Puzzling start-up problem

[jetlag 65]

Out of the blue, I have this new recurring problem.  I get a "FS9 has stopped working" message at the end of the flight load sequence (scenery, traffic, etc, load apparently OK then crash).  The event log points to a ntdll.dll fault with always the same exception code and the same offset.  I have not knowingly made any changes to sceneries or other before this started to happen;  just tinkering with FSUIPC settings.

 

Here is what I have tried:

- disabled all sceneries except stock

- renamed fs9.cfg

- tried to reinstall DirectX but MSoft won't do it because it is OK and current

- selected/created other flights

 

Now for the puzzling bit:  I had saved a backup of FS9.exe before making it 3Gb aware.  This file is called FS9 2Gb - copy.exe and sits in the FS9 root folder.

  -  if I start by double-clicking that name, FS loads OK but with default resolution and settings and default flight.  I am able to change aircraft.

  - if I rename that file "fs9.exe" and double-click it,  FS either crashes as described above or else it starts OK, but with my usual settings and usual flight - then crashes if I attempt to change the aircraft.

 

I just can't understand why the name of the executable could make a difference.  If the settings are  in FS9.cfg why do  two identical executables (except filename) behave differently?  I was so skeptical that I have done this several times, with the same results.

 

I would really like to avoid a reinstall -  I have barely completed one on my new PC.

 

Any hints greatly appreciated!

 

Phil

 

[Jeff H 63]

You said you were tinkering with FSUIPC settings.  That could have caused a problem.  Try reinstalling FSUIPC. 

Cheers,

Jeff

[jetlag 65]

You said you were tinkering with FSUIPC settings.  That could have caused a problem.  Try reinstalling FSUIPC. 

 

Cheers,

Jeff

Thanks for your tip.  I did as suggested, to no avail.

 

Additional info:  I run FS as administrator under W7, 64bits,  I have tried with and without XP compat mode .

[jetlag 65]

I am trying to pinpoint this repeatable problem with the W7 event viewer:  the faulting application and module paths show %11 %12.  How can I relate these codes to actual modules?

 

Thanks

 

Phil

[Romflyer 0]

I would suggest you go get yourself a new fs9.exe file, either from your disks or better yet on the Internet, from there you move all your other backup exe' s away to another folder ( perhaps the recycle bin) and place the new exe in your main fs folder.....if after that things are still not right then go in and remove your fs9.cfg file.......restart the sim and let it rebuild a new one

Assuming this fixes your problems, then you can try again to install the memory patch.

Hope that helps

Cheers

Romflyer

[jetlag 65]

Further to the observation in my original post:

Out of curiosity I have renamed the "crashing" FS9.exe  to  FS9test.exe .  This renamed file loads OK and the sim appears to be  functional.

 

Surely some Windows expert can explain this?

 

I wonder if the culprit module might be one that depends on the FILENAME of the running application.  If so, this might help pinpoint the cause of the crash.

 

BTW, I have done a Windows restore to a config  prior to the fault appearing.  No luck.

 

Thanks, folks.

 

Phil

I would suggest you go get yourself a new fs9.exe file, either from your disks or better yet on the Internet, from there you move all your other backup exe' s away to another folder ( perhaps the recycle bin) and place the new exe in your main fs folder.....if after that things are still not right then go in and remove your fs9.cfg file.......restart the sim and let it rebuild a new one
Assuming this fixes your problems, then you can try again to install the memory patch.
Hope that helps
Cheers
Romflyer

We were typing simultaneously...  Yes, this is my next step.

I still would like to understand what's going on!

Thanks

[JSkorna 137]

 

 

I had saved a backup of FS9.exe before making it 3Gb aware.

 

So jetlag, did modifying the FS9.exe mess up your FS9?

[jetlag 65]

 

 

So jetlag, did modifying the FS9.exe mess up your FS9?

No, sorry I didn't make myself clear.

I had made that 3Gb mod a long time ago and had many hours of happy flying with it installed.  It is unrelated to the recent faulting.

I only mentioned it because that's where I got the backup from, renaming it to FS9.exe.

 

Thx

 

Phil

[JSkorna 137]

OK, thanks.

[N60JBravo 27]

 

 

Out of curiosity I have renamed the "crashing" FS9.exe to FS9test.exe . This renamed file loads OK and the sim appears to be functional.

That would point to a bad FS9.cfg as FS9test.exe will generate a new FS9test.cfg and not use the old one.

 

When you first ran FS9test.exe did the sim load with all default settings?

 

regards,

Joe

[jetlag 65]

I have decided to remove all the dlls in the FS folder one-by-one until the fault disappeared.  

Didn't have to go far:  lua5.1.dll did the trick.  I don't know how yet but it is unambiguous.

 

When I ran FS9test.exe instead of FS9.exe, my FSUIPC.ini was not run and therefore LUA was not called up.  That's my uneducated guess anyway.

 

I have wasted a week but learned a few things in the process.

 

Thanks to all for your help and merry Xmas or happy winter solstice holidays, as you see fit!

 

Cheers,

Phil