FSX-SE It's become almost impossible to land safely on the runway.

[WestEnd 33]

Hi Folks, I will be grateful for any help that can be provided.

I have Googled extensively for an answer and come up with nothing, so it seems the issue I have is fairly unusual. I started playing FSX Steam Edition a couple of weeks ago. I had previously played FS 2004 a lot between about 2006 and 2008, mainly using the PMDG Boeings.

It took me a few days to get back into the swing of things, and then I was landing the PMDG 737 and 777 on the runway with a raw data ILS approach 9 times out of 10, not necessarly a soft centre line landing, but a landing nontheless, and I was looking forward to improving my technique.

I bought some add on scenery from Steam, and as soon as it had downloaded and installed on to my machine, FSX would crash to desktop at startup, and never ran again until I deleted all trace of FSX Steam from my computer. I decided to do a completely fresh install of Windows 10 first, as my PC was slowing down a bit, then I did a fresh install of FSX Steam edition without the scenery add ons that had prevented the game running on my PC.

Since I did the fresh install, I am landing ILS raw data approches on the runway about 10% of the time. The planes start to become a bit erratic about 1500 feet, and by the time I am at 400-500 feet it is like there is a reverse polarity magnet pushing the plane off away from the runway. The glideslope is absolutely fine.

This is happening with the PMGD 737 and 777. I also tried the default FSX 737, and the same thing happened.

I have tried playing around with every setting to no avail. 

My yoke and pedals are CH Products, dating back to when I bought FS 2004 in 2006. They were a bit erratic until I downloaded the CH Control Manager to calibrate them, but it was nothing like the magnetic repellant effect from the runway I am having now. I have also used a new Honeycome Alpha yoke that I bought, with the CH Products pedals, and also without the pedals on autorudder. The same issue is happening with both yokes, and with both yokes on autorudder with no pedals. 

Having spent many hours trying to fix the problem, I dont know where I can go from here. hopefully someone has the answer as to what has happened.

I did ask Steam for a refund for the scenery which never ran and stopped my game from starting. they refused on the basis that I have played FSX a lot, even though the add on scenery I bought for it didn't even load for a single second. It crossed my mind if someone at Steam sabotaged the game because  I asked for a refund, but that sounds extremely unlikely, and no such suggestions come up on Googling that scenario.

If I saw this post from someone else I would just think they have poor flying technique. I am convinced it is not that though, as I did hundreds of succesful ILS raw data landings on FS 2004, and I wouldn't go in a week and a half from landing on the runway just about every time, to virtually never landing on it, or major low level manouvres to get it down on the runway.

Any positive suggestions will be gratefully received.

 

 

 

 

Edited August 24, 2020 by WestEnd
typos

[TextRich 88]

I have FSX:SE and I have add-on scenery purchased from Steam.  You can rest assured that Steam doesn't care enough to sabotage your installation, especially since the new MSFS is now their #1 selling title apparently.  Unfortunately how it works is if you download a DLC that DLC usage time automatically gets counted when you run FSX:SE.  To not have time against your DLC counted, you must in Steam go to Library and right-click on FSX:SE in your list of Steam games.  Select Properties... in the contextual menu.  Click on the DLC tab, and uncheck any DLC you wish to uninstall (or reinstall).  I personally advise against trying to modify anything in the DLC folder in your FSX:SE folder since FSX:SE Steam DLCs work a bit differently than traditional third party add-ons.  It seems Steam has a ghost installation that operates above your FSX:SE installation to make managing DLCs easier.  For that reason many experienced :SE users advise to get similar add-ons elsewhere (not Steam) just so the users will have more control over their installations.  Anyway, there is no human sabotage involved.

First, go to an airport you have landed on successfully recently.  Are you able to land normally again?  I am wondering if the airport you were trying to land was badly programmed to be anti-gravity (such as Sedona, a bug that was unfortunately copied and pasted for Dovetail Games' Flight Sim World).  I personally doubt that is your issue, but I like to try the easier stuff first.  🙂

If your issue persists, I suggest following the clean uninstall and reinstall instructions provided here.  I actually had to do all that last week when old scenery I didn't use anymore messed up with my default scenery, which I was hoping would be untouched.  So my memory of it is pretty fresh.  🙂

https://dovetailgames.kayako.com/Knowledgebase/Article/View/78/17/

If desired, first you will want to back up (you need to View Hidden Items in Windows File Explorer to see the App Data folder):

C:/Users/App Data/Roaming/Microsoft/FSX-SE/Controls/Standard.XML (your controller settings)

C:/Users/App Data/Roaming/Microsoft/FSX-SE/GrantedRewards.BIN (any earned lesson and mission rewards)

C:/Users/Documents/Flight Simulator X - Steam Edition Files/Logbook.BIN (your logbook)

There are other files you could certainly back up, but I advise against using them if you are trying a clean uninstall/reinstall.  Set sim settings, etc. in-sim rather than copying/pasting files.  Install desired add-ons such as your PMDGs how they should be normally installed.  But first, resist the urge to install anything third-party until you have an opportunity to test a landing with the default 737 to make sure the anti-gravity issue has been dealt with.  Copy and back up the FSX-SE folders from Steam, App Data, and Documents.  It may be helpful for you to know that if you uninstall FSX:SE using the Steam application, the App Data and Documents folders do NOT get modified.  I have assisted frustrated Steam users who didn't understand why a normal Steam reinstall did not reset their settings errors, which is why I linked to the page above.

