Start up issues - I think I broke it

[47th_ronin 1]

Here is the basic info with my steps to reproduce:

Quad core i7 3 GHZ

16 GB RAM

1GB Nvidia Card  (which does nothing in FSX, but you know.. posting it anyways)

Windows 7 SP2

FSX SE

 

Ok.  As mentioned earlier, bought and installed the 737 NGX late last night/early this morning.  Installed it.  Grabbed some liveries and installed them via Ops Centre/Settings/Tools/ PTP execute option.

Info regarding my FSX-SE:

Spoiler

Default Free Flight is a default ultralight at Friday Harbour

All scenery is default

FSX Navdata is updated via aero-sors. (probabaly has nothing to do with this issue)

WOAI traffic installed and converted to FSX version via AIFP, per instructions from WOAI and others on AVSIM forums.

Editvoicepack installed and updated ATC to allow for WOAI traffic to communicate.

HD Airport Graphics add-on installed via Steam

Ultimate Night Environments add-on installed via Steam

 

So that no one gets a complete wall of text on their phone.. my issue, repro steps, and troublehshooting steps are in spoiler:

Spoiler

Start ASN

Start FSX-SE

Under Free Flight, select a new aircraft - PMDG 738 WestJet Care-antee WL.  Enter activation key.  Everything is good.

Change field to EGLL for fun and select a medium gate.

Everything loads fine.  Engines running, everything seems to work.

Play with plane (buzz the tower but pattern is full).

End flight.

Change to my VA livery and load up at same airport in same gate.  Everything loads fine.  Everything works.

Go to FMS, and PMDG setup.  Select from Panel State, cold and dark.

Plane does it's thing and everything seems to work.  (there are some switches that seem to be in the wrong positions (Packs/ Recerc/Iso/Bleed etc. all to open instead of off or closed, but no big deal).

Start up batteries, connect ground power and AC.  Go through FMS setup menu to see what the different equipment options are, what they look like etc.  Save panel State.

Later... I start up ASN and FSX again, and when I load any 737, it goes to cold and dark, but no progress bar is shown.  The HUD is down and I can't click it to move it - in fact none of the buttons are clickable (no hand icon instead of mouse pointer).  Everything is dark, but I can hear the engines/packs/etc. running, but I can't do anything or manipulate any controls with the mouse or select any button or switch.

Exit simulator, and attempting restart = same thing.  Exit again, restart (no ASN this time) = same. Exit, restart (no ASN), change livery = everything works... until next restart of sim and every livery is in the same state.  Removed and reinstalled liveries = same.  Remove "last flight" files (cut/paste elsewhere) = same.

 

I'm out of troubleshooting ideas, even after looking at these pages and others

Any assistance would be appreciated.  Looking through the info provided with the NGX download, I haven't seen anything untoward that I did.  I am hoping to have someone look at my steps and see if a reinstall can be avoided before trying that.

 

Thanks all

 

EDIT:

Going through the knowledge base on PMDG support site.  If that fails will submit a ticket.  Looks like I'm having a case of technology-break-itis

Edited August 2, 2018 by smotheredrun

[scandinavian13 5,192]

12 minutes ago, smotheredrun said:

Here is the basic info with my steps to reproduce:

Quad core i7 3 GHZ

16 GB RAM

1GB Nvidia Card  (which does nothing in FSX, but you know.. posting it anyways)

Windows 7 SP2

FSX SE

Of huge importance would be the aircraft version number.

Start > All Programs/Apps > PMDG Simulations > Operations Center > Select the NGX > Version

[47th_ronin 1]

2 minutes ago, scandinavian13 said:

Of huge importance would be the aircraft version number.

Start > All Programs/Apps > PMDG Simulations > Operations Center > Select the NGX > Version

Errrrmmm, there is no PMDG Simulations menu in my Start>All programs 

Looking through Windows Explod...Explorer now

My FSX-SE is installed via:

Drive letter/Steam/steamapp/common/FSX

Edited August 2, 2018 by smotheredrun

[47th_ronin 1]

4 minutes ago, scandinavian13 said:

Of huge importance would be the aircraft version number.

