Immortal FS2004 problem; all modules in folder "missing or damaged"

Most of this is fluff, skip to the 1s if you want to just get to the problem as opposed to how I got to the problem, but the 2s are what ultimately caused me to force a reinstall.

We always hope a reinstall of FS2004 is just that; a fresh start that would kill anything that was causing the simulator to not run as intended. It's not something someone with hundreds of mods would want to do, but it's sometimes unavoidable.

But unfortunately that's not always the case, sometimes even that won't fix all our problems.

I could keep venting my frustration, but I'll cut right to the chase.

While trying to register my FSDT DFW, well, it just didn't. That's no longer my problem, but what I did do was repeatedly run the FSDT DFW setup, hoping it would install correctly and maybe prompt me to put the serial code or something, rather than have unreliable FS9 try to register it while running (I've installed FSDT ORD in the past without incident, though). Downloaded a lot of modules...

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Well eventually after many attempts, restarting FS9 hoping the scenery would stick, I would get the message "flight simulator was unable to load some aircraft or software. you can continue using flight simulator but....", for every single default module in the modules folder, and then would quit when it said acontain.dll was missing or damaged.

Knowing I had been needing to reinstall FS9 for sometime after the issue with Gatwick, I did just that. Extra note, I uninstalled any payware addons first (FSDT, Blueprints).

11111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111

Reinstalled FS9 with no incident, into my C: drive in a folder called "Flight Simulator 9" (I keep it out of program files as this was troublesome and bothersome when I first installed it). I did get a message saying there were some problems detected, but clicked "it worked correctly." It runs fine when running as administrator, but when I'm not, I get the same problem as described above; every module is missing or damaged (even with the reinstall!).

The bright side is I can go to Gatwick now :D . But I would rather not have to always "run as administrator" since I'm lazy and that's an extra 2 seconds everytime I have to devote to using FS9, when I could just double click it, plus it seems like an easy solution to an underlying problem if all the modules are going to go haywire when I don't run as administrator.

Any tips? Did the DFW payware potentially eff up the sim? It seems to be related to my administrator privileges and may not have anything to do with the actual sim; perhaps not running as admin makes the computer ignore the modules and calls them "missing"?

I had to reinstall this a second time and upgraded to 9.1, no effect.

Many thanks! Sorry I know this is a long read.

Right-click FS9.exe, Properties, select the Compatibilty tab, and tick "Run this program as an administrator".

John

John, Actually Right-Click FS9.exe, Properties, select Compatibility tab, SELECT XP, then, at the bottom,TICK Run as Administrator

(you left out the Compatibility selection)

John, Actually Right-Click FS9.exe, Properties, select Compatibility tab, SELECT XP, then, at the bottom,TICK Run as Administrator

 

(you left out the Compatibility selection)

Maybe I left it out because mine is set at Windows 7. :)

John

Euhhh I should add I have Windows 10, but Windows XP Service Pack 2 is the default. I clicked it, I'm afraid it just asks me to run as admin again... which does work as far as running the sim, but I feel like it's an extra step I have to take when I could just double click and be on my way. It's not that big a deal, but, well it's just inconvenient.

I suppose I can sweep this problem under the rug for now, but I have to wonder if anything else is affected, as far as modules go.

You are having to do this because of Windows 10 and not FS9+Run As Admin. The solution would be to get Windows 7 64 bit. Or SET UP FS9 for Windows 10. You need to have updated to FS9.1 AND the NoCD exe. That combo, plus 'Run As Admin', will allow you to run FS9 in Full Screen with increased FPS (up to 500) and no issues with scenery or modules files being 'Locked'. Simple as that.

Chuck B

Napamule

Yup, that’s what I’ve got; 9.1 and noCD. Although the issue is just having to avoid always running as admin since that either is a patch to a problem, or I unknowingly always was somehow running as admin without specifying.

Still I appreciate your help. I may consider a system restore to relieve me of that step. The problem is clearly not FS9.

To set it to run as admin permanently do this....

1. Right Click on the desktop icon and Select Properties from the menu list. A Properties info panel will open.

2. Click on the Compatibility tab.

3. Under the Settings section, click on the selection box located to the left of the 'Run this program as an administrator' statement.

4. Click on the Apply button to set and then close the panel.

This 'thought' may be far fetched but is it possible that MS made Win 10 'kid proof'? You set up compatability as 'permanent', and you don't have Win 10 password protected, and your kid sneeks and starts up FS9 and changes all your settings? Where if he don't know to right click and run as admin will make it hard for your kid to 'mess' with your sim? Maybe? Just a thought.

Chuck B

Napamule

Is it possible the OP did a Windows 10 update? I started with Windows XP and FS9 when it first came out. I have been making clones of that drive since I have so many addons. I use this HDD for FS9 only.

However I did install FS9 on Windows 10 Pro recently on my main HDD. It ran well but when I "upgraded" Windows 10 from 1803 to 1903 my FS9 will not start anymore. I get an OOM error every time I try to start FS9. I have a 4TB HDD with 2.2TB of data on it. I also have 16GB of DDR3 RAM. I blame the no start on the "upgrade" from 1803 to 1903. OP did you update Windows 10 right before this problem?

Is it possible the OP did a Windows 10 update? I started with Windows XP and FS9 when it first came out. I have been making clones of that drive since I have so many addons. I use this HDD for FS9 only.

