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barrel_owl

FSX Steam Edition creates "FSX-SE" folders instead of "FSX"

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Hi barrel,

While trying to include an image I lost a rather lengthy reply so I'll be brief.  I see a lot of suppositions stated as fact so I have a rather jaundiced eye.  I suggest making sure you have seen a Steam installation that doesn't have the -SE appended before spending a lot more time on this.

In any event good luck and my offer to install to my netbook is still open.

Jim F.


Hi,

I'm trying for the image again.

While trying to get various addons installed I got very familiar with the registry and have quite a few files devoted to modifying the registry.  Here's an image of the folder containing the various files:

Steamreg.jpg

 

I'm content to let the software providers solve the version problems.

Jim F.

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Hi Jim,

what I am going through at the moment is probably the best answer to your concern.

 

After installing FSX Steam for the 100th time and counts, as usual I am getting "FSX-SE" folders instead of "FSX" folders spread on my system. And this is not good.

FCUIPC installs fine, but Ezdok and Orbx FTX Global do not. Ezdok correctly detects that I am only running FSX Steam Edition and not FSX-MS in parallel, therefore it offers me the choice for this version only, which is correct. However, it expects to find the file "Cameras.CFG" under "C:\Users\[username]\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\FSX", while in fact Steam installed under "C:\Users\[\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\FSX-SE. Therefore the installation fails. Orbx FTX Global installed fine and properly detected FSX Steam. However FTX Central is unable to locate the scenery.cfg file, which actually exists, but under "C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\FSX-SE\", not under "C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\FSX\Scenery.CFG". I am afraid the only solution is here is using hard links.

 

Funny. I had both versions properly working and apparently co-existing without significant conflicts for weeks until I had the bad idea of removing FSX boxed and only run FSX Steam the other day, in order to save space on my 500 GB primary SSD disk. Now I only have FSX Steam, but the installers fail to complete because the folders are not named as I (and they) would expect.



 

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Hi barrel,

 I see a lot of suppositions stated as fact so I have a rather jaundiced eye.  I suggest making sure you have seen a Steam installation that doesn't have the -SE appended before spending a lot more time on this.

I've walked up to two PC's previously loaded with FSX. I cleaned them, and installed FSX-SE, the installation looks identical to FSX boxed, apart from the program files location in steamapps. Even the FSX boxed registry key is installed for compatibility reasons. Only thing you may need to do as well, if installing on a virgin system, is to install the Legacy simconnect imterfaces from the SDK folder msi's.


Steve Waite: Engineer at codelegend.com

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Hi,

I have a lot of ORBX scenery installed but don't have enough courage to run FTX Central!

It's my suspicion that the problems you're having are not related to only having the steam version but would exist if you never had a dual installation.  I would need to hear from a trusted source that only the steam version on a fresh Win install was trouble free.  Of course I haven't verified this but it's my hunch.

Fortunately I don't have a current need to free up space on my SSD so I can run either version.  I would like to run AICarriers on the steam version but I get all sorts of Java errors.  It seems unlikely that the creator will correct this.

Jim F.

 

P.S. I recently suggested, in a reply to a different thread where SSD space was a problem, moving the SimObjects folder to a hard drive and creating a link.  The default folder is over a GB and access time is not much of a problem as it would be for scenery.  In fact, it seems like with a dual installation the Effects, Gauges, SimObjects, and Sound folders could be relocated and shared by both the Steam and disc versions.  I wouldn't be surprised to hear that I'm overlooking something  


Hi SteveW,

Just saw your reply.  So if what you'tr saying is correct and there is no SE appended to the FSX.cfg file name there must be a registry key that exists but barrel was unable to locate.  What key is this?  We are trying to be helpful here aren't we?

Jim F.

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Hi SteveW,

Just saw your reply.  So if what you'tr saying is correct and there is no SE appended to the FSX.cfg file

What I'm saying is correct.

 

 

 

there must be a registry key that exists but barrel was unable to locate. What key is this?

I posted the DTG and FSX keys earlier:

 

did you remove the FSX registry key?

 

FSX registry key (64 bit o/s):

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\microsoft games\flight simulator\10.0

 

FSX registry key (32 bit o/s):

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\microsoft games\flight simulator\10.0

 

 

DTG\FSX:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\DovetailGames\FSX

 

We are trying to be helpful here aren't we?

I am yes.


