[13MAR17] [UPDATED] Faults when running the Operation Center and/or the OC based Product Updaters AND WHAT TO DO...

[rsrandazzo 6,353]

Captains,

With the release of the PMDG 747-400 Queen of the Skies II we have put a product to market that uses more modern development tools than our previous product lines.  This, plus the changes in operating systems that have gone on during the previous couple of years have caused a bit of confusion for some users who can't seem to get the Operations Center to run, or the newly implemented internal product updaters for the 747 product line.

The solution for the vast majority of users has been to follow through with these steps:

PROBLEM:  OPERATIONS CENTER WILL NOT RUN

1. Navigate to <programs x86>/PMDG Operations Center
2. Delete everything in the directory EXCEPT OpsCenterUpdater.exe
3. Run OpsCenterUpdater.exe
4. Run the Operations Center normally.

You should now be running the most current version of the PMDG Operations Center.

PROBLEM: USER RUNS 747 PRODUCT UPDATER AND GETS AN ERROR REPORTING MSCVRT140.DLL AS THE FAILURE POINT:

1. Go to this page https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/download/details.aspx?id=48145
2. Click DOWNLOAD
3. CHOOSE THE x86 VERSION WHEN OFFERED.  (It doesn't matter that you have an x64 operating system, the application you need to run is not an x64 application, so you need the x86 run-time)
4. Run the Microsoft installer downloaded in the previous step.
5. OPTIONAL: If you are on an x64 version of Windows and you like to keep things neat and clean, go back and download the x64 runtime and install that too.  It will save you headaches later with x64 applications.
6. Run the Operations Center normally and try the updater again.

As we have worked with customers via support we have found that following through these two processes has cured nearly all of the problems that have been reported.  This is simply an offshoot of confusion between operating systems and applications that rely upon newer runtimes than some users have installed.  (The 747 SHOULD be installing the runtimes...  We are investigating that avenue still...)

One other random item for you:

PROBLEM: USER UPDATES FSX, THEN UDPATES FSX:SE (OR FSX:SE AND THEN FSX) AND ONLY SEE A QUICK FLASH OF THE UPDATER WHEN UPDATING THE SECOND PLATFORM:

This is normal.  The updater usually does a very good job of checking to see if you have both platforms installed and will attempt to do them simultaneously.  The Operations Center isn't smart enough to pick up on the fact that both platforms were updated until it is exited and re-run.  Stay tuned for a long-term fix for that....

[ADDED 14MAR17 BELOW THIS POINT]

PROBLEM: USER COMPLETES UPDATE BUT FINDS 747 WILL NOT RUN. (BLANK GAUGES, ETC):

We have spent the better part of today researching this topic with the help of a few users.  We are VERY certain that the majority of users who report this problem are experiencing the results of aggressive anti-virus protection on their local machine.  The A/V software is seeing the Operations Center attempt to download an EXE file, and then a number of other files (including some dlls) and the AV software is deciding "oooooh no you don't."

In other words, your A/V software is doing what it was designed to do- but it is catching something you want done...  A classic false-positive.

While we research how to interact more gracefully with aggressive AV software- you can solve this problem by COMPLETELY disabling your AV software, THEN running the Operations Center and product update process.

We have found that in nearly all cases we have worked with- correctly white listing the Operations Center worked most of the time, but disabling the A/V temporarily while conducting the update works even more effectively.

We are working on some changes to the update methodology that should eliminate this problem at some point in the future... (It is a complex issue...)

.

 

[Werner747 107]

Hi Robert,

 

Thanks for the new info - I am at work at the moment and cannot test out any of this, however as per my previous post, this is the error I get:

"

I get the following error - after updating the OC, I try to start the update and then it opens the DOS window and I get a message saying:  "The application was unable to start correctly (0xc000007b).   Click OK to close the application."   I do notice that the header in that window says "PMDG_Updater_744_XSE.exe - application error".   Does this try to update the SE version?   I have the MS edition and I don't run it concurrently with SE"

Will any of this cure my issue?   I didn't see it mentioned specifically and I know I will physically have to go and try it, but will the above assist me?

