GE Pro

[mark22 2]

I have previously posted this question a month or 2 ago in the FS9 forum and as yet still not having any luck, so hopefully as this is probably a WIN7 issue hopefully someone can shed some light on this and help me out.Twice now I have bought and installed Ground Environment Pro, after the first time I got a refund as I gave up trying but this issue kept niggling away at me and I decided to give it another ago after a complete fresh re-install of FS9, making sure that it was outside of my Program Files. But I still keep getting the same problems despite all the advice I have been given, eg disable UAC, run as administartor etc.Anyway this is what I wrote in my previous post (copied and pasted):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.Any further help would be much appreciated please!

[Guest firehawk44]

I have previously posted this question a month or 2 ago in the FS9 forum and as yet still not having any luck, so hopefully as this is probably a WIN7 issue hopefully someone can shed some light on this and help me out.Twice now I have bought and installed Ground Environment Pro, after the first time I got a refund as I gave up trying but this issue kept niggling away at me and I decided to give it another ago after a complete fresh re-install of FS9, making sure that it was outside of my Program Files. But I still keep getting the same problems despite all the advice I have been given, eg disable UAC, run as administartor etc.Anyway this is what I wrote in my previous post (copied and pasted):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.Any further help would be much appreciated please!

I have GE Pro installed in my Windows 7 64 bit OS. If you do not have the latest and greatest 'dotnet' installed, you could get this runtime error. I believe dotnet framework was used by the GE Developer for development and installation of his product. Check your Add/Remove program to see if Microsoft .Net Framework is installed (the latest is version 4). It is automatically installed with Windows 7 but there have been updates and maybe you are missing those. You could also be missing several of the Microsoft Visual C++++ Redistributables which are also used by developers and FSX/FSX programs and addons. These are not installed automatically by Windows 7. When I first installed the Windows 7 OS, the first thing I looked for was the installation of the dotnet program and the redistributables and made sure they were installed before I ventured into installing FSX on my system. I never had an installation problem. The developer of GE Pro is NickN who also has created an excellent guide on setting up FSX and tuning it. He mentions in his guide the requirements for the Microsoft C++ Visual Redistributable that comes with the installation of Acceleration and provides a link - http://www.simforums.com/forums/topic29041.html. (So, if you do not have Acceleration installed, you might at least be missing this one!) I think FSX installs one of the redistributables too with FSX/FS9 installations but can't be sure. Here is a link to the Dot Net website where you can download the latest version of the .Net framework: http://www.microsoft.com/net/ (click on the download tab). I have all the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributables from 2005 to the present. Many of the FSX and FS9 addons were developed with the 2005 Redistributables so I think that one is critical. I would simply Google Microsoft Visual C++ Redistibutables and begin downloading all that you do not already have installed on your system. It doesn't hurt to install all of them, even if they might be unneeded as it is usually unknown as to which one was used by a developer for his FSX/FS9 program. It is important that once you download and install these files that you open up the Microsoft Update program and have it search for updates as there are many fixes and updates to these redistributables. I can almost assure you that your ODBC Driver Manager error will go away once these files are installed and you should have no further problems installing GE Pro. I would recommend you disable UAC whenever you install any new software as was recommended previously by others, including these redistributables and dotnet framework files. Best regards,Jim

[mark22 2]

Hi. Thanks for the reply, regarding the programmes you mentioned, I have just had a look at which ones I have installed and they are:Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 Redistributable (installed 30th April 2011)Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 Redistributable - X86 (installed 30th October 2010)Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 Redistributable (installed 15th August 2009)Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 ATL Update X64 (installed 18th March 2010)Microsoft NET Framework 1.1Microsoft.NET Framework 4 Client ProfileMicrosoft.NET Framework 4 ExtendedPlus other Microsoft updates like MSXML 4.0 SP2 etc...So, I am guessing that I have the latest updates anyway, so I am still not sure what else I need to download. Any more suggestions please?

[mark22 2]

Just as an after thought, I also right clicked on GE Pro to bring up the Troubleshoot Compatability option and tried various options to try and make the programme work but I still got no success. One question I do want to check is when you right click on the icon to bring up the properties then click on the compatability tab, should any of the boxes be ticked, ie 'Run this program in compatability mode for...' or 'Run this program as administrator'.I did try changing these settings but still made no difference, was just wondering if it would make any difference or not.

[Guest firehawk44]

Hi. Thanks for the reply, regarding the programmes you mentioned, I have just had a look at which ones I have installed and they are:Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 Redistributable (installed 30th April 2011)Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 Redistributable - X86 (installed 30th October 2010)Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 Redistributable (installed 15th August 2009)Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 ATL Update X64 (installed 18th March 2010)Microsoft NET Framework 1.1Microsoft.NET Framework 4 Client ProfileMicrosoft.NET Framework 4 ExtendedPlus other Microsoft updates like MSXML 4.0 SP2 etc...So, I am guessing that I have the latest updates anyway, so I am still not sure what else I need to download. Any more suggestions please?

