Flying MSFS less and less

falcon409

falcon409

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Staff member
This has become a major irritation. I started having a problem with the Sim starting to load then quit several weeks ago. I tried suggestions from members and cleared the problem. . . .for one day. I was able to load and fly for several hours and then quit, shut down the computer and went off to la la land. Next day I go to load the sim to continue the flight and I get an error message "Something went wrong launching your game Error code: (0x800700c1)" . I check for any updates (only 1 that was unrelated to the sim), did the update anyway, rebooted the PC and loaded the sim normally and flew the rest of the day.

Several days later I go through the same thing, try to launch the Sim, same error message, no updates. I uninstall then reinstall the App, FIXED. Fly, shut down, la la land and the next day. . .it's like "Ground Hog Day". . .rinse and repeat. I have FSX and P3D_V4.5 installed so I've been spending more time on those Sims than the one I have this great PC sitting here to fly on. I have uninstalled and reinstalled both the XBox App and the Sim several times to try to get ahead of this, plus checking constantly for updates that might be causing this. I don't see anyone else having similar problems so I'm beginning to think I need to completely wash my system of any remnants of XBox and MSFS 2020 and start from scratch.

I am open to other suggestions as well.
 
There's a good troubleshooting guide here with a selection of fixes, including running a DISM scan. I have a batch file for that, written by a member of the MSFS official forums, which I've attached as a zip file for you.
To run it, unzip it to your desktop, right-click on it and select Run as administrator. It will scan and fix any problems automatically.
 

Attachments

  • DISM.zip
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I do have a suggestion: try upgrading to Windows 11. Your error is related to windows update. Keep in mind that support for Win10 is going to end fairly soon.

Priller
 
I have no experience with the MSFS problem from the OP, but my experience with Win 11 upgrade is that most of my computers said that Win 11 is unavailable. I have found the biggest Win 11 upgrade dis-qualifier is your hard drive MBR formatting. Apparently you need to convert to GPT formatting in order to have a Win 10 installation that qualifies for Win 11 upgrade. Until this is done your Win 10 will say not eligible for upgrade. See this link for example - https://pureinfotech.com/convert-mbr-drive-gpt-enable-uefi-secure-boot-windows-11/ .

​

 
Thanks for all the info folks. I ran the batchfile and while one of the scans located some corrupt files, in the end everything was fine and I continued to have problems (after a reboot).

I did a PC Health Check for Win11 availability but apparently TPM? is not active or available on this system. All win updates are current as well.

I uninstalled and reinstalled the XBox App (no change). I just uninstalled and reinstalled MSFS and am about to try launching again. . . . .It has launched successfully and just waiting for it to run the Standard Content Update.

NOTAM: I did notice that Windows Defender requested permission to run the Sim. Maybe it's blocking the launch progress sometimes. I'll check and add MSFS as a program it "allows" to run. Just a thought.
 
falcon409 said:
I did a PC Health Check for Win11 availability but apparently TPM? is not active or available on this system
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I checked on the Gigabyte Aorus Z490 Pro AX web page, and it IS Windows 11 64-bit compatible. The TPM setting is most likely in the BIOS somewhere, the manual should tell you where and how to switch it on.
Windows Defender: I've added the flightsimulator.exe to the allowed files list, and the entire Microsoft.FlightSimulator_8wekyb3d8bbwe directory to the allowed folders list just for good measure.
 
tiger1962 said:
I checked on the Gigabyte Aorus Z490 Pro AX web page, and it IS Windows 11 64-bit compatible. The TPM setting is most likely in the BIOS somewhere, the manual should tell you where and how to switch it on.
Windows Defender: I've added the flightsimulator.exe to the allowed files list, and the entire Microsoft.FlightSimulator_8wekyb3d8bbwe directory to the allowed folders list just for good measure.
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All Flightsim programs were already on the list. As for the TPM seting, I'll have to find info specific to this system because generic direction on how to activate TPM lead down paths that are foreign to this rig.
 