[Fielder 3,663]

I have an issue with Steam, I cannot log on anymore. I have been contacting Steam support for hours and they can't get me logged in again. So all the zillions of FSX stuff I bought and paid for on Steam I cannot get to. I seriously doubt I am going to buy FS2020 on steam. Steam is a nightmare, best to avoid it altogether. On the other hand this is the first time in years I have had a problem with Steam. But you can lose every dime you spent on Steam. I may have lost it all. It is all still there, I just can't get to it.

If I wait an hour and a half to log in to Steam I still get this issue: "There have been too many login failures from your network in a short time period. Please wait and try again later."

 

[TextRich 88]

11 minutes ago, Fielder said:

I have an issue with Steam, I cannot log on anymore. I have been contacting Steam support for hours and they can't get me logged in again. So all the zillions of FSX stuff I bought and paid for on Steam I cannot get to. I seriously doubt I am going to buy FS2020 on steam. Steam is a nightmare, best to avoid it altogether. On the other hand this is the first time in years I have had a problem with Steam. But you can lose every dime you spent on Steam. I may have lost it all. It is all still there, I just can't get to it.

If I wait an hour and a half to log in to Steam I still get this issue: "There have been too many login failures from your network in a short time period. Please wait and try again later."

 

I personally got MSFS 2020 as the DVD set, and I would NOT get it on Steam.  Best to get it directly from the Microsoft store if you go the online-only route.  I only got the Steam edition of FSX because it was on sale for $5 several years ago and I fell in love again with the genre LOL.

I hope you can get the customer support you deserve.  If (I hope not!) it is for naught you could always get FSX Gold and use the instructions I posted above to back up the stuff you want to save (logbook, etc.), uninstall FSX:SE fully, and get up and running on Gold.  I believe Steam made some CFG file tweaks that were popular with Gold users for years so that is part of the attraction of SE, that you can get up and flying on modern computers without too much fuss.  In theory, anyway.

[Fielder 3,663]

Steam finally got my issue solved. Someone in the Far East (Asia) had hijacked my account and flying FSX for several days behind my back. They were trying to keep me from resetting Steam up with Steam's help advisors. But finally I got it all solved and a new long password set which I hope keeps the riff raff out.

They did not buy anything on Steam just flew around for hours on end. Steam had there IP address which was in one of those little nations near China.

I'm back on the Steam band wagon again!

Will almost surely install fs2004 on Steam. They do 2 huge sales every year like clockwork around July 4 and around Christmas.

Yeah I'm a Steam head again (I've been on Avsim since before FS5 (which was a Dos version).

Fun fact: When FS98 came out, Avsim announced an official boycott and said they would not have a subforum for that version. Then they gave in. Avsim's boss (who has since passed away, RIP) said users didn't like losing all their purchased assets every time a new version of FS came out.

I'll never forget that official Avsim boycott of FS98 (which lasted only a few days).

 

 

[TextRich 88]

LOL that was fast Fielder!  😄  I am happy for you!  Blue skies.

[HighBypass 2,339]

Glad you got the issue sorted. I was going to post that it seemed as if your Steam account had been hijacked, but you beat me to it with a resolution to boot! 

[Fielder 3,663]

Yeah they hiijacked it and used it to fly FSX, but didn't buy anything with my credit cards in the Steam wallet. LOL! Thiefs were in Malaysia. Hope they had fun!

[WestEnd 33]

I thought I better come back on and update my situation, since I started this topic.

I unistalled everything and resinstalled again, and I'm back to landing on the runway  pretty much every time, but needing to work on getting nice softer landings more.

I think I may have been using too much rudder as I was making the little corrections on the last 1000 feet or so. That could have been causing a crabbing effect. Now using pretty much just the yoke, with a bit of rudder to straighten the nose when I am on the runway centreline heading.

There is such a huge learning curve with the sim, but it is more fun for me to just jump in and fly, then google for answers when I realise specific things I need to learn, or work out.

As for Steam. I did eventually get a refund for the scenery add on which caused FSX to crash on opening. I just replied four times when they refused a refund, the fourth time quoting the Consumer Rights Act 2015 whereby you are entitled to a refund in UK law, if an item you buy is not fit for purpose.

Thanks for the help provided here. It helped me to think about what I could be doing wrong, when the replies pretty much ruled out other less likely possibilities.