Start > All Programs/Apps > PMDG Simulations > Operations Center > Select the NGX > Version

My version is 1.20.8885

[scandinavian13 5,192]

8 minutes ago, smotheredrun said:

My version is 1.20.8885

Sounds like you may be using an old panel state. Delete it. Recreate it manually.

What is the default aircraft in the sim?

[47th_ronin 1]

Just now, scandinavian13 said:

Sounds like you may be using an old panel state. Delete it. Recreate it manually.

Hmm..  Not sure what that means.  I have deleted the panel state I made for the VA livery.  I then moved the "last/previous flight" files to my desktop so that they weren't in the PanelState folder.  I was thinking this would "force" the NGX back into the default mode.  It didn't work.

 

3 minutes ago, scandinavian13 said:

What is the default aircraft in the sim?

In one of the spoilers I mentioned it was the Ultralight at Friday Harbour upon start up.

I go to Free Flight, that is the situation that is shown.  I change aircraft, then change my location/field/gate position

[47th_ronin 1]

The knowledge base mentions an issue with FSX SE and an incorrect simconnect runtime.  Could this be part of the problem?

[scandinavian13 5,192]

5 minutes ago, smotheredrun said:

The knowledge base mentions an issue with FSX SE and an incorrect simconnect runtime.  Could this be part of the problem?

Could be. You do need to install the SimConnects as directed by the readme with the original installer, but this isn't a new requirement for the latest build.

[47th_ronin 1]

Just now, scandinavian13 said:

Could be. You do need to install the SimConnects as directed by the readme with the original installer, but this isn't a new requirement for the latest build.

Hm ok.  I'll try that next.

I just started FSX again.  Loaded up the Westjet 738 WL regular livery via the one shown in the Livery Manager.  It loads up Cold and Dark, with no issues.

Would providing you with the zip/ptp files of the 3rd party liveries (EuroHarmony's and "daSquirrelNuts' ") be of any help?

[47th_ronin 1]

Ok.  After what I did in my post above, I didn't change anything in the FMC.  Didn't even enter any nav info.  Pushed buttons, flipped switches, start up/shut down/ everything seems to work.

So, I ended my flight.  Changed airports in the main screen.  Changed to the Default Boeing 738 wl livery, and started my flight.  Now, the HUD is down and no buttons or switches work.  There was no status bar across the top either.  The engines are not physically rotating, but I can hear engine sounds in the flight deck as if they are at idle.  Also, my red beacons are lit, but not rotating.

As mentioned in one of the links above, the 2D pop up panels are all squished or just simply look very strange and stretched out.  Like the resolution is all haywire or something.

Not sure if any of this helps,

[47th_ronin 1]

Running the simconnect instructions provided in the knowledge base.  Will advise upon completion and testing

[47th_ronin 1]

I ran all three instances of simconnect per the knowledge base's instructions.  Restarted FSX.  Loaded up my reinstalled VA livery, selected an airport and a flight plan I made with SimBrief (neat site).  Everything loaded fine (C and D - still have some switches that seem to be in the wrong place, but that's probably something just me being picky).  Flew the flight and no issues.

So I know that as long as I don't change planes or End Flight and then go to another airport, the issues described above don't appear.

I have time today to try to fly a couple flights (I'll see if changing airports via the main screen does anything).

[Ephedrin 418]

In your initial post you said you played with the plane, then stopped the flight and switched to your VA livery. Then you set up the panel and saved a panel state. Have you exited the sim before switching to the VA livery? If not you might have corruoted it xourself.

[47th_ronin 1]

1 hour ago, Ephedrin said:

In your initial post you said you played with the plane, then stopped the flight and switched to your VA livery. Then you set up the panel and saved a panel state. Have you exited the sim before switching to the VA livery? If not you might have corruoted it xourself.

Nope, I didn't exit the sim.  I am pretty sure the fault lies entirely at my end.  I am just that good.

[scandinavian13 5,192]

11 minutes ago, smotheredrun said:

Nope, I didn't exit the sim.  I am pretty sure the fault lies entirely at my end.  I am just that good.

haha - I appreciate the humor.