Alright, more MSFS troubles!

[FlameOut]

Alright, more troubles!


First off if you fellas want to revisit my old post about AT&T's low bandwith into my neighborhood (25Mbps).
http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforum...hed-me-!/page2 =====>>>> see page # 2 post # 31

We just kicked AT&T to the curb where I put my garbage can on trash pick-up days and sometimes the neighborhood dogos do their business! We now have Spectrum with (500Mbps). We had Spectrum years ago when they were known as Charter Look out now when a company changes their name and rebrands their corporate image!

Anyways, just before WU 12 (New Zealand) landed I started having a lot of trouble with MSFS just CTD over and over again. I did get WU 12 installed, and I purchased the Caribou. Eventually my anger got the best of me, and I hit the Uninstall button. I voiced my frustration and displeasure with the boss-of-me over all this stuff. She said that we were going to go to VOIP for the phone, go to Spectrum and do Fire Sticks on all of the T.V.s Yeah

I've been trying to reinstall MSFS but that comes to a screeching halt after about 20 minutes, I cannot get past more than 12-14 GB d/l of the 122 + GB for my packages on my 2TB M.2 NVMe drive. That is drive D:.
Okay now I'm thinking the D: drive may have some bad sectors on it because I keep trying to reinstall MSFS over & over again, I also have reformatted this D: drive, So now I run CHKDSK /r and CHKDSK /f .... NO errors found. (this also applies to my C: drive, a 1TB NVMe that has Windows 11 and my core MSFS files).
Sometimes MSFS will try to pick up where it left off .... adding more of the necessary packages to my D: drive that already has a partial amount of packages on it (I've run CHKDSK again at this point to see if the packages have any errors ===>>> No errors found) .... but eventually it will hang up during the "Checking for Updates" screen on the next attempt to install. This will force me to reformat the NVMe 2TB D: drive again and it will start installing the packages again from the very beginning.



Now I'm doing more thinking, how does all this data get to the D: drive? It comes down out of the pipe and goes to my RAM (64GB) and the CPU gives it instructions on where to put it. Am I correct?
Oh, I'll run MemTest86! =====>>>>> FAIL <<<<<===== Since I cannot take a screenshot while in Terminal (Admin) CMD DOS screen mode, this is what it said:

Test Start Time : 2023-03-09 19:54:37
Elapsed Time : 4:00:35
CPUs Active : 8
CPU Temperature Min/Max/Ave : -/-/-
RAM Temperature Min/Max/Ave : -/-/-
# Tests Passed : 39/40 (97%)


Lowest Error Address : 0x8438E70AC (33848MB)
Highest Error Address : 0x8438E70AC(33848MB)
Bits in Error Mask : 0000000000001000
Bits in Error - Total: 1 Min: 0 Max: 1 Avg:
Max Contiguous Errors: 1
CPUs in Error : 14

So now I take all of my RAM out (Team Force 16 GB x 2 sticks in paired slots A2 B2 ....G. Skill 16 GB x 2 sticks in paired slots A1 B1 .... They have the same timings, latentcy, 3200Mhz, XMP 2.0 Ready, DDR 4, volts ===>> I guess so?)
I rum MemTest86 again putting the correct stick of RAM into slot A1 = PASS
I rum MemTest86 again putting the correct stick of RAM into slot A2 = PASS
I rum MemTest86 again putting the correct stick of RAM into slot B1 = PASS
I rum MemTest86 again putting the correct stick of RAM into slot B2 = PASS

I now drop down to running MSFS with 32 GB RAM (in paired slots + memory brand) instead of all 64 GB RAM

I just cannot get the FULL install of the 122 GB packages to my D: drive
I have a new modem + router provided by Spectrum
I've run all of the above mentioned test ..... No bad sectors or corrupted files, No bad RAM
I even checked my Q codes (those LED numbers on your mobo)
I checked my BIOS + Chipset version and I have the latest version of each.
I also turned off XMP to set my RAM back to the standard speed.

I have No MSFS
I guess I'm out of the Flight sim business unless the 300-400 folks that come to the MSFS Forum have any other clues.

Okay, MSFS has hung up again on the "Checking for Updates" this morning.... so, I'm going to have to reformat that D: drive and start all over!

Thanks, Don

[tiger1962]

Is your new Spectrum package 'unlimited' or do you have any download limits? One other thought; does MSFS have access permissions on your new modem & router? Some have a built-in firewall which is separate to the Windows firewall.

[jmig]

Like Tiger said, make sure you have no data limits anyware. Does you internet provided cap your downloads?

