Folks, after all the help and suggestions you have provided I may have found the original MFS.  I thought I have checked all the folders but  out of no where I found folder Microsoft under roaming as well as Microsoft Flight Simulator folder located in the Microsoft  folder. with all the data including Packages etc.  and all the other folders required.  , which appears the complete Microsoft flight Simulator.

Now should I delete the existing MFS located in the existing Microsoft Flight Simulator folder and  then transfer the complete MFS from the  Microsoft folder to the MFSF where it should be.

Hope that is not to confusing?

 

I would not delete or move anything at all.

There is the file which tells MSFS where all your packaged data are located. The bottom line of that file is text that shows the path to that packaged data. That line on the file on your computer is pointing to the new data place you made a few days ago, instead of to the old data place you were using for months and months.

On my computer UserCfg.opt is here (because my computer is named tions). Your computer is not named tions, so it will be different.

C:\Users\tions\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft Flight Simulator

Copy UserCfg.opt and save it on your desktop. Don't cut and paste, copy and paste.

UserCfg.opt is found at:

C:\Users\tions\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft Flight Simulator

(because my own computer is named tions, but yours isn't)

Then look and see what the bottom line of your UserCfg.opt file is. And then change the text using notepad.

This will make MSFS stop using your new data location, and make it instead use your old data location.

On my computer the bottom line of that file is:

InstalledPackagesPath "C:\msfs2020"

But it won't be the same on your computer. Yours will be pointing to the new data location that you made a few days ago. Make it point to the old data location. You have to do that very carefully and get it exactly right.

Now when you boot up MSFS it will probably pause at "Searching for Updates". At the bottom of that screen will be the path which is taken from the bottom line of the text in your UserCfg.opt file. You have to make sure that it is exactly correct before proceeding on to boot up MSFS.

 

If you tell us what the bottom line of text says in your file. And tell us the exact path of your new data location your MSFS is using now. And tell us the exact location of the old data that your MSFS used to use. Then we can probably tell you what the bottom line of the file should be changed to.

Changing that bottom line is all you probably have to do. But it has to be done correctly or MSFS will start downloading the whole program again 😞

Thank you for this important info. I would have really messed it up without your help.

Now let me see if I will do it correctly.  First I guess I need to check the UsrCfg being shown now and get back to you.

Below is a copy a few months ago. Maybe it could still be used.

 I had made a copy the following UsrCfg several months ago which is prior to what is probably different now. The path  shown below was when MSFS was not under the folder Microsft but Microsoft Flight Simulator as shown:

InstalledPackagesPath "C:\Users\cwtho\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft Flight Simulator\Packages"

Will try to get the UsrCfg being shown now. and show it

Carl

 

 

 

This is the UseCfg at present, which appears the same ?

InstalledPackagesPath "C:\Users\cwtho\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft Flight Simulator\Packages"

 

Looks good! You should verify the line is exactly correct as to still being where your old data is located.

InstalledPackagesPath "C:\Users\cwtho\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft Flight Simulator\Packages"

If the old data is still in that exact path. Then MSFS will probably be able to use that old data instead of the newer data. After you replace this line into the file, MSFS should then boot up with using the old data. A clue will be how much data MSFS says needs to be now changed at "Searching for Updates". If it's a giant amount then something is wrong with the path line. If it's a small amount, then the old data is probably in fine shape.

 

6 minutes ago, ctiger said:

 

This is the UseCfg at present, which appears the same ?

InstalledPackagesPath "C:\Users\cwtho\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft Flight Simulator\Packages"

 

I posted my above message too soon, didn't see your last message.

Is there hundreds of GB of data in that path above? Or only 50 GB (I think you said the new data is only about 50 GB).

If there is a folder system with hundreds of GB of data, then that is the path that should now go on the line and then it will be used.

So if you have two Packages folders, and one holds lots more GB of data and is older, then that path should be on the file's last line.

Fielder,

I am not sure what to do since my old  MFS folder is located in the Microsoft folder. Each UserCfg shown in previous note are the same. You mentioned to change the text using the notepad. What should I change since they are the same.  Is this a change  in the UserCFG.opt?. Also how to move all of the old data in Microsoft folder to the existing MFS.  Sorry for crazy questions hope I can understand more on what to do.

Thank you for your help.

 

 

 

 

 

 

r

 

Sorry I just read your recent messages. The new data is 207 gigs total in MSf which includes all located in the new MFS, and the old data MSFS which is located in the Microsoft folder is 550 gigs. I wonder if I should change the old UserCfg since it is located presently in Microsoft /Microsoft flight simulator.

to

InstalledPackagesPath "C:\Users\cwtho\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Microsoft Flight Simulator\Packages"  although when it was deleted it did not change theUserCfg.

or keep as shown now since when I deleted it there was no change to UserCfg.

 

Here's what I would do:

I assume MSFS is working. If so, the start MSFS and go to options and turn ON Dev Mode. and then go to the main map page. Then Go to the Dev Mode Toolbar > Tools > Virtual File System > Packages Folders > Open Community Folder. This will open in file explorer  the location which the Sim is reading for to hunt for and load your Community mods AND it also is exactly the location path line at the bottom of whatever usercfg.opt that MSFS is using when you boot up MSFS.

 

You can then close MSFS and copy and past all your folders inside whichever Community folder is located where your 500 GB of data is, to the location shown in the path in Dev Mode toolbar. If you don't have room on the drive then you can cut and paste to save space (instead of copy and paste).

I'm not sure about your question of changing the line in usercfg.opt. But doing it this way, it won't matter.

 

 

MSFS can replace all the stuff in the folder under Official. But it can't replace what's in Community. You have to do that yourself. Unless it has been deleted and lost. But with 500 GB in Packages it seems that none or only a little was deleted.

Edited August 8, 20241 yr by Fielder

I had started to send a little more info for you.  I realize that the 550gig that is in MFS  which was moved when I hit the delete keys..There is 207 gigs in the new MFS which is community 12gig, official 187 gigs and 8 more. The official folder has the same as in the old data MFS.

The layout in the old MFS appears to have almost all the info from the original before the "delete mess".

This indicates why I now only see about 34gig remaining on the main drive.

Now what can be done. It is almost 9pm here. 

Again I really appreciate all the help. I just hope I can get back into flying sometime soon.

 

Regards

 

Just one final note that I am trying to understand.  When you review MFS that was moved to microsoft folder/(MFS folder (550 gigs)  it appears that nothing was changed.  The MFS that remain is the 207 gigs which 12 gigs installed into the empty community folder.  The other remaining gigs was essentially the official folder. It sure would be great if I could just  copy all from the old MSF back to the existing MFS.

Maybe my problem is when I panic-ed and started MFS right away and it started installing a few old packages that took over an hour.

.  At least I can still fly some but sure missed all the good stuff.  I only have 34 gig remaining to install anything.

 

 

" It sure would be great if I could just  copy all from the old MSF back to the existing MFS. "

Why not do that? You can take it away and put it back into the old MSF later if you wish. And you will be right where you are now. Nothing lost by trying.

Just use cut and paste in File Explorer (copy and paste would add more GB to the drive. Cut and paste will not add even 1 byte more data to the drive).