new user: Having problems Starting pilot2atc windows 11

[guitartom47 0]

I've been trying for a few days to solve this now. I believe that this probably isn't so much a Pilot2Atc bug as a security/permissions problem with the SQL software, but I'd like some input. So far when I try to use pilot2atc with msfs, this is the message I've been getting: 

Unable to initialize database the underlying provider failed to open. a network-related or instance specific error occurred while establishing a connection to SQL server. The server was not found or was not accessible. Verify that the instance name is correct and that the SQL server is configured to allow remote connections. (provider: SQL Network interfaces, error: 50 - Local Database Runtime error occurred. Error occurred during LocalDB instance startup: SQL Server process failed to start.)

after I click okay, pilot2atc starts up but is unable to connect to msfs.

[Dave-Pilot2ATC 875]

That’s a Microsoft SQL Engine error.  Shut down P2A and try the following:
1.    First, check in Control Panel->Programs and Features that the database program is installed physically.   You should find an entry for Microsoft SQL Server 2014 Express LocalDB.
2.    If it’s not there, you can try installing the SQL LocalDB engine again.  Here’s a link to the Microsoft installer program on my Dropbox server: https://www.dropbox.com/s/b30wwk84t7a4ngp/SqlLocalDBx64.zip?dl=0     You can download, unzip and run the installer.  Take note if any error messages are given, but it should run without issue.  Then try starting Pilot2ATC again. 
3.     If it is installed and that doesn't fix it, try deleting and recreating the SQLLocalDB as follows
⦁    Open a Windows command prompt as administrator.
⦁    Type the following command:  SQLLocalDB stop "MSSQLLocalDB"
⦁    Type the following command:  SQLLocalDB delete "MSSQLLocalDB"
⦁    Type the following command:  SQLLocalDB create "MSSQLLocalDB"
⦁    Type the following command:  SQLLocalDB start "MSSQLLocalDB"

Try starting P2A again.  Hopefully that will get you up and going with data.

Dave
 

[guitartom47 0]

Thanks for getting back so fast!

Yes the database program is installed. I checked it, and I've re-installed it 2 or 3 times as well in the past 24 hours.

Next I followed your list, opened command prompt as admin and the 3rd command [SQLLocalDB create "MSSQLLocalDB"] failed.

Here's the message I got: [Start of LocalDB instance "MSSQLLocalDB" failed because of the following error:
Error occurred during LocalDB instance startup: SQL Server process failed to start.]

First 2 commands worked, and the second 2 did not. 

[Dave-Pilot2ATC 875]

I assume you've tried running Pilot2ATC as Admin also, but if not, try that.

There may be some corrupt or missing files in the MSSQLLocalDB work folder.  It is located at C:\Users\<UserName>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server Local DB\Instances\MSSQLLocalDB  where <UserName> is your PC user name. Portions of the path may be hidden by default, so be sure Windows Explorer has Show Hidden Items checked in the View tab.   Locate this folder and delete the entire folder.  SQL will rebuild the folder and valid contents on the next startup of Pilot2ATC.
You can try the Command Line commands again after you delete the folder and if P2A cannot start the database.

 

[guitartom47 0]

Dave, thanks again for your help!
I did everything you suggested. Still failing in the same places, but I did find some other info that may provide a clue. sql server - Error starting localDb on Windows 11 - Database Administrators Stack Exchange

the link shows "Windows 11 and Windows Server 2022 does not report correct sector information for some storage devices, particularly NVMe M.2 SSD devices. This causes issues with SQL Server IO when reported sector sizes are over 4K." My sector size shows 32k!! - same type of ssd I think. Now I'm not sure what to do to fix things but i think I'm closer to an answer maybe?

[Dave-Pilot2ATC 875]

Thanks for the update.  The link you found does seem promising.  Unfortunately, I don't have any more ideas, other than you could check the error log mentioned in the link and see if you're having exactly the same issue.  The most recent error log is the one not ending in a number named error.log.  

Let us know what happens. Windows 11 is throwing us a lot of curve balls lately.

Dave

Edited December 15, 2021 by Dave-Pilot2ATC

[andyhol 0]

On 12/14/2021 at 9:49 PM, Dave-Pilot2ATC said:

I assume you've tried running Pilot2ATC as Admin also, but if not, try that.

