PMDG 737NGX P3D - Installer doesn't launch

[endl3ss 3]

Hi gents!

So I finally bought P3Dv3 Pro version a couple of weeks ago, and bought PMDG 737NGX Base package today.

I'm having one issue though; the installer will not run. The UAC dialogue asking permissions to run the file pops up, but that's it. Nothing happens after that. No dialogue asking for anything, no error messages. It just doesn't start up, without any messages or indications of error...apart from not starting.

Thinking it might be the UAC causing problems, I've tried disabling that all together, but still no joy.
I've re-downloaded the installer, both with and without any AV/Firewall (I run ESET Smart Security Premium) active, still nothing.

I do have PMDG 737NGX Base Package, as well as the 600/700 expansion installed and working on FSX-SE on the same PC, and installing that went flawlessly.
P3Dv3 runs flawlessly on its part.
PC is running Windows 10 64-bit.

So I'm a bit stumped here, I've got absolutely no idea what can be causing this.
Can anyone give me some help, or even hints as to what might be going on here?

Thanks in advance!

[scandinavian13 5,192]

5 minutes ago, endl3ss said:

I've re-downloaded the installer, both with and without any AV/Firewall (I run ESET Smart Security Premium) active, still nothing.

This is your problem. I can nearly guarantee it. Fully uninstall that garbage. Active and inactive means nothing to modern AV. They take over computer and give you no say in it. Uninstall all of it. Run Defender alone (for free, mind you). You don't need to pay someone else to "monitor" your computer while ruining your performance, and preventing you from doing the things that - as you're trying to do here - you actually want to do.

Name any other code that prevents you from doing the things you want to do...

Correct. That is called a 'virus', so why are you allowing a virus to exist on your machine because it calls itself 'anti-virus'?

[endl3ss 3]

Thanks for suggestion.

I've uninstalled the entire ESET package and removing all leftovers from ESET, then re-downloading the NGX Base Package again and trying to install again, but unfortunately I'm not getting any further. I'm double-clicking on the installer file (or right-click, run as admin even), but nothing happens...

I should mention that my previous install of PMDG 737NGX (for FSX-SE) did go without a problem, and installed without issue. Same PC configuration, or at least I thought so, untill I tried to re-run that installer again now. Same symptom, it just won't run.

Still as stumped as ever.

[scandinavian13 5,192]

6 minutes ago, endl3ss said:

I should mention that my previous install of PMDG 737NGX (for FSX-SE) did go without a problem, and installed without issue. Same PC configuration, or at least I thought so, untill I tried to re-run that installer again now. Same symptom, it just won't run.

Definitely an issue on your computer, then, because the installers are all essentially running via the same methods.

7 minutes ago, endl3ss said:

I've uninstalled the entire ESET package and removing all leftovers from ESET, then re-downloading the NGX Base Package again and trying to install again, but unfortunately I'm not getting any further. I'm double-clicking on the installer file (or right-click, run as admin even), but nothing happens...

You sure you removed it all, and rebooted? Are there any other AV programs on your computer (apart from Win Defender)?

[endl3ss 3]

Nothing else running now, except Defender. Removed everything and rebooted, so it definitely is all gone now. The thing is, it only seems the PMDG installers are affected, I just installed a few other planes to P3D, without any issues.

Never experienced anything like this before. Is there some kind of depency that the PMDG installers have, that might have been messed up somehow, a service needed that might not be running or whatnot?

[Ephedrin 418]

Hi Olav,

I have just tried it out and redownloaded the 737 Base installer. It starts normally on my system. 

This has been years ago on my system, I think it was on Win7... I had a similar problem with the installation of some scenery. The Instal Shield wizard was started (in the task manager), but didn't start its work. I figured out that my system's SSD (only 128GB) was full so it couldn't throw the data into the temp folder anymore. I don't know if Win10 would alert you but maybe you could check that ýour storage isn't filled up?

