Re-installation of MSFS 2020

[Hernan1 5]

Re-installed MSFS 2020 today 2/26/23. This time I had to do it via XBox. When installation was complete, there was no Community folder. I had a backup and tried to install somewhere near MSFS but did not know how to tell the App where to find the Community folder. Can someone assist me with this? I don't know, has the Community folder been removed?

 

My Computer Specs:

Alienware Aurora R11

Windows 11

Intel Cre 17-10700KF -CPU 3.80GHz

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080

Super 32GBMemory

2GB SSD / 512GB SSD / 1TB SSD / 1TB HDD

[orchestra_nl 932]

MSFS asks twice about where to install stuff. The first time, just after launching the setup, it asks where to install the core files. The 2nd time it does either later in the setup or when MSFS is first launched. That location is where all your scenery and aircraft including addons are stored. If you point it to a backup copy it saves a lot of time downloading stuff (several tens of gigabytes!)

You probably told it to accept the default location which is in your userprofile under C:\users\xxxxx\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.FlightSimulator_8wexxxxxxxx\LocalCache\Packages.

You have 3 options to resolve this:

1. Accept the default location and move all your backup files there.
   This is not recommended if you ever want to join betas since it can lead to reinstalls later.
2. Edit the usercfg.opt in C:\users\xxxxx\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.FlightSimulator_8wexxxxxxxx\LocalCache\  and change the location of "InstalledPackagesPath"
3. Remove MSFS and start again but this time take care where to install everything.

To explain things more clearly I'll quote myself from another topic:

Quote

Perhaps it helps if you mention the complete path to the community folders on both your C and E drive.

• When you first start the setup of MSFS, it asks you where to install the core files. Since it is only a few Gbytes, this takes just a short while. I chose C:\Games\Xbox\...
• After that, when you first start MSFS, it asks you again for a location. This is for the rest (the bulk) of the installation and contains the default aircraft, scenery etc. Here, I chose D:\MS Flight Simulator.
  IIRC, if you don't choose your own location it will default to your userprofile which means all these Gbytes end up in your userprofile, probably in C:\users\xxxxx\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.FlightSimulator_8wexxxxxxxx\LocalCache\packages\Official\. I don't recommend this.

On my computer, I have THREE locations that contain parts of MSFS:

• C:\Games\Xbox\Microsoft Flightsimulator\
  This contains the core files installed by the first setup.
• D:\MS Flight Simulator\ (including an "Official" and "Community" folder)
  The Official folder contains the files that are downloaded when the sim is first started. These are the base simulator files, the default aircraft and scenery and all marketplace purchases.
  The Community folder contains all the files you installed yourself or those from third party addons like OrbX, Aerosoft, Simmarket etc.
• C:\users\xxxxx\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.FlightSimulator_8wexxxxxxxx\
  This is where your settings including third party settings are kept. Some settings are also stored in the cloud in your Xbox account and copied here when MSFS "syncs" during start.
  Deep inside these folders there are an empty Community and Official folder. If they are not empty you have probably installed your entire MSFS there or it is a leftover from a previous installation.

Additionally, there are a few junctions or links that point to the core files in C:\Games\Xbox. On my computer these are in C:\Program Files\WindowsApps and on D:\Windows\WindowsApps.
These folders are probably hidden, you can only enter them with elevated rights. In there are just links but no real content.

I do hope this will get yoiur MSFS going again.

[Hernan1 5]

I am typing this for Hernan who is partially blind and nearly deaf. He tried to install FSLTL which caused it to crashed to desktop. I did a new install. Started in MS store and it went into Xbox. It asked "install to." I entered "MSFS2020 F:" (the new drive location that I created when 512gig drive stated running out of space). I let it run. When it was completed, Hernan took it for a spin and found missing items. I looked for Community but could not find because the old MSFS2020 file structure was lost when I had to move the app to a larger drive. Fortunately, I had a copy of the Community folder. What I need to know is where do I put it so that MSFS2020 can find it. I really don't understand why you put your app in 3 different places. Why not have one drive house the entirety of the MSFS2020 app and its components? Attached is a screenshot of the newly installed MSFS2020 file structure.

[Hernan1 5]

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