[rvn817j]

I could not get MSFS to fully load before it would crap out and never got to attempt to download the latest update. I then tried to "repair" my MSFS installation and that didn't work. Finally uninstalled and re-installed. That has worked. To get the re-install to work, however, I had to un-install more than one time. Some piece of MSFS did not un-install properly and it held up the re-install until it got wiped. I wish I could give you more details, but I was in full destruct mode and failed to take notes.

Good luck....try full destruct!

[Tom Clayton]

Open your Official\OneStore (or Official\Steam) folder. If it's not already set that way, set the view mode to Details. Sort by Date Modified to put the most recent stuff at the very top. Find and delete anything that's not a folder, then restart.

[FlameOut]

@ tiger1962 and jmig, we have unlimited bandwidth and no data caps. tiger1962 post on the router/modem permissions .... well, I do not know how to do that & have been looking into it. That gave me the idea to watch my router/modem down in the bottom right of the task bar where the clock is, and I discovered that when MSFS hangs up during the install process, my mouse/keyboard, everything stops working, I have to hit the reset button. When I restart MSFS to start over again I discovered that the router/modem had been knocked "offline" and had to reconnect it. Hmmm, I'll have to figure that one out.

@ rvn817j, I have uninstalled MSFS X 2 since WU 12 came out .... maybe it needs another sweeping & mopping.

@ Tom Clayton your idea seemed to work X 2 anyways. There was a file in there that was not in a folder. It was a "partial" file. I deleted it and restarted MSFS and it picked up right where it had left off..



Like I said it only worked X 2 .... Here is MSFS hanging up again while installing the A 310-100



I'll have to tackle this again later this week ... off to work I go.

Thanks - Don

[jmig]

One other thought. I once had some issues installing MSFS too. Like you, I use drive D for all my flight sims. Once, I had to install the Standard MSFS first, and not the entire Deluxe package. I later installed the airplanes I wanted from the Deluxe package. Sometime later, MSFS took it upon themselves to install everything. But, it worked and I have had no issues (knock on wood) since.

Good luck! It can be mighty frustrating.

[Brytskiva]

Alright, more troubles!


First off if you fellas want to revisit my old post about AT&T's low bandwith into my neighborhood (25Mbps).
http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforum...hed-me-!/page2 =====>>>> see page # 2 post # 31

We just kicked AT&T to the curb where I put my garbage can on trash pick-up days and sometimes the neighborhood dogos do their business! We now have Spectrum with (500Mbps). We had Spectrum years ago when they were known as Charter Look out now when a company changes their name and rebrands their corporate image!

Anyways, just before WU 12 (New Zealand) landed I started having a lot of trouble with MSFS just CTD over and over again. I did get WU 12 installed, and I purchased the Caribou. Eventually my anger got the best of me, and I hit the Uninstall button. I voiced my frustration and displeasure with the boss-of-me over all this stuff. She said that we were going to go to VOIP for the phone, go to Spectrum and do Fire Sticks on all of the T.V.s Yeah

I've been trying to reinstall MSFS but that comes to a screeching halt after about 20 minutes, I cannot get past more than 12-14 GB d/l of the 122 + GB for my packages on my 2TB M.2 NVMe drive. That is drive D:.
Okay now I'm thinking the D: drive may have some bad sectors on it because I keep trying to reinstall MSFS over & over again, I also have reformatted this D: drive, So now I run CHKDSK /r and CHKDSK /f .... NO errors found. (this also applies to my C: drive, a 1TB NVMe that has Windows 11 and my core MSFS files).
Sometimes MSFS will try to pick up where it left off .... adding more of the necessary packages to my D: drive that already has a partial amount of packages on it (I've run CHKDSK again at this point to see if the packages have any errors ===>>> No errors found) .... but eventually it will hang up during the "Checking for Updates" screen on the next attempt to install. This will force me to reformat the NVMe 2TB D: drive again and it will start installing the packages again from the very beginning.



Now I'm doing more thinking, how does all this data get to the D: drive? It comes down out of the pipe and goes to my RAM (64GB) and the CPU gives it instructions on where to put it. Am I correct?
Oh, I'll run MemTest86! =====>>>>> FAIL <<<<<===== Since I cannot take a screenshot while in Terminal (Admin) CMD DOS screen mode, this is what it said:

Test Start Time : 2023-03-09 19:54:37
Elapsed Time : 4:00:35
CPUs Active : 8
CPU Temperature Min/Max/Ave : -/-/-
RAM Temperature Min/Max/Ave : -/-/-
# Tests Passed : 39/40 (97%)


Lowest Error Address : 0x8438E70AC (33848MB)
Highest Error Address : 0x8438E70AC(33848MB)
Bits in Error Mask : 0000000000001000
Bits in Error - Total: 1 Min: 0 Max: 1 Avg:
Max Contiguous Errors: 1
CPUs in Error : 14

So now I take all of my RAM out (Team Force 16 GB x 2 sticks in paired slots A2 B2 ....G. Skill 16 GB x 2 sticks in paired slots A1 B1 .... They have the same timings, latentcy, 3200Mhz, XMP 2.0 Ready, DDR 4, volts ===>> I guess so?)
I rum MemTest86 again putting the correct stick of RAM into slot A1 = PASS
I rum MemTest86 again putting the correct stick of RAM into slot A2 = PASS
I rum MemTest86 again putting the correct stick of RAM into slot B1 = PASS
I rum MemTest86 again putting the correct stick of RAM into slot B2 = PASS

I now drop down to running MSFS with 32 GB RAM (in paired slots + memory brand) instead of all 64 GB RAM

I just cannot get the FULL install of the 122 GB packages to my D: drive
I have a new modem + router provided by Spectrum
I've run all of the above mentioned test ..... No bad sectors or corrupted files, No bad RAM
I even checked my Q codes (those LED numbers on your mobo)
I checked my BIOS + Chipset version and I have the latest version of each.
I also turned off XMP to set my RAM back to the standard speed.

I have No MSFS
I guess I'm out of the Flight sim business unless the 300-400 folks that come to the MSFS Forum have any other clues.

Okay, MSFS has hung up again on the "Checking for Updates" this morning.... so, I'm going to have to reformat that D: drive and start all over!

Thanks, Don

Hi , if nothing helps , try uninstall it with its own uninstaller , the Community folder you can rename and move to a "safe place" ..... then Reinstall to the old/new "reformatted" place , first make clear that there is no folders left in :C drive ~



HB

[Tom Clayton]

Like I said it only worked X 2 .... Here is MSFS hanging up again while installing the A 310-100



I'll have to tackle this again later this week ... off to work I go.

Thanks - Don

Check the Official folder again - you'll probably find more of those partial files. Installs can loop on any of these compressed files if one gets messed up somehow. I don't know what Asobo/MS are using to compress them, but it doesn't seem very reliable.

[FlameOut]

How about this folder & what does it do? It appears to be a folder called .fscontent and it has an empty notepad called asobo-flight-tutorial-turns.

Note that the fscontent folder has a period at the beginning.

=====>>>>> .fscontent

I wonder if this means Keep your hands off.

I'm gonna try to update my packages to the D: drive.

If this hangs up again, I'll risk deleting that folder.

If the whole thing craps out, then I'll uninstall MSFS from the C: drive & D: drive.

I'll sign out of my Microsoft store account turn pooter off / then back on, sign back into Microsoft Store account, and give it another go from the beginning.

Thanks -Don

[modelr]

You mentioned in one of the posts that your modem/router keeps hanging up/losing connection. Is your rig using wireless or is it hardwired. My router was doing that constantly. I plugged in a new router and it did the same thing. I finally went and bought a Netgear switch box, and threw the router in the closet. No problems since. This probably won't work if you don't have a separate wireless transmitter. I have an "EERO" type system, which puts the router downstream from it. My system/signal has been solid for the last two months since I did this.

[Tom Clayton]

The .fscontent folder is hidden for a reason. I don't know what that reason might be, since mine is currently empty. It may be used when the sim is running, so deleting it would likely cause one of two things to happen. Good, the sim just recreates another copy and life goes on. Bad, the sim crashes and won't load. Bottom line, it's a folder - don't delete it. When a download loop starts, the only things you delete from there are the compressed files.

On my work computer, I keep hidden files turned on, but at home, my personal preference is to keep hidden things hidden unless I need them - which is rare at best.

[FlameOut]

Last night I did this:

Tried to update the packages for the D: drive, it hung up again while trying to install.

I deleted that .fscontent folder and tried to update again ... crash!

I uninstalled MSFS.

I did as I describe in my post.

With a brand-new install of MSFS I started again ====>>>> hang up during the install process.

This morning I looked at that .fscontent folder. This thing must be like an ini. file or event file. the file in there had a new name "asobo-airport-kjfk-new-york-jfk and 7 FSPATCH files.

I guess this is the point where MSFS hung up trying to install.



I've deleted just the file in the .fscontent folder, leaving the folder in place, but deleting those 7 FSPATCH files.

