After abandoning the option to update my MSFS 2020, I spent 12 hours yesterday doing a full reinstall.  Following this, I started MSFS, all OK, exited, closed down and went to bed.  This morning, caught up on the forums [laptop], started MSFS PC to find NO MSFS IN THE SYSTEM.  How wonderful is that??  Very disappointed.  Oh well, give it a rest for a day or two then install the Steam version, purchased yesterday, and see whether that will start/run etc. As I say, MOST DISAPPOINTED.   BR.

M.

12 minutes ago, Paladin said:

After abandoning the option to update my MSFS 2020, I spent 12 hours yesterday doing a full reinstall.  Following this, I started MSFS, all OK, exited, closed down and went to bed.  This morning, caught up on the forums [laptop], started MSFS PC to find NO MSFS IN THE SYSTEM.  How wonderful is that??  Very disappointed.  Oh well, give it a rest for a day or two then install the Steam version, purchased yesterday, and see whether that will start/run etc. As I say, MOST DISAPPOINTED.   BR.

M.

Are you saying it uninstalled itself after you installed it and used it yesterday? Is it possible the default install location was changed?  Have you searched for the executable on your system? 

Edited October 22, 20214 yr by psolk

 

13 minutes ago, psolk said:

Are you saying it uninstalled itself after you installed it and used it yesterday? 

No Paul, this was a dream that MSFS was installed and worked correctly, and when waking up in the morning... 

Edited October 22, 20214 yr by Bernard Ducret

Same happened to me. Had a flight in MSFS, put PC to Sleep, tried another flight a day later and the whole game was just missing. 3,5 days later I had it installed again but had of course lost a lot of fine-tuned settings (like custom cameras and liveries).

Surprised? Not really ... these are the same people that (still) get W10 updates so utterly wrong. 🤦‍♂️

15 minutes ago, Paladin said:

Oh well, give it a rest for a day or two then install the Steam version, purchased yesterday, and see whether that will start/run etc.

This will do, believe me. One advantage is the file structure being open for checking all directories (except those on the server, of course)

However, I have difficulty to imagine that even the MS Store version can completely disappear without a trace. I bet a thorough search would recover most/all of it. Did you check the state in the MS Store App?

The bad thing is you can't access the exe file being hidden in a protected directory. And I strongly disadvise you to manipulate access restrictions of those directories - I nearly burnt my system doing so once.

Kind regards, Michael

psolk - thanks for your response.  I have absolutely no idea where it went 😞 The install location is in C:\  for the "initial bit" and then the main install goes [as before] to M:\msfs2020.  All the files are in the M: drive but there is no sign of the C:\ part.  Even looking in the Store, I find no updates and MSFS [premium] is showing as installed, along with the digital licence, but fails to launch from there too!!!  @BD  - I wish.  I the thought to do an uninstall/reinstall of the initial part of the download, which uninstalled correctly, but it will not now install again  😞

I am currently restoring [Acronis] the backup I made last evening just before retiring to bed,  not hopeful though 😞  I think I may need to take a break and fly an alternative  [P3D or XP11]  I am rather tired of this activity. Lupedelupe, sorry to hear of your experience, but if all else fails, I will download the Steam version to see whether that performs a little better.

Thank pmb, at 77 years old, I will not play with the system which has been fragile for me since SU5.

Thanks again each, I am off to P3D and the FSLabs Airbus   🙂  BR

M.

Edited October 22, 20214 yr by Paladin

5 minutes ago, pmb said:

This will do, believe me. One advantage is the file structure being open for checking all directories (except those on the server, of course)

However, I have difficulty to imagine that even the MS Store version can completely disappear without a trace. I bet a thorough search would recover most/all of it. Did you check the state in the MS Store App?

The bad thing is you can't access the exe file being hidden in a protected directory. And I strongly disadvise you to manipulate access restrictions of those directories - I nearly burnt my system doing so once.

Kind regards, Michael

So it turns out there are a number of people seeing this but in almost all cases it can be repaired and seems to be tied to 3rd party software, AntiVirus, Malware Software etc... 

A workaround to see if it is indeed still on your system is in this first link on the MSFS forums.  Further confirmation it is 3rd party related in the 2nd link. 

https://forums.flightsimulator.com/t/msfs-deleted-itself/460551/54

https://forums.flightsimulator.com/t/uncommanded-uninstall/453553/5

Just now, Paladin said:

psolk - thanks for your response.  I have absolutely no idea where it went 😞 The install location is 😄 for the "initial bit" and then the main install goes [as before] to M:\msfs2020.  All the files are in the M: drive but there is no sign of the C:\ part.  Even looking in the Store, I find no updates and MSFS [premium] is showing as installed, along with the digital licence, but fails to launch from there too!!!  @BD  - I wish.  I the thought to do an uninstall/reinstall of the initial part of the download, which uninstalled correctly, but it will not now install again  😞

I am currently restoring [Acronis] the backup I made last evening just before retiring to bed,  not hopeful though 😞  I think I may need to take a break and fly an alternative  [P3D or XP11]  I am rather tired of this activity. Lupedelupe, sorry to hear of your experience, but if all else fails, I will download the Steam version to see whether that performs a little better.

Thank pmb, at 77 years old, I will not play with the system which has been fragile for me since SU5.

Thanks again each, I am off to P3D and the FSLabs Airbus   🙂  BR

M.

My pleasure sir.  Hope we can help.  

Acronis backup?   I am guessing there is something there...

Would you be willing to try this as a workaround?  If not totally understood and nothing wrong with FSL and P3D but I do think there is something else going on and my "guess" (I prefer those to assumptions) is Acronis may have something to do with it... 

The MS Store version (and Gaming Pass) - any app from the MS Store will have a system owned EXE and a search for this will not find it.

If you own the MS Store version of MSFS and wish to create a desktop shortcut, you will need to make reference to the app installation folder. This assumes you installed to the default location from the MS Store.

Create a new shortcut on your desktop and point it to (copy/paste as one line):
C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe /C start shell:AppsFolder\Microsoft.FlightSimulator_8wekyb3d8bbwe!App

The above assumes that your installation of MSFS isn’t corrupted.

If you wish to skip the preloading screens while launching (the Asobo, Xbox, Blackshark.ai videos) add -FastLaunch to the end of the shell command (copy/paste as one line):
C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe /C start shell:AppsFolder\Microsoft.FlightSimulator_8wekyb3d8bbwe!App -FastLaunch

However, if you are missing the shortcut from the Start menu, this indicates there is a problem with your install.

^^^^^^^ Thanks again, but not today  -  Acronis [payware] is my backup/restore application which I have used [always current version] since before FSX and "verified" the backup as "good"🙂  I will do a restore and maybe try your suggestions, but not today.  SWMBO calls for lunch now and I will probably be a couch potato for the rest of today  🙂  Many thanks to all.  BR

M.

1 hour ago, Paladin said:

^^^^^^^ Thanks again, but not today  -  Acronis [payware] is my backup/restore application which I have used [always current version] since before FSX and "verified" the backup as "good"🙂  I will do a restore and maybe try your suggestions, but not today.  SWMBO calls for lunch now and I will probably be a couch potato for the rest of today  🙂  Many thanks to all.  BR

M.

Have a wonderful day and thank you for your service.