Fatal Issue

I've been extremely lucky using FS2020 and have experienced very little issues, until yesterday. When I launched the sim, I received the following fatal error:

 

"Please make sure your hardware is supported by this application. Please refer to the ReadMe file (ComUDPWin_Z)"

 

The computer then shut down. Upon restarting, Windows would not boot. Nothing, nada. Windows recovery options not working either.

 

As luck would have it, I bought a secondary SSD drive last week and installed a mirror image from the original drive. I booted from the new one and it worked! However, upon launching the sim, I received the same fatal error message and computer shut down. And of course, it won't boot.

 

Just before all of this happened I ran several antivirus/antimalware programs and all came back clear so a bug shouldn't be the issue.

 

I'm very perplexed. I know it's a long shot, but any ideas what could cause such catastrophic results?

 

Intel i8700

32 Gigs DDR4 3600 RAM

500 Gigs SSD

2 TBs SSD

NVIDIA 2080Ti

If all your drivers are up to date, has a BIOS setting changed somehow? For example, on-board graphics enabled instead of the 2080Ti?

Also, where did you obtain your copy of Windows 10, and is it up to date? If it is an OEM copy, it might have been copied and the same Windows 10 may be already in use??

I will certainly look at that.

 

Thanks!

It's a good copy... a retail version purchased at a big box store. Everything was kept up to date (Windows, drivers, etc.)

All Microsoft does when it finds an unactivated installation is to put a "Activate Windows" notice in the lower right hand part of the screen and to disable some personalization features. They don't trash the whole installation.

I think I read somewhere that you can't have two "bootable" copies of windows 10 present at the same time. If you cloned your boot disk, the 'puter would see two copies of windows. Try removing one of the disks and see if the problem goes away.

Could it be the graphics card? I also have the RTX 2980ti and when I first installed it earlier in the year, I made a schoolboy error. I used one of the PSU’s cables with a y-splitter to power it, instead of TWO separate cables. This caused a few errors as you might expect.

I presume yours is powered by two separate cables but..?

Also what psu do you have?

 

Regards

Steve

I've been extremely lucky using FS2020 and have experienced very little issues, until yesterday. When I launched the sim, I received the following fatal error:

 

"Please make sure your hardware is supported by this application. Please refer to the ReadMe file (ComUDPWin_Z)"

 

The computer then shut down. Upon restarting, Windows would not boot. Nothing, nada. Windows recovery options not working either.

 

As luck would have it, I bought a secondary SSD drive last week and installed a mirror image from the original drive. I booted from the new one and it worked! However, upon launching the sim, I received the same fatal error message and computer shut down. And of course, it won't boot.

 

Just before all of