Ok, posted last week on this, and got some suggestions on what to back up prior to reinstalling FS9.Did that.Moved the whole folder (copied it, actually), then uninstalled, checked disk, defragged, and reinstalled.No dice, still locks up on the splash screen.Hmm - ok, fine must be something deeper. Systemworks - winfix - no dice. Same thing.Ok, deep breath - reinstall windows (repair install). An hour later, and after having to re-activate XP via phone (what a pain THAT was) reboot, launch FS9 -lock on splash screen!So, I am at a loss. Was working fine ,then just decidid it had enough. All other programs appear to be working fine.Suggestions?Don't want to re-format, and the sense I get is that if I do, I will be right back here after a couple of days saying - well, that didn't work either!!

Can You play any other game? If you can then its really mind boggling as to what is going on. If you cant then I would look at your system, maybe memory, try taking out one of your memory sticks if you do have more than one. IF not try deleting your FS9.cfg and letting FS make a new one. It cant be WINXP and FS9, as winxp is recomended for FS9.Jason

99 time out of a hundred the error is fixed by deleting the fs9.cfg as advised. The other 1 time it might be a scenery.cfg error. The only thing to do is start with a clean install of FS and add the folders back in one at a time, starting with aircraft and gaugesI suppose there is a remote chance a RAM stick has gone bad, but you'd have noticed that when reinstalling, I feel sure.Allcott

I had the same kind of hang-up at the splash screen despite doing numerous re-installations and defragging etc.My solution was found after running dxdiag.exe: it showed that my DirectX was restored for some reason to version 8!So I re-installed DX 9.0b from MS' webpage and all was well after that..

>So I re-installed DX 9.0b from MS' webpage and all was well after that..

Happened to me once when I still had a MMX VideoCard ... and what FS wants is for you to first install the drivers of your videocard from the CD you've got with the videocard, and then after that update it with your latest video drivers ...... after that FS was back online!Remember to run DirectX again after you've installed your video drivers.Hope it worksTPS: Jason - what happened to your P$$ forum ...?

I'd agree with the other suggestions about reloading DirectX .If you need to download the latest version (DX9b) it's here:http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details...&displaylang=enDoug

It is possible that a "repair install"(IE overwriting your old copy of Windows) would put you back to DX8 .However ,my suggestion is that having done the XP part, run Regedit and remove any references to FS9(there will be several refs to it) Then re-install FS from the CDs,then finally drag all the contents of your backup copy of FS9 into the new FS9 folder (allowing overwrites)I have done this in a similar fashion before with no problems as long as I cleared the registry entries before reinstalling the basic copy of FS9. This way you will automatically get DX9 from the FS9 basic installation.Dave

Yes, I can play other games. Several - in fact all my other programs appear fine. (have not done an exhastive test, but nothing else I DO use crashes. Splinter Cell is fine, Jurrassic Park etc.I also did the upgrade to DirectX 9.0b off the windowsupdate site, and that had no effect either.-still totally stumped.

Bless you! Deleted both, and am back in!!