Validation Issues Preventing Installation of Steve's DX10 Fixer - Other Purchase Options?

[RKillins 1]

I have successfully puchased and downloaded the 'Fixer' from FlightSim Store.

Unfortunately, I'm unable to install the software due to what is likely a wrapper issue. I have tried both the automatic online, and manual validation methods, but both are resulting in errors preventing installation. I've made inquiry with SimStore support, but other than their initial reply of a copied FAQ topic, I have not heard anything further. Their canned generic suggestion (of disabling firewall and ant-virus) did not result in success. I'm using Windows 7 and even tried installing as administrator. The communicated results of ongoing failure remain unacknowledged by SimStore at this time. I hope I am not being ignored.

 

My question ... is this fix available, or will it be made available, somewhere other than SimStore? If I am unable to install this, I will be seeking a refund, but that will mean being without the 'Fixer' unless I can get it from elsewhere.

[Paul J 349]

Hi: Sorry you're having an issue with FSS's wrapper, but I would suggest you might look at this page, and let us know here how it goes?

 

Thanks,

 

pj

[CVO110 3]

Hi RK,

Have you tried to download it again? You have numerous downloads available if I'm not mistaken. May have been a bad download. Worth a try.

[RKillins 1]

Hi Paul, I appreciate your reply.

 

Yes ... I had tried the manual method and failed. Received error "The key file entered is invalid.". I had recreated this file numerous times with the same results.

With the automatic method, I received: "Validation failed: download incomplete. Please ensure you are connected to the internet and click Next to try again." In both scenarios, I would copy and paste the registration information from the email confirmation directly into the wrapper's fields. No blank preceeding or trailing spaces.

 

Danny, yeah ... downloaded again. That was my first thought after failing to receive further support.

[Paul J 349]

Did the fresh download work, RK?

[CVO110 3]

RK, one other thing you might try. Input your information in each field manually via your keyboard.

[ZKOKQ 984]

Be careful you have no spaces. Make sure you put in the date correctly, eg  YYYY-M-D

[RKillins 1]

Thank you all for your support. It's great to know some are willing to help, when others (FlightSim Store?) can't be bothered to even acknowledge receiving a request for help.

 

I can't say for certain which, or combination of, suggestions, eventually resulted in the application finally being installed. I was unable to use the online validation method, so I revisited the manual version. As Danny and Julian suggested, I made sure to type in the fields manually to avoid any spaces. I managed to successfully create the .fsc file needed to be uploaded to FlightSim Store in order to get the validation key file.

 

This is where it got weird. After the .fsc file was downloaded, the fixer installed on it's own. I did not have any options for installation ... it installed itself to the program files(x86) folder. Although it was there, it was not functional. There was a built in security feature asking for email address and a serial number. (This is bypassed with the FSS wrapper installation.)

 

I relaunched the Fixer application to access the wrapper again. I went to the FSS validation page and uploaded the fsc file, in return getting the key file. With the manual validation method, I accessed the key file, and the installation worked flawlessly. I was asked for a destination directory and there it was installed. I ran the fixer application and was not greeted with the built-in security checker.

 

So, I have two installations on this computer ... one that works from where it's supposed to, and one in the program files(x86) that does not work.

 

Thank you all. Didn't think something so simply could be so awkward.

[ZKOKQ 984]

Glad you are up n running. Enjoy the DX10 experience.

[vc10man 732]

Hi Paul

 

Am seriously considering getting this Fixer, but as my card is a DX11, or should I say, dxdiag. is reporting a DX11, (a)is it worth getting it?(b) what are the advantages/disadvantages of running the sim in DX10 as opposed to DX11?

[CVO110 3]

Glad to hear you got it worked out RK.

[Paul J 349]

Hi Paul

 

Am seriously considering getting this Fixer, but as my card is a DX11, or should I say, dxdiag. is reporting a DX11, (a)is it worth getting it?( B) what are the advantages/disadvantages of running the sim in DX10 as opposed to DX11?

