First off I have been a lurker on these forums for ages, but I really need your great help as I am stuck. Please read on...A few weeks ago I upgraded my PC with a new mobo and graphics card. I also decided to format the HDD to allow quicker running and a freshly installed FS was clearly quicker and prettier to use. I had slowly been adding addons such as my sceneries and downloading fantastic stuff off this site. Everything was going swell. I love my AI and strive for it to be realistic and good to look at. So on thursday began installing MRAI packages and various AI aircraft (PAI, FSP, AIA etc.). On friday night I was halfway through the Summer MRAI packages and booted up FS, it ran fine and places like LHR and LAX started to have life. Then today (Saturday) I was making great pace on the AI and decided to take another peek, double clicked the shortcut and this is where the problems began.On clicking the FS logo I get the splash screen at the begining and a bit of CD activity and then it just hangs on the splash screen. I have tried an unistall and new install, using the option on the CD1. Still dosen't work with no addons. Same thing happens.Any help greatly appreciated. Thanks guys!James D

Hi James and welcome,The standard initial advice is first to locate your fs9.cfg file, delete it (after making a backup and storing it safely in another folder remote from the sim in case you need to recall any changes you have made to the file) and then startup the sim and it will generate a fresh configuration file.fs9.cfg is usually located at:C:Documents and SettingsYour User NameApplication DataMicrosoftFS9Be sure 'Show Hidden Files and Folders' is enabled by double clicking 'My Computer' and then select Tools - Folder Options - View. You will find it under 'Advanced settings'. A word of caution. Once fs9.cfg has been rebuilt, resist the temptation to make too many changes or additions to the existing entries and subsequent overwrites of the original file. This file is very sensitive to constant meddling and you will soon pay the penalty in terms of degradation in the sim's performance. This does not, however, apply to changes made from within the sim itself. Better to get hold of Ken Salter's excellent utility 'FS9 Configurator' and create copies of the original fs9.cfg and experiment with these copies instead. The file is 'fs9cfg14.zip' and is available here in the file library.Mike

I think the problem is with your AI package and would just uninstall that instead of uninstalling/reinstalling the whole FS. Probably a duplicate AFCAD for an airport is conflicting. Also, when you installed FS2K4, did you add FSSound.dll under OLD MODULES in your FS9.cfg? That could possibly be the problem. I renamed "Sound.dll" (not FSSound) in my Modules folder last week (don't ask me why) and my FS hung at the splash screen until I extracted the file off the CD and put it back into my Modules folder. So it's little things like that that could cause your problem(s). When uninstalling/ reinstalling FS2K4, make sure you delete all remnants of it before reinstalling. Make sure FS9.cfg has been deleted too. Instead of uninstalling the whole program, why not simply delete FS9.cfg and restart FS2K4? The FS9.cfg will be rebuilt. You might want to read some of the tips posted by others in the Tips section within this forum. Many have the same problem. Hope this helps.Jim Young

I first tried to remove my AI aircraft and AI bgls, but with no luck. On the uninstall I removed all FS files, however on the fresh install I did not name FSSound.dll as an old module.I will keep trying. Thanks.

Nope no luck, any other suggestions? The FS install has no addons whatsoever. I am really annoyed now, please I am really need some help!

ive been getting all these dll problems as welli figured out i hadnt formatted my c drive for 16 mths, so i took the big step and formatted the whole thing and started fresh.

I had that problem once with FS2000 and I fixed it by deleting the registry entries that for some reason were still on my HDD even after a format & OS re-install.As always **BACK UP** your registry if you want to try this.Now dive into your registry and delete all the references to your flight simulator & the add-ons for it. Easier said than done I know... Its easier if you have a registry editor programme, theres loads of great free ones on the net that will make it a little easier (try http://www.snapfiles.com/freeware/freeware.html)One of the entries sits here for example:HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE>Software>Microsoft>Games>Flight SimulatorOnce your registry is scrubbed off all references to the flight sim software, clean out the HDD again and try a re-install...All this is last-resort stuff if nothing else works!Good luck :)

Reinstalling DX9 after the FS2004 install will often cure the "stuck-at-the-splash-screen" problem. Doug

Actually, try this first... DirectX 9.0b seems to not register FS9 on the first try. I tried installing DX9 a few times and it didn't work, but manually activiting the network properties did.THIS WAS TAKEN FROM THE MICROSOFT SUPPORT SITE:To verify that DirectX has been installed correctly and that all DirectX files are the correct version, follow these steps: 1. Click Start, and then click Run. 2. In the Open box, type dxdiag, and then click OK. 3. In the DirectX Diagnostic Tool, on the System tab, verify that the DirectX version is version 9.0a or later. If you have an earlier version than 9.0a, go to Method 6 later in this article. 4. On the DirectX Files tab, in the Notes box, verify that the text No problems found appears. Note If problems are found, install the latest version of DirectX. To obtain the latest version of DirectX, visit the following Microsoft Web site: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/directx/default.aspx 5. On the Network tab, verify that the symptoms of a corrupted DirectPlay installation are not present. These symptoms include: * The term "Errors" appears in the Registered DirectPlay Service Providers box. * The Test DirectPlay button is unavailable. * The following error message appears in the Notes box: The registry information for the DirectXPlay8 TCP/IP service provider is missing or damaged. Note If these symptoms are present, quit the DirectX Diagnostic Tool, and then follow these steps: 1. Click Start, and then click Run. 2. In the Open box, type regsvr32 dpnet.dll. 3. Click OK. 4. You will receive the following message: DllRegisterServer in dpnet.dll succeeded. Click OK. 5. Repeat steps 1 through 5 to determine whether the symptoms of a corrupted DirectPlay installation are still present. If so, quit the DirectX Diagnostic Tool, and then install the latest version of DirectX.To obtain the latest version, visit the following Microsoft Web site:http://www.microsoft.com/windows/directx/default.aspx

I dad this problem.It drove me nuts. Evetually I did I system restore to apoint just before it all turned to custrad. Anyway thats what did it for me. If it doesn't work just re-undo it.paul

James,One infamous cause for FSX hanging at the splash screen is a corrupted logbook file. I don't believe it gets removed when you uninstall therefore uninstalling and reinstalling FSX doesn't solve the problem. Try removing (ie. rename, delete, move) the logbook file in your My DocumentsFSX folder. If that works you can either stay with the new logbook file and loose your flight history or you can try to repair your corrupted logbook file. You can use the FSX Logbook Editor utility available in the library:http://library.avsim.net/esearch.php?DLID=...7&CatID=fsxutilHope that helps,-Thad

I think it's your logbook. Delete it & with any luck your problems will be over (maybe). If you want to keep data in your old log you can download one of the free logbook editors & try that first. I tried editing mine but with no success. Backup your log if it is important. If you backup the log you should check it is not corrupt, using one of the editors mentioned, to ensure you aren't keeping a "dud" version.

I think he's referring to fs9 and considering the post is from 2004 one would hope he has it fixed by now. :)Ian.

Woops, it is a bit old isn't it. Well if he has any trouble with his FSX logbook he knows what to do lolDavid