Was using MSFS for 8 hours last night, several restarts, no issues whatsoever.

Try to start the sim today and it hangs on "Checking for updates", forever. (The wheel is not spinning. Just frozen).

I've tried everything I can find online; signing out of and back into Xbox app/MS Store, fast start, deleted and reinstalled Game Bar, empty Community folder, deleted the last installed item into "OneStore" (the new Heaven Designs Eurofox).

The only thing I haven't tried is deleting the online Xbox Cache, because despite having done that a dozen times before, I can't for the life of me find the line that needs to be entered into Powershell (I even gave someone on here advice to do that a few weeks ago!).   All reference to that one seems to have disappeared from the internet!

The only other thing I did yesterday was try the "Map Enhancement Tool".   It was awful and I had Google Watermarks all over the scenery, so set it to 'off' and uninstalled it. (It appeared to revert back to the standard Bing, and I definitely loaded MSFS a few times after having deleted it.    What is the location to check that the correct Bing link is being used?

MSFS now totally inaccessible.   Any clues?

TIA

 

Edited January 27, 20242 yr by JYW

Had the same yesterday evening, but after several minutes, it still finished loading MSFS. I also have the Map Enhancement Tool running with Google, coincidence? Did not yet try today tbh...

Try removing the entries from your c:/windows/system32/drivers/etc/host file. 

The Map tool touches that file.  Just put a # on anything that does not have one if you don't want to delete anything.  # "remarks" out the setting

Weird on those water marks - those must only be on the freeware version - I have the payware one and never saw them.  

Edited January 27, 20242 yr by Tony P

Thanks guys.

This is so odd.   So I finally found the link with instructions to delete the cloud saves.  This has resolved every problem I've had with MSFS not starting, stuck on updates, or black screen:-

https://flightsimulator.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4409228619538-How-to-delete-a-cloud-save-on-PC-to-fix-some-loading-issues-or-reset-the-logbook

 

....however today, I get an error message stating that Powershell cannot find a parameter for DeleteCloudSaves !!!!



Absolutely stumped on this one!

Edited January 27, 20242 yr by JYW

12 minutes ago, Tony P said:

Try removing the entries from your c:/windows/system32/drivers/etc/host file. 

The Map tool touches that file.  Just put a # on anything that does not have one if you don't want to delete anything.  # "remarks" out the setting

Weird on those water marks - those must only be on the freeware version - I have the payware one and never saw them.  

Thanks.   I checked this and there are no host file entries - so the Map Enhanvement Tool can be ruled out as the cause of the problem.

Mybe I just need to leave MSFS on "Checking for updates" for an hour or so..... 🤔   I've left it for upto 25 mins and it just doesn't seem to be getting anywhere.

Also checked and tested my internet connection - all ok.

Edited January 27, 20242 yr by JYW

Full PC restart Bill?  Sorry if I am stating the obvious or if you have already done it, but it just worked for me once after Windows did an update in a session and then MSFS hung on checking for updates just like yours.

Edited January 27, 20242 yr by bobcat999

Happened to me a couple of months back. Hours. Reboot after reboot.  Still stayed checking. Then, after at least six hours, poof...back to normal.  I’m of the mind that when this happens it’s Asobo/MSFS, not you.

-B

13 minutes ago, bobcat999 said:

Full PC restart Phil?  Sorry if I am stating the obvious or if you have already done it, but it just worked for me once after Windows did an update in a session and then MSFS hung on checking for updates just like yours.

Good point, can always help!   Unfortunately, I did quite a few restarts, while deleting and reinstalling the Xbox app, MS Store and Gaming Services.

5 minutes ago, btacon said:

Happened to me a couple of months back. Hours. Reboot after reboot.  Still stayed checking. Then, after at least six hours, poof...back to normal.  I’m of the mind that when this happens it’s Asobo/MSFS, not you.

-B

Great point.

Logic does suggest that, as I've done everything on the 'fix it' checklists and nothing is working, that it could just be a connection issue from their end.