However I did install FS9 on Windows 10 Pro recently on my main HDD. It ran well but when I "upgraded" Windows 10 from 1803 to 1903 my FS9 will not start anymore. I get an OOM error every time I try to start FS9. I have a 4TB HDD with 2.2TB of data on it. I also have 16GB of DDR3 RAM. I blame the no start on the "upgrade" from 1803 to 1903. OP did you update Windows 10 right before this problem?

I've always updated my Windows 10 as soon as any updates have come out.

I have an Acer laptop, i5, 1TB HDD with 4GB RAM. I have never had any issues or problems with my 6 separate installs of FS2004, all installed in C: drive, XP compatibility & all running as Administrator, so updating to 1903, for me, obviously cannot be an issue at all.

I've always updated my Windows 10 as soon as any updates have come out.

I have an Acer laptop, i5, 1TB HDD with 4GB RAM. I have never had any issues or problems with my 6 separate installs of FS2004, all installed in C: drive, XP compatibility & all running as Administrator, so updating to 1903, for me, obviously cannot be an issue at all.

Well it was for me. I am glad you didn't have an issue with updating to 1903. OP needs some ideas and since 1903 screwed up my FS9 install on Windows 10 I thought I would mention it. My Windows XP install of FS9 dating back to 2003 (or whenever FS9 came out) still works great. I have that on a separate HDD that only runs FS9.

Well it was for me. I am glad you didn't have an issue with updating to 1903. OP needs some ideas and since 1903 screwed up my FS9 install on Windows 10 I thought I would mention it. My Windows XP install of FS9 dating back to 2003 (or whenever FS9 came out) still works great. I have that on a separate HDD that only runs FS9.

Some offerings on your issue here:

http://calclassic.proboards.com/thread/9585/fs9-100-cent-cpu-usage

John

Haven’t updated W10 ever actually.

Are you certain of that? Windows 10 generally updates itself without asking you. Unless you never go online . . .

John

Some offerings on your issue here:

http://calclassic.proboards.com/thread/9585/fs9-100-cent-cpu-usage

 

John

Thanks for the info. But no matter what I try I can not change the permissions in Windows 10 to allow me to change this file. I am the Admin. Everything I have tried on the web has failed. I am really starting to hate Windows 10. I have been building computers since 1996 and I can't do anything with this file. I'm giving up on running FS9 on Windows 10. I'll just go back to my Windows XP install of FS9 and use that. It just works and I have it cloned on 2 HDD's just in case. FS9 was working perfectly on Windows 10 1803 until Windows "upgraded" itself to 1903. Now FS9 won't even start. I get the OOM error message no matter what I try. It's just not worth the hassle anymore.

.....But no matter what I try I can not change the permissions in Windows 10 to allow me to change this file. I am the Admin.....

 

.....FS9 was working perfectly on Windows 10 1803 until Windows "upgraded" itself to 1903. Now FS9 won't even start. I get the OOM error message no matter what I try.....

Have you tried totally disabling UAC - although you may have an Admin account with full admin rights UAC can still override it.

Another option would be to check the security permissions set on the FS folder and determine the 'ownership' rules set for the folder. Taking 'ownership' of the folder and its sub folders may resolve the issue.

WRT to the update itself - this may seem like a stupid question but, seeing as some users leave their PCs on 24/7 it is worth asking - Have you carried out a RESTART (not a shutdown and reboot) of the PC since the update and have you checked the Updates and Security tab to see it any updates are 'stuck'. There are two indicators that you have updates stuck -

1. When (if) you right click on the start button and select the Shutdown or Sign out option you will see two update options: Update and Shutdown and Update and Restart.

2. If you go to the Notifications, All Settings, Update and Security tab. If there are any updates that require a restart or are pending install, they will be displayed here and there will be a RED Restart Now button. You can use this button to initiate the update.

It should also be noted that the Shutdown and Restart options in Win 10 work differently from how it use to in earlier versions of windows. Basically, the process is reversed - see this LINK for info.

Have you tried totally disabling UAC - although you may have an Admin account with full admin rights UAC can still override it.

 

Another option would be to check the security permissions set on the FS folder and determine the 'ownership' rules set for the folder. Taking 'ownership' of the folder and its sub folders may resolve the issue.

 

WRT to the update itself - this may seem like a stupid question but, seeing as some users leave their PCs on 24/7 it is worth asking - Have you carried out a RESTART (not a shutdown and reboot) of the PC since the update and have you checked the Updates and Security tab to see it any updates are 'stuck'. There are two indicators that you have updates stuck -

 

1. When (if) you right click on the start button and select the Shutdown or Sign out option you will see two update options: Update and Shutdown and Update and Restart.

 

2. If you go to the Notifications, All Settings, Update and Security tab. If there are any updates that require a restart or are pending install, they will be displayed here and there will be a RED Restart Now button. You can use this button to initiate the update.

 

It should also be noted that the Shutdown and Restart options in Win 10 work differently from how it use to in earlier versions of windows. Basically, the process is reversed - see this LINK for info.

UAC is turned off and has been since I "upgraded" to Windows 10. I always restart my computer after an update. And there aren't any updates waiting to be installed. FS9 worked perfectly in Windows 10 1803. It's broken in 1903. Thanks for the suggestions. But I am uninstalling FS9 in Windows 10 and just using the dedicated FS9 HDD with Windows XP on it.