So after doing a reinstall of Windows 7 a while ago, I finally got round to reinstalling FSX (Deluxe Ed), however I'm having loads of issues with it. I complete the install, pop in my activation key and it says it's all done and good. Then when I try to start FSX, it goes through building sceneries and indexing the databases (or something like that), but then the screen flicks black as if it's changing resolution and the splash screen disappears.

 

I don't get any form of error message or crash message, there's nothing in the Event Viewer to indicate what keeps happening - the splashscreen just disappears without warning. 

 

I've played FSX numerous times on my PC before (i5 @ 3.4GHz, 8GB RAM, HD 7850) so I know it should be fine, but I don't know what to try next.

 

I've tried deleting/renaming the .cfg, but that doesn't seem to have any effect. Also, FSX doesn't seem to create a logbook.bin in the Documents folder, so I can't try the renaming trick, and I've also tried pasting in my old file to see if that works - but it doesn't.

 

I've reinstalled it 4-5 times now (both letting it do it in the default directory, and C:\FSX, but its the same issue each time.

 

Any suggestions for what to try next would be great!

Delete/Rebuild your Facilities/Scenery Indexes and Shader Folders – Delete your Facilities/Scenery Indexes located in Program Data/Microsoft/FSX. Delete the Facilities and Scenery folders. Delete the Shader folders located in AppData/ (your user name)/Local/Microsoft/FSX/Shader10 and Shader folders. When you restart FSX, these folders will be rebuilt.

 

Best regards,

Thanks for the reply.

I deleted the folders, but I'm still having the same problem.

 

Btw, under Local/Microsoft/FSX/ there was only 1 folder, called "Shaders", "Shader10" was missing, could this have something to do with it?

You will have a Shader10 folder if using DX10 Preview.  The Shaders folder is for DX9.  They are both just temporary files. 

 

The next time the splash screen disappears, do nothing for at least 20 minutes and see if it returns.  I have seen this problem on several occasions as FSX is simply not finished with loading FSX.  I once had 40 plus photoscenery installed and activated in the Scenery Library and it took over 20 minutes for the splash screen to go from black to the splash screen.  Then, performance was horrible as FSX continued to load the scenery.  I then deactivated all of my addon photoscenery except for the places I would be using during my flight session.  FSX started up almost immediately.  I then decided to use the SceneryConfigEditor to enable/disable only the scenery I needed.  It worked perfectly.  I then recommended the results of my findings to everyone here on AVSIM and most members are now using the SceneryConfigEditor in FSX and P3D to enable/disable addon scenery. 

 

I've heard of people renaming their logbook.bin to logbook.old and restarting fsx but it seldom fixes any problems.  There is a utility in the AVSIM Library that checks your logbook for corruption.  It's called FSX Logbook Recovery.  It's better to recover a corrupted logbook than starting over as it contains info on every flight, including missions, you have completed.

 

If you have any FSDT scenery installed, I have seen failed startups because the Addon Manager was corrupt.  Had it happen to me once.  Just downloaded the latest Addon Manager, ran the install and FSX started up without any problems.  This has fixed the problem for a couple of other individuals here in this forum.  I forget how I found that was the problem.  I am pretty sure I disabled all of my FSDT scenery in my Scenery Library and I was able to start up FSX without any problem.  I enabled a FSDT scenery and I couldn't get to the startup.

 

Right-click the FSX main folder and make sure it is shared.  If not, enable sharing.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Best regards,

Hi, thanks again for the reply.

 

I've left FSX alone after the splash screen disappears and it hasn't had any effect. If I watch the process in task manager, FSX simply disappears along with the splash screen.

 

I have no addon scenery installed - it's just 'vanilla' FSX right now so it definitely can't be an issue with that.

 

I've tried the Logbook Recovery tool and my old logbook file is ok according to the software.

 

I'm thinking perhaps it's a problem with some of the additional software FSX requires, looking at the list under uninstall programmes, I have the following installed that I think are needed or related to FSX:

 

Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1

Microsoft .NET Framework 4.5.1

Microsoft Flight Simulator X

Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 Redistributable [Version 8.0.61001]

Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 Redistributable [Version 8.0.56336]

Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 Redistributable [Version 8.0.50727.42]

Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 Redistributable - x86 9.021022

Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 Redistributable - x86 9.030729.6161

Microsoft Visual C++ 2012 Redistributable (x64) - 11.0.50727

Microsoft Visual C++ 2012 Redistributable (x86) - 11.0.50727

MSXML 4.0 SP2 (KB954430)

MSXML 4.0 SP2 (KB973688)

MSXML 4.0 SP2 Parser and SDK

 

Could it possibly be I need an older version of one of these?

You are missing Microsoft.net 2.0 and 3.5 (two of the most important dotnets required for FSX)(see page 5 of the AVSIM CTD Guide).  Since you have a "vanilla" installation w/no addons, then you do not need dotnet 3.5 yet.  Just 2.0.  Make sure you run Microsoft Update and installing as there are several updates to all of the dotnets.

 

The AVSIM CTD Guide has a picture of the Microsoft Visual's and their version numbers required for FSX to run properly.  It also has a link where you can download the proper versions.  You are missing Microsoft Visual 2010 but that's installed when you install the PMDG 737 or 777 so not really needed right now since you have a virgin install.  It appears you have the proper versions installed but why is the original version (before SP1) is still installed.  I would completely uninstall your Microsoft Visuals 2005 and then go on the Internet to the link that's in the AVSIM CTD Guide and reinstall just one - Microsoft Visual C++2005 w/SP1.  I do not know why you have Microsoft Visuals C++2008 since you stated you have a "vanilla" install.  The 2008 version isn't required until you start adding scenery like FTX/Orbx stuff.  So, recommend you uninstall 2008 installations too.

 

When you installed FSX, I hope you followed the examples/advice in the following excellent guide - http://support.precisionmanuals.com/kb/a87/how-to-uninstall-and-reinstall-fsx. 

 

Best regards,

Ok, so it seems Windows 7 supposedly has .NET 3.5 built in (I just had to turn it on under Turn Windows Features On Or Off) and I've ran Windows updates several times so hopefully that's all ok now, although I can't see them under the Uninstall Programme list. I used the .NET Verification Tool linked in the guide, and it appears that all of them are installed (I also checked in the registry to see that they were there - they were.

 

I imagine the other MS Visuals have been installed by my other games so I'd rather not remove them if I don't need to, and again looking at the guide, it appears I have all of the ones required for FSX installed now. 

 

And yes, I was following PMDG's and NickN's FSX Installation guides, so I can't see where I've gone wrong anywhere. 

 

But sadly FSX still just disappears after the splashscreen without an error. Right now, I think the only option I have left is to do a total reinstall of Windows 7, which I really don't want to do if I can avoid it. Do you have anymore suggestions? Thanks again for the help so far!

Did you try reinstalling the FSDT Addon Manager as I suggested in Post #4?  That fix has worked for everyone who had problems starting up FSX. 

 

If not, then you will have to begin the investigation process as suggested in the AVSIM CTD Guide.  For instance, disabling all addon scenery, disabling all modules in the dll.xml, and several more?

 

Best regards,

I'm curious...did you install FSX SP1 and 2 directly after original disk install and before all third party addons?....and/or, have you tried booting from the original FSX version and not SP1 or SP2. Sense the latter two are downloaded files, the download could have been corrupted. I have had this problem. If you have to reinstall again, try running FSX after the original install to see if it FSX boots fine...if it works, then you might want to try re-downloading SP1 and SP2 and take another shot at it.

 

All the best

Troy

I didn't try FSDT Addon Manager or Scenery Config Manager before because I currently have no addons installed, so thought there was no point in trying it, or have I misunderstood you?

 

// I just installed Scenery Config Editor as I guessed I could use it to check for errors within the default scenery, and it's said I have 115 Areas, with 0 structural errors/areas missing defaults etc, so it doesn't look like there's anything wrong with the default scenery that is installed.

 

@Troy Currently I've only installed FSX (Deluxe) from the DVD, I have not tried installing SP1 or SP2. Would it be worth giving them a go? I would have thought that if plain FSX is not running after being installed straight from the box without any addons at all, there's clearly something wrong that needs fixing before I move onto the service packs?

Having the same problem

Having the same problem

If having the same problem, you need to try out the recommendations above. Otherwise, start a new topic as it gets confusing when several different members are posting their issues in one topic.

 

Best regards,

I believe I'm having the same problem as well.  My vanilla install dies on the splash screen after years of FSX working correctly.  I am also running Windows 7 64 bit.  I don't believe in coincidences either.  I have a separate thread, and have not been able to resolve the issue.  I'm curious.  What happens when you try to install Acceleration?  My speculation was that Windows automatic update had screwed up one of the Visuals.  Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 Redistributable Version 8.0.50727.42 was updated on 2/24/14 and that's about the time FSX quit opening.  However, uninstalling/reinstalling the visuals did not resolve the issue for me.

Sorry to bump this after such a long time, I've been too busy and still haven't got FSX working. Has anyone else come up with a solution to this?

 

Yesterday I did a clean reinstall of Windows 7, and I'm still having the exact same problem. The only programs I have installed are the AMD Drivers I require, and after that I carried out a load of Windows updates before I got around to installing FSX.

 

The issue is exactly how it was before. I see the spashscreen and the box saying "building sceneries" however once it gets to 100%, the splash screen simply disappears. There is no error message to view in Event Viewer, and I'm at total loss of what to try now.

 

It's a clean installation of Windows 7, and a clean install of FSX. A .cfg file has been created, however there is no logbook.BIN in the folder in My Documents. Could this have something to do with it?

If FSX dies after the splash screen it's possibly unable to invoke DirectX in some way. Could be a motherboard, GPU, sound, or USB controls drivers problem. Try default the motherboard, fresh windows, latest chipset & GPU drivers...