[endl3ss 3]

Thanks for suggestion, Ephedrin, but I'm still (incredibly enough) good on SSD space here. Just recently upgraded to a 2 Tb SSD for storage and scenery installation.
Hmmm, any chance THAT might be an issue, the fact that I've got the scenery on a different drive, and using those symbolic links for the scenery, both for FSX-SE and P3D? It works perfectly in the simulator, but I'm holding everything as a possibility here now... 

[endl3ss 3]

So, the detective work continues here. Turns out FLEXnet Licensing services was not running. Turning this back on and rebooting, fixed the installer launch for the PMDG 737NGX FSX-installer, and it starts without issues. But unfortunately, still no-go for the P3D installer. 

[scandinavian13 5,192]

1 hour ago, endl3ss said:

So, the detective work continues here. Turns out FLEXnet Licensing services was not running. Turning this back on and rebooting, fixed the installer launch for the PMDG 737NGX FSX-installer, and it starts without issues. But unfortunately, still no-go for the P3D installer. 

If the FSX installer runs, but the P3D one doesn't, then there's something up with either your download (download corruption or similar), or your computer. There's no reason on our side why one installer would work and the other would not.

[endl3ss 3]

I tried downloading again, to try to rule out any corruption, disabling everything in Windows Defender first. Still no joy.

I've got a ticket open on this now.

I'm pretty sure there is something that is not as it is supposed to be on my computer, but I'm really in the blue as to what that might be. Everything seems to be working well, with the exception of the installer, that is. On the off-chance that the installer has dependencies that might be needed, and that I don't have, I ran the the installer through the Dependency Walker program, and I'm getting a bunch of messages that I don't really understand, but the gist of it was that there was something that was needed, but that couldn't be found.

Trouble is, I've got no clue how to read the results...

[scandinavian13 5,192]

17 minutes ago, endl3ss said:

disabling everything in Windows Defender first

This has, historically, never caused an issue. It's just about the only anti-virus program I somewhat trust - more because it acts like AV did about a decade ago: kept you safe while remaining mostly in the background, and allowing you to do what you want.

18 minutes ago, endl3ss said:

I'm pretty sure there is something that is not as it is supposed to be on my computer, but I'm really in the blue as to what that might be. Everything seems to be working well, with the exception of the installer, that is. On the off-chance that the installer has dependencies that might be needed, and that I don't have, I ran the the installer through the Dependency Walker program, and I'm getting a bunch of messages that I don't really understand, but the gist of it was that there was something that was needed, but that couldn't be found.

Yeah...something is definitely messed up on your machine. I can't think of why it would prevent you from running one of our installers versus another, but I'm at a loss here. They're both sent through the same builder to make the installers.

I'd stick to the ticket from here on out - better tracking.

[endl3ss 3]

Unsure if I'll be getting any further there either, so far it doesn't look good. This really has me completely stumped. I'm even thinking about the Windows 10 Fall Creators update, whether that might have screwed things up. That was actually the last major thing done on my PC, as well as P3D install after that.

There wouldn't happen to be anyone in here that are able to read the output from Depency Walker, and understands what to look for? I know of a person that might see any problems, but he works for a different developer, so would be slightly awkward asking him... 

[endl3ss 3]

I'm not blaming anyone for anything here (except maybe myself, for something I don't know), but I have installed 5 other aircraft today from other developers without any issues with the installers, as well as seeing them work without any issues in P3D. So something has to be different with the PMDG installers, and I have no clue what.

So does anyone have any idea what might be causing that difference in the installer response?

[downscc 1,327]

2 hours ago, endl3ss said:

So does anyone have any idea what might be causing that difference in the installer response?

Now that you have an active ticket with PMDG Product Support, I recommend you use that as your only channel.  They will communicate with you and probably ask you for additional information or provide you with specific instructions.  Don't want to subvert that process.

[endl3ss 3]

Update:

After I managed to hose my entire install during my detective work, I re-installed the whole thing again (P3D).

This time, the PMDG 737NGX install went without any issues. Except now I've got an issue with activation instead. Anyways, getting good follow-up through the exisiting ticket, so just an FYI here.

Thanks to everyone that gave suggestions, and Merry Christmas to all !