Cannot find an .exe file for MSFS2020

[Kilo60 660]

Well, I’d love to add the .exe to the windows defender antivirus live scan and firewall exemptions as it’s been noted they can cause stutters when downloading data while flying... if I could ever find it!

[bigmal 1]

Hi folks,this is my first post so please forgive if I get this wrong.

I too was looking for the exe under the Microsoft Store Install process but eventually found it under   OS Drive letter \ Users \ 'yourname' \ Appdata \ Local \ Microsoft \ WindowsApps.

Inside that folder there is a list of various subfolders of which one is MicrosoftFlightSimulator_'then some letters and numbers' which containes the 'exe'

The 'exe' is also listed on it's own under the subfolders. I opened the properties of both and made them Run as Admin. Anyway hope this is of help to some of you.

Malcolm

 

[chik 1]

Quote

Hi click on windows start then scroll to MFS then left click and drag to desktop

A hole (I meant that) thread just for that!?

Thanks @Lynchie 👊

[Jetman67 517]

On 8/25/2020 at 7:54 AM, jabloomf1230 said:

I was going to do this also, as the icon on flightsimulator.exe is now white for some reason on my system and of course, without changing the folder permissions, there's no way for the OS to "see" the default icon. It wasn't worth it to mess with the icon cache just for one icon. After thinking about this a bit and also considering that this a MS app, it's probably not too good an idea to meddle with the permissions and in the end I chickened out and left the owner as "Trusted Installer". It was a lot easier to make my own icon with Photoshop.

I took ownership of the entire apps folder and it's fully open now, no issues at all

[Colonel X 1,430]

On 8/18/2020 at 10:13 AM, ttbq1 said:

I am having the same issues, I am trying to set up my RTSS scanline 1/2 but cannot pointed to my fiightsimulator.exe

 

Just type in flightsimulator.exe - RTSS will take it!

[Rscan17 0]

On 8/18/2020 at 3:42 AM, antonvs said:

Welcome to Microsoft.

The hidden folders you see contain Junctions (Symbolic links) to where the actual files are stored. MS has done it this way in an effort to allow us to install MFS on any drive of choice.

If you Chose D:- to install your sim the Hidden WindowsApps folder with point to Another WindowsApps folder on your D:- drive. This one you can see in. This is where you will find the fiightsimulator.exe file.

A lot of other configuration files are stored in the C:- Appdata-local folder, including Flight plans and saved flights.

I have spent the last few hours trying to find where other configuration files like joystick/throttle configurations are stored.

This is only the tip of the iceberg, hope it helps a little.

Hello, I have installed mfs2020 on my Hard Drive (D:) and cannot seem to find the simulator exe or the folders so that I can install aircraft and scenery such as the community folder. There is a WindowsApps folder in which I cant open. The only place where I see microsoft flight sim folders are in a folder called WpSystem, where I see some  things but no community folder. Thanks.

[N562Z 4]

Tony having the same problem here and in searching for it the same results as you, exactly.

Alex Christoff

Baltimore, MD

Edited September 16, 2020 by N562Z

[Piper5299X 10]

On 8/18/2020 at 1:27 AM, Lynchie said:

Hi click on windows start then scroll to MFS then left click and drag to desktop.

Lynchie

This should be pinned to the top!! This is what everyone is looking for! I don't know why everyone has to make it sound so difficult!

 

Thanks Lynchie!

[EmaRacing 302]

They made all this for DRM protection? It was useless on day one🤮

Yet we have to treasure hunt our files and wait 30 seconds after clicking that icon no doubt because of ownership checking...useless.

[wbentel 0]

Users/yourname/AppData/Local/Microsoft/WindowsApps/Microsoft.FlightSimulator_8wekyb3d8bbwe        (find fs exe file)

Edited October 11, 2020 by wbentel
Incomplete

[Adamski_NZ 952]

On 9/7/2020 at 10:45 AM, Colonel X said:

Just type in flightsimulator.exe - RTSS will take it!

Well blow me down!!!! Three pages of comments to find what I was looking for!!! Thanks for that little gem!!!!

[netguru 0]

For the OneStore (Windows Store App) version:  C:\Program Files\WindowsApp\Microsoft.FlightSimulator_1.10.11.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe

FlgihtSimulator.exe 251.21MB

Administrator does not have access, only TrustedInstaller and there are many articles on the web about how to take ownership,  BUT - I have done that in the past and yes it will break some Windows Store apps to where it will take a re-install of Windows to correct.

Not sure why Microsoft is so protective of this app when the Steam version allows you to find the EXE.

 

I would upload a screenshot but I don't know (May share a link in the future if I find time).  Anyway I do have a screenshot and have found that if you run FreeCommander XE as administrator you can see the file but you cannot do anything with it including copying it out.  Also I have the donation version of FreeCommander XE so the free version may be different.

 

But again WARNING, I would not mess around with it there.  Have found no need myself but was just curious.  As you can ping the Flight Simulator shortcut to the Start menu or Taskbar.

My 2 cents.

MFS - FlightSimulator - - Seems the link does not work for me to the screenshot (guess avsim does not like it)

 

Netguru

 

 

[netguru 0]

On 10/11/2020 at 11:56 AM, wbentel said:

Users/yourname/AppData/Local/Microsoft/WindowsApps/Microsoft.FlightSimulator_8wekyb3d8bbwe        (find fs exe file)

That file is 0 bytes in size in my AppData and will "The file cannot be accessed by the system." error when trying to execute.  Again just my system but it can't be much different from others.

[Glenn Fitzpatrick 3,798]

1 hour ago, netguru said:

That file is 0 bytes in size in my AppData and will "The file cannot be accessed by the system." error when trying to execute.  Again just my system but it can't be much different from others.

Did you install on a different drive ?

 

If you did the files will be under /wpstore on that alternate drive.

[Glenn Fitzpatrick 3,798]

I would also add that if you are using Process Lasso to improve your game performance  the action log gives you the path to the executable.