Hmmmm

@ modelr , I have an ethernet cable from the modem going directly into the back of my PC .... my wife had reset the router and modem for while I was out earing the bacon yesterday.

@ jmig ,

I had to install the Standard MSFS first, and not the entire Deluxe package

... When I start the "Update Packages", as you can see in the above screenies I have the Premium version and it will not let me select which one to install 1 st, I can click on those these versions thingys and it will not select either of them, it just immediately starts to install all (3) I guess.

Well off to work, I'll check back later.

Thanks - Don

[jmig]

Last night I did this:...

@ jmig , ... When I start the "Update Packages", as you can see in the above screenies I have the Premium version and it will not let me select which one to install 1 st, I can click on those these versions thingys and it will not select either of them, it just immediately starts to install all (3) I guess.

Well off to work, I'll check back later.

Thanks - Don

I deleted MSFS from either the Apps page or the Store page. Then when you go to Store and look at your library, you will see all three versions of MSFS. Just install the Standard package.

I hope that helps you. I can't remember how many times I have cursed MS to Hell. Maybe I will meet them there someday.

[ak416]

@ jmig , [/COLOR] ... When I start the "Update Packages", as you can see in the above screenies I have the Premium version and it will not let me select which one to install 1 st, I can click on those these versions thingys and it will not select either of them, it just immediately starts to install all (3) I guess.

Well off to work, I'll check back later.

Thanks - Don

I think once it's started downloading content from the Premium/Deluxe version, you won't be able to unselect them. There should be checkboxes in the bottom right corner of each icon, and not download buttons.




I would start fresh.

Delete everything in C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft Flight Simulator

Delete everything in Official/Onestore folder

Open the launcher again and deselect premium/deluxe content

Try reinstalling and try not to do anything to interrupt it if you can. If files get stuck, close launcher, delete stuck packages, try again.

If all that doesn't work, my only advice would be to refund your Microsoft Store copy and get the Steam version as that version has less issues when it comes to installing/updating.

[FlameOut]

@ ak416, and @ jmig

What the L, I did not even see the little d/l button in the bottom right of my own screenshots until now! I was always trying to "click the center of each of those boxes. I certainly do not have those Lock buttons nor the check-in-the-box buttons.

What a dumb arse I must be. I'll try y'alls suggestions. I swear I never saw those before. ... "One at a time sweet Jesus"



Thanks - Don

[FlameOut]

This is what I've been doing. I uninstalled as noted above, this was at least the 4th. time since this all happened.


I wiped D: drive again with a quick format and created another XBoxGames folder to direct the "Packages" into.


I typed in msfs into the search bar, then I clicked on the library icon down on the bottom left of page. and they want me to pay again for something I already own!


I installed the core sim onto the C: drive again.


This time I said Hey, let's launch the sim from the Microsoft Store


Now I've got large Lock Boxes on all (3) of versions of my Premium Editions and I cannot unlock them when I click on them.


Now it's time to to install the "Packages", so I direct the default pathway C: to the D: pathway.


Now ...


Maybe I'll look into the Steam Thing ... all of my stuff had better work from all of the vendors that I did 3rd. party purchases from!


I just do not understand why the little "ones & zeros" will no longer fill up that D: drive.


It cannot be on my side (hardware-wise) Maybe I'll d/l Prime 95 and give that ago.

[FlameOut]

@ tiger1962,

I've gotten myself "schooled up" on what you said about giving MSFS permission to come through the fire wall.

I found this, this morning after looking around do I need to click that 2nd. app for private box or should I remove the 2nd. app? (Maybe this is the trouble I'm having)

I also made a change in my settings from Public (recommended) by default settings to Private. I've found that I'm having trouble getting it to go back to Public. Clicking on Private network with the bold (active) beside it will not return it to the Public network as (active) ... I hope this did not screw up things for shooting the signal upstairs to the wife & kid for their internet service.

Thanks -Don

[tiger1962]

Hi Don, Windows itself doesn't recommend allowing Private network access so I only ever use Public. I think Public access has a higher security level than Private, and is therefore safer.
One other suggestion, now that your MSFS downloads are locked for some reason: they may be locked because your credentials cannot be verified.
These "credentials" are your digital proof of ownership files and they are checked every time you launch MSFS. They can become corrupted after a CTD for example, but they're fairly easy to re-set.
First of all, log out of your Microsoft Store account and your Xbox App account.
Then, in the search window on the taskbar, type credential manager.
In the Credential manager window, under Manage your credentials, select Windows Credentials on the lower right.
There'll be quite a list of entries, and most of them will begin with "XblGrts". These are your MSFS credentials.
Click on each XblGrts entry and select Delete. Don't worry, once you've deleted them all they'll be automatically re-created when you reboot Windows.
Once you've rebooted Windows, log back in to Microsoft Store and your Xbox App and MSFS should be available to download again.

