Zendesk MSFS guidelings for solving CTD etc

[KSATRoadWarrior 91]

Follow these guidelines and it will save you days of frustration and trial and error:

If you encounter issues trying to run Microsoft Flight Simulator on your PC, please use the following methods in the order in which they are presented.

Before doing anything else:

• Download & Install the Xbox app from this page: https://www.xbox.com/en-US/xbox-game-pass/pc-games
• Reboot your computer
   

If the problem persists:

• (Re) Install Xbox Identity Provider from here: https://www.microsoft.com/fr-fr/p/xbox-identity-provider/9wzdncrd1hkw
   

Make sure the Xbox Services are running automatically.

• In the Windows search bar, type "Services"
• Select "Services"
• Scroll down to the bottom. Double-click on each entry for Xbox and make sure none of those services are disabled or set to manual. Set everything to "Automatic".

INVESTIGATE
Before attempting the troubleshooting steps below, we invite you to investigate the likely cause of the crash.

Start your PC in Safe Mode with Networking

This step will help identify if the issues lie with the hardware or software: if the sim doesn't start in safe mode, it is likely a problem with the hardware (for instance: corrupted drivers or overclocking) but if the sim runs normally in safe mode, it's likely a problem with a program (antivirus/firewalls, conflicts).

 

Please refer to this article from the Microsoft help-center for detailed instructions:

Start your PC in safe mode in Windows 10

Once you have found the likely cause of the problem, proceed with the troubleshooting.

Make sure your system meets the minimum requirements
Please ensure that your Windows 10 version is 1909 or higher and that your system is fully updated.

• Make sure Windows is up to date:
  • Select Start , then select Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > Check for Updates.
  • For more information/troubleshooting, see: Update Windows 10

• Make sure all the updates in the Microsoft Store are installed, especially Gaming Services and Xbox Companion app.
  • In the top right-hand side corner of the Microsoft Store, click on the Arrow icon or the three-dot menu > Downloads and updates. Then click "Get updates" > Update all

 

Note: You can turn on automatic updates in the Microsoft Store to make sure you won't miss future updates.

• Select the Start screen, then select Microsoft Store
• In Microsoft Store at the upper right, select the account menu (the three dots) and then select Settings.
• Under App updates, set Update apps automatically to On.

Reinstall Microsoft Visual C++ programs

• Press the Windows Key + R, type "appwiz.cpl" and then press Enter.
• Locate the Microsoft Visual C++ programs in the list.
• Select each entry and then click Uninstall.
• Download a fresh copy of Microsoft Visual C++ Runtime from here and then install it.

Make sure you have the latest drivers for your video card and updates for windows
Outdated or corrupted drivers can cause crashes at start-up. We recommend that when trying this step that you completely remove your old drivers before updating to the latest versions. To remove your old drivers and then update to the latest:

1. Press the Windows Key
2. Type Add or Remove Program
3. Scroll down the list and find your graphics driver
4. Click the driver once and select uninstall. Confirm this by clicking Uninstall again.
5. Once complete reboot Windows
6. Download the latest drivers from here:
   • Nvidia : https://www.geforce.com/drivers
   • AMD : http://support.amd.com/
7. Install to the latest driver and then reboot your PC again

Use Game Mode
When you’re playing games on Windows 10, Game Mode makes gaming your PC’s top priority, so you get the best possible game performance. For more info, see Use Game Mode while gaming on your Windows 10 device.

Increase the Virtual Memory (Pagefile) on your system

• In the Windows Seach bar, type Advanced system settings and open the Control Panel.
• Make sure you're on the Advanced tab.
• Click the Settings button from under the Performance
• On the Performance Options box, go to the Advanced tab > Performance
• Click on Settings
• On the Virtual Memory box, uncheck the Automatically manage paging file size for all drives
• Click to select the drive on which Windows 10 is installed (by default C:)
• Click to select the Custom size radio button.
• In the now-enabled fields, type the minimum and maximum size of the Pagefile in megabytes (MB) according to the physical memory present in your computer.
• Click Set and then click OK.
• Restart your computer.

Use the System File Checker tool to repair missing or corrupted system files

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/929833/use-the-system-file-checker-tool-to-repair-missing-or-corrupted-system

Disconnect all other USB devices from the PC before launching the game.
Some USB devices could be mistakenly detected as a controller.

Perform a clean boot in Windows
Disable ALL background software or applications including, Antivirus, Firewalls, and any FPS boosting or monitoring software.
Alternatively, you can find the problematic service or application by performing a clean boot. You'll find detailed instructions here:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/929135/how-to-perform-a-clean-boot-in-windows

Check that your antivirus/anti-malware is not causing a conflict with the game
Sample of Virus & malware checkers that have been known to prevent games and apps from launching:

• Malwarebytes
• Trend Micro Maximum Security
• Comodo Antivirus
• Sophos
• Emisoft Anti-Malware
• Avira
• Avast

If your antivirus or anti-malware falsely flagged Microsoft Flight Simulator, remove the file from quarantine then whitelist Microsoft Flight Simulator. To do so follow the instructions from your manufacturer.

Check that a 3rd party software is not causing a conflict with the game.
Sample of 3rd party software that may prevent games and apps from running:

• Nahimic Audio
• Logitech G Hub
• MSI Afterburner / Riva Tuner Statistics Server
• EVGA Precision
• OBS
• Xsplit
• Discord
• MacType
• Warsaw Banking App
• Wallpaper Engine
• A-Volute Sound studio
• Malwarebytes
• Sonic Audio

Please make sure you either disable or uninstall to ensure successful gameplay.

Turn off any extra Power monitoring software
Sample of power monitoring software that may cause issues at start-up:

• MSI DragonCenter
• RyzenMaster
• Gamefast from Dells Killer Control Center
• Any software installed that may be adjusting or monitoring power settings

Then, make sure that your Power settings are correct

• Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Power Options
• Change to High Performance
• Perform a Full Shutdown (not restart).

Run Flight Simulator with administrator rights
 

• Right-click the desktop icon of the application (or the executable file in the installation directory) and select Properties.
• Select the Compatibility tab.
• Click Change settings for all users.
• Under Privilege Level, check Run this program as administrator.
• Click Apply.

Launch Microsoft Flight Simulator again.

If the issue persists, please send us your DxDiag and Msinfo.

To create Dxdiag, simply follow these steps:
 

• In Windows, select Start and enter “dxdiag” into the search box on the taskbar. Select dxdiag from the results.

• In the tool, click on 'Save All Information' and wait a few seconds
• Save the file as a 'Text File (*.txt)' on your desktop
• Attach the file to your response.

To provide a Microsoft System Information MSINFO32, do the following steps below:
 

• Press Windows + R keys to open the Run command window
• Type msinfo32 in the dialogue box and click OK or press Enter.
• This will open the System Information, click File and select Export
• Name your file as “msinfo32.txt” and make sure it is saved as a text file (.txt).
• Save the file to your Desktop.

Once these files we'll be received by our team, we'll investigate further.