Yesterday was the first real time I have had to play with P3Dv2 as far as add-ons are concerned. I had previously installed OPUS and used it in this sim successfully, as well as several aircraft (e.g. MilViz B55). Yesterday I got really ambitious and had UT2 working, and was in the stages of adding other sceneries and addons, when my P3Dv2 started going to a black screen whenever I panned in the VC. (The fact that a rotund black cat who shall remain nameless sat on my keyboard while I had the C:\Users....\folder open and deleted all of it- only to be restored from the Trash later when I found I had issues with P3Dv2 may have also contributed)....

 

After playing around with it for a while, I uninstalled and re-installed P3Dv2. I wanted to get it back to a place where it was before the black screen, so (perhaps foolishly) uninstalled and re-installed OPUS to establish any EXE.XML and/or DLL.XML file that had to be created/edited. OPUS uninstalled OK (using the .msi file from the install package), then seemed to re-install OK (preserving previously made camera views and weather files), however FSXSERVER.EXE was never re-installed. I am installing it to the default location on C: (FSX and P3Dv2 are on E:, both are separate SSD's).

 

What would prevent the .EXE file from being installed after uninstalling? There are no .EXE files at all being installed into the root folder of the application. Thanks for any help...

 

Bruce.

Nothing that I can think of unless its an AV program that has deleted the EXE file as part of its clean up. I would download the OpusFSX.msi again via the Upgrade button. Uninstall OpusFSX and make sure no EXE or DLLs remain, then reinstall into your c:\OpusFSX folder using the downloaded msi. Make sure you do not have any AV or similar program active when you install.

 

Stephen

Thanks Stephen, much appreciated.  

 

- I verified that the AV wasn't active, then tried downloading the latest update to the product (.msi file).  Still the same.  Tried uninstalling via the Control panel, no change.  Then tried copying my OpusFSX folder to another drive and deleting it on C:.  The installer showed that it was installing to "C:\OpusFSX",  but no such folder exists on C:.  Also tried searching my entire system for FSXSERVER.EXE in case it somehow got installed somewhere else, but nothing showed up.  It looks like no files got written to my system.  By the way there are no .EXE or .DLL files in my existing folder.

 

I do see another folder with a license? (.lic) file, what happens if I move that and delete it on C:?  I know we are told not to mess with that folder when uninstalling, etc.

 

The thing is, I see a progress bar moving in the installer, thinking that files are being installed.  I'm sure the registry is being updated, maybe that's all that is happening?  Maybe I should try copying my OpusFSX folder to a flash drive and disconnecting?

 

Thanks,  Bruce.

Do not touch your c:\Opus Software folder at all, this contains your licence and key files. Sounds like something is obviously blocking the OpusFSX.msi file from installing anything, even creating the install folder assuming you had specified c:\OpusFSX as the install destination.

 

First if you have moved your OpusFSX folder then make sure you rename it to say OpusFSX_OLD as you must not have more than one OpusFSX folder. Now check your C drive, is it write protected ? Do you have a Firewall or other program ruining that is blocking the msi installer ? Do you have UAC active ?

 

Something on your system is clearly blocking the OpusFSX.msi functioning correctly since it sounds like it is not able to install any files at all, from what you are saying its not even able to create the c:\OpusFSX install folder. So just check your C drive settings and permissions, are you running in a mode or account that has privileges enough to install programs ?

 

Stephen

Thanks Stephen-  I did rename the file folder before,  but thanks for the heads up.

 

I may see the problem-  I just checked C: properties-  it has write and sharing permissions OK, however I noted that it has very little free space.  It has reminded me that I am long overdue to resolve an issue with it-  I had originally made this SSD into 2 partitions and installed a former instance of FSX into the other partition-  which is now removed and FSX (and P3Dv2) are both installed into E:, a totally separate SSD.  Now I have a partition boundary to move (or delete the unused partition), to gain more space on C:, without formatting-  I had forgotten that I had this issue, and the nature of SSD's (I believe) is such that they need enough free space to resolve issues due to writing to the device.

 

Can I install to another drive, while using the same folder name (OpusFSX), and do I need to do anything with the Opus Software folder (which is installed to C:)?

 

Thanks,  Bruce.

 

Edit:  Did Disk Cleanup on C:, created 12 GB of free space, but still am not seeing \OpusFSX after an "Install".  Will keep looking…..  

 

Bruce.

 

Another Edit:  Tried uninstalling and re-installing OPUS to another drive (E:, where FSX and P3Dv2 reside), same routine as before-  installer runs, progress bar quickly moves from left to right, bit no sign of any OpusFSX folder, on E: or C:, or anywhere on my system.  Still looking….  this may still be a setting or firewall/AV issue on my system, but I'm starting to wonder if an uninstall and re-install of P3Dv2 may have triggered this?  Thanks, Bruce.

 

And yet another edit (sorry about throwing all this information at you, Stephen!):

Just checked the UAC setting and it is all the way to the bottom (as little security as possible, as recommended for FSX / P3Dv2, but not recommended by Windows 8  ).  Thanks,  Bruce.

Something is clearly stopping you using the OpusFSX.msi installer, do you have authority on your computer as Administrator?

 

Stephen

 

I should have mentioned, always leave your c:\Opus Software folder alone and on your C drive.

 

Stephen

Try turning UAC off altogether and see if that makes a difference, that is the setting we recommend. Turn off your anti-virus and spyware programs (as you have) and ensure the program is allowed as an exception through the firewall.

 

If all else fails then download it on another computer, make sure it runs, and then move it to your flight sim computer using the Flight1 licence transfer tool.