There may be some corrupt or missing files in the MSSQLLocalDB work folder.  It is located at C:\Users\<UserName>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server Local DB\Instances\MSSQLLocalDB  where <UserName> is your PC user name. Portions of the path may be hidden by default, so be sure Windows Explorer has Show Hidden Items checked in the View tab.   Locate this folder and delete the entire folder.  SQL will rebuild the folder and valid contents on the next startup of Pilot2ATC.
You can try the Command Line commands again after you delete the folder and if P2A cannot start the database.

 

On 12/15/2021 at 11:00 AM, Dave-Pilot2ATC said:

Thanks for the update.  The link you found does seem promising.  Unfortunately, I don't have any more ideas, other than you could check the error log mentioned in the link and see if you're having exactly the same issue.  The most recent error log is the one not ending in a number named error.log.  

Let us know what happens. Windows 11 is throwing us a lot of curve balls lately.

Dave

On 12/14/2021 at 7:39 PM, guitartom47 said:

I've been trying for a few days to solve this now. I believe that this probably isn't so much a Pilot2Atc bug as a security/permissions problem with the SQL software, but I'd like some input. So far when I try to use pilot2atc with msfs, this is the message I've been getting: 

Unable to initialize database the underlying provider failed to open. a network-related or instance specific error occurred while establishing a connection to SQL server. The server was not found or was not accessible. Verify that the instance name is correct and that the SQL server is configured to allow remote connections. (provider: SQL Network interfaces, error: 50 - Local Database Runtime error occurred. Error occurred during LocalDB instance startup: SQL Server process failed to start.)

after I click okay, pilot2atc starts up but is unable to connect to msfs.

Hi guitartom, i've upgraded my PC which came with W11 re-installed Pilot2ATC with exactly the same issues you have encontered, after 2 days of uninstaliing abd re-installing Pilotto ATC and a re-install of W11 and trying all the recommendations still wont load.Iwas wonering if you got any further to solving this issue.

[flyvita 0]

Hello andyhol, did you find the solution for this issue?

joerg

[Sonosusto 709]

Yeah, I fell for it as well.

This SQL window keeps flashing on and then off then pilot2atc doesn't open. I tried reinstalling everything as well.

[jstnj 20]

Given the amount of people who use windows 11 and P2A, this is most likely a dependency issue where you have an atypical install of Windows in general. Not necessarily due to the "11" part of windows at all.

 

 

[anhdaden113 0]

On 12/15/2021 at 9:32 AM, guitartom47 said:

Dave, thanks again for your help!
I did everything you suggested. Still failing in the same places, but I did find some other info that may provide a clue. sql server - Error starting localDb on Windows 11 - Database Administrators Stack Exchange

the link shows "Windows 11 and Windows Server 2022 does not report correct sector information for some storage devices, particularly NVMe M.2 SSD devices. This causes issues with SQL Server IO when reported sector sizes are over 4K." My sector size shows 32k!! - same type of ssd I think. Now I'm not sure what to do to fix things but i think I'm closer to an answer maybe?

The link you gave definitely helped. But by not adding trace flag -T1800, instead I changed the ForcedPhysicalSectorSizeInBytes and it worked like a charm!

I encountered the same issue around Dec 2021 with windows 11. After 2 weekends (yes the problem sure cost me time for try and error), I gave up eventually. Not until recently I picked up pilot2atc again and decided to fix the issue. 

You can have a look at here click me

The fix appeared to not affect the overall performance of my pc nor the speed of the affected ssd. Please let me know how you go with the fix.

Aiden

[skypilotYTS 11]

Very interesting, I just built a brand new PC for a friend getting into flight sim, Windows 11 Pro, on NVMe M.2 SSD. Was a bit worried based on feedback here with Windows 11.

Installed the base (full public release) then installed the Public Beta, and it fired up without issue.

[seanpaul76 0]

(Raising Hand)

Hi! For those of us not that technically inclined, can someone who has successfully resolved this issue with P2ATC and whatever this SQL error is with Windows 11, give step by step instructions on how you resolved it. I went to that Microsoft website and its like reading a different language. 

Here is the error message from P2ATC

BTW, never had a problem with this program until the moment I upgraded to 11. So either its not compatible with 11 (which i see is not the case) or something in 11 is not allowing this to run. 

HELP!

Edited December 17, 2022 by seanpaul76

[Dave-Pilot2ATC 875]

I don't believe that's the same SQL database error that the fixes in this thread address.

Try rebooting the PC, first. 

If you still can't start P2A, try doing a fresh install of P2A.

Dave

[phatcat213 1]

Dave_Pilot2ATC I want to say thank you. I used your dropbox download and finally fixed my issue as well. I was pulling my hair out lol.

Thanks

Brooks Ingersoll