Unexpected effect from running Prepar3D.msi

[brucek 38]

This may belong at the LM forums, but I thought I would try here first.

 

Just purchased P3D 2.0 and attempted to download at home (I often download add-ons with no worries).  But this time, even if downloading the .cab files seperately, I found that once I got to 99%,IE would quit working.  So, I tried yesterday at work downloading, and was able to download the entire .zip file with no worries and a fast connection.  (I then saved the download to a flashdrive).  I thought I would check at work that I could run the .msi file, which worked, and I assume that means that I have all of the components correctly downloaded as the checksum in the .zip must be OK.

 

I transferred the file last night at home to my home PC, and found that when I run the .msi, I get asked for a password.  I am running Win 8.0/ 64 at home (and when it worked at work I was on Win 7/64). But I can run setup.exe OK at home,  just not the .msi file without being asked for a password.

 

It was late at night when I was trying this at home last night, so I figured rather tahn screw my home install up, I would ask here before going any further.  Is there an issue if I only run the setup.exe and not the Prepar3D.msi file?  Can anyone explain what is happening, and is there a workaround (maybe using the setup.exe and not the .msi file?).

 

Thanks for any answers-  i don't know if the .msi extension has been mapped to another program at home on my PC (as in "Open With- always use this application"), or what.  I think that .msi files are used for security and encryption, and maybe the PC thinks that I am trying to "unincrypt" something?  (I also get a prompt to download some software, but I'm not doing that..... I can't recall the name of it right now).

 

Thanks,  Bruce.

 

[Guest]

Well, it's actually best to run the Setup.exe. Don't know why you specifically would want to run the .msi? An .msi simply is an installer and has nothing to do with security. In this case Prepar3D.msi will ONLY install P3D 2.0 itself and nothing else. If you run the Setup.exe, it will install programs it needs to run P3D 2.0 (like Framework and VB) and after that the Prepar3d.msi will be installed anyway, only now it's called by the Setup.exe, so AFTER it made sure all needed program are installed. (BTW Those additional needed programs won't be installed or updated if you already have the latest versions installed).

 

It's odd that you can't run that .msi by itself but it's not a problem: simply run the Setup.exe, which is best anyway.

[brucek 38]

Thanks Jeroen- I've since looked at the LM forums and see the .pdf on installing, and it also mentions running the setup.exe.  But yes- I can run the .msi file here atw ork and it launches an installer....... 

 

One thing I have noted is checking the filesize of the files I have downloaded to that specified on the download page.  All are correct other than the .msi file,- mine is 4.7MB, the download page specifies 9.5 MB. ( My work PC is one a large network of 2,000 users, with many business security features, so that .msi file I downloaded there may be compromised by the security stuff...

 

There is a ist of "MD5 checksum" numbers on the download page-  how do I check these at home?  I just right clicked and chose "properties" on one of the .cab files, and I see a "CRC-32" number, but that's nothing like the MD5 numbers I see.

 

Thanks for your help,  Bruce.

[jabloomf1230 2,445]

If you don't run setup.exe you may not get the ancillary software and libraries that P3d2 needs to run properly. There is already one extensive thread about how running the msi file directly may not get you all the correct DirectX files installed.

[cthiggin2 3]

Do as LM states:  setup.exe and you're home free with a correct install.

Merry Christmas.

 

Tom

[brucek 38]

Thanks-  I'll look for the thread here, but will run the setup.exe.  Thanks for your help.

 

Bruce.

[Jim Robinson 122]

There is a ist of "MD5 checksum" numbers on the download page-  how do I check these at home?

 

I use a utility called DigestIT 2004 but there are others. DigestIT is something you install and then when you right click a file you'll see some options to "calculate MD5 hash" or "verify MD5 hash"; using the latter you can paste the checksum from the download page and verify it matches the file you downloaded.

 

http://www.colonywest.us/digestit/

 

There are also some stand alone utilities where you just run an excecutable if you'd prefer not to install anything, I had one of those years ago but I'll be damned if I can find it or remember it's name.

 

EDIT: Ha, here it is, when you upload a file to the avsim library you get a confirmation e-mail with a link to this utility so you can confirm the MD5 checksum on the file you uploaded. Anyway, this one will run from a folder without need to install anything:

 

http://www.toast442.org/md5/

 

 

Jim

[brucek 38]

Thanks Jim, much appreciated.

 

Bruce.