OK, if it wasn't for the beautiful graphics and 'smooth as butter' experience that 24 has given me, I have to admit, I would have thrown it in the bin some weeks ago. However, I'm not here to list my dislikes, as I need to ask how best to reinstall the sim. For some reason, it has decided to start with a black screen, a few graphics only, then refuse to initiate a flight. I have done the usual thing of removing all community mods and addons. Log out and back into Xbox and MS apps. I also initiated a repair option from the Win apps screen, that hasn't helped. As a last resort I did a system restore, that also has refused to correct anything. So now it seems I only have one option and that is to do a reinstall of the sim. Before I do so, can anyone give me some 'pointers' other than the usual, backup community addons. I'm more concerned with aspects of addons that will have files embedded within the sim file structure itself, or/and profiles. Advice appreciated.

The way I did it two weeks ago: backup control settings file, uninstall in Windows settings App (if my memory serves me well), reboot PC, login Microsoft account and download FS 2024. All my addons are on a separate drive and did not need to be reinstalled (I use Addon-Linker). I presume one would need to save a backup of the Community folder if not using AL.

Edited July 3Jul 3 by Bernard Ducret

You can uninstall and reinstall using the XBOX app, just reboot computer after each step.

42 minutes ago, Bernard Ducret said:

The way I did it two weeks ago: backup control settings file, uninstall in Windows settings App, reboot PC, login Microsoft account and download FS 2024. All my addons are on a separate drive and did not need to be reinstalled (I use Addon-Linker).

Thanks. Where is the control settings file?

28 minutes ago, Bigmack said:

You can uninstall and reinstall using the XBOX app, just reboot computer after each step.

Ah OK, that was going to be how I did things Bill. I'm just making sure I'm not missing something before I give me myself a potential headache!

Edited July 3Jul 3 by Rocky_53

https://flightsimulator.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/21862909046428-How-to-Export-and-Import-your-controller-profiles

3 minutes ago, Bernard Ducret said:

https://flightsimulator.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/21862909046428-How-to-Export-and-Import-your-controller-profiles

Ah, durgh, I guess I should have looked for that! Thanks

Edited July 3Jul 3 by Rocky_53

4 hours ago, Rocky_53 said:

Thanks. Where is the control settings file?

Ah OK, that was going to be how I did things Bill. I'm just making sure I'm not missing something before I give me myself a potential headache!

Also make a copy of your user.cfg file to install after you're satisfied with your new installation.

5 hours ago, Bernard Ducret said:

The way I did it two weeks ago: backup control settings file, uninstall in Windows settings App (if my memory serves me well), reboot PC, login Microsoft account and download FS 2024. All my addons are on a separate drive and did not need to be reinstalled (I use Addon-Linker). I presume one would need to save a backup of the Community folder if not using AL.

Control settings are not that necessary 98% of the time, those settings are stored in the cloud and will auto reload when fresh copy of 2024 is reloaded. But to be on the safe side why not. Using the XBOX app I uninstalled and reinstalled several times. And never lost my controller settings.

I reinstalled for SU5. I'm not saying this is the right way, or necessarily needed, but here's what I did:

-Screenshot all important settings. Sure, it is in the cloud, and chances are you won't need them, but a screenshot takes a moment

-Any addon that has settings, screenshot. I have FlowPro and I screenshot where everything was.

-Export all control configs (these backups are always handy regardless)

-I made a list of all addons that needed to actually be uninstalled/reinstalled. What do I care about? What do I NEED?

-Uninstalled any addons that have an installer

-Move stuff out of community folder (or just unlink with addon linker)

-See what's left in the community folder. Document, uninstall or delete

-Uninstall 2024, and reinstall

-Replace community folder, reinstall addons that I want to keep (not just reinstalling everything automatically).

It took me a few hours. Honeslty it wasn't half as bad as I thought.