Steve Waite: Engineer at codelegend.com

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Hi,

Okay.  I'm downloading the Steam version to my netbook.  I'm not saying that my netbook is slow but If FSX runs at all it seems likely that the planes will fly backward.  To ensure dual mode capability it seemed likely that the SE would be appended regardless of whether the disc version was installed or not.  My guess was that those who claimed that there was no SE appended on a virgin install were simply blowing smoke.  We'll see.

Jim F.

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My guess was that those who claimed that there was no SE appended on a virgin install were simply blowing smoke.

No need to insult them.

 

 

To ensure dual mode capability it seemed likely that the SE would be appended regardless of whether the disc version was installed or not.

The idea is to ensure FSX look-alike backward compatibility - where possible.


Steve Waite: Engineer at codelegend.com

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Hi again,

I guessed wrong.  Installed on my netbook and no SE appended.  Amazingly FSX ran rather smoothly; looked like crap but smooth.  What I found rather funny was that it just automatically set the screen resolution to the lowest aspect ratio possible; this was for a 4x3 display.  It was as if FSX threw up its hands in disgust with what it had to deal with.

I wasn't trying to be insulting to anyone but I was expressing my skepticism.  My skepticism was reinforced, as it seemed that barrel had evaluated all the possible registry entries that were mentioned yet still had the problem.

I'm at a loss to suggest any other possible suspects.  Hopefully, someone will come up with something that helps in pinpointing the problem.

Jim F.

 

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I guessed wrong.

Really?

 

 

 

There is also a possibility the FSX-SE install can be changed with the Co-Existence flag in the "HKEY_USERS\...\Software\Microsoft\Microsoft Games\Flight Simulator - Steam Edition registry key. Set to 1 = co exists with FSX. Set to 0 means standard single FSX install like boxed ed. The folder names could be changed and the Co-Existence flag set accordingly before running FSX-SE, but I've not tried it.


Steve Waite: Engineer at codelegend.com

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Hi Steve,

thank you very much for the time you spent here trying to help me.

 

As said, despite all my efforts, I could not yet succeed installing FSX Steam as standalone version. I removed all addons and cleaned the Registry following your instructions. In spite of this, FSX Steam's installer detects some trace of previous install and behaves the way I described above. Unfortunately I am unable to identify exactly the element that makes FSX Steam to install itself in parallel mode. So far at least 6 attempts were unsuccessful.

 

Unfortunately this is creating big problems to me. For example, FTX Central points to "C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\FSX\Scenery.CFG" (expected behaviour), while the scenery file is actually located under "C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\FSX-SE\Scenery.CFG". I solved temporarily by creating an hard link. Orbx products work fine this way, but Ezdok does not.

 

I hope someone like Pete Dowson or any developer from Steam will pop up to offer me a solution. So far I am far from being happy about what I achieved.

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Really?

 

 

 

There is also a possibility the FSX-SE install can be changed with the Co-Existence flag in the "HKEY_USERS\...\Software\Microsoft\Microsoft Games\Flight Simulator - Steam Edition registry key. Set to 1 = co exists with FSX. Set to 0 means standard single FSX install like boxed ed. The folder names could be changed and the Co-Existence flag set accordingly before running FSX-SE, but I've not tried it.

 

This is interesting.

I checked that registry key. Actually I have "Co-Existence" set to "1" and "First Time" set to "0".

Now, if I get you right, you're suggesting me to uninstall FSX Steam, perform the usual folder and key cleanup, then reinstall the product and change the setting of the "Co-Existence key" right before launching the product the first time, right? If yes, this would make sense to me, since FSX (any version) creates the affected folders only after being launched for the first time. For example, if you try to install FSUIPC right after the installation is complete, an error message pops up saying you need to run FSX at least once before you can install FSUIPC.

 

Chances are you are right, however it would be fine to get some confirmation from any DTG developer or other trusted source who tried this procedure before.

Anyway, thank you again for your inputs.

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Hi Steve,

I think I solved my problem thanks to your input. After removing all "FSX-SE" folders and changing the  "Co-Existence" value to "1", I launched FSX Steam and finally the program automatically created folders named "FSX" instead of "FSX-SE"!  Anyway, I had problems installing FSUIPC, probably because there are remnants of the hard links I created yesterday to make the installers point to the right direction.  Therefore, I decided to uninstall FSX Steam, remove those hard links and reinstall the program. Currently I am running this process, so I will drop a conclusive post as soon as I am done, hopefully with a positive feedback.

 

See you later.

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Hi Steve,

I confirm you had the right insight.

Actually the solution to my problem was changing the setting value for the "Co-Existence" registry key under:
"HKEY_USERS\.....\Software\Microsoft\Microsoft Games\Flight Simulator - Steam Edition"
from "1" to "0".

