49 minutes ago, vgbaron said:

something like this should never be allowed to happen

yes ...

but   ...

we have all been warned. I am annoyed like everybody else, like the Queen posted back then in the other support forum:

"explain, but don't complain."

we all have deliberately decided to enter this beta jungle. if this was the final versin, yes that would be a whole different story:

"There is always a risk that you may have to re-install the sim when joining/leaving a flight, so please keep this in mind before participating. If you have MSFS content installed completely on a custom path, you will have a much lower chance that a full re-install will be necessary when the update is officially released. However, if your sim content is installed in the default path selected by the in-game content manager, you may have to reinstall the whole sim when moving from the test build to the public build. We recommend that those who wish to test with us ensure your sim content is located in a custom path before joining the flight to avoid full reinstallations in the future (Details on how to do this can be found here). The best set up would be for your store app to live on the default drive and sim content on a custom drive.

Please remember if you decide to join the Beta and install the build, you will likely have to re-install your sim if you wish to leave the Beta before it ends."

https://forums.flightsimulator.com/t/beta-testers-new-information-on-joining-leaving-the-beta/543728

to avoid full reinstallations in the future (Details on how to do this can be found here:

https://forums.flightsimulator.com/t/how-to-change-the-installation-path-of-installed-packages-inc-community-folder/471682

1 hour ago, RobJC said:

looking forward to watch  their faces in the next developer stream.

They will look confused and say "We weren't aware of dis", "we not able to reproduce" in their accents.

19 minutes ago, AnkH said:

I was also able to opt out of the beta just now and then nothing happens. MSFS2024 starts up as normal.

yes starts up normal here as well, and all your custom settings in usercfg.opt were still the same? I don't mean the Control and logbook settings in the cloud. not on my pc.

1 hour ago, psolk said:

That is great for PC users with your knowledge level but I wonder how Non PC users are impacted...  Did they just wipe out millions of XBox users settings?

@RobJC we can only hope there is a detailed audit log and they can do a diff to see what changed but the most revealing aspect of all of this is they clearly aren't deploying changes to a staging environment or this would have been caught so did they really just push something like this to production with no staging or testing???  Rhetorical of course I know you can't speak for them but it sure seems there are multiple steps in the process that got missed... 

This is actually quite bush league to EVER let something with this impact hit the production environment. 

It feels like a one man shop doing their own Q/A while watching TV and posting on Avsim at the same time...    

I know! It is really shocking. Anyone in this business knows that these type things just don't accidentally happen. For something like this to happen there are serious flaws in Asobo's process. This is one of those issues where you can't just overlook a mistake like this. You can't just explain it away. The software guys at MS are going to be asking questions, because this isn't just one mistake. It points to a complete failure on a bunch of levels.

To release anything to production, you need to go through multiple levels.

1. Preliminary evaluation of the current dev build. Call it a smoke test. Assuming this passes it goes to another team to review. 

2. Merge the code to a stage environment, notify QA and have the test cases ready to run. These test cases (probably many hundreds, if not thousands) will incorporate the standard tests plus any new ones impacted by the most recent changes. BTW, the guy merging this code is a senior member of the team, so you are severely limiting who can do this step.  

3. QA runs their tests and reports back with lots of bugs. 

4. Development fixes those and prepares a new build. This cycle repeats until a solid build is ready. 

5. Then you notify the appropriate people that a deployment to production is happening. There are sign offs for this. You need QA to sign off. You may have a handful of senior testers who also sign off. Then it gets delivered to the deployment team. Access to this final step is very limited. 

Bottom line: A rogue update like this should never happen unless the process Asobo is using is very loose. 

Remember, you can be a really talented software developer working on a big team, but that doesn't mean the process you are a part of is professional in any way. But again, look at how FS24 was released. They need to get their act together. None of these things are rocket science. 

 

 

Edited March 22, 20251 yr by RobJC

3 minutes ago, Blueline308 said:

They will look confused and say "We weren't aware of dis", "we not able to reproduce" in their accents.

Nailed it lol , yeah Im starting to use 2024 more and more, and will definitely be moving over once PMDG has all of their Boeing aircraft ported, but ASOBO's MO is always "3 steps forward 5 steps back.."

And the fact that they still havent pulled the update is damning in itself....

Edited March 22, 20251 yr by UAL4life

None of my settings changed.

