SimConnect issue

[bruceknight]

I have just reinstalled Windows 7 (64) and FSX, following a motherboard change. Regarding FSX, I have just installed the "out of the box" version (Deluxe Edition), and wanting to make sure I install everything back correctly I decided to check SimConnect by installing FSUIPC prior to adding SP1 and SP2. I have had trouble with a correct SimConnect install before, both in FSUIPC (registered version) and some hardware from GoFlight that also seems to need a good install of SimConnect.

I got an error installing FSUIPC, and also noted that the hardware didn't run. Referring to this link:

http://forum.ivao.aero/index.php?topic=95115.0

Knowing that Win7 has security on system files, I went into Folder Options when navigated to the x_86microsoft.flightsimulator.simconnect_67c........ folder, and using the Security/Advanced tab changed the owner to my account, and then went back into Folder Options and gave myself permission to delete the file. So far, so good. I then confirmed that folder and files had been deleted, then did a "Repair" in FSX. However, the Repair did not reinstalled the SimConnect folder. I then uninstalled FSX and re-installed, and once again have noted that the SimConnect folder has not been installed.

I don't know if this is because I took over the folder ownership (from SYSTEM), and so applications will not reinstall it, or whether it's just a bad case of install issues that miss the installation of the folder. Do you have any advice, if this is a folder ownership issue, how to resolve the issue? (Of course the folder is no longer there to change ownership / permissions back to SYSTEM).

I guess the other question is how important is this specific version of SimConnect, given the SP1 and SP2 will both install their own versions of SimConnect? I see reference in the above linked article that FSUIPC requires this base version of SimConnect for correct functionality. And I guess the extended question is how important is the base version of SimConnect to add-ons in general (beyond the scope of FSUIPC, I know).

Any help most appreciated. I wish that, given that I can get my FSUIPC installed again, that add-ons into FSX gave us the option of SimConnect or FSUIPC as a conduit to the FS application. :)

Finally, a reinstall of Win7 is a possibility if required, I have as yet not activated anything and have very little else installed yet, either to the OS or FSX. However, what are the odds of a repeat bad install of SimConnect, and if so, is there a better way to go than what I did?

Thanks, Bruce.

[Pete Dowson]

I don't know if this is because I took over the folder ownership (from SYSTEM), and so applications will not reinstall it, or whether it's just a bad case of install issues that miss the installation of the folder. Do you have any advice, if this is a folder ownership issue, how to resolve the issue? (Of course the folder is no longer there to change ownership / permissions back to SYSTEM).

Sorry, for Vista and Windows 7 I have no idea how to fix a broken Simconnect system. I deliberately broke the one on my development system so I could research methods of fixing it, with a view to maybe producing a utility which could do the repair. But after many many hours without getting anywhere at all, I gave up. The Windows side-by-side library system is the most evilly complex web of inter-connected GUIDs and other unfathomable things that I found it impenetrable.

I can't even find a programmatic way to do it on WinXP, though the "delete folders and run repair" method seems to work better on that system. Looking at the internals they are completely different on XP compared to Vista and 7.

I guess the other question is how important is this specific version of SimConnect, given the SP1 and SP2 will both install their own versions of SimConnect?

Some facilities are missing in the original compared to SP1 and SP2 and a lot of programs insist on SP1 at least. However, if you have FSX itself updated to SP1 or SP2/Acceleration, there can be complications in any case with having a broken related SimConnect, things which again I don't understand.

In the latest incremental updates to FSUIPC4 i actually link more directly to SimConnect -- I do this primarily to get over my broken development installation, as otherwise I think it's definitely a Windows-and-everything reinstall job. I can't run other SimConnect utilities on it still, but I don't need to. I've still got a separate and fully working flight PC.

So, for FSUIPC only you could try downloading the latest FSUIPC4 increment from the Download Links subforum. This won't help with other SimConnect programs though.

I see reference in the above linked article that FSUIPC requires this base version of SimConnect for correct functionality.

No, it doesn't. It only requires at LEAST the base version. It far prefers SP1, or better SP2, and offers more with those. They are also far more efficient as they use direct connection rather than TCP/IP for internal modules, and pipes instead of TCP/IP for local external ones.

And I guess the extended question is how important is the base version of SimConnect to add-ons in general (beyond the scope of FSUIPC, I know).

