P3 v4 does not start

[bjablonka8120 29]

I would like to ask you for your help again. When I doubleclick on the P3 icon nothing happens, it just does not open. I did a repair from Prepar3d but it did not make any difference. I installed Air Manager but had no major problems with it.

 

Do you have any suggestions?

 

Thanks

 

Bernd

[flyerguy7773 6]

delete the .cfg file and restart it, see if that helps.

If that does not help then try starting p3d, and check the event manager to see if there is anything going on error wise, or info you can gather.

Also check the task manager when you start P3D, see if it is using CPU or other resources. If it is actively using resources, then it is starting but maybe something is preventing it from showing.

Make sure there are no windows you need to click "OK" or something on, sometimes those block P3D.

Also, check the main P3D folder...see if there are any folders or files recently installed that you do not recognize, or are not from the install date of P3D. try moving them out of the folder onto your desktop and then try starting p3d. If it starts, then you know the issue.

Try uninstalling air manager...see if that helps.

Otherwise, we need more info to help!

[Falconfly 61]

Did you by any chance uninstall a Microsoft Spanish engine? Did you do anything with fs2crew rass? If you did then that’s the issue!

[Funky 2]

Did u have spad.next installed ??

[Poppet 707]

Hello 

Here are some basic General steps you can take if Prepar3D fails to launch.  These steps are not specific to any Add On or system set up,  they are just general steps 

I start off with small steps and then onto bigger actions 

Note: for users of FTX Orbx Scenery please read This Post  Step 1, 2 and 11.  You will need to sign in to view this post

 

Try these one by one and then launch Prepar3D and test after each one 

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Windows Update

Run the Windows updates and Insure you have all Important Only available updates for your windows operating system

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Graphics card

Confirm your dedicated graphics card is set to properly execute Prepar3D.  Some PC's and Laptops have dual cards, an on-board Integrated card and a dedicated high performance GTX \ AMD card.  

NVIDIA graphics cards:  Open the NVIDIA Control Panel, select Manage 3D settings, and set the Preferred graphics processor to High-performance NVIDIA processor. You can also set Prepar3D.exe’s preferred graphics processor directly under the Program Settings tab under Manage 3D settings.

AMD graphics card:  Open the AMD Control Panel go to the Switchable Graphics tab,  browse and locate the Prepar3D.exe and set it for High Performance and click Apply.  Then to  Graphics > PowerPlay - Set Plugged In and Battery to Maximum Performance and Click Apply.  

Restart your computer when you have applied the changes.  

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Antivirus Software 

Disable any Antivirus Software you may, Then launch Prepar3D and test,  If successful Insure you add the complete core Prepar3D folder to the Exclusions Zone. This will stop any of the Prepar3D files been detected as False Positives. 

Also Disable the UAC User Account Control  

Windows Defender:  If you are using Windows Defender Turn Off   "Real Time Protection"  and  "Controlled folder access"  and then launch Prepar3D and test,  If successful make sure you add the complete core Prepar3D folder to the Exclusions Zone of Windows Defender Like This

You can also add an Exclusion for  "Controlled folder access"  OR just turn this Option Off 

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Administrator

Launch Prepar3D as administrator 

Navigate to your Prepar3D core folder right click on the Prepar3D.exe and run as  administrator

If successful you can then set up Prepar3D to run as administrator Like This 

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Updated Prepar3D

Have you recently updated Prepar3D using the Update Installer components ?  Its possible you have a Utility Add On that is not compatible with the Prepar3D Update,  Add On's like SODE, Active Sky,  FSUIPC, GTN 750\650 and so on

Contact the Add On vendor or visit there support Forums for more Information and updates  

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Last Installed Add On

What was the last Add On you Installed ?  Did this Issue began then ?  Was this Add On compatible with your version of Prepar3D ? 

Maybe Uninstall this Add On and then test Prepar3D

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Prepar3D.cfg file \ Shaders folder 

Delete the following 2 generated files and folders.  These will generate again when Prepar3D is launched next.  

This will not effect any of your 3rd party software Add On's

You will just need to adjust your Graphic \ Scenery settings again to your preference via Prepar3D > Options when you delete the Prepar3D.cfg file   

The Prepar3D.cfg file and the Shaders folder.   
 
A quick way of locating these is to Copy the 2 set's of Tex below and Paste them into your windows search bar, One by One and click on the result,  this will bring you directly to the correct locations.