Regards

[rsrandazzo 6,353]

William,

This thread is specific to the errors listed, but it won't do any harm to try.  You are making inaccurate assumptions about the _XSE naming extension.  XSE is our own internal language to describe a unified FSX/FSX-SE environment.

I removed your quote of my very lengthy post in order to save digital ink. 

 

[Werner747 107]

25 minutes ago, rsrandazzo said:

William,

This thread is specific to the errors listed, but it won't do any harm to try.  You are making inaccurate assumptions about the _XSE naming extension.  XSE is our own internal language to describe a unified FSX/FSX-SE environment.

I removed your quote of my very lengthy post in order to save digital ink. 

 

Thanks Robert, I tried option one, that didn't work.   I admit it - I sneaked out of the office under the guise of getting myself some breakfast and then just happen to go past my house in the process lol.   I tried the installation of the runtime 2015 package and actually got an installation error in respect of both the x86 and x64 packages.   I will need to investigate it more this evening.

Regards 

[Reinhardt 1]

5 hours ago, rsrandazzo said:

PROBLEM: USER UPDATES FSX, THEN UDPATES FSX:SE (OR FSX:SE AND THEN FSX) AND ONLY SEE A QUICK FLASH OF THE UPDATER WHEN UPDATING THE SECOND PLATFORM:

This is normal.  The updater usually does a very good job of checking to see if you have both platforms installed and will attempt to do them simultaneously.  The Operations Center isn't smart enough to pick up on the fact that both platforms were updated until it is exited and re-run.  Stay tuned for a long-term fix for that....

I get that.... but I am not running FSX:SE.... only FSX.... one installation..... and its not updating at all.... Getting the flash of the update window, and then gone... Regardless of what I did, uninstalled, deleted, reinstalled.... nada...... 

[Boomer 1,619]

I had to unregister my 747 before the update and then reactivate the updated version.  Failing to do so gave me all black screens and dead switches after the update (un activated).

[scandinavian13 5,192]

32 minutes ago, Boomer said:

I had to unregister my 747 before the update and then reactivate the updated version.  Failing to do so gave me all black screens and dead switches after the update (un activated).

Chris,

This is not the proper procedure and was merely coincidental. This has nothing to do with activation status. 

[SuperG 31]

I've just run the updater and I now have black screens and dead switches too! Any help would be appreciated.

P3D and Win10

Edited March 13, 2017 by SuperG

[scandinavian13 5,192]

1 hour ago, SuperG said:

 

I've just run the updater and I now have black screens and dead switches too!

 

This means your AV program or internet connection got in the way and corrupted your download.

Repair and try again (after making sure you're running the OC as an admin, and have told your AV program to leave the OC alone).

[SuperG 31]

Hi Kyle, thanks I submitted a ticket and re-installed the 744 and it's done the trick all is well again. I will ensure I run the OC as admin and exclude from my antivirus in future though

[rsrandazzo 6,353]

Matthew,

We are finding right now that the VAST majority of users who have the experience you had- were mishandled by their anti-virus software.

We are working to sort out how best to improve the update process so that we can detect-and-warn you, or circumvent the problem entirely.

Obviously it is not a simple solution- since there are so many anti-virus platforms and so many different methods that are used to protect the user's machine.

 

[rsrandazzo 6,353]

Gents,

Just a quick update to let you know that we are making very solid headway toward improving the product updating experience.  We are working on improved distribution speed to areas outside of the US/Europe, and we believe we will be rolling out an update to the Operations Center and the product updaters that will dramatically improve stability for users.

We have not yet made progress on the anti-virus corruption issue, but we will...

(See? I wasn't kidding when i said we were working on this stuff around the clock...)

 

[Werner747 107]

I am switching to Windows 10 today - see if that makes a difference especially with the Runtime issues.

Regards

[rsrandazzo 6,353]

Werner,

What were you running prior to this?

 

[Werner747 107]

Just now, rsrandazzo said:

Werner,

What were you running prior to this?

 

Windows 7 Professional edition x64.

Regards