Most current Simconnect add-ons need SP1 at least as far as I know.

Finally, a reinstall of Win7 is a possibility if required, I have as yet not activated anything and have very little else installed yet, either to the OS or FSX. However, what are the odds of a repeat bad install of SimConnect, and if so, is there a better way to go than what I did?

I don't know how your bad install arose, but I can't offer any chance of repairing it without a windows re-install I'm afraid. When you install FSX, make sure you run it between each part of the install process. That appears to be very important. i.e. Base version -- run it -- reboot -- SP1 -- run it -- reboot -- SP2 or Acceleration -- run it. Only then start installing add-ons.

Regards

Pete

[bruceknight]

S............

No, it doesn't. It only requires at LEAST the base version. It far prefers SP1, or better SP2, and offers more with those. They are also far more efficient as they use direct connection rather than TCP/IP for internal modules, and pipes instead of TCP/IP for local external ones.

Most current Simconnect add-ons need SP1 at least as far as I know.

I don't know how your bad install arose, but I can't offer any chance of repairing it without a windows re-install I'm afraid. When you install FSX, make sure you run it between each part of the install process. That appears to be very important. i.e. Base version -- run it -- reboot -- SP1 -- run it -- reboot -- SP2 or Acceleration -- run it. Only then start installing add-ons.

Regards

Pete

Hi Pete,

Thanks- I think a Win 7 re-install may be in order, at least to have a RTM version of SC (even if it doesn't work properly). Thanks again, good to know that at least FSUIPC works with SP1 and SP2.....

Thanks, Bruce.

[Ian P]

I just had a similar problem in that I couldn't get anything on this notebook to connect to FSX through Simconnect, although WideFS was working perfectly. As you found, reinstalling from the installers after taking control and deleting didn't work regardless of who I gave control of the folders to, but I was able to repair the Simconnect installation on this (Vista 32) notebook by using a copy of each version of Simconnect taken from my (Windows 7 64) desktop with FSX on it.

I deleted the files as described above, then copied the files from the W7 box and just pasted them into the appropriate directories on here. After a restart, everything worked fine.

If you can get hold of a second PC with the appropriate files on, it might be worth a go as a last resort before reinstall?

Ian P.

[bruceknight]

I just had a similar problem in that I couldn't get anything on this notebook to connect to FSX through Simconnect, although WideFS was working perfectly. As you found, reinstalling from the installers after taking control and deleting didn't work regardless of who I gave control of the folders to, but I was able to repair the Simconnect installation on this (Vista 32) notebook by using a copy of each version of Simconnect taken from my (Windows 7 64) desktop with FSX on it.

I deleted the files as described above, then copied the files from the W7 box and just pasted them into the appropriate directories on here. After a restart, everything worked fine.

If you can get hold of a second PC with the appropriate files on, it might be worth a go as a last resort before reinstall?

Ian P.

Thanks Ian. Unfortunately I don't have a second PC to work with (with FSX installed), and although I saved some files from my prior FSX install, I didn't save this one (only saved flights, EZDoC exported views, etc.). If I ever get this working (and of course a re-install of Win 7 doesn't guarantee that, not good odds from my experience :) ), I will save this file / folder for a future re-install.

Thanks for the idea. Bruce.

[bruceknight]

Thanks Ian. Unfortunately I don't have a second PC to work with (with FSX installed), and although I saved some files from my prior FSX install, I didn't save this one (only saved flights, EZDoC exported views, etc.). If I ever get this working (and of course a re-install of Win 7 doesn't guarantee that, not good odds from my experience :) ), I will save this file / folder for a future re-install.

Thanks for the idea. Bruce.

Just to report back, in case someone else has this issue:

I re-installed Windows 7 (to get around the change in ownership of the Winsxs files related to SimConnect (above)- seems that when you make such a change and delete the file, the OS remembers when that file is ever attempted to be re-installed). Then installed FSX RTM (which is where I was previously trying to establish the SC connection to my GoFlight module), then installed SP1 and SP2 to FSX, the tried my GoFlight module, which worked perfectly. Either I had randomly good luck in a good SC base install IRTM), or the module is looking for either the SP1 or 2 versions of SC- for which it seems to need a base version to work correctly.

Thanks, Bruce.