Auto Installers that Don't Install

[Fleet Canuck]

Long, long ago I bought the FS2004 disks and installed them on a previous computer. Most modern computers don't have disk drives, so I copied onto an external HDD and then installed from it to my latest computer. Everything works fine, but December sales for fs2004 are irresistible, so I bought a new payware aircraft. The auto-installer won't put it on my computer because "a file is missing" I wrote the publisher, but I suspect "FS2004 is no longer supported" So, is there any way around this? Thanks in advance for your help!

[Mick]

I'm guessing here, but I wonder if it has to do with your operating system.

Some time ago it was necessary for people with the latest OS to use the No CD hack because that OS wouldn't read CD-ROMs for programs that required them. I don't recall if that was Win8 or Win10. (Was there ever a Win9?)

What OS are you running in your present confutor?

[zswobbie1]

Same thing happened to me. I take it that you are running Windows 10.

So, copy the exe to your desktop.
Right click it, select Properties
Select Compatibility tab, then XP mode
Tick 'Run as Administrator'

Now run the exe

Should work perfectly!

[Motormouse]

Long, long ago I bought the FS2004 disks and installed them on a previous computer. Most modern computers don't have disk drives, so I copied onto an external HDD and then installed from it to my latest computer. Everything works fine, but December sales for fs2004 are irresistible, so I bought a new payware aircraft. The auto-installer won't put it on my computer because "a file is missing" I wrote the publisher, but I suspect "FS2004 is no longer supported" So, is there any way around this? Thanks in advance for your help!

Whoops...double post...see below

[Motormouse]

Long, long ago I bought the FS2004 disks and installed them on a previous computer. Most modern computers don't have disk drives, so I copied onto an external HDD and then installed from it to my latest computer. Everything works fine, but December sales for fs2004 are irresistible, so I bought a new payware aircraft. The auto-installer won't put it on my computer because "a file is missing" I wrote the publisher, but I suspect "FS2004 is no longer supported" So, is there any way around this? Thanks in advance for your help!

Aside from running installer in compatibility mode, if your new fs9 is in a non-standard location, you might need to run the registry fixer....IIRC there is a copy on Flight1 website, to allow the installer to find the fs9.exe file

ttfn

Pete


Edit....here you go https://www.flight1.com/view.asp?page=library

[Shessi]

Hi FC,
Firstly tell us what software it is?..secondly does it tell you what file is missing?

It possibly will be a dot Net version that it needs for Fs2004 runtime, if it tells you that then you can download and install it (it doesn't overwrite any other version, you can all version of M$ dot Net installed).

Cheers

Shessi

[Fleet Canuck]

Well, I've got some things to explore here. I'm on Windows 10, obviously with the NOCD crack. I bought the Carenado Cessna 172 on their 80% off sale a couple of years ago and had this trouble, but didn't bother to do anything about it. Now it's the Lionheart Tailwind that's giving me the same grief. A couple of older FSD planes also refused to load on this new computer. Yes, I put FS9 in Program Files, rather than the usual place. The "missing file" wasn't identified in the message I got when I tried to install the planes.

So, I'll get to work on these things and let you know what happens. Great to get so much good advice!

[zswobbie1]

In Program Files?
NOOOOOoooooooo!
Not there....

[Mick]

In Program Files?
NOOOOOoooooooo!
Not there....

Right! That's just like the usual place! Try setting up a new FS folder on your C drive. If you have multiple drives, or one drive with partitions, put it on a different drive or partition.

I have Win7pro and even back then there were problems if one allowed FS9 to install in wither Program Files or Program Files (x86).

When my rig was built I had the builders set up a separate partition for FS and it worked great. When my techie friend rebuilt it a while back he put in a couple of high speed digital drives and one is dedicated to FS. That works also great, maybe even greater.

If you don't have partitions or multiple drives, simply setting up a new FS folder on your C drive should allow you to avoid all the Microsoft "security" stuff that's preventing you from doing normal things in FS when it's in Program Files or Program Files (x86).

[Fleet Canuck]

Right! That's just like the usual place! Try setting up a new FS folder on your C drive. If you have multiple drives, or one drive with partitions, put it on a different drive or partition.

I have Win7pro and even back then there were problems if one allowed FS9 to install in wither Program Files or Program Files (x86).

When my rig was built I had the builders set up a separate partition for FS and it worked great. When my techie friend rebuilt it a while back he put in a couple of high speed digital drives and one is dedicated to FS. That works also great, maybe even greater.

If you don't have partitions or multiple drives, simply setting up a new FS folder on your C drive should allow you to avoid all the Microsoft "security" stuff that's preventing you from doing normal things in FS when it's in Program Files or Program Files (x86).

Wow, sounds like that should be my first step. I've been doing FS2002 & FS2004 for a while and I had no idea...

[huub vink]

Mick is correct that Microsoft security systems can cause problems with MS Flightsims, when the flightsim is installed in the Program Files (x86) folder (The Programs Files folder is intended for 64 bits programs). However I run Windows10 64 bits and have I have 3 different FS2004 installs and FSX all installen in the Programs Files (X86) folder and they all run without any problems.

But in my opinion whether MS Flightsimulator is installed Program Files (X86) folder or not shouldn't have anything to do with the fact an excecutable works or not. As you run this executable outside your Program Files folders.

The only reason I currently can imagine why the .exe doesn't work is because the fille requires to "see" the fs9.exe file. As I don't know the .exe file from the Lionheart tailwind I don't know whether it allows you the options to choose an installation path. IN that case create a dummy folder with the original FS9.exe file in it an try to install the tailwind in there and copy past the whole thing in your FS2004 install afterwards.

Cheers,
Huub

[Fleet Canuck]

Mick is correct that Microsoft security systems can cause problems with MS Flightsims, when the flightsim is installed in the Program Files (x86) folder (The Programs Files folder is intended for 64 bits programs). However I run Windows10 64 bits and have I have 3 different FS2004 installs and FSX all installen in the Programs Files (X86) folder and they all run without any problems.

But in my opinion whether MS Flightsimulator is installed Program Files (X86) folder or not shouldn't have anything to do with the fact an excecutable works or not. As you run this executable outside your Program Files folders.

The only reason I currently can imagine why the .exe doesn't work is because the fille requires to "see" the fs9.exe file. As I don't know the .exe file from the Lionheart tailwind I don't know whether it allows you the options to choose an installation path. IN that case create a dummy folder with the original FS9.exe file in it an try to install the tailwind in there and copy past the whole thing in your FS2004 install afterwards.

Cheers,
Huub

Thanks for this. I guess this will be my new first step.