There is no need to run a compatibility program as GE Pro is compatible with Vista and Windows 7. You should be the Administrator of your computer.Suggestions:I would uninstall .Net Framework 1.1. Not needed. I have the other two .Net Framework 4 programs installed.You only have four C++ Redistributables installed. I have 15 as follows:C++ 2005 ATL Update kb973923 - x86 8.0.50727.4053C++ 2005 Redistributable Version 8.0.58299C++ 2005 Redistributable KB2467175 Version 8.0.51011C++ 2005 Redistributable Version 8.0.58298 (this is the one recommended by NickN as I discussed previously)C++ 2008 Redistributable ATL Update kb973924 - x64 9.0.30729.4148C++ 2008 Redistributable ATL Update kb973924 - x86 9.0.30729.4148C++ 2008 Redistributable - KB2467174 - x64 9.0.30729.5570C++ 2008 Redistributable - KB2467174 - x86 9.0.30729.5570C++ 2008 Redistributable - x64 9.0.30729C++ 2008 Redistributable - x64 9.0.30729.17C++ 2008 Redistributable - x86 9.0.21022C++ 2008 Redistributable - x86 9.0.30729C++ 2008 Redistributable - x86 9.0.30729.17C++ 2010 Redistributable - x64 - 10.0.30319C++ 2010 Redistributable - x86 - 10.0.30319Now I didn't go onto the Microsoft Visual C++ website and download each and everyone of these Redistributables. They were either installed automatically through Microsoft Update or they were installed when I installed a piece of new software. As you can see, the Redistributables come in x86 (for 32 bit systems/programs) and x64 (for 64 bit systems/programs). Since FSX and FS9 were developed for 32 bit systems, you should have the x86 Redistributables installed at a minimum.When you tried to reinstall GE Pro, did you get the ODBC Driver Manager error? If not, we're making progress....Have you ever checked the Event Manager for your computer? It should show you an error if there was a problem with your system and then provide you a link to possibly find a fix for it. It's possible your system is having a hardware/software issue and this is causing problems with your installation of GE Pro.This is it. I have no more suggestions/recommendations. Hopefully my suggestion(s) above will fix your problem but, if not, I hope a computer expert can come on and provide additional advice for you.Best regards,Jim

[mark22 2]

Well, I have tried about everything I can think of and still not progressed any further. I have now downloaded and installed a lot more Microsoft Visual C++ programmes, think I have about 14 now plus downloaded all the new updates for Windows 7 and I am still getting exactly the same problems starting off with the ODBC Driver Manager error then all the pop up error boxes after that. Thanks for all your help Jim, but as you said, I hope that a computer expert can come on and hopefully give me some more advice!

[Guest firehawk44]

Well, I have tried about everything I can think of and still not progressed any further. I have now downloaded and installed a lot more Microsoft Visual C++ programmes, think I have about 14 now plus downloaded all the new updates for Windows 7 and I am still getting exactly the same problems starting off with the ODBC Driver Manager error then all the pop up error boxes after that. Thanks for all your help Jim, but as you said, I hope that a computer expert can come on and hopefully give me some more advice!

Okay I give up. Just remember you have to reinstall GE Pro and, before doing that, I would recommend doing a repair install with FSX, SP1 and SP2 (or Acceleration if that's installed) then reinstall GE Pro cus your installations were bad prior to you updating your system with the new Redistributables, etc.Best regards,Jim

[mark22 2]

Yes I uninstalled GE Pro and re-installed it again but it made no difference. I am wondering though if this is more a techinal issue which may require further help, I googled similar problems and if you go into START-SETTINGS CONTROL PANEL-ADMINISTRATIVE TOOLS-DATA SOURCES (ODBC), then I wonder if there is anything in those settings which I need to change or delete. I don't want to start messings around with it and cause further problems but if anyone can help on this matter it would be most appreciated, thanks.

[Guest firehawk44]

Yes I uninstalled GE Pro and re-installed it again but it made no difference. I am wondering though if this is more a techinal issue which may require further help, I googled similar problems and if you go into START-SETTINGS CONTROL PANEL-ADMINISTRATIVE TOOLS-DATA SOURCES (ODBC), then I wonder if there is anything in those settings which I need to change or delete. I don't want to start messings around with it and cause further problems but if anyone can help on this matter it would be most appreciated, thanks.

I would not touch any of the ODBC settings as you could mess up Windows 7 even more. I believe you have GE Pro properly installed because all it does is overwrite your default scenery files. So, if FSX works w/o GE Pro, it should work fine with GE Pro installed. You do not need to backup your scenery files before installing GE Pro. It is safe to install GE Pro and let it overwrite the default scenery folder/textures. Believe me, once GE Pro textures are installed, you won't want to go back to the default (and if you want to go back to the default, just reinsert the FSX disk and do a repair). I strongly believe you installed GE Pro and now you are, for some reason, trying to backup the textures and GE Pro is simply telling you "hey, you installed GE Pro already and now I can no longer back up your files". "It's too late as you were suppose to back them up before you ran the GE Setup program". Or, perhaps you did successfully back up your default scenery files and the GE Pro installation installed the new textures and now you are, for some reason, trying to back them up again. GE Pro won't allow that as you would be overwriting the default files previously backed up. If you have files in C:/Backup, you have successfully backed up your default scenery files. If you want to conduct further research on ODBC, conduct a Google search for 'ODBC Driver Manager error' and you'll get a lot of information/education about this error. Best regards,Jim