Windows 7 ownership/permissions problem?

[brian747 5]

Hi folks!Having just got myself a Windows 7 core i7 machine, I obviously set about transferring my fsx and PMDG setup as soon as possible. The first hint of trouble to come was that it took me most of a day to get fsx activated

[BAW277 1]

Hi folks!Having just got myself a Windows 7 core i7 machine, I obviously set about transferring my fsx and PMDG setup as soon as possible. The first hint of trouble to come was that it took me most of a day to get fsx activated

[brian747 5]

did you try to give the FSX.exe admin rights? Right click on it and then look for the "execute as administrator"-option. Maybe this will help?!

Hi Holger, and thanks for replying. :( In fact, the multiple reinstalls were precisely because I was trying every combination of "Run as Administrator" combined (or not) with setting compatibility mode to XP (*and* run as admin) combined with putting it somewhere sensible or allowing it to install itself below Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Games\Microsoft Flight Simulator X. Somehow, I eventually found a combination that worked, but the irritating thing is that I can't now be certain what it was. I *think* it may have been using compatibility mode but not running as admin (and also giving it its choice of install location)

[Turbine777 13]

Hi Brian, Sorry to see your having issues. The only problem with installing to your own choice in directory is remembering to change to that directory when installing your addons. Most of my addons do a gppd job with finding my FSX directory but some do not. I avoid Program files at all costs personally and have never had key issues or the other admin issues I read from others. I also never need to set compatibility mode, I have tried this to fix texture issues but for me the only fix for that was in XP (I have tried Vista SP2 mode in Win7 but didn't work for me). Doing a reinstall is a painful ordeal to say the least, but if you ever do it again, I would just say be careful to make sure when installing the SP's and your addons that they go to right place and you should be fine. I'd also recommend installing sims and games on a seperate drive altogether, such as D:\FSX or what-not.Good luck bud!

[brian747 5]

Hi Dan!Many thanks for your comments. :(

I avoid Program files at all costs personally...

Yeah, me too

[BAW277 1]

Hi Dan!Many thanks for your comments. :(Yeah, me too

[Turbine777 13]

Cool beans, no one likes a reinstall.As for FSX, there isn't a number of reinstalls, or any limit what so ever. There's even a misconception about PMDG's products where it isn't the number of reinstalls, it's your setup. So if you did a few complete or major hardware upgrages, then it would minus an alotted installation but only then and under those circumstances. Personally, I have installed FSX well over 50 times (I've done lots of Beta testing) and my PMDG 747 has been reinstalled a good 20+ times including probably 3 major upgrades so far and 0 validation issues.Anywho, good luck with the new install. May it last until the next Flight Sim is created :(

[brian747 5]

Hello again, Holger!

as far as activation goes, once you reach a certain number you

[brian747 5]

Hi Dan!My apologies

[Turbine777 13]

<sigh> As far as the activation was concerned, when it failed to activate ("A technical problem occurred while accessing the online server") I tried the radio button for phone activation, but it didn't respond, and I eventually had to kill the activation process via Task Manager. So that option may not be available to me

[Turbine777 13]

The PMDG-related problem happened when I tried to set up my joystick, and I discovered that key commands added to the Add-ons PMDG menu were not saved on exiting fsx. As a workaround I disabled UAC: that fixed it, but ideally I would prefer a somewhat less broad-brush solution. I'm assuming that the problem has something to do with folder permissions or ownership, and that if I knew what to fix then I could set up whatever is needed and restore UAC again. This belief, although based on little evidence, is bolstered by the fact that in the miscellaneous section of the PMDG Downloads section I notice that there is a utility called "MD-11X OS Detect/Fix", which "Finds/Fixes folder permission problems for FSX MD-11 Installations" (although I don't know whether it works with Win7).

Ya know, I should actually read your original post and maybe next time I could help with your original problem, Doh!I think most of us have had the issue where our settings weren't saved. There are a few things that it could be but here is the main two I have found:

1. The key asignment is already taken by an addon or one of your controllers in FS.
   • Fix, go through every drop down for every controller you have and take the time to delete any joystick asigment and/or keyboard asignment you don't need or want.
   • By the time your done, you will most likely know exactly all the ones that are available from memory.
   • I delete about 80% and spend an hour or more in there after a fresh install since I have 5 controllers seen by FSX :-(
   • Keep in mind also that if you replug in a usb device while FS is running, it will often see it my it's registry value (or some new string) and your defaults for that controller will be reset to FS defaults. This can also happen with hiccups in a slow system while FS is actually running, where the USB controller seems to reset.

[*]The other is not having permissions due to the stupid security issues. That is easily overcome with the already known right click, run as admin procedure.

Controller issues have a couple fixes if no matter what, you still have problems, this will also help people that don't have trusted sections in their FSX.cfg. (This will reset everything, your FSX.cfg as well as controls.xml)Hold down CTRL+Shift and boot FSX. Hold the keys while it boots and it will recreate everything and reprompt you for anything you may have either missed or accidentally said no to.Before you do that, if it is a controller or registry issue I would also take this step.(This will delete your controllers in windows itself, since sometimes running a windows driver and not the manufacturers they can get all screwy).Run Regedit and browse to:+HKEY_CURRENT_USER (LOCAL_MACHINE if on XP I believe) Vista and Win7 use the current_User.+System+CurrentControlSet+Control+Media Properties+Private Properties+Direct InputDelete any folder inside the Direct Input folder that begins VID_06A3.Download and install the latest manufacturer drivers and install them (don't let windows install what it thinks, not even Win 8 that is obviously not out yet ;-)Then go ahead and do the above steps to reset FS as you know did the equivalent of reinstalling windows as far as controllers is concerned.Hope this helps,

[brian747 5]

Hi Dan!Many thanks indeed for both your replies: yes, I was really wondering about the limit on fsx installs, since I had come across a few references on the 'net to people who ran out of the usable number. Since you reinstalled as often as you did, maybe you got round it by leaving a certain amount of time between installs, allowing the counter to reset itself (if that's the way it's set up)? :(

1. The key asignment is already taken by an addon or one of your controllers in FS.

I don't think it can be that: this was a fresh install; the keystrokes I use are extended(Ctrl+Shift+M etc) and so aren't present by default; and I received no warning messages about the fact that they were already in use.

2. The other is not having permissions due to the stupid security issues. That is easily overcome with the already known right click, run as admin procedure.

I run everything as admin, even in cases where I've set that in the compatibility mode already, so sadly it can't be that, either.I also checked out the controller issues you listed

[qnh 70]

As for FSX, there isn't a number of reinstalls, or any limit what so ever.

That's not quite correct, it is dependent on the country where the install is being performed, determined by the IP address. Some countries have a 3 month window, others longer. I have had to reactivate FSX by phone on more than one occasion, but that's because I do a lot of testing.

[brian747 5]

Hi Scott!

I have had to reactivate FSX by phone on more than one occasion, but that's because I do a lot of testing.

Ah

[Turbine777 13]

Hi Scott!Ah