Help requested! Trying to install ETO Expansions and errors reported....

[pow64]

Hello there!

I should explain that although I am an avid gamer, I'm not a player of CSF3 and am in fact a computer repair technician attempting to help a customer install CSF3 and all its subsequent expansions and mods that he wants to be able to play. He recently bought a new system off us and is consequently using Windows 7 64-Bit now. I was able to successfully get it and the ETO expansions up and running after a few failed attempts and trial and error installs but he says he's now screwed up the install and wants me to do it all again. I've largely forgotten what I did the first time, but I have taken the time to browse the forums, read the installation guides and readme's provided. However I'm still having issues and I'm wondering if perhaps its just the order I'm doing things in, so I would appreciate your help in getting this gentlemans install working as it should given my unfamiliarity with the game. Allow me to explain my order of battle ;)

I decided to attempt a nice clean install, so uninstalled CSF3 and all the expansions then did the following:

Install CSF3 - (Installed to Program Files not Program files (x86) as I did not want to have to mess with the mod itself and start changing file path names as this is complicated enough as it is =P)
Install Battle of Britain expansion pack
Install Aircraft Powerpack
Install 3.1a aircraft update patch (3.1 did not work so I assume one of the previous expansions updated the game to 3.1)
Install ETO Expansion 1.0
Install ETO Expansion 1.2
Install ETO Expansion 1.3 (I looked for the unlimitedpilots.xml file in the appropriate area but the file did not exist and I assume this is because I have yet to actually start the game for it to create this file in the first place)

After spending 20 mins or so doing all this, I tried to pick a theatre and load the game up. I recieve 3 subsequent error messages.

This first is "Error loading CFS3ConfigDatabase.txt: Cannot find file"

I found the file it was referring too and it had a .bak extension on the end, deleted the extension and it seemed happy enough, but then did it again after I loaded up a 3rd time.

The second is - "UnitData Model name 'searchlight' already used!"
and the third is - "The configuration override file is out of date, please re-run CSF3. CFS3 will now exit"

I also have issues with the ETO Spawn Selector. No matter what I select, the DOS box that briefly appears is filled with 'File not found' errors before closing so I have no idea if anything is actually being applied or working properly. This is an issue I had the first time round but since the game was working and the customer was happy, I did not pursue it further.

I do not wish to spend hours on this again with trial and error attempts to get it working, so I would greatly appreciate any and all help you can provide in getting this to work for my customer :)

Kind Regards

[grizzly50]

:kilroy:Pow64,

STOP!!!!!

LOLOLOLOL

What a mess! LOLOLOLOL Too much installed at once.

I see all of the problems right now.

Not sure what you mean by "Battle of Britain expansion pack", but if it's a payware add-on, look for a proper uninstall for it, probably in the Combat Flight Simulator 3 main game folder. Do this first, if applicable.

Before you do another thing, do this:

1. Follow the install pathway and delete everything CFS3 and CFS3 ETO Expansion, there should be at least two folders here, Combat Flight Simulator 3 and CFS3 ETO Expansion. Delete both folders.

2. I am not that familiar with Windows 7 64-bit, so bear with me.

Go to, in Vista (assuming Windows 7 is the same) - C:\Users\\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft and delete the two folders named Combat Flight Simulator 3.0 and CFS3 ETO Expansion_________.

Then go to, in Vista (again, assuming Windows 7 is the same) - C:\Users\\Documents and \delete the two folders named Combat Flight Simulator 3.0 and CFS3 ETO Expansion_________ here, too.

3. Be sure to delete all icons related to these game from the desktop.

I recommend a disk cleanup and defrag at this time.

OK, re-install Combat Flight Simulator 3 normally. Start, fly in QC (Quick Combat), and exit the game before and between installing the two updates. 3.1 goes in first, and remember, it's the larger of the two. One note here: Some later releases of CFS3 have already had 3.1 added to them. After all installation, start it again, then exit. Go into the Combat Flight Simulator 3 main game folder and run this file: cfs3config.exe.

If he wants the Mission Builder, install at this time, too.

CFS3 ETO Expansion MUST be installed through a clean, fully-updated (3.1 and 3.1a), completely unmodded CFS3 install. ETO does not take over the install, it merely copies it and places it into a separate folder named CFS3 ETO Expansion.

For good measure, one more time, start it, fly in QC, and then exit.

At this point, you should be ready to install ETO.

NOTE: All Anti-Virus programs are showing the EO BDP Zapper as a Trojan Horse. I assure you that it is NOT. You will have to tell the A-V program to ignore or exclude this file, and the ETO Backup.

NOTE: Please read these SOH sticky threads before installing ETO in Vista or Windows 7: http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/showthread.php?25661-Windows-7-install-fix, http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/showthread.php?31311-ETO-for-Win7-with-WinXP-Host, and http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/showthread.php?9007-Attention-VISTA-users!!!-(Shell.exe-is-NOT-needed) (for Vista users only.

NOTE: If you don't have it already, get the ETO Installation Guide here: http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/page.php?lloc=downloads&loc=downloads&page=info&FileID=14798 or in Post #1 here http://aussiex.org/forum/index.php?showtopic=3890

NOTE: ETO won't funtion properly with User Account Control "ON", so you have to turn it off. You also should run as Administrator, so read the Win 7 stick named above for instructions before proceding beyond this point.

