I have asked this question in another forum somewhere else but I don't seem to be getting anywhere so thought I would try getting help here, I recently downloaded and installed Ground Environment Pro for FS2004 but there seems to be a problem with this programme on Windows 7, or at least on my PC.When I try to run the programme the first message I get is [microsoft] [ODBC Driver Manager] Data source name not found and no default driver specified. Then I have to press OK...Then when I get the option if I want to backup my files it won't let me then I just get a series of error boxes popping up saying things like 'Ground Environment Error- The connection cannot be used to perform this operation. It is either closed or invalid in this context'. This series of error message comes up whenever I click on most of the options and sometimes the error boxes do not go away and in order to by pass it I have to restart my PC which isn't a very good solution!So I was wondering, does anybody have Ground Environment Pro installed on Windows 7 (or Vista) that has encountered the same errors and problems that I have and what have you done to rectify it? I would love to know as at this moment in time I cannot use it and feel I have wasted my money.Thanks in advance for any comments and suggestions...

I have asked this question in another forum somewhere else but I don't seem to be getting anywhere so thought I would try getting help here, I recently downloaded and installed Ground Environment Pro for FS2004 but there seems to be a problem with this programme on Windows 7, or at least on my PC.When I try to run the programme the first message I get is [microsoft] [ODBC Driver Manager] Data source name not found and no default driver specified. Then I have to press OK...Then when I get the option if I want to backup my files it won't let me then I just get a series of error boxes popping up saying things like 'Ground Environment Error- The connection cannot be used to perform this operation. It is either closed or invalid in this context'. This series of error message comes up whenever I click on most of the options and sometimes the error boxes do not go away and in order to by pass it I have to restart my PC which isn't a very good solution!So I was wondering, does anybody have Ground Environment Pro installed on Windows 7 (or Vista) that has encountered the same errors and problems that I have and what have you done to rectify it? I would love to know as at this moment in time I cannot use it and feel I have wasted my money.Thanks in advance for any comments and suggestions...

Yes, I have it installed on Win 7 (X64) and have had no problems at all. So I don't think it's a Windows 7 issue. Good luck with finding a solution - have you tried the Flight1 support forum?Ian

Unfortunately I cannot say anything else than it works for me with Windows 7 64 bit and FS9. Hope you get it sorted out somehow!

Hi Mark22,I have it running on Windows 7 pro 32 bit. with no problems. First suggestion, maybe uninstall it then do a reinstall. I can't remember if when I right clicked on the installer icon (The red flight1 airplane) and under compatibility mode, checked off winxp sp3 or not. I would check with flight1 support on that part so you don't have more issues than necessary. I did check off run as admin. I have UAC turned off, and if you have virus software, kill it as well so the installer can write all the files without any issues. I also run the program with admin rights as well as I do with all of my stuff. If the installer was designed for win 7 the compatibility mode winxp part you wouldn't have to concern about. I wish I could be more help, but it was last year that I installed it, so I can't remember all of the details. I really hope this helps you some way. Flight1 has GREAT customer support and I would search the forums as well for an FAQ or put in a support ticket. Jeff Smith over there is a nice fellow that is always helpful. Warm regards, Jeff

I have asked this question in another forum somewhere else but I don't seem to be getting anywhere so thought I would try getting help here, I recently downloaded and installed Ground Environment Pro for FS2004 but there seems to be a problem with this programme on Windows 7, or at least on my PC.When I try to run the programme the first message I get is [Microsoft] [ODBC Driver Manager] Data source name not found and no default driver specified. Then I have to press OK...Then when I get the option if I want to backup my files it won't let me then I just get a series of error boxes popping up saying things like 'Ground Environment Error- The connection cannot be used to perform this operation. It is either closed or invalid in this context'. This series of error message comes up whenever I click on most of the options and sometimes the error boxes do not go away and in order to by pass it I have to restart my PC which isn't a very good solution!So I was wondering, does anybody have Ground Environment Pro installed on Windows 7 (or Vista) that has encountered the same errors and problems that I have and what have you done to rectify it? I would love to know as at this moment in time I cannot use it and feel I have wasted my money.Thanks in advance for any comments and suggestions...

It does work under Win 7. Some suggestions: Antivirus off, UAC off, run the installer as administrator (right click and select 'run as administrator)and install directly under the drive root directory (c:\ for example) - not program files. See if that works for you. Make sure that you are installing using the original Flight1 wrapper (red airplane icon). The message you are getting indicates that part of the install dealing with the creation of the database and database engine path is failing. The above steps should help. If not, go to the Microsoft site and download the MDAC 2.8 installable and install it, then go through the steps above again. DJ

Turning anti-virus off and UAC off are not good suggestions. They are there for a purpose - to ensure that your PC doesn't get screwed up. Just consider, for a moment, what would happen if an installer was able to put a virus on your computer and you had anti-virus turned off. OK, I now hear someone say that GE Pro comes from a trusted source and wouldn't carry a virus, but you turn off anti-virus and UAC at your own peril.Without knowing anything about your PC and how it is configured it is not possible to offer you any advice but it may have something to do with file and folder permissions. I can only suggest that you buy a book or research the Internet for information about this and how to configure permissions and ownership to your advantage.If all of this sounds negative and unhelpful it is not meant to be. I hope you are able to resolve your problem soon - maybe a visit to the Flight1 forums would be a good idea.David