The Windows PC Health check fails to point out several things. TPM 2.0 is in your BIOS, but Win 11 is still not available until (assuming you meet other Win 11 requirements like minimum number of CPU cores, etc.) you have converted your windows / OS hard drive to GTP. Many Win 10 hard drives are still MBR and must be converted to GPT. In my previous post I put a link to a an article explaining the process (there are also plenty of other videos showing the steps). You must also go into your BIOS and enable UEFI. Clear as mud, I know, but I just did it on one of my machines and it works....that is I can now support Win 11, M$FT hasn't yet given it to me! Good luck.
 
falcon409 said:
. . . . . .I uninstalled and reinstalled the XBox App (no change). I just uninstalled and reinstalled MSFS and am about to try launching again. . . . .It has launched successfully and just waiting for it to run the Standard Content Update. . . . . .
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. . . .and unfortunately after only one successful flight, the error is back. I shut the Sim down, went for some dinner, came back to launch for another flight and another error message. This is beyond irritating.
 
Honestly, when things get like this, I wipe my C drive and reinstall Windows from scratch. Usually gives me a solid system without weird stuff for about two more years before I have to do it over again.

I keep all my data on separate drives, so all I have to reinstall is Windows and my apps. MSFS just needs the main program reinstalled, and then I just point it at F:\Flightsim for all its data files so only a couple gigs to redownload.

Kills a few hours to do that, but a few hours is usually less than I’d spent trying to diagnose random crashes, stutters, etc. Before I did a few months ago, my FS2020 was having occasional 2-5 second pauses and other issues, now it’s rock-solid.
 
falcon409 said:
All Flightsim programs were already on the list. As for the TPM seting, I'll have to find info specific to this system because generic direction on how to activate TPM lead down paths that are foreign to this rig.
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TPM is activated in the BIOS in the security section. TPM2.0 has to be activated as is secure boot. That should at least solve the security issues.

Priller
 
Priller said:
TPM is activated in the BIOS in the security section. TPM2.0 has to be activated as is secure boot. That should at least solve the security issues.

Priller
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I have run the correct method for activating the TPM on this rig but all that shows in the BIOS is PTT. I checked the motherboard and there is a pin set for the TPM module but there is no module on the board. Seems I may have to purchase the module.
 
Hi , when MSFS starts to struggle i go to the SceneryIndexes file and erase the files in there ( or just delete all the "files" in there that you not using anymore ) .... that use to speed up the start procedure and clear out any "weirdness" , just a tip :)

HB
 
DennyA said:
Honestly, when things get like this, I wipe my C drive and reinstall Windows from scratch. Usually gives me a solid system without weird stuff for about two more years before I have to do it over again.

I keep all my data on separate drives, so all I have to reinstall is Windows and my apps. MSFS just needs the main program reinstalled, and then I just point it at F:\Flightsim for all its data files so only a couple gigs to redownload.

Kills a few hours to do that, but a few hours is usually less than I’d spent trying to diagnose random crashes, stutters, etc. Before I did a few months ago, my FS2020 was having occasional 2-5 second pauses and other issues, now it’s rock-solid.
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I tend to agree with Denny, I have never had much luck upgrading windows versions and running flight sim on that machine, but your past that point so I know this advice is not very helpful.
 
blanston12 said:
I tend to agree with Denny, I have never had much luck upgrading windows versions and running flight sim on that machine, but your past that point so I know this advice is not very helpful.
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Personally, I've just upgraded to Win11 24H2, when the next big update comes, I'll do a clean install. For me personally, two years is long. M$ consultants at work tell us that after a maximum of two feature upgrades (new builds of Windows) do a clean install.

Priller
 
Brytskiva said:
Hi , when MSFS starts to struggle i go to the SceneryIndexes file and erase the files in there ( or just delete all the "files" in there that you not using anymore ) .... that use to speed up the start procedure and clear out any "weirdness" , just a tip :)

HB
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Hi can I please ask where the sceneryindexes file is located please? I don't think I have ever had cause to touch it?
 
It's not even the upgrade that's the issue. When I was in the tech media we called it "Windows rot." If you're an active user, Windows just gets flaky after a couple of years. Old files, old registry entries, multiple driver updates, etc. Way better than it used to be in the 98/XP days, but still a problem.

Hicks: All right. We take off. Nuke the site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.
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I'm done with MSFS for now. Maybe I'll look at 2024 when it's released. It was working great again for about 3 or 4 individual launches. I started having trouble with TrackiR (only one green light was on) so I did several reinstalls of that to no avail. Now I'm getting the error message again. They might as well just put up a sign that says "You're screwed" for all the good the error code does you. Glad I still have FSX and P3D and I can visit the custom airports I've done over the years.
 
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