Shame if so, as I've deleted half of my official folder 😐 trying to find the 'culprit' that Zendesk said was definitely sitting in their, preventing it clearing the update stage.

Edited January 27, 20242 yr by JYW

7 minutes ago, btacon said:

Happened to me a couple of months back. Hours. Reboot after reboot.  Still stayed checking. Then, after at least six hours, poof...back to normal.  I’m of the mind that when this happens it’s Asobo/MSFS, not you.

-B

Yes, maybe a server issue again. 
I am in MSFS this morning but haven't flown yet, because despite my 5G connection giving me nearly 40 mb/s today, downloading the updates in the content manager is taking me hours and sometimes only showing 3.5 mb/s.  not good!  

Whatever it is, it is really frustrating for Bill. I am trying to think of something that might help, but this is an unusual one.

Edited January 27, 20242 yr by bobcat999

4 minutes ago, JYW said:

Great point.

Logic does suggest that, as I've done everything on the 'fix it' checklists and nothing is working, that it could just be a connection issue from their end.

Shame if so, as I've deleted half of my official folder 😐 trying to find the 'culprit' that Zendesk said was definitely sitting in their, preventing it clearing the update stage.

Sorry bill, I called you Phil earlier (now corrected) - not enough coffee yet LOL!  

I just saw what you said about deleting stuff from your official folder, probably out of desperation at that stage.  There was a problem with certain Carenado aircraft a while back causing exactly this issue after an SU beta update, so it was worth a try.  Sorry it didn't work.
Next time (if there is one) it is better to just drag the files out to another folder somewhere rather than deleting.  Although sometimes you need a ton of space somewhere to be able to do this of course.

I did this with the Carenado aircraft after Asobo fixed their update, then just dragged them back.  If you have a fast connection of course, not so much of a problem.  Anyway, I really hope you solve it.  You just don't need this, especially on a weekend.

Thanks Bob.

Just tried temporarily removing all aircraft, airport, PG, bush trips, etc from the OneStore folder and then launching MSFS.   Same result, just stuck on "Checking updates" screen.   I guess that rules out a content-based cause.

Yes, very good point about the "move don't delete"!   I did delete a lot of content before asking myself why the heck I'd just done that!   So the above experiment was just a move, to a folder on my desktop called "OneStore_Temp".   Same result though.  I think it has to be either a connection/server issues, or some sort of corrupt save or failure with a dependency (like the Xbox app).

I wish I could get the "cloud save delete" to work.  I must have done that a dozen times, but now Powershell tells me; "delete cloud saves?  Never heard of it!". 😄

Edited January 27, 20242 yr by JYW

12 minutes ago, JYW said:

Thanks Bob.

Just tried temporarily removing all aircraft, airport, PG, bush trips, etc from the OneStore folder and then launching MSFS.   Same result, just stuck on "Checking updates" screen.   I guess that rules out a content-based cause.

How fast is your internet speed Bill?  At this stage are you considering a fresh install?  Certain settings, like controller settings and camera positions etc. are stored in the WpSystem folder, which is easy to back up.  So easy to put back afterwards.

Actually, that has just given me an idea.  Have you tried duplicating the folder to something like WpSystem.bak, and then renaming that original folder to something like WpSystem.old and trying again?  That will be equivalent to clearing it out (there are a lot of config files in there).

Afterwards you can simply rename the folder back to how it was so you don't lose a lot of your config settings.  I back this folder up once in a while anyway, as I learnt from past experience.

Be aware your usercfg.opt file is in there, and the last line in that text file points to your installation, so you may need to keep at least that one file in there or it might not even find MSFS on start up.  Easy to put right though from your backup if anything happens.

Edited January 27, 20242 yr by bobcat999

Hello Bob and all!

The issue turned out to be my broadband connection, which on Saturday morning began to wither, and then died completely.

Hence disappearing from here for 2 days of "offline" life!

Thanks @bobcat999 and everyone else for your help.

Edited January 29, 20242 yr by JYW

Disabling and enabling Wi-Fi helps me overcome the update check window.