The trick with reinstalling anything from Windows to MSFS 2024 is the prep. People ask, "What do I need to save?". Only you can determine that. Windows+ printscreen is your friend. Many things can export settings too. If you set it up once, you can set it up again. "What if I forget something?" - if it was easy to forget, it isn't that important, and/or can be set up again.

30 minutes of prep and just documenting and screenshotting will make the process go much easier.

I have to admit that uninstalling and installing this thing is very easy. From the xbox app, uninstall and install, no logout. I just save a backup of my custom cockpit view settings: "cameras.cfg" per plane and their subfolders structure. For the other settings I trust the cloud, all went fine last time for reinstalling SU5.

1 hour ago, kerosene31 said:

I reinstalled for SU5. I'm not saying this is the right way, or necessarily needed, but here's what I did:

-Screenshot all important settings. Sure, it is in the cloud, and chances are you won't need them, but a screenshot takes a moment

-Any addon that has settings, screenshot. I have FlowPro and I screenshot where everything was.

-Export all control configs (these backups are always handy regardless)

-I made a list of all addons that needed to actually be uninstalled/reinstalled. What do I care about? What do I NEED?

-Uninstalled any addons that have an installer

-Move stuff out of community folder (or just unlink with addon linker)

-See what's left in the community folder. Document, uninstall or delete

-Uninstall 2024, and reinstall

-Replace community folder, reinstall addons that I want to keep (not just reinstalling everything automatically).

It took me a few hours. Honeslty it wasn't half as bad as I thought.

The trick with reinstalling anything from Windows to MSFS 2024 is the prep. People ask, "What do I need to save?". Only you can determine that. Windows+ printscreen is your friend. Many things can export settings too. If you set it up once, you can set it up again. "What if I forget something?" - if it was easy to forget, it isn't that important, and/or can be set up again.

30 minutes of prep and just documenting and screenshotting will make the process go much easier.

You're making it more difficult than it has to be. You don't have to uninstall any addons. Just rename your community folder to community.bak uninstall 2024 reboot reinstall 2024 reboot. Start msfs and make sure it running as should. If it is then set the location of your community folder then close to desktop, rename your community folder back to community.

11 hours ago, Rocky_53 said:

For some reason, it has decided to start with a black screen, a few graphics only, then refuse to initiate a flight. I have done the usual thing of removing all community mods and addons. Log out and back into Xbox and MS apps. I also initiated a repair option from the Win apps screen, that hasn't helped. As a last resort I did a system restore, that also has refused to correct anything. So now it seems I only have one option and that is to do a reinstall of the sim.

Before you go scorched-earth--did you clear the Windows shader cache and FS24 scenery indices?

Copy usercfg.opt file to desktop. Try to reboot msfs with no usercfg.opt file, it will create a new one. Could solve the issue.

C\Users\YOUR NAME \AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.Limitless_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalCache

4 hours ago, Bigmack said:

You're making it more difficult than it has to be. You don't have to uninstall any addons. Just rename your community folder to community.bak uninstall 2024 reboot reinstall 2024 reboot. Start msfs and make sure it running as should. If it is then set the location of your community folder then close to desktop, rename your community folder back to community.

That's very reasonable. I figure, if you're going full reinstall, why not reinstall addons? The chances of them causing a problem is quite low, but it also only takes a few minutes each. Obviously how many you have is big too. I have 5-6 I was able to reinstall in no time. Your idea works too, again chances of corrupt addons are pretty remote.

Most everything in community should be using an addon linker, so it is easy just to unlink most.

Edited July 3Jul 3 by kerosene31

8 hours ago, kerosene31 said:

That's very reasonable. I figure, if you're going full reinstall, why not reinstall addons? The chances of them causing a problem is quite low, but it also only takes a few minutes each. Obviously how many you have is big too. I have 5-6 I was able to reinstall in no time. Your idea works too, again chances of corrupt addons are pretty remote.

Most everything in community should be using an addon linker, so it is easy just to unlink most.

Yes, I agree that addon linker makes flight sim life much easier.