Cannot uninstall NGX

[sagitta424 0]

Hi Captains, I have searched the forums, but couldn't find what I'm looking for. Today I installed the latest hotfix (the "pre SP1", build 2987). After that FSX wouldn't start or crash within seconds. So I decided to uninstall the NGX completely. After uninstall windows (windows 7, 64 bits) showed a message box, saying that the uninstall might have been unsuccesfull. When I checked the status of the NGX installation, it was still present in the installed programs, although it didn't have the PMDG icon anymore. Trying to uninstall it again, didn't work, nothing happened and the entry remained. The software was uninstalled from the NGX directory, only the documentation and some flightplans (company routes) were there. In the Simobjects directory there were still entries for the four 737 models. I removed the remaining PMDG entries from my FSX folder. Now, it is impossible to do anything. I can't uninstall or get rid of the entry in installed programs. I wanted to install the first release (build 2888), and then wait for the official release of SP 1. But it won't install and I get a message that version 1.00.2916 (so NOT the pre-SP1!) is already installed. It looks like a stale mate, happened before with various software. So, is there a tool to completely remove the 737 NGX? Thanks!

[joshleeman 0]

Hi Captains, I have searched the forums, but couldn't find what I'm looking for. Today I installed the latest hotfix (the "pre SP1", build 2987). After that FSX wouldn't start or crash within seconds. So I decided to uninstall the NGX completely. After uninstall windows (windows 7, 64 bits) showed a message box, saying that the uninstall might have been unsuccesfull. When I checked the status of the NGX installation, it was still present in the installed programs, although it didn't have the PMDG icon anymore. Trying to uninstall it again, didn't work, nothing happened and the entry remained. The software was uninstalled from the NGX directory, only the documentation and some flightplans (company routes) were there. In the Simobjects directory there were still entries for the four 737 models. I removed the remaining PMDG entries from my FSX folder. Now, it is impossible to do anything. I can't uninstall or get rid of the entry in installed programs. I wanted to install the first release (build 2888), and then wait for the official release of SP 1. But it won't install and I get a message that version 1.00.2916 (so NOT the pre-SP1!) is already installed. It looks like a stale mate, happened before with various software. So, is there a tool to completely remove the 737 NGX? Thanks!

Did you use the NGX installer to uninstall it?

[sagitta424 0]

Did you use the NGX installer to uninstall it?

No, it was started from Windows, Add and Remove Programs. But doesn't this lead to the installer provided by PMDG? The program that was started was from PMDG and that program performed the uninstall.

[vonmar 122]

Herman, "It looks like a stale mate, happened before with various software." You have a systems (or virus??) / registry problem. Was your Win7-64 a new PC or did you do an upgrade to your old PC?

[sagitta424 0]

Herman, "It looks like a stale mate, happened before with various software." You have a systems (or virus??) / registry problem. Was your Win7-64 a new PC or did you do an upgrade to your old PC?

I didn't mean that problems like this happened on this specific hardware/software before on a regular base. Rather a general problem in Windows over the years in many Windows versions and on many PC's. I build them myself. The Win7-64 was a fresh install on new hardware. I can imagine that it is a registry problem, but I don't know enough to manually "repair" it myself. I think that my PC is properly equipped with anti-virus and firewall protection. So, I hope there is an uninstall help tool, that can cleanup my registry for this specific problem. Or maybe, there is somebody on the forum who can guide me to the specific regsitry keys to delete. Best regards, Herman.

[vonmar 122]

Herman, Maybe try the Hardware forum.

[sagitta424 0]

It is simple and safe to edit the registry yourself. Use regedit in the windows folder and the PMDG entry is in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE under SOFTWARE.Select the PMDG folder and delete it. Then exit regedit.It is that simple. A fresh install should then be possible.

Thanks, I'll try that immediately tomorrow. Guess that a backup of my registry before, will protect me from unwanted results. Let you know tomorrow :-)! Herman.

[sagitta424 0]

Unfortunately there isn't a key PMDG in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE under SOFTWARE! The registry is full of PMDG references though, e.g. each and every single SID and STAR file has its entry (why?). I really don't know where to go from here :-( ...

[FS++ 708]

I can only advise on how to remove the PMDG entry listed in “add-remove” programs, so you can hopefully re-install. I don’t condone messing with the other PMDG related entries. This applies to any installed software. Go to the registry editor. First backup your registry. Find HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall You will see subkeys with unique IDs on the left pane. Click on each item, and read the stuff on the right pane. Carry on until you find the relevant software you want to remove. Once located, delete the subkey itself, something like“20708FD5-E94D-4097-A21E-E28564CDBC06” (just an example taken from my system) Yours will be different. These are actually unique GUID (128 bit numbers). Just be careful to delete the key whose GUID shows DisplayName = PMDG 737 8900 NGX on the right pane. Hope this helps Gerald R.

[vonmar 122]

Herman, "I didn't mean that problems like this happened on this specific hardware/software before on a regular base. Rather a general problem in Windows over the years in many Windows versions and on many PC's. I build them myself." On your previous home built PC(s).What did you do for this type of problem?

[sagitta424 0]

I found the exact same GUID value at the location HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall, must be because of the fact that the NGX is 32 bits software installed on 64 bits Windows 7. I removed that GUID with its subtree, and now installation is possible again. Thanks, Gerald, you saved my day :-) !!

[vonmar 122]

Herman, IMO, you still have problem(s) with your system.It is not normal .. the procedure you had to use ... to uninstall any installed program.Glad you had success with this issue.

[sagitta424 0]

Herman, "I didn't mean that problems like this happened on this specific hardware/software before on a regular base. Rather a general problem in Windows over the years in many Windows versions and on many PC's. I build them myself." On your previous home built PC(s).What did you do for this type of problem?

On several occasions I reinstalled Windows (XP). That seemed to be a good thing to do now and then anyhow. Sofar I did not reinstall Windows 7 on this PC (running for 20 months now without problems).

Herman, IMO, you still have problem(s) with your system.It is not normal .. the procedure you had to use ... to uninstall any installed program.Glad you had success with this issue.

I can surely agree to that. First time I "removed" the remains of a program by editting the registry. Maybe there are more problems to come, in which case I will decide to do a clean install of Windows 7 (but that will be two days of work before I have all software up and running again). For now, I think I'll just wait a couple of more days (hopefully) for the release of the official Service Pack.

[vonmar 122]

Herman, "For now, I think I'll just wait a couple of more days (hopefully) for the release of the official Service Pack. " Good idea.But in my case I will wait for some days after SP1 is released before considering to install it. Depends what I read on this forum.I have not flown this aircraft yet.But all is still ok testing systems at the gate, reading this forum and the manual.

[sagitta424 0]

Well Vaughan, I think that you are right. There is certainly a lot of studying to do and from reading this forum there can also be learned quite a bit. I have made a couple of flights sofar (bought the machine on release day) and I guess that in about half of the flights there was some kind of problem with the simulation. I also completed some flights with no problem at all. But is hard to keep on flying in this way, I don't want to get demotivated. So i just wait some more, and hopefully AOA will also be able to speed up the pace of releasing their training video's. Yesterday a friend of mine stopped by (a real life 747 FO), who brought me a lot of training material that he used when he was flying the 737. Really nice stuf, such as a complete set of detailed cockpit posters! Regards,