FSX won't load

[ncooper]

If you install FSX every day, you will need to know which of your many copies you are updating.
The only possible explanation.

I am guessing that at some stage you had installed some kind of shader modification software, perhaps SweetFX or ENB
series.
Too late now but they add .dll files to the FSX folder which can and will cause your initial problem or FSX will start but the
spinning aircraft and game screens are black.
This normally occurs when a user either is certain they have removed all the files but is unfortunately wrong or has inadvertently deleted or moved one or more of the complete set.

As you found, if you uninstall FSX, this process only removes files which were originally installed and leaves everything
that has been added or modified since then.
This could explain why your re-installations didn't cure the problem as the d3dx**.dll files which cause the problem remain in the folder.
Deleting the entire folder is a bit of a drachonian way to remove a couple of rogue files but at least it worked.

In the event of a future terminal problem, FSX can easily be persuaded to install a second and therefore clean copy.
To do this, simply rename your FSX folder, to FSX.old for example and then create a new folder named FSX.
Run the install software and select Repair.
When it has finished, you will have a brand new clean installation in your new FSX folder.
You can then either compare the two and spot the files that are giving you trouble, or transfer your addons to the new installation.
Because the FSX location has not changed ( as far as your PC can see) most, if not all can be quickly re- installed by simply copying the files from FSX.old to FSX.
It is perhaps a shame I didn't see your post earlier.

Regards,
Nick.

 

[FSX68]

If you install FSX every day, you will need to know which of your many copies you are updating.
The only possible explanation.

I am guessing that at some stage you had installed some kind of shader modification software, perhaps SweetFX or ENB
series.
Too late now but they add .dll files to the FSX folder which can and will cause your initial problem or FSX will start but the
spinning aircraft and game screens are black.
This normally occurs when a user either is certain they have removed all the files but is unfortunately wrong or has inadvertently deleted or moved one or more of the complete set.

As you found, if you uninstall FSX, this process only removes files which were originally installed and leaves everything
that has been added or modified since then.
This could explain why your re-installations didn't cure the problem as the d3dx**.dll files which cause the problem remain in the folder.
Deleting the entire folder is a bit of a drachonian way to remove a couple of rogue files but at least it worked.

From what I have read in the sweetfx readme I see this"


/ Usage /
'-----------------------------------------------------------*/

It will automatically run when you start the DirectX 9, 10 or 11 game that you added SweetFX to.
If you want to run different game with SweetFX then you need to install to that games directory too.

It does not modify any game files either on disk or in memory. <<<<<<<< So does it leave files that remain if you delete the program?
Instead it uses a custom Direct3D runtime dll which the most DirectX games will call.

PRINTSCRN saves a screenshot named ScreenshotXXXX.bmp in the directory you installed SweetFX to.
SCROLL_LOCK switches it ON and OFF. It starts in ON mode.
PAUSE reloads the shader files (this is useful when you need to tweak the settings while the game is running)

Keys can be reconfigured in the injector.ini file.

Some keyboards (mostly on laptops) don't have a dedicated SCROLL_LOCK button,
but require you to hold down the Fn button while you press another key to activate Scroll Lock.

If you can't figure out the right combination just from looking at your keyboard and experimenting,
then read the documentation for your keyboard or just reconfigure the keys in injector.ini

 

[ncooper]

Yes, as it says, it uses two "custom Direct3D runtime dlls" which are placed into the FSX root folder along with the rest of the files.
These are d3d9.dll and dxgi.dll. They have matching .fx files, d3d9.fx and dxgi.fx.
In most cases, without the injector.ini file or the SweetFX folder or the SweetFX_settings.txt file the two .dll files will cause the problems.

It is true that no files are amended in FSX or anywhere else, however there are files named d3d9.dll and dxgi.dll in the Windows folder which FSX
uses.
Placing the SweetFX .dll files in the FSX folder stops FSX from looking for the Windows ones and makes it use their modified ones instead.
If all the SweetFX files are present in the FSX folder, it works very well for those that like what it does but if any of the vital components are moved or deleted, well you saw what happened.

Regards,
Nick