tech support

[tigisfat]

After a few emails back and forth with PMDG, they cut me off and told me that it wasn't their product's fault that FSX was crashing.

I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure after analyzing the Flytampa Grenadines files structure that it was the PMDG MD-11 that destroyed my FSX and prevents it from loading. Flytampa Grenadines has only a basic scenery file structure, there are no core modifications. If you screw that up, FSX just won't load it and will give you an error upon loadup, saying that it can't find the textures. PMDG's only idea was to uninstall the MD-11 and delete the FSX.CFG and DLL.XML, then try everything again.

I just finished running the FSX repair function, and I get the error even faster now.


I'm assuming unless one of our SOH wizards has any last-minute saves for me, that my last option is a complete reinstall. For the last few days I've been gathering passwords and registration keys from around my computer, but we're talking about years and years of flawless FSX and hundreds of payware products. Surely I won't be able to come by all of it, and I'm hoping as much as possible can be saved simply by copying folders.

Sure I can back up gauges, textures, effects, sim objects and other stuff. But if there's nothing else I can do I'd like any advice you can give about preserving my modifications as well as possible, especially my most advanced ones that surely aren't as simple as saving folders. Can I keep my logbook?

[FAC257]

If it's a problem with FSX simply not starting, the first two things I would check are for a corrupt set of Saved Flight files and/or a corrupt Logbook file. Both instances will keep FSX from starting.

Corrupt Flight Files Senerio:
Delete every file in your My Documents\Flight Simulator X Files folder except your logbook.bin file. Then try a restart.

Corrupt Logbook Scenerio:
In the same folder as above, rename or move your logbook out of the folder. Keep a copy of the logbook.bin file. That is your logbook record and if it turns out to be the problem, that can be fixed with a logbook editor tool. Once you've got logbook.bin file saved and out of the way try a restart.

FAC

[tigisfat]

If it's a problem with FSX simply not starting, the first two things I would check are for a corrupt set of Saved Flight files and/or a corrupt Logbook file. Both instances will keep FSX from starting.

Corrupt Flight Files Senerio:
Delete every file in your My Documents\Flight Simulator X Files folder except your logbook.bin file. Then try a restart.

Corrupt Logbook Scenerio:
In the same folder as above, rename or move your logbook out of the folder. Keep a copy of the logbook.bin file. That is your logbook record and if it turns out to be the problem, that can be fixed with a logbook editor tool. Once you've got logbook.bin file saved and out of the way try a restart.

FAC

Are you sure that's the right place for the logbook? I can't find it in there, and opening my logbook works just fine.

[FAC257]

With XP and now W7, that's where my log book file has been. The logbook.bin file is the actual flight hours and logging. The second part of the log records are your rewards and badges. Those are located in the "GrantedRewards.BIN" file that is located in the same folder as the FSX.cfg file. What I don't know is if Vista used the same location.

It's strange that your saying that there is no logbook.bin file in your "My Documents\Flight Simulator X Files" folder. I wonder if that may be part of the problem.

Even if you accidently deleted the logbook.bin file in there, FSX would automatically create a new one in that folder the next time you started FSX.

FAC

[tigisfat]

With XP and now W7, that's where my log book file has been. The logbook.bin file is the actual flight hours and logging. The second pert of the log records are your rewards and badges. Those are located in the "GrantedRewards.BIN" file that is located in the same folder as the FSX.cfg file.

It's strange that your saying that there is no logbook.bin file in your "My Documents\Flight Simulator X Files" folder. I wonder if that may be part of the problem.

FAC

hmm. When I dump my .CFG and DLL.XML files, it will start but won't allow me to load a mission or go to the free flight menu without crashing.

When I go to my logbook, everything appears to be functioning.

[tigisfat]

You'll be my hero if this fixes everything.

I did run the FSX repair function, and for some reason the logbook file isn't in my FSX documents and the editor can't find it.

Any suggestions?

Why wouldn't FSX repair make a new logbook?

[FAC257]

I'm not to sure that the repair option would consider a missing logbook.bin file a problem that needs to be fixed.

When you first install FSX, I am pretty sure that there is no actual logbook.bin file installed. It gets created the first time you start up FSX.

I would do a search of your hard drive looking for the logbook.bin file. It must be there somewhere or I wouldn't think it would be viewable. If you do find it, I would try just moving it back in the "My Documents\Flight Simulator X Files" folder where it belongs.

When your looking at your logbook do you mean from within FSX or using one of the logbook editors available?

FAC

[tigisfat]

I'm not to sure that the repair option would consider a missing logbook.bin file a problem that needs to be fixed.

When you first install FSX, I am pretty sure that there is no actual logbook.bin file installed. It gets created the first time you start up FSX.

I would do a search of your hard drive looking for the logbook.bin file. It must be there somewhere or I wouldn't think it would be viewable. If you do find it, I would try just moving it back in the "My Documents\Flight Simulator X Files" folder where it belongs.

When your looking at your logbook do you mean from within FSX or using one of the logbook editors available?

FAC

There's a search running right now.

I mmeant to say that I can see it from within FSX. I can get to my pilot records menu and everything appears to work okay.

The editor is what I was trying to bring it up with. I can't find it while searching the FSX documents folder.

[tigisfat]

Well, after a million searches it finally found it. It's saying there's nothing wrong with my logbook, unfortunately.

FSX still crashed on startup.

[Skittles]

Have you completely uninstalled the MD-11 and the scenery?

If it were me I'd download both again, look at what files are going to go where (i.e. don't autoinstall) and have a peek around those folders, see whether there's any residual mess that the uninstall didn't take care of, rebuild the CFG and see what happens.

[FAC257]

Did you make a note of where the search said the logbook file was located?

FAC

[tigisfat]

Did you make a note of where the search said the logbook file was located?

FAC

no, I copied it, saved a copy in my backup folders then pasted another copy into the FSX Documents folder.

[tigisfat]

[FAC257]

And I was just checking back in to see how you were making out with that problem.

FAC

[mal998]

Restore windows to an earlier date before all the trouble started.