and everything else.FORMATTING IS THE LAST RESORT (at least in my book, if not in Max').I don't think you want to go that way, especially as I don't think you know a lot about computers. Just hoping to catch you before you fall, BRGDSSven Sorensen, EKCH

[alastairmonk 0]

I have to agree with Sven - unless you have a new PC with relatively little on it reformatting is the last resort. Assuming that you still have the "Repair" CD that came with the PC (few ship these days with a full WinXP CD) you will have to completely reinstall everything. In my case this would be at least a week's work, and after some 4+ years my FS2004 has been so customized I could never reproduce it as it is.If you are having FS problems it would be far better to check that you have everything you need to reinstall, then uninstall FS2004, reboot, remove any remaining files in the folder (or move them somewhere else), reinstall FS2004, install the Service Pack, and then rebuild from there. If you're having problems with CD #4 it could be a drive problem or a corrupt/dirty CD. Practically, you may want to consider getting another copy of FS2004 (cheap now and still available at present)If your PC has "lost" the location of FS2004, Flight1 does have a registry Repair utility.Alastair