Note:  You can change v4 to v3 below if you have Prepar3D v3 Installed 

Right click and Delete the Prepar3D.cfg file

%APPDATA%\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D v4

 

Right click and Delete the Shaders folder 

%LOCALAPPDATA%\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D v4

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Prepar3D_Default.fxml \ Prepar3D_Default.wx

Again this will not effect your Add on's or settings.  These files will generate again when Prepar3D is launched next

Delete these 2 files Prepar3D_Default.fxml \ Prepar3D_Default.wx

 Copy the Tex below and Paste it into your windows search bar, and click on the result,  this will bring you directly to the correct location

Note:  You can change v4 to v3 below if you have Prepar3D v3 Installed 

%LOCALAPPDATA%\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D v4

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USB Devices

Remove all USB Devices Including extra Monitors and sounds cards (Except keyboard and mouse)  Plug just 1 Monitor back directly into your dedicated GPU and then launch Prepar3D and test.  Its possible a recent windows updated or Incompatible driver is causing this Issue 

If this step is successful plug each USB device back in one by one and test as you go along

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Graphics driver 

Reinstall or Update your graphics driver.  

Insure you Tick the Box for  "Perform a clean Installation"   when you are prompted the option during the driver Install process 

Also you can use a driver cleaning utility like Driver Display Uninstaller to remove your old driver and then proceed to Install the driver again 

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Prepar3D Client 

Uninstall and Reinstall the Prepar3D Client Only.  This step will not effect your Add On's

1) Navigate to your Control Panel right click on Prepar3D Academic \ Professional Client and click Uninstall

2) The Windows programs and features box will appear,  Click  Yes to uninstall the Client

3)  You will now to given the Option to "Deactivate"  the prepar3D license,  Click No  Your Prepar3D license will now stay Active

4) Reinstall the Client again, Navigate to your Prepar3D download folder, Right click on Install_Client.msi and click Install

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dll.xml files

Click and Drag  both of these dll.xml files out of the 2 locations and onto your Desktop,  This will temporarily disconnect your Utility Add On's from Prepar3D

Copy the 2 set's of Tex below and Paste them into your Windows search bar,  One by One and click on the result,  this will bring you directly to the correct locations

 Move both dll.xml files out of the ProgramData and Roaming location and onto your desktop 

Note:  You can change v4 to v3 below if you have Prepar3D v3 Installed 

%PROGRAMDATA%\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D v4

%APPDATA%\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D v4

 

Additional notes:  If Prepar3D now launches and operates successful this means that one of your Utility Add On's is causing this Issue

If this is the case you would Move back the original dll.xml files and  Turn Off each Utility Add On in the dll.xml file Individually one by one to help Isolate the problem Add On.

Also Note:  When you move the dll.xml file out of the ProgramData location and then launch Prepar3D this will generate a default  dll.xml file in the ProgramData location only.   If you wanted to move the Original dll.xml file back into ProgramData you would first delete the new generated one OR Paste over the Original dll.xml file and Click Yes to overwrite the new one.

To turn off a utility Add On's that launch from the dll.xml file..........

You can disable each Add On Individually by changing False to True as seen below.  Then launch Prepar3D and test 

Change this    <Disabled>False</Disabled>  To  <Disabled>True</Disabled>

Here is an example of a dll.xml file with 1 Add On,  Insure you Save it before proceeding

 

Quote

 

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="Windows-1252"?>

<SimBase.Document Type="Launch" version="1,0">
<Descr>Launch</Descr>
<Filename>dll.xml</Filename>
<Disabled>False</Disabled>

<Launch.ManualLoad>False</Launch.ManualLoad>

 

<Launch.Addon>
<Name>FSUIPC 5</Name>
<Disabled>True</Disabled>

<Path>C:\Program Files\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D v4\Modules\FSUIPC5.dll</Path>
</Launch.Addon>

</SimBase.Document>

 

 

For more about this please download the Prepar3D Guide,   The Information you require is on page 58  

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terrain.cfg file and the scenery.cfg file

Note: for users of FTX Orbx Scenery please read This Post  Step 1, 2 and 11.  You will need to sign in to view this post

Click and Drag  both the terrain.cfg file and the scenery.cfg file out of the ProgramData location and onto your desktop,  This will temporarily disconnect your scenery Add On's from Prepar3D. When you launch Prepar3D it will generate a default scenery.cfg file and terrain.cfg file 

Copy the Tex below and Paste it into your Windows search bar and click on the result,  this will bring you directly to the correct location

 

%PROGRAMDATA%\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D v4

 

Additional notes: If Prepar3D now launches and operates successful this means that either your scenery.cfg file or the terrain.cfg file is corrupt.  If this is the case leave or delete your original terrain and scenery.cfg files on your desktop you wont be needing them any more.