Turning anti-virus off and UAC off are not good suggestions. They are there for a purpose - to ensure that your PC doesn't get screwed up. Just consider, for a moment, what would happen if an installer was able to put a virus on your computer and you had anti-virus turned off. OK, I now hear someone say that GE Pro comes from a trusted source and wouldn't carry a virus, but you turn off anti-virus and UAC at your own peril.Without knowing anything about your PC and how it is configured it is not possible to offer you any advice but it may have something to do with file and folder permissions. I can only suggest that you buy a book or research the Internet for information about this and how to configure permissions and ownership to your advantage.If all of this sounds negative and unhelpful it is not meant to be. I hope you are able to resolve your problem soon - maybe a visit to the Flight1 forums would be a good idea.David

A good AV will check the installer when it was downloaded. Turning the AV off is normal practice when running an installer.Don't forget that FS9 and most addons were created before Windows7 existed. Turning UAC is not a dangerous option as long as you run programs from trusted sources.The best advice is to install FS9 and addons outside of the default C/program files. You will avoid permission issues this way.Peter

Many thanks for all your replies so far, there seems to be a lot of conflicting comments about having Anti virus and UAC turned on or off. Personally I would prefer them to be left on but maybe this is causing the problem. I did use the Flight 1 forum and asked the same question initially and followed a couple of links, one being to download and install XP Mode which I did but I wasn't able to execute the programme. I did uninstall and re-install the programme as well but that did not work either.I have all my Flight sim programmes on my external hard drive so I am wondering if this is causing the problem? I will try installing MDAC 2.8 as someone suggested and see if that works, do you think if I try to install Win XP Mode again it will work? I don't want it to mess up my PC!Anyway, I will have another go and see what I can do, in the meantime, I have seen a programme called Simview Ground Texture Plus which looks quite good but I can't find many reviews about it, has anybody had any experience with this and if so is it any good?Thanks again for all your suggestions!

I dont use the programs you mention although i do use Ground environment (not pro).From my experience with running Fs9.1 + Active Sky, Ultimate traffic + many addon payware planes, there is no need to run your Win7 pc in any other mode (eg XP). Just install outside of programme files, turn off UAC, and on the FS9.exe icon right click and tick "diable visual themes" and "disable desktop composition".I did have a number of issues when installing certain programs, but persistent forum searching led me to the solution eventually.Peter

Turning the AV off is normal practice when running an installer.Peter

Is it? As a retired IT professional I have seen the unfortunate results of doing this but each to his own, I guess.David

Many thanks for all your replies so far, there seems to be a lot of conflicting comments about having Anti virus and UAC turned on or off. Personally I would prefer them to be left on but maybe this is causing the problem. I did use the Flight 1 forum and asked the same question initially and followed a couple of links, one being to download and install XP Mode which I did but I wasn't able to execute the programme. I did uninstall and re-install the programme as well but that did not work either.I have all my Flight sim programmes on my external hard drive so I am wondering if this is causing the problem? I will try installing MDAC 2.8 as someone suggested and see if that works, do you think if I try to install Win XP Mode again it will work? I don't want it to mess up my PC!Anyway, I will have another go and see what I can do, in the meantime, I have seen a programme called Simview Ground Texture Plus which looks quite good but I can't find many reviews about it, has anybody had any experience with this and if so is it any good?Thanks again for all your suggestions!

Don't try Win XP Mode - it's a virtual machine and not a mode; you'll end up running XP in a VM and it won't do a thing for you. Your external hard drive is not the issue either.DJ

Is it? As a retired IT professional I have seen the unfortunate results of doing this but each to his own, I guess.David

Yes, given the incredible number of a/v packages and their known aversion to some FS packages (NOD and AVG being frequent offenders in this regard), it is more of less standard practice. If you feel uncertain about an installer then scan it beforehand and if the a/v alerts on it then get on the forums and ask about the alert - in 20 years of FS I've never seen an actual infection from a payware package. Turning off Win 7 UAC and DEP is also standard during installation on Win 7, though frequently not required. They can always be turned back on. Likewise, installing as administrator is standard on Win 7. As a long time developer I've seen the unfortunate result of too much IT paranoia - it usually results in systems being locked down to the point of un-usability for anyting but word processing.DJ

Still no luck!!!!! Surely I cannot be the only one who has encountered this problem, or am I???I have tried installing the update for Ground Environment Pro, downloaded MDAC 2.8, turned off UAC, restarted my PC and still back to how it was!I suppose I could try uninstalling and re-installing it again to see if it makes any difference but I am beginning to lose patience with it now and beginning to wonder why I bothered buying it!!!

Still no luck!!!!! Surely I cannot be the only one who has encountered this problem, or am I???I have tried installing the update for Ground Environment Pro, downloaded MDAC 2.8, turned off UAC, restarted my PC and still back to how it was!I suppose I could try uninstalling and re-installing it again to see if it makes any difference but I am beginning to lose patience with it now and beginning to wonder why I bothered buying it!!!

You will have to un-install and re-install the program following the steps noted above because the database ODBC connection is created at installation time. Note that if you bought it within the last 30 days you can get a full refund from Flight1.DJ

OK I think it's time to call it a day with this one, I have uninstalled and re-installed it and still back to square 1. I only bought it last week so if it what you say is correct, I will try and get a refund from Flight 1. Thanks for eveyone's efforts in trying to help me out with this but this has been one tough cookie!