 

Cheryl

Thanks Stephen and Cheryl,

 

Yes, I do have authority as 'administrator" on the PC,  thanks.

 

I will need to look and see how to turn UAC off altogether-  as I mentioned (in Windows 8.0), I have pulled the UAC slider to to minimum security.  I will Google this and try it, hopefully tonight after work.

 

The solution to migrate the software from another PC is a good one, if it gets to that,  thanks Cheryl. Would I need an instance of FSX or P3Dv2 installed on that other PC?  (Our family is primarily Mac users, but I do have access to another PC).

 

It seems so strange that I never had this issue (or anything like it) before......  if my .msi installer is being affected by the firewall or AV, would that imply that the .msi file on my system has been compromised by the actions of the firewall and/or AV programs?  Would it do any good to send you the .msi file that I have on my system so that you could determine if it is a functional file or if it is compromised?

 

Another thought along the lines of this being a Firewall / AV issue would be possibly for me to try downloading and installing another application that would emulate the installer that you have.  Do you have any suggestions?  If it was something that I might use in the future I wouldn't mind paying for another adon or application if it would help me in identifying the problem with this issue.  My only installed addon to P3Dv2 is FSUIPC, so anything that might think of that would help me test in the form of another add-on (which I know I would eventually buy anyway  ) I would gladly purchase.

 

One final thing:  I had corresponded with one or both of you in December on another issue that I had-  this one resulted from an unwanted download that I made thinking I was downloading another addon for XPX.  It had the effect of dis-associating some file extensions with their intended application, and the .msi file was one of them.  I eventually got some help from another source at CNet which led me to a registry patch to fix it.  At that time, all I got was a weird error message, and after the registry patch could then run /msi files which invoked the MS installer.  I am still invoking the MS installer so it doesn't sound like that, but I could try running that registry patch again...

 

Thanks-  Bruce.

Hi Bruce

 

Turn off UAC as follows,

 

1. Open User Accounts by clicking the Start button, clicking Control Panel, clicking User Accounts and Family Safety (or clicking User Accounts, if you are connected to a network domain), and then clicking User Accounts.

 

2. Click Change User Account Control settings (or Turn User Account Control on or off ). If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.

 

3. Move the slider bar to Never notify (or clear the Use User Account Control (UAC) to help protect your computer check box) to turn off UAC, and then click OK.

 

 

If you download on another computer then you don't need to install the sim or any other package, you can just transfer the licence to your main FSX/P3D PC using the Flight1 licence transfer tool.

 

I wouldn't have thought you need to run the registry patch again but you could always give it a try.

 

Regards

Cheryl

 

Hi Bruce

 

We have just downloaded and installed the upgrade OpusFSX.msi here to test it out and can confirm its all ok. So the msi is ok on our server.

 

Stephen

Hi Stephen and Cheryl,

 

Just an update-  I had UAC set as you mentioned in your last post, Cheryl.  I also tried downloading another Flight One wrapper and choosing the “Re-install” option….  The wrapper unpacked the files OK, but then did not run the .msi file automatically (perhaps by design?).  So when I ran it manually, I got the same result as before-  the installer appears to be “installing”, but there’s nothing to show for it (although the system does recognize in “Add/Remove Programs” that it’s either been installed or removed by the .msi file).

 

Where I am at the moment is pondering a re-install of the OS (Windows 8).  This would solve a partition issue I have on my SSD, and would also make sure that I have totally removed the issues I had in December (that I thought was fixed) where I had issues in the system not knowing wjat to do when an .msi file was run…  related to a bad download that I did.  If I do that it would be on this coming weekend at the earliest…..

 

Thanks,  Bruce.

The Purchase EXE wrapper does not install the OpusFSX software, it is merely used to purchase or reactivate the software, installing your licence and key files. If you check in your C:\Opus Software folder you should find an OpusFSX.msi file which is the installer for the current release version of the OpusFSX software. You must run this Microsoft Installer file to install the OpusFSX software, we recommend installing into a C:\OpusFSX folder.

 

Stephen

Thanks Stephen-  I had noted in some other Flight One products that (if I cehck the appropriate check-box in the "unwraper"), that an installer is launched after the product is unwrapped, and had wondered (if my system was working OK) if I should see that here too, but you clarified that-  thanks.

 

Yes, the wrapper unpacked the files into C:\\Opus Software folder (I had renamed both the existing folder and the files within it).  And the new .msi file was there, but still no go..

 

I receeived a PM from one of you and will look at he info tonight-  thanks again for all the help, and apologies for all this drama that the .msi file type is causing me-  both now and last December-  I've never had so much trouble with a file, so it's something weird on my system...

 

Thanks,  Bruce.

You must not rename, move, or modify the folder name or any of the files within c:\Opus Software folder. If you do your licence will not be recognised.

 

To install OpusFSX simply run (double click) on the unwrapped OpusFSX.msi file or download the latest one via our Upgrade button on our Downloads page.

 

Many people have already downloaded and installed OpusFSX using these files including us this morning.

 

Since you haven't installed OpusFSX yet ... Before you run the OpusFSX.msi installation file delete any previous OpusFSX folder or folders on all drives and install OpusFSX into the default c:\OpusFSX folder. Let us know what error occurs on your system, whether a c:\OpusFSX folder is created, whether any files are installed at all.

 

Please confirm that you have checked all the points mentioned in the PM including Admin rights, DEP, UAC, AV software etc.. Anything that could stop you or block the msi installer including the link sent by Cheryl.

 

Stephen :-)

 

P.S.

 

We will continue to see if we can find what could prevent the msi (Microsoft Installer) file from installing anything. If we find anything we will let your know.

 

Stephen