 

Hi Rick!   OK - a quick school (if you can sit and read for a while: I tend to be long-winded....

 

Given:-

 

1). We have a GPU that can do lots of Graphics magic.

 

2). We have a program - FSX.

 

3). We have an Operating System - Windows 7.

 

4). Each of these can speak to one another, and can understand, say - 300 words using a 26-character alphabet. We can call this "DirectX" - in fact, call it DirectX version 9, DX9 for short..

 

5). Those words can be pushed together like a sentence - making a command, which you as the pilot using FSX, can use - say "Nav Lights ON" - You initiate this command, and FSX sends it to the OS, which "does something", say - makes the audio system make a "Click" sound, and then passes it on to the GPU - which moves the switch on the screen. It's 2005, and FSX speaks the DX9 language!

 

6). A year later, somebody at MS adds another 12 letters to that alphabet, making some new commands that revolutionize how the GPU manages it's memory, while also making some new words and arranging them to modify some of the old commands, so they work faster, and also adds some new commands that might create better-looking smoke! Call this DirectX v10.

The hardware manufactures create their new products, so that they can understand and speak DX10, and likewise the Operating System.

 

7). It's now 2006, and ACES start work on making FSX understand DX10, but before they can finish that work - MS decides to kill the product and lay off ACES. SP2 is released with a crippled version of the new language, but they call it "DX10 Preview" because they had advertized DX10 as a major improvement of FSX.

 

7). Six months later the same 'somebody' adds 15 more letters,  and also makes better-looking water, and adds some more funtionality - "tessellation" is here. This is more new ground, and so they call these new changes DX11 - which FSX doesn't and cannot be made to speak or understand.

 

8). Fast forward to 2012. A bright programmer named Steve decides to find out why DX10 doesn't work, and finds that he can repair and finish off most of the old unfinished code, and can find ways of getting around some/most of the issues caused by backward compatibility.

 

9). Sept 2013. Steve releases the DX10 Scenery Fixer which, once installed and configured, brings FSX to within a cat's whisker of the ACES intended DX10 compatibility goal. 

 

For all intents and purposes - hundreds, maybe low thousands as I write - are using and enjoying the benefits of the DX10 version of FSX.

 

I hope this helps, Rick! :lol:

[SteveFx 258]

Thank you all for your support. It's great to know some are willing to help, when others (FlightSim Store?) can't be bothered to even acknowledge receiving a request for help.

 

I can't say for certain which, or combination of, suggestions, eventually resulted in the application finally being installed. I was unable to use the online validation method, so I revisited the manual version. As Danny and Julian suggested, I made sure to type in the fields manually to avoid any spaces. I managed to successfully create the .fsc file needed to be uploaded to FlightSim Store in order to get the validation key file.

 

This is where it got weird. After the .fsc file was downloaded, the fixer installed on it's own. I did not have any options for installation ... it installed itself to the program files(x86) folder. Although it was there, it was not functional. There was a built in security feature asking for email address and a serial number. (This is bypassed with the FSS wrapper installation.)

 

I relaunched the Fixer application to access the wrapper again. I went to the FSS validation page and uploaded the fsc file, in return getting the key file. With the manual validation method, I accessed the key file, and the installation worked flawlessly. I was asked for a destination directory and there it was installed. I ran the fixer application and was not greeted with the built-in security checker.

 

So, I have two installations on this computer ... one that works from where it's supposed to, and one in the program files(x86) that does not work.

 

Thank you all. Didn't think something so simply could be so awkward.

 

Well I am very sorry that you had problems.  I will raise it with the FSS. 

 

I have noticed that any leading space causes the cannot connect error - but it sounds like you were aware of that. 

 

To me it sounds like when it "semi worked" that failed to ask for admin rights.

 

All I can do is apologise.

 

If anyone cannot install then contact me and I will try to help.  There should be a support forum on avsim in a few days.