When you launched Prepar3D a default terrain.cfg and scenery.cfg file generated again.  

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Delete Generated files

Remove the Prepar3D generated folders that is generated during the program execution 

These folders and files will generate again when Prepar3D is launched next.

Note:  This process will disable all 3rd party Add On's and bring Prepar3D back to a default state

Prepar3D v4:  

Navigate to your core Prepar3D v4 folder,  Scroll down a bit, Double left Click on the file Delete Generated files,  A small black window will appear and then disappear again,  this is normal

Then launch Prepar3D and test 

Prepar3D v3:  

Copy the Tex below one by one and Paste them into your windows search bar and click on the result

Delete all the files and folders in these locations,  They will generate again when Prepar3D is launched next 

%PROGRAMDATA%\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D v3
%LOCALAPPDATA%\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D v3
%APPDATA%\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D v3

When you have completed this launch Prepar3D and test

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Microsoft Visuals 2015 

Prepar3D v4

Uninstall and then Reinstall Microsoft Visuals 2015 (x64) and (x86)   

Insure you first disable your Antivirus Software, Your Firewall and UAC (User Account Control) 

1) Uninstall  Microsoft Visuals 2015 (x64) and (x86) through your Control Panel  "Programs and features" 

2) Download Visuals 2015 (x64) and (x86) at the link below 

3) Run both Installers as Administrator and then restart your computer 

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=52685

 

Prepar3D v3:

Uninstall and then Reinstall Microsoft Visuals 2013 (x64) and (x86)

Run both Installers as Administrator and restart your computer

https://www.microsoft.com/en-ie/download/details.aspx?id=4078

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Microsoft .NET Framework

Windows 10:  Run the Microsoft .NET Framework Repair Tool  Click here and go through the prompted steps 

Windows 7 & 8:  Insure you have at least  Microsoft .NET Framework 4.6.2 Installed,  Run the Installer as administrator and Restart your computer when completed 

For Windows 7 & 8 users, You can also use a tool to determine what version of Net Framework you have Installed

Click the link below and go through the prompted steps 

http://www.asoft-ware.com/download.php?id=11

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Run a Repair 

Run a Repair on your Prepar3D Install

Navigate to the windows  Control Panel right click Prepar3D Academic \ Professional and click Change and click Repair

Then Restart your computer

Note: Insure you first disable your Antivirus Software, Your Firewall and the UAC  (User Account Control)

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Windows User Account 

To eliminate a corrupt windows user Account,  Temporarily Create another Windows User Account with Admin privileges,  Sign into this new account and then launch Prepar3D and test

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Windows Update

Have you a recently updated your windows operating system ?  Search the Forums for other users experiencing similar Issues after updating there Operating system

Maybe you still have time to roll back the most recent Windows update and then test Prepar3D 

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System File Checker

Run the The System File Checker, Its a utility in Windows that allows users to scan for corruptions in Windows system files and restore corrupted files

For a guide to use this tool Click here

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Uninstall \ Reinstall Prepar3D

Uninstall Prepar3D,  Please see This Link  for a guide with Images to Uninstall Prepar3D 

Then Reinstall Prepar3D again please see This Link for some helpful hints and tips to Reinstall Prepar3D 

Note:  If you are having problems Installing Prepar3D,  please see This Link for Troubleshooting steps to take 

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System Restore

Last Resort:  Try a System Restore,   Restore your Computer System to an earlier time,  This action will restore \ Repair recent and sometimes harmful changes made to your system 

 

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Please see the 2 links in my Signature for additional troubleshooting guides and Add On configuration tutorials.

The Prepar3D Guide by Rob Ainscough and the and the Crash to Desktop Guide by Jim Young. 

[bjablonka8120 29]

This is incredible, thank you so much for your great response. I ran another repair and deleted the cfg file, deleted air manager and now everything works great.  THANK YOU!!

 

Bernd

[DaveCT2003 1,820]

On 1/29/2018 at 3:56 PM, Poppet said:

Hello 

Here are some basic General steps you can take if Prepar3D fails to launch.  These steps are not specific to any Add On or system set up,  they are just general steps

Another TERRIFIC post Elaine!