20 hours ago, turbomax said:

this normally happens when users don't carefully select the install path. If you were using a different path in your previous installation, not the default path that the original installation offered and don't choose that path again for this update and simply accept what is offered by default, the install manager will create a whole new installation at the suggested default location, which would explain why your COMMUNITY in the non-default location was left untouched. otherwise the install program will create a new one, which naturally is empty. this has been the same since day 1. 

people joining the beta program should check the official support site first:

https://flightsimulator.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360017133940-How-to-install-a-new-update-safely

 

https://forums.flightsimulator.com/t/urgent-issue-msfs-2024-phantom-update-resets-everything-3-21-2025-23-30-utc/712300/71

"When you log in (version is still 1.2.23) your settings will be reset and your community folder path gets reset (others are claiming their entire community folder got wiped – yikes)
Start the sim, go to here and click the gear icon and re-point your community folder to wherever your community folder is"

 

"Hi folks, We have escalated this internally. Our production team has advised me that they were doing some backend work in preparation for the start of the SU2 beta. If you were previously enrolled in the beta test group, you may receive this download, but it is not the SU2 beta nor is it an update to the sim; you will remain on the same version (SU1 release, 1.3.23.0). We are currently investigating why this might have resulted in some of your settings or Community folder being reset. Thanks, …"

Very helpful. Thanks for that Turbo!

For this very reason I've never been a beta guy. But recently i was sort of forced into joining the beta in order to use a certain A350... I can't help but resent that developer just a little now 😆

I've gone and found the instruction for how to leave the beta. I'm now going to re-instal windows and have a clean start. I was sort of looking for an excuse to eventually remove FS2020 and all my clutter so here we go!

3 minutes ago, TOGA-saurus said:

Very helpful. Thanks for that Turbo!

gracias muchísimas!

its official, having flown twice today. Now it wont recognize my community folder no matter what. It was on my F drive, moved it prior thru MP then Library etc.. when i try to create a new one and point to it thru market place library community, it just makes 2 duplicates and neither will work, i think im done for the day.  FS2024 is one step forward 2 steps back.......

39 minutes ago, turbomax said:

yes starts up normal here as well, and all your custom settings in usercfg.opt were still the same? I don't mean the Control and logbook settings in the cloud. not on my pc.

Yes, absolutely the same, no settings modified, nothing. Also no download. BUT: as I wrote, I opted out of the beta and I guess I was able because I have my autostart almost empty, besides some hardware related system stuff, nothing is in my autostart. For sure no Xbox App or anything. So I wonder why some people here got their update running and even community folders emptied without doing anything. I can only guess it is because they have the Xbox App in the autostart triggering the update somehow before they were even able to backup anything or opt out of the beta.

1 hour ago, turbomax said:

Please remember if you decide to join the Beta and install the build, you will likely have to re-install your sim if you wish to leave the Beta before it ends."

That would be great, but the beta ended weeks ago. This is just another Asobo mess, and switching the blame to the end user in this instance isn’t really warranted. 

Edited March 22, 20251 yr by Ianrivaldosmith

I left beta right after SU1 release. While I agree with overall sentiment about pushing bad code, everyone should realize beta is not privileged club where you get improvement ahead of stable release. Beta is 50/50 chance things can easily can go sideways. So back up your stuff before taking chance for a coin flip .

21 minutes ago, sd_flyer said:

I left beta right after SU1 release. While I agree with overall sentiment about pushing bad code, everyone should realize beta is not privileged club where you get improvement ahead of stable release. Beta is 50/50 chance things can easily can go sideways. So back up your stuff before taking chance for a coin flip .

You are right, things can be broken in a beta. But this rogue update that smoked people’s settings and “community” content really isn’t a new “bug”. There’s no way to really spin this into “it’s our fault for joining the beta.” Glad i only run a stock setup for 24 and don’t have anything in my community folder. 

I will get back in the beta once the coast is clear, but having Steam helps. Not a fan of the MS Store. Steam is way more robust. 

1 hour ago, AnkH said:

no settings modified, nothing. Also no download. BUT: as I wrote, I opted out of the beta

but that's not what we are discussing here. only users enrolled in the beta , MS store edition are effected.

52 minutes ago, Ianrivaldosmith said:

This is just another Asobo mess, but the beta ended weeks ago.

no question about it, but stll beta. beta hasn't ended just because nothing new has been added lately, I am still in the beta branch like many others..