FSX-MS FSX starts to load but then disappears...

[southie4 0]

Hi,

Life sometimes gets in the way of doing what you'd like to do and I have been away from flight simulation for a few years. With a new PC, though, I was determined to dive back in and I installed FSX Deluxe Edition. Activation was apparently successful even though I expected problems, since I was installing FSX on the same "FS Disk" but in a different computer, after my previous PC became nothing but an oversized doorstop upon "upgrading" it from Windows 7 to Windows 10.

FSX keeps looks like it is going to launch successfully. I get  messages that setup is completing and scenery data base is building but then it just disappears from my screen.

My FSX shortcut has compatibility mode unchecked, apparently something that can be necessary for activating.

Do I need to buy FSX again?

The old "FS Disk" drive still had the folder structure from when I installed FSX years ago.  It also had 3rd party software like UTX, ORBX and Global FS, plus an A2A Cessna,  previously installed on it and still residing on the drive.

Do I need to move everything out of that drive temporarily before trying to install FSX again and then moving stuff back?

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Robert
 

[speedyTC 194]

I've un / re-installed FSX a number of times with no issues. However, they were all "clean" installs i.e. full uninstallation of everything related to FSX first, such as add on scenery, add on aircraft etc. Then an uninstall of FSX through the Windows uninstaller. A formatting of the drive followed that and then the new installation of FSX following Nick's and AVSIM's guides (which specify a very clear and must-adhere-to method which includes multiple restarts of the computer for every installation - FSX, mesh, landclass etc etc). Just a note that my flightsim machine has Win7 Pro 64 as an OS.

If that doesn't work take a deep breath and do a clean OS install and go from there. Drastic, I know but it will get rid of any hidden files that may be causing issues.

Hope this helps.

[stans 702]

If doing a clean install, I'd be more inclined to spend a little money and install FSX Steam Edition.

[airernie 263]

Sometimes FSX loads, but doesn't maximize.  Try opening task manager, right clicking on the app and maximize it.  It's frustrating, but I don't have a why.

Edited June 1, 2018 by airernie

[Jim Young 2,356]

It is not clear you were asked to activate FSX and you entered the activation code as shown on the FSX box.  FSX must be activated first and then it will get to the setup screen.  If you did not enter the activation/license code, FSX will not start up.

If you did enter the activation code and tried to start it up for the first time and it did not get to the setup screen, then look behind the FSX screen for a message that asks you if you trust this gauge or a module.  Windows 10 has a quirk where their warning messages do not on top of the startup screen.  I have seen mine hidden in the lower right corner of my 34 inch monitor's screen.

The AVSIM FSX Configuration Guide has guidance on where hidden files are located.  You should also try to delete the fsx.cfg and restart FSX and see if this fixes the problem. The FSX.cfg is a hidden file and the AVSIM Guide tells you how to set up Windows so that hidden files can be seen.

Once FSX is installed and activated, you need to start it up once and then install SP1 and SP2 OR install Acceleration if you have that (but not SP2 and Acceleration).

The fact you were able to double-click on the FSX icon indicates to me FSX was installed okay.  It just needs to be activated.

[southie4 0]

Thank you, Tony, stans, Ernest and Jim.

I'll probably try a clean installation on a virgin HD.

I did enter the activation code and got a message that my copy was successfully activated.

I also checked for hidden screens waiting for my response but none wee found.  In Windows 10, the task bar icon is underlined when the associated application is active.  I can see the highlighted underline just disappear at the very same time that the FSX splash screen vanishes from my screen.

Any and all assistance is much appreciated,

Robert

 

 

[Angels40 17]

On 6/1/2018 at 10:52 AM, southie4 said:

FSX keeps looks like it is going to launch successfully. I get  messages that setup is completing and scenery data base is building but then it just disappears from my screen.

It seems that FSX is shutting down at the scenery loading point.   I assume that this is when your autogen scenery is loading.   I used to have a similar thing happen, but at the weather point in the loading screen;  my solution was to change my weather setting at FSX main screen from User Defined to Weather Theme.   It could be in your case, that there is some conflict in your Autogen scenery listing or with some other scenery add on (where you have made some changes and the data base is re-configuring, but failing because of some conflict).  Maybe your installed add ons on the old HDD are the problem.

I would first check here:   Your Drive:\Users\Your Name\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\FSX\scenery.cfg

Open it in Wordpad and check each Area No. and Layer.   They should all be numbered consecutively and matching with the Layer numbers, (e.g. Area .002 should have Layer=2, and so on).

If this checks out okay, then it would be your choice whether to reinstall FSX (clean install, removing all your old add ons), or try to do an FSX Repair.

Chris

[southie4 0]

Thanks, Chris.  I'll have to give that a try.

Robert

[southie4 0]

They all seem fine, Chris.

Edited June 2, 2018 by southie4

[Jim Young 2,356]

It should.  Best to go to C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\FSX\ and rename the scenery.cfg to scenery.cfg.off.  Restart FSX and it should rebuild to the default.  If Area 071 is your last scenery, then you are missing Areas up to Area 120.  Any addon scenery you will have to reinstall or add to the scenery.cfg.

[southie4 0]

Hi Jim,

You must have answered so swiftly that it preceded the editing of my post.  As it turns out, that was all the scenery that I could scroll down to originally, as if that was all that was there.  After closing the config file and re-opening it, though, I could scroll all the way down to the true end.

Thanks,

Robert