FSX-MS FSX shuts down - trail period expired

[engwerda 0]

FSX has shut down on me randomly or rather it just freezes and says that the trial period has expired. I have had it installed legally since September of 2007. So:

• I cannot activate it,
• I have looked on line and the registry fixes do not work
• I no longer have the activation codes and I cannot remember where I bought it/downloaded(?) it from.

Does anyone have any ideas? I flew WSSS to WMKK with the NGX and no problems but the MD11 from YMML to YBBN locked up. If I repurchase FSX will I have to reinstall all the Orbx, FTX and PMDG products all over again.

I don't think I could stand it!

Help please!

Gerry Engwerda

 

[ThomasAH 61]

I think 2007 it wasn't available as a download, just boxed DVDs. Do you still have the box (or boxes for FSX+Acceleration)? The activation code is inside.

[engwerda 0]

Thanks Thomas but unfortunately no. Too many moves!

[ThomasAH 61]

Then I'm afraid the only way that is guaranteed to be legal is to buy another copy.

I think there are still shops that sell the original FSX+Acceleration, so you can buy that and enter the activation code into your existing installation.

Do you know if you had just FSX or with the Acceleration add-on?

[Bert Pieke 7,584]

Or switch to FSX Steam Edition.  Less expensive, I would think..

But then you will have a re-install on your hands.

 

[Chock 17,769]

I have the boxed version of FSX and bought a download version of it too when Acceleration originally came out, since you needed that for A2A's stuff, but dunno where the exe files are for that download are these days. I know you can't get them any more (I did try about six months ago to find where to re-download them without any joy at all, think is was from MS's online store if I recall correctly, but that is evidently long gone, all you find now if you try to locate that stuff is a load of X-Box nonsense and a demo of FS).

To be honest, unless you're going to use P3D, then you'd be better off just buying the Steam Version of FS, since it runs way better than the patched box version anyway and has a number of fixes to it which improve it in other ways as well. It's not too expensive either (about 20 quid I think).

Reinstalling might seem like a PITA, but to be honest, a fresh installation of FSX-SE will be a good opportunity to get a clean well-running sim and you can choose what to install as I'm sure there was old rubbish in your old sim version which you never use these days if it has been on there for ten years. So you can cherry pick the good stuff and it probably won't take that long to do.

[engwerda 0]

Bert and Alan,

Thanks for the suggestions. I had heard of the Steam version but had never investigated it. It is available here for anywhere between $AUD 23 - 34 depending where you shop but I am not sure if that is a boxed version or simply an activation/download code.

Either way that seems the way to go and  it will just have to be a week of reinstalling everything one at a time.

So does Steam need any patches or does it come out with the equivalent of FSX Acceleration and SP1?

[Bert Pieke 7,584]

It is all patched to the SP2/Accel level + a few fixes.

[Chock 17,769]

Having the Steam version is essentially the same as having the FSX Deluxe boxed version fully patched up and with the Acceleration add-on installed. So nope, no patching required and that means it also has the additional default aeroplanes which you got with Acceleration, plus the necessary engine tweaks to ensure stuff like A2A etc work properly (since they use the additional engine parameters that Acceleration put into FSX). It also means you don't have to do any of the well known tweaks such as texture load, high mem fix etc, because they were all put in the Steam version, and it was recompiled to make it run better. You will notice the difference on things like VAS and frame rates, it's way better in the FSX-SE version.

Here is a comparison of the features:

https://fsxinsider.com/fsx-steam-edition-and-boxed-fsx-what-is-the-difference/

 

 

[engwerda 0]

Alan,

Thank you very much for the comprehensive reply - much appreciated. Just one final question. I have:

PMDG,737 NGX, 747 V1 and the MD11 as well as FTX Global, vector OpenLC Europe, Australia SP4. Rex TD4 and Essential plus over drive, soft clouds, HD Trees etc.

Do they all work with Steam as far as you know?

Great link by the way - thank you.

Edited February 27, 2017 by engwerda
additional info and typo

[Slayer 190]

They all work with steam , just make sure you have the latest downloads as it sounds like you have a very old install. Before you jump down that path though make absolutely sure that every trace of your old FSX is gone or it will install a side by side version which older addons like MD-11 will not like.. and by EVRERY TRACE I mean all of it , leftovers and registry and once you run the install for steam before you do anything run it once and check that it didnt name the FSX as FSX -SE. it should look like old FSX. If not you will need to change a registry key then restart the sim again before adding any addons. Lots of threads about that on here so I won't repost all that info.

[Slayer 190]

here is more info on the Co-existance issue . I'm sure you will experience it as its a pain to get rid of old FSX.

https://steamcommunity.com/app/314160/discussions/1/490123832541365433/

[vortex681 806]

Another recommendation here for FSX:SE. However, don't expect to see the massive improvements in performance that some sites talk about. My experience has been that I've noticed a modest performance improvement but nothing really significant. A fresh download of FSX:SE with no add-ons will look much faster than your old, established boxed install but performance starts to drop back as you add things to it (much as with the boxed version). That said, FSX:SE is much more convenient (no license or activation required) and easier to reinstall if required and can be a real bargain if you get it in one of Steam's regular sales.

[Jude Bradley 659]

Yes, I agree. If you can wait for the regular $5.00 price that steam offers from time to time, it's worth the wait.