Versions 4.20 and 4.208 crashing FSX on start

[Thaellar243]

I installed 4.20 today (haven't been able to register yet), but each time I click the desktop FSX icon, I get "Microsoft Flight Simulator has encountered a problem and needs to close". If I don't click the "send/don't send" dialog box, FSX does eventually come up and work, but of course the add-on menu is not there.

This is a fresh install of FSX Deluxe with SP1. I don't have any anti-virus running and using the default Windows XP firewall. WinXP pro BTW. Here is my install log:

Installer for FSUIPC4.DLL version 4.20

Looking in registry for FSX install path:
     HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft Games\Flight Simulator\10.0
     Parameter"SetupPath"
SetupPath="C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Microsoft Flight Simulator X\"
Checking version of FSX.EXE:
... Version 10.0.60905.0  (Need at least 10.0.60905.0)
Checking compatibility with installed SimConnect:
... Okay, Probe Manifest matches installed SimConnect 60905 (Original)
Checking if there's already a version of FSUIPC4 installed in:
       C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Microsoft Flight Simulator X\Modules\FSUIPC4.DLL
... Version 4.200 found.
FSX Modules folder already exists.
Okay -- installed FSUIPC4 into "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Microsoft Flight Simulator X\Modules\FSUIPC4.DLL"
Looking for the current user's Application Data path: 
... found as "C:\Documents and Settings\Craig\Application Data"
Now finding \Microsoft\FSX\FSX.CFG for all users, including this one
Looking in "C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Application Data"
Found FSX.CFG in "C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Application Data\Microsoft\FSX\FSX.CFG"!
Now checking DLL.XML ...
... There is a previous DLL.XML, checking for FSUIPC4 section.
... FSUIPC4 section already exists but will be replaced.
... FSUIPC4 section of DLL.XML written okay
Now checking for a SimConnect.XML file ...
... No SimConnect.XML file found. This is okay.
Looking in "C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data"
No FSX.CFG there
Looking in "C:\Documents and Settings\Craig\Application Data"
Found FSX.CFG in "C:\Documents and Settings\Craig\Application Data\Microsoft\FSX\FSX.CFG"!
Now checking DLL.XML ...
... There is a previous DLL.XML, checking for FSUIPC4 section.
... FSUIPC4 section already exists but will be replaced.
... FSUIPC4 section of DLL.XML written okay
Now checking for a SimConnect.XML file ...
... No SimConnect.XML file found. This is okay.
Looking in "C:\Documents and Settings\Default User\Application Data"
No FSX.CFG there
Looking in "C:\Documents and Settings\LocalService\Application Data"
No FSX.CFG there
Looking in "C:\Documents and Settings\NetworkService\Application Data"
No FSX.CFG there
Now installing additional files into the Modules folder:
   Installed "FSUIPC4 User Guide.pdf" okay
   Installed "FSUIPC4 for Advanced Users.pdf" okay
   Installed "FSUIPC4 History.pdf" okay
   Installed "List of FSX controls.pdf" okay

All installer tasks completed okay!

and my Simconnect.ini log output:

0.00000 SimConnect version 10.0.61242.0

If I remove the FSUIPC dll, everything runs fine. Put it back and the XP version of "Dr Watson" shows up.

What can I do to help with troubleshooting?

thanks,

Craig

[Pete Dowson]

I installed 4.20 today (haven't been able to register yet), but each time I click the desktop FSX icon, I get "Microsoft Flight Simulator has encountered a problem and needs to close". If I don't click the "send/don't send" dialog box, FSX does eventually come up and work, but of course the add-on menu is not there.

If FSX crashes like that there's no way it can recover and start working, whether or not you click any send/don't send option. A crash is a crash is a crash. You presumably mean it is restarting.

The most likely cause of this is nothing to do with FSUIPC but an incorrect version of one of the SDK DLLs, such as the traffic toolbox. Can you find your DLL.XML and show that to me please? It will be in this folder:

C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Application Data\Microsoft\FSX\

This is a fresh install of FSX Deluxe with SP1. I don't have any anti-virus running and using the default Windows XP firewall. WinXP pro BTW. Here is my install log:

The install log shows no sign of the SP1 version of SimConnect being installed, only the original version:

Checking compatibility with installed SimConnect:
... Okay, Probe Manifest matches installed SimConnect 60905 (Original)

but then your Simconnect Log shows:

0.00000 SimConnect version 10.0.61242.0

which corresponds to the SP1 SimConnect.

If that is the only line in the SimConnect log file then FSUIPC4 is not even being loaded, so it cannot possibly actually be causing the crash. However, it may be that, because you are allowing FSX to auto-restart on crash you are losing the true log we need. So please do the following:

1. Show me the DLL.XML in any case

2. When you get the crash, UNCHECK the option for automatic restart.

3. In the "Dr.Watson" click for further details and get the name of the actual module and the memory offset it provides.

4. Then ALWAYS tell it to send the details to Microsoft.

Then see what SimConnect may have logged.

The most likely thing that is happening is that SimConnect is mis-installed asnd thereby crashing FSX. It looks like you have the SP1 version masquerading in the Windows WinSxS folders as the original RTM version, which is bad. I wonder if you've been trying to re-install without a complete uninstall in the first place?

One way to try to correct this is to follow my instructions in the "FSX Help" announcement to remove and repair SimConnect, and then uninstall and re-install FSP1 only, to get the correct SimConnect set up.

Regards

Pete

[Thaellar243]

Thanks Pete. You were correct...it was an FSX problem. Because it was new, I had not activated it (yes...bonehead move on my part). But then it got more interesting. When I tried to activate, it kept telling me the key was invalid. I called MS and they had to give me a new product key because the one in the box (which they verified as valid) wouldn't work.

Everything is running as it should now.

Thanks again.

Craig