1. Unzip CFS3_ETO_Expansion_1.0.zip and look for CFS3 ETO Expansion Rev 1.0.exe. Foloow the same pathway as you did for CFS3, but stop at Program Files\Microsoft Games. Do NOT install into CFS3. Let the installer do it job. Follow all prompts.

Use the Installation Guide by Hairyspin for this, as it the best one available.

2. After installing ETO 1.0, start it up, in Era 1 (from ETO Start icon on the Desktop), fly it once in QC (Quick Combat), and then exit. (Yeah gets boring, I know, but it's the safe way.)

3. Run the ETO Spawn Selector icon on the Desktop, and set it to 1, Stock Spawn Mode.

4. One more time for the Start procedure outlined above, just to be safe.


OK, we should be ready for ETO 1.20 now.

1. Unzip CFS3_ETO_Expansion_Cumulative_Update_1.20.zip now, and look for CFS3 ETO Expansion Cumalative Update Rev 1.20.exe.

2. Now run the CFS3 ETO Expansion Cumalative Update Rev 1.20.exe and follow the same installation pathway you followed for CFS3 and ETO 1.0, but this time, you want to install ETO 1.20 INTO ETO 1.0 (CFS3 ETO Expansion main game folder).

3. Perform the Start procedure outlined above again.

4. Read the installation Guide and perform all post-installation procedures for ETO 1.20. If I remember correctly, there should be only one, and that is to go into the CFS3 ETO Expansion folder found in the App Data folder pointed out above. When in this folder, look for a file named ViewUI.xml, and delete it. DO NOT DELETE THIS FILE FROM THE CFS3 ETO EXPANSION FOLDER FOUND IN THE PROGRAM FILES\MICROSOFT GAMES FOLDER!!!!!

5. Do the Start procedure mentioned above again. (Yeah, a tad monotonous at this point, I know, but bear with me.)

Now is the time for ETO 1.30 installation.

NOTE: Read the READMES found in the

1. Unzip CFS3_ETO_Expansion_Update_Rev_1.30_Install_Pack.zi p, go into the CFS3 ETO Expansion Update Rev 1.30 Install Pack folder that just appeared.

NOTE: Please read the README files that start with 01, 02, and 10 before continuing further.

Now look for the CFS3 ETO Expansion 1.30 Obsolete File Remover.exe. Run this first, aiming it at the CFS3 ETO Expansion main game folder, and give it a couple of minute to do it job.

NOTE: Please read the README files that start with

2. Now look in the CFS3 ETO Expansion Update Rev 1.30 Install Pack for the file named CFS3 ETO Expansion Update Rev 1.30.exe, and tell it to follow the pathway you've been using for all this so far. Again, aim it at the CFS3 ETO Expansion main game folder.

3. Follow step 5 found in the 01 IMPORTANT-READ ME FIRST BEFORE INSTALLATION OF CFS3 ETO Expansion 1.30.rtf. The two files that need to be deleted are found in the CFS3 ETO Expansion_________ found in the App Data location named above.

4. Run the ETO BDP Zapper at this point.

5. Run the game now, as it should be good to go.

TIP: As there will be five new Desktop icons following the installation of ETO 1.0, it is recommended to create a folder on the desktop and drop them into it to keep them separate from everything else.

I highly recommend making a copy of the Combat Flight Simulator main game folder, preferably in the same directory with the Combat Flight Simulator and CFS3 EDTO Expansion main game folders. This will ensure that you will always have a vanilla copy handy.

Now you can install the Install Battle of Britain expansion pack and Install Aircraft Powerpack you mentioned before, as this stuff was probably what was causing most of the problems you were having in the first place when trying to install ETO.

You can always do a CFS3 mutli-install at a later date. I will tell you how then, if needed.

If you have any further problems or questions, please feel to contact me here, either in in a post or PM me. I will help you if needed.

I hope this helps.:d

[pow64]

You sir, have been a tremendous help to me, it is much appreciated! :applause::salute::applause:

After following your instructions, the game and the ETO stuff now appears to be working fine. One question though, with the spawn selector, am I supposed to see the 'system cannot find the specified file' spam itself briefly before the DOS box closes as I really have no other indication that this has worked or done what it is supposed to.

Also, the other thing is when you and the readme's mention deleting files locating in the appdata/roaming/microsoft/CFS3 ETO Expansion folder, there is no folder there of that name. There is a CFS 3 folder and I have found copies of the files mentioned there which I simply renamed to .bak incase something went wrong, but other than this, the game still appears to run ok :)

Again many thanks :)

[hairyspin]

Also, the other thing is when you and the readme's mention deleting files locating in the appdata/roaming/microsoft/CFS3 ETO Expansion folder, there is no folder there of that name. There is a CFS 3 folder and I have found copies of the files mentioned there which I simply renamed to .bak incase something went wrong, but other than this, the game still appears to run ok :)

As Grizz says, if you check my ETO Installation guide, you'll find the correct paths to all the folders for Win7 64-bit: there's small differences compared to Vista. I have Win7 64-bit so this has been tested.

[grizzly50]

:kilroy:Pow64, when you installed ETO 1.0, did a program start that asked you to type in a name?

It would look something like this, but without the name typed in. You would need to type in CFS3 ETO Expansion_________, that's the name shown, plus nine (9) underscores: