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FSX Not really a developer problem but I'm desparate

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Tomt478

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I had recently attempted to install this GSX from FSDreamTeam thingy, it wouldn't work correctly so I un installed it. Now I have some serious problems that I can't fix. all of my water textures now have NO water effects at all above the 1xHigh setting. I have some effects at 1xHigh but not as they should be, but at 2xLow or higher, all of the water just looks like painted areas, no waves, no real texture, nothing, just plain old color, looks like the old Commodore64 graphics. I have replaced my scenery folder with a working backup, replaced all of my textures folders with working backups, deleted and re created the FX.CFG and put it back like I originally had it to fix performance issues. But even after all of that, the water still looks like something from an old x386 machine. At 1xHigh, they look a little better, but anything above that, looks horrible. What the heck could GSX have changed to make the water effects at 2xLow or higher go away? Am I going to have to re-install the sim 'again' to fix it? That is a lot of work, I did it once already this year to fix an annoying FPS issue and it took me a whole month to get everything back to normal again. What should I look at to see where the water effects problem might be? I already made sure all remnants of that GSX is gone, I even removed it from the exe.xml and the dll.xml files. Still the problem persists.
 
It won't let me register, I keep getting an error, so no help there. I'll probably either have to live with the old 80s look or re-install, think I'll stick with the 80s look too much trouble to re-install again. I think GSX screwed up the shaders files, I can't fix that without a re-install. so 80s it is.
 
Tried Restore, no go. System won't restore and there is no restore point from yesterday before attempting to install gsx. The link above gives no help at all. I'm not going to fool with it anymore, I'll probably make it worse if I keep on fooling with it. I will attempt a FSX repair from the discs tomorrow and see if that does anything, if not, I'll live with it like it is. I don't know what files GSX changed and I'm not a programmer, so I will not be able to find out what the program modified and be able to restore it to its original state. If a repair don't work, I will eventually just re-install FSX again, but I'm just too frustrated to fool with it anymore. I will NEVER try to install any programs or addons that modify system files unless it tells me what files it is updating. Playing around with system files is just asking for trouble and developers of addons should never do such things unless they are certain everything works. Because if you screw something up, you most likely won't be able to fix it.
 
Does clearing your shader cache (deleting/renaming the shaders folders within %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\FSX) help? Does the problem still exist if you switch to DirectX 10 (or if you're already using DirectX 10, if you switch to DirectX 9)?
 
Hi Tom:

I agree with the idea of performing the test procedures Ollyau recommended, above, as she does have considerable experience with FS functionality issues gained over years of working with FS2Kx both as a programmer and end user of FS.

FYI: Deleting the FSX Shader Cache used to be a somewhat routine procedure years ago; it is safe to do if you follow instructions precisely.

FSX will automatically rebuild the Shader Cache when it is next run,. FSX may initially run slightly slower for 1 to 3 sessions, and then should run normally afterwards.

What FSDreamTeam FSX addon airport(s) did you intend to install along with GSX ?

Or were you only intending to install GSX / GSX Level-2 ?

Did you also perform the required FSDT FSX product update process in addition to running the base install of GSX ?

Note that it is critical to always do this with FSDT products.

Although the code base of the FSDT infrastructure for products may have changed since I last downloaded and ran the FSX KDFW demo years ago to help someone sort out a ground markings issue, FSDT's Umberto Colapicchioni (aka "virtuali") is a highly experienced programmer and FS addon developer with years of experience.

So, using his innovative products and then uninstalling 'should' be foolproof without a need for extensive FS or Windows troubleshooting, based on my own personal experience.

GaryGB
 
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"Tried Restore, no go. System won't restore and there is no restore point from yesterday before attempting to install gsx."

How big is your HDD and how much disc space have you got left?
 
I'm intrigued by your 'desperation' given this is a very old game! However, GSX is a notably temperamental addon and its author is not tolerant of people who have limited understanding of when, where and why it works - or not (which is almost anyone). So I suspect that not being able to access the forum is probably saving both of you some stress and fractiousness that would not improve your lives in any way whatsoever...

I have to say that, in my experience, an installation where GSX was installed, didn't work well, and was subsequently uninstalled normally needs a complete refresh to rid it of every part of GSX and its concomitant issues. When it works well it's a wonderful addon, but when it doesn't it can drag down everything else with it - and I'm not sure anyone's got to the bottom of why that might be. If you have limited HDD/SSD empty space, that may be a contributing factor, but I'd strongly recommend a reinstall of FSX if that's possible.
 
I'm going to attempt to reinstall gsx then do another uninstall to see if something may have gone haywire during the uninstall. If that does not fix it, then a re-install will be in order at this point. FSX amy already be beyond the repair stage from here. I only wanted some of the ground functions that GSX includes, not really wanting to be purchasing a bunch of addon airports and stuff. I'm only trying the demo right now, if it was to work properly, purchase could be possible, but if it's going to cause more problems than it's worth, I will attempt to uninstall it again and hope it works.Oh and I have a 250GB SSD with well enough space on it left over. I've never had any problems until I installed GSX.
 
I used to have GSX Level 2 installed in my P3Dv4 and 5, but I uninstalled it as its jetways were so unreliable. Despite uninstalling it, a number of features of it - ground handling vehicles etc - still appear. I don’t mind them, so I’ve not pursued it, but it definitely seems to me that the uninstall process is incomplete at best. I do have access to the forum, but I’m unwilling to subject myself to the scathing dismissal that most queries are dealt with, and a search hasn’t revealed any credible answers except a complete reinstallation of the sim.
 
Yeah, once that thing is installed you're stuck with it. I think they designed it that way so you are FORCED to keep it, and if you installed the trial version, it's to FORCE you to buy it. There is absolutely NO WAY to remove the program. It bassically replaces your sim. I watched all the files as they were processed and it pretty much replaces ALL system files and TEXTURES, SOUNDS,EFFECTS, etc... and unless you just happen to have a FULL FSX backup, you can't restore it. Even a repair of FSX won't fix it. I have no water effects, now none of my Flattens, or Excludes work at all, so creating your own airport is now out of the equasion, again, this is done on purpose to force users to buy their products if you want to restore full functionality to your sim, other wise, just uninstall the sim, delete all directories, and delete all registry entries, everything has to be removed or just re-installing FSX will put you right back where you started. You have to put your rig back to a state when there was never FSX installed on it and start over from scratch. This is going to take me well over a year to get everything back to where I was, so no simming for at least a year, all because I fell into FSDT's trap, and can't get out. BE WARNED!! Anyone installing GSX, be prepared, you WILL have problems and you CANNOT fix them.
 
Guess what?.....Now I can't even start the sim. I get a fatal error now. GSX just completely screwed the sim 100% now. So I have no option but a complete start over from scratch. One year of work down the tubes! That is one crappy ass addon and they won't even let me join the website to get help, I tried and it says BLOCKED, so they won't even help, that company needs to be reported to consumer reports or something because they are screwing people over forcing them to buy a worthless peice of junk. and yes I think it is all done purposely. It's all about making money off of gulible people.
 
Use System Restore BEFORE making any changes (including add-on installations).

https://www.google.com/search?q=Win...HCTItMTUuMTEuMcgHygGACAA&sclient=gws-wiz-serp


IIUC, you did not do that, so you must RTFM and the GSX support forum to find out how to uninstall it.

Always try all available "official" uninstall info for add-ons before simply deleting content, so it is removed as 'properly' as possible.


Before GSX is uninstalled:


Make a copy of your entire existing FSX installation folder and rename it to a distinct FSX-related name.

Make a ZIP copy of your existing C:\Users\[username]\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\FSX folder and rename it to a distinct FSX-related name.

Make a ZIP copy of your existing C:\Users\All Users\Microsoft\FSX folder and rename it to a distinct FSX-related name.


After GSX is uninstalled:

FSX may be willing to do a repair from Settings > Control Panel > Programs and Features > Uninstall or change a program > (R)-Click FSX

If not, do a FSX uninstall (it may be 1 or 2 steps, as Accel./ SP2 adds / changes content when installed on top of RTM Basic or Deluxe version).

A new FSX install only consumes ~13GB disk space.

After a new FSX install is activated / working OK, existing add-on scenery (including your own) may be manually added back to Scenery Library

GaryGB
 
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Can't use restore system just freezes up. That's a problem with Windows 11 update that's not been fixed as of yet. They say they are working on it but who knows when it will be fixed. I am currently reinstalling fsx.
 
The re-install seems to have worked. I was lucky enough to think of saving all my important folder eslewhere, so once it installed all I had to do is replace those folders with my current ones. I had a little trouble with Simconnect and FSUIPC, but after an hour I fixed that. It looks like everything might be back to normal, I won't know until I start running some sim missions and taking a look around to see if anything has been resoted to its original.
 
Well textures and stuff are back, but I can forget about creating my own airports anymore, won't be able to do it. Flattens,or exclusions no longer function, or any airport backgrounds for that matter, I can use land classes and such, but can't use any sort of backgrounds, so unless I create an airport in a dry,flat desert, I can no longer make my own airports. This completely just stops me dead in my tracks on my ADE project, because I can't fix the problems. I have vegetation where it shouldn't be (and wasn't) ,I have trees on my runways and taxis and vehicle links, making them useless unless you just ignore them, kinda makes the whole sim thing a bit distracting. So, basically ,GSX has completely 'hijacked' my rig preventing me from even installing a working FSX. All I can do is two things now, buy another rig ($2000+) or just buy FS2024 and deal with addon compatibilities and hope the thing will run on my rig. I can no longer use FSX. Thanks FSDreamTeam, nice work. So, this will most likely be the last message until I do some major upgrades, I might just save up and get a whole new rig and just use this one for other things, and dedicate the new rig to simming only. Thanks for all the attempted help anyway, but, it's completely screwed, this rig can no longer run FSX, not even sure it would run another sim or not.
 
I suggest not attempting computer work with FSX and any add-ons until fully ready to complete all tasks that may be required.


Your issues with FSX can be resolved by keeping a FSX reinstall free from any add-ons, and disabling FSDT code from loading.

Add-ons "add on" countless possibilities for FSX to behave incomprehensibly, and to require extensive troubleshooting to fix it.


There are many things you can- and should- do before you consider an unlikely possibility that you can no longer run FSX.

Most probable is a need to disable residual FSDT code and re-configure FSX to a freshly installed state with no add-ons.


MSFS is still largely a "Work-In-Progress", and you may have even more of a steep learning curve with it ...than with FSX. :redflag:


I would start troubleshooting this first with disabling a number of items in Sysinternals Autoruns:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/autoruns


I would also examine- and monitor- all running processes via Sysinternals Process Explorer:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/process-explorer


You may also need to learn more about the many potentially disruptive features inherent in Windows-11.

Not the least of which is the pervasive Windows-11 Defender Anti-Virus and other Security mechanisms.


By now I would assume you have studied issues with how to fully uninstall FSDT GSX and ensure no FSDT code still runs.

If you have not yet done so, IMHO the time to do that is now ...before doing anything else with FSX.

Afterwards, I would ensure that you have made a backup of the original Terrain.Cfg in [FSX installation root folder].

That can be followed by reinstallation of the 'Modified Terrain.Cfg' file we discussed previously to see if you may have used different GUID objects for Airport Background ("Boundary") flattens.


GaryGB
 
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I've never had any of the issues you describe that I could directly attribute to GSX. I have had occasions where ADE didn't exclude autogen, but normally that can be resolved by rebuilding the airfield backgound poly using 'Flatten, Mask Class Map, Exclude Autogen' algorithm. It may also be worth going through 'Load Stock Data' in ADE with your modified airport and excluding the stock items you don't want manually by deleting them.

It's also worth checking that your Registry is completely free of GSX influence. As we've already discussed, the uninstall process for GSX is incomplete and often unsatisfactory and it's highly likely that various parts have not been removed from the Registry. Take a back-up first, and then go through it carefully - this is one occasion where getting some AI guidance may be useful, but be careful to structure your query specifically and unemotionally.
 
Yeah, I've gone through and checked and rechecked all of that, as far as I can see, there are no more remnants of GSX. I've done what you said with ADE as well. As far as putting in my mods into the clean install of FSX, the only ones I put back in are my .cfg tweaks, (they fix my FPS problem and are a must have), and I just put in a clean copy (made before gsx) of my Addon Scenery folder which includes some model .bgl files that I don't have copies of anymore and are extensively used in my ADE project, so I have to put them in for the airport to work correctly, I guarantee however, none of those files are corrupted by GSX because the backup folder was made before I even attempted to install GSX. I did have a clean terrain.cfg file and I did put it in the sim, I also had a clean scenery.cfg which I too put in. All these files were backed up way before installing gsx. The airport I am working on is not a STOCK airport it is my own custom airport so using stock data isn't going to help any, as there is no stock data. I'm going to go look through the registry once more to make sure GSX is gone for good, but I've looked 3 times now and couldn't find anything. I just don't know what GSX did, but it's a 'ghost' that I can't find. maybe I need to find a "tech "ghost-hunter"' and see if they can "exorcise" my rig.:eek:👻
 
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