FSX Won't Run After Windows 10 Updates

Just checking to see if anyone has experienced any problems with FSX after installing recent Windows 10 updates. I have FSX Gold Edition & last opened it with no problems on 11/12/2020. Later that evening Windows 10 installed two security updates (KB4586781 & KB4586864), followed by two more updates (KB4580325 & KB4580419) in the early hours of 11/13/2020. Later in the afternoon of 11/13, I went to open FSX. The startup screen appeared, followed by the game loading, but the area in the middle where the turning aircraft should appear was black, and seconds later, the game just quit, disappearing from the computer screen. I suspect the Win 10 updates did something to the Registry, but who knows? Tried uninstalling three of the updates (KB4586864 can't be uninstalled), trying then to open FSX after each uninstall/restart, but problem remained. I didn't want to revert the computer to an earlier time, as I'm sure the updates contain items necessary to the safe operation of Windows.

 

Touched base with Microsoft Support, but they couldn't really help and wound up directing me to the Xbox User Group to confer with an "expert." I told the expert that I suspected I was in the wrong area for my FSX problem, a fact that he confirmed. I plan to try again to see if I can reach someone at Microsoft who deals with problematic Win updates. In the meantime, just thought I would try here, as the majority of the comments I read on this forum indicate that true experts reside here...Thanks.

 

Steve

Have you got DirectX 10 preview ticked by any chance?

I have FSX Gold and have those Windows updates also. FSX runs without any issues at all. No DX 10 preview.

 

Jorgen

Just confirming with Jorgen I have all those updates and the latest 20H2 update and have no issues with my FSX Deluxe(Boxed) - it must be a hardware issue?

Just confirming with Jorgen I have all those updates and the latest 20H2 update and have no issues with my FSX Deluxe(Boxed) - it must be a hardware issue?

 

No, it's a software issue. There is not a shred of evidence the fault lies with hardware!

Yep...I have the Direct X Preview that I downloaded around the same time. Obviously, I didn't connect the two and blamed poor Microsoft. My apologies to them, and my many thanks to you, pomak249 & you, Jorgen. A distinct pleasure to encounter experts. Take care.

 

Steve

Looks like I spoke a little bit too soon, as I thought I had the solution at the time...I deleted my previews/demos (also had X-Plane 11 Demo), did a restart, opened FSX...and got the same result - no FSX loading. Decided to do the only option left, that being reverting to the previous version of Windows 10, thereby nullifying the aforementioned Windows 10 updates. Once everything restarted, I had my original color scheme back (no more light and dark choices), and, best of all...FSX actually opened and ran! Appreciate the help provided here, believe me, but it does now definitely appear that something in the updates definitely had an effect, at least on my FSX setup. I plan to copy the Registry and allow Windows to again do it's updates and then check to see if any modifications were made that might affect FSX.