I do a fair bit of maintenance to my FSX, beta testing, trying out freeware stuff etc. Everything gets backed up. Recently I noticed that most of my aircraft no longer display nav, beacon or strobe lights which is a common problem.The add ons like A2A which come with their own light textures display great.To fix the problem I...installed A2A 3D lights which did not work (although editing the cfg files to include the lights from the A2A Boeing 377 did work. These lights are different from the 3d lights package, they are specific to the 377).I then re installed the original FSX light textures which were not even actually missing so that did not work.I then went back to my original FSX CFG. file which did not work.The lights in question do work on AI planes and sometimes appear on the aircraft I am flying IF the plane appears far away. Once the zoom is too close, they disappear.I don't see how it could be my video card.Anyone?Delta

Do you have DX10 preview enabled? This is a common bug that comes with it.

No Tom I Don't use Acceleration. I have SP2 and run XP. Is it possible that I installed an A/C that only runs with Accel. and it messed something up? How is it possible that going back the original FSX CFG. file and going back to the original light texture files did not solve the problem?Something interesting happened. After I went back to the original cfg. I booted FSX and the aircraft displayed the lights for about five seconds and then they disappeared.I'm thinking about a fresh install but what if I end up re installing the add on that has caused this? Sure I'll know which one it is but I'd like to know how to fix it without re installing.Thanks.Delta

Mmmh, DX10 preview is also included in SP2, but not available on XP.There are very, very few addons that require Acceleration. Mostly carrier-related freeware planes or some sceneries that use the additional library objects from Accel.Before reinstalling FSX, you could try to ask your question on the A2A support forum. If they sell the 3D lights, they might know more about any kinds of problems associated with AI plane lights.Sorry that I couldn't help you more.

Delta, try the following as it happened to me about a year ago, even thought I use w7.http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/system_file_checker.mspx?mfr=trueI lost gauges and lights on my lvl-d, and could not figure it out, until advised by someone to try the scan and sure enough it showed me I had a bad w7 instal.I tried reinstalling fsx four or five times with no luck, so after trying the scan and doing a fresh w7 reinstall all went well.I hope this helps, as it should inform you of any potential issues.Good Luck.

Have you tried an FSX repair install?

Waleed, thank you, if I re install fsx, I'll do a fresh install of XP at the same time. FSX is the only complicated thing to get back up and running.VG, no I haven't. I've always been afraid that it'll screw up everything I added, A/C, scenery and such. Have you ever done one?Oh and while I have you hear, do you know of any scenery upgrade for KBUR?

Just tried an FSX repair install. Sim lo longer boots (Fatal Error). And to make matters worse SP1 will not install. ("needs 1500 megs, please free up space and run the installer again.") I have 260 Gigs free space. I am so fed up of Microsoft and their crap.Anyone have any ideas?Delta

do you have a file spotlight.bmp and halo.bmp in your fsx exture folder?

Yes. They were always there unmodified.I am amazed that the "Repair" utility destroyed the program completely.

Could the fact that my Logbook.BIN is now a VLC Media file have something to do with the sim not booting?

No, that's just the filename extension associated with VLC.There is a common problem that a corrupted logbook.bin file prevents FSX from booting. The splash screen will be displayed indefinitely. You can delete/rename the file to resolve that or try to repair it (there's a tool for that on the avsim file library).But you say you get a fatal error, so the problem might be somewhere else.Looks like your FSX install is now completely messed up. I guess the safest thing to do is a complete reinstall.

I am so fed up of Microsoft and their crap.

It's not crap. You needed to uninstall the Service Packs first - before you did the repair process.

"You needed to uninstall the Service Packs first - before you did the repair process."I did not know that. Thank you for the next time.DeltaTom, I have moved the Logbook.bin hoping that FSX would create a new on. I tried the same with the config. file and neither worked. I noticed that the EXE does not offer a line for XP service pack 2 in the compatibility window. Is this normal?Delta

Tom, I have moved the Logbook.bin hoping that FSX would create a new on. I tried the same with the config. file and neither worked. I noticed that the EXE does not offer a line for XP service pack 2 in the compatibility window. Is this normal?

Not sure what OS you are running on. Here (Win7 64bit) there is an option. But you don't need compatibility mode anyway.But like I said, you have probably blown up your installation. Would still recommend a complete reinstall.