Apparently, when set to "1", FSX Steam Edition assumes that FSX MS boxed is already present on the system, therefore installs itself in "dual mode" (or "parallel mode") in order to 'co-exist' with a previous FSX boxed installation, no matter whether the latter is actually installed on your system or has been removed. As a result, it will create folders named "FSX-SE" in order not to interfere with the "FSX" folders and will create an "fsx_se.cfg" file to avoid conflicts with the default "fsx.cfg" file.
If set to "0", the co-existence function is disabled and FSX Steam installs properly ignoring any previous FSX boxed installation.

 

Now I have another problem. FSUIPC is apparently finding two installations and chooses to only install the version for FSX Steam. However it looks for "FSX-SE" folders, as when you run a dual installation, and obviously can't locate them anymore, as I have no folders named "DSX-SE" anymore, since I solve the 'Co-Existence' issue.

 

Installer for FSUIPC4.DLL version 4.939


Looking in registry for FSX install path:
     HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft Games\Flight Simulator\10.0
     Parameter"SetupPath"
... >>>  OK! FOUND FSX!  <<< ...
     SetupPath=C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\FSX\

Looking in registry for FSX-SE install path:
     HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft Games\Flight Simulator - Steam Edition\10.0
     Parameter"SetupPath"
Not there, so looking in:
     HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft Games\Flight Simulator - Steam Edition\10.0
     Parameter"AppPath"
... >>>  OK! FOUND FSX-SE!  <<< ...
     AppPath=C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\FSX\

************ BUT this is the same path as for FSX! Will only install for FSX-SE ************

 

 

 

What is puzzling me, is that there is no key "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft Games\Flight Simulator\10.0" in my Registry anymore. I have it, however, under

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\microsoft games\Flight Simulator\10.0

set to "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\FSX\".

 

Obviously this is the result of my registry being messed up during the last days. Apparently there are still keys to be removed, in order the process can run smoothly.

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Hi,

Okay. I'm downloading the Steam version to my netbook. I'm not saying that my netbook is slow but If FSX runs at all it seems likely that the planes will fly backward. To ensure dual mode capability it seemed likely that the SE would be appended regardless of whether the disc version was installed or not. My guess was that those who claimed that there was no SE appended on a virgin install were simply blowing smoke. We'll see.

Jim F.

If you think that Pete Dowson and Father Bill (N4GIX) - who are both recognized experts in FSX programming are "blowing smoke" when they say that installing FSX-SE to a truly clean computer will create a file and folder structure identical to original FSX - then I have to think that there is nobody who would meet your definition of a "trusted source".

 

I wouldn't put myself on the level of Pete or Fr. Bill, but I do know my way around the internals of Windows and the registry quite well, and I can confirm through personal experience that if all traces of a previous FSX version are truly removed - (or if a particular computer never had FSX to start with) - then SE absolutely, positively WILL install without appending "-SE" to its folders and config files. In this case, it will emulate an original FSX installation perfectly.

 

That's not a matter of opinion - it is a simple fact. It is pretty insulting when you assert - with absolutely no basis to do so - that those who have proven that his to be so through careful, meticulous, repeatable experimentation are either deluding themselves, or deliberately "blowing smoke".

 

To the OP: I am certain that on your system there HAS to be a registry entry that is causing the SE installer to "see" FSX, even though it is not actually present. Unfortunately, many freeware registry cleaners will not catch these kind of problems. I personally am comfortable with hand editing the registry by using the search function of regedit to find and eliminate these kind of issues, but this is not something I could recommend to another person to do on their own computer. Regedit can be a dangerous tool - if you make a mistake in using it, and accidentally erase an important key, you can hose your entire Windows installation.


Jim Barrett

Licensed Airframe & Powerplant Mechanic, Avionics, Electrical & Air Data Systems Specialist. Qualified on: Falcon 900, CRJ-200, Dornier 328-100, Hawker 850XP and 1000, Lear 35, 45, 55 and 60, Gulfstream IV and 550, Embraer 135, Beech Premiere and 400A, MD-80.

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Actually the solution to my problem was changing the setting value for the "Co-Existence" registry key under:

"HKEY_USERS\.....\Software\Microsoft\Microsoft Games\Flight Simulator - Steam Edition"

from "1" to "0".

For the sake of accuracy, shouldn't that be HKEY_CURRENT_USER and not HKEY_USERS?

 

regards,

Joe


The best gift you can give your children is your time.

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