[FlameOut]

Hey, thanks a bunch. I'll give this a try.

I did get my PC Network back to "Public" (active) after a restart of the PC.

I tried to launch MSFS this way this morning.



I'm growing weary of this problem of mine and I really, really appreciate all of the help and suggestions that everyone has given me.

It's past lunch time & I'm gonna give it a break for a little while.... will get under your directions this afternoon, maybe check off 1 or 2 spots of my usual Honey-Do-List. I'm off all of today through next week.

[FlameOut]

NOPE, NOPE, NOPE


I did as you suggested tiger1962, I navigated to Credential Manager I then removed all of those files with the XblGrts prefix ... now we are all done with that task

I sign out of Microsoft Store & the XBox App. Turn the 'pooter off.

Turn the 'pooter back on ... go to Microsoft Store and sign back in and the Xbox App again. I'm all set to go. I use the Xbox App to select my Premium version of MSFS, now I'm in the sim and it ask me to start in Safe Mode or Normal Mode (it's done this during several of my attempts to reinstall MSFS) .... I choose Safe Mode ... now this is the point where MSFS will ask about where do you want to place the "Packages" .... but NO ....It hangs up on the "Checking for updates"

The only way for me to get past this Hang up is to wipe the D: drive again with another quick format.

That is why I did all of those CHKDSK /R CHKDSK /F commands looking for bad sectors or corrupt files.

CHKDSK /X is the only one that I have not commanded, (that will force the volume on the disk... NVMe drive,) to dismount first if necessary ... there is no volume because I wipe it clean with the format!

If I may ask (to anyone here at the SOH), how will the Steam version install those "Packages"?

I mean "a 'pooter is a 'pooter" correct?



Thanks again everyone.

- Don

[ak416]

It could be related to the Gaming Services service, check out the solution offered at the bottom of this page and try reinstalling Gaming Services

https://flightsimulator.zendesk.com/...Updates-screen

The Steam version works basically the same way as the Windows Store version, but without all the nonsense that comes with the Windows Store version, such as the Gaming Services problem (among many others), something that has plagued Windows Apps/Games for YEARS now (I first encountered the problem in Forza Horizon 3 back in 2016.

Your marketplace purchases, however, do NOT carry over. Any third party content purchased outside the in-game marketplace will work fine. So in your case, probably not an ideal solution.

[FlameOut]

Thanks, ak416, I saw your reply and I appreciate it very much. Before I came back to the SOH I gave up and said to myself let's go ahead and install the whole thing onto my 1 TB C: drive ....

you can see that the (3) version displayed all have the large lock icon placed on them. Now we are off to the races and the locks icon have changed to the download icons: and I'm monitoring my ethernet speed as it does its thing.

Nope, hangs after 20 minutes of downloading. I could not take a screenshot, so I pulled out the iPhone and took a picture, sent it via email to myself d/l it and saved to my PC, large file JPG I hope it goes through.

I was reading the link you posted and most of that is already done and checked by me.

The part down at the bottom where they are talking about going into Windows Power Shell makes me a little nervous, but if I must.

- Thanks again.

[tiger1962]

I use the Xbox App to select my Premium version of MSFS, now I'm in the sim and it ask me to start in Safe Mode or Normal Mode (it's done this during several of my attempts to reinstall MSFS)

If you're being asked to start in Safe Mode or Normal Mode then the sim is already installed, partially at least, and if the install is corrupted this would explain the 'searching for updates' hang up.
Try uninstalling MSFS from the Apps menu and then download from scratch again:
Go to Start > Settings > Apps > Installed Apps, then scroll down to Microsoft Flight Simulator, click on the three dots on the right and select Uninstall. Just for good measure, reboot your PC before re-installing MSFS.

[Priller]

If you're being asked to start in Safe Mode or Normal Mode then the sim is already installed, partially at least, and if the install is corrupted this would explain the 'searching for updates' hang up.
Try uninstalling MSFS from the Apps menu and then download from scratch again:
Go to Start > Settings > Apps > Installed Apps, then scroll down to Microsoft Flight Simulator, click on the three dots on the right and select Uninstall. Just for good measure, reboot your PC before re-installing MSFS.

Indeed. Remove everything through uninstall (I would personally go through the control panel, but that is just me), clean your registry as well. Hell if that SSD is purely for MSFS, format it. Reboot and start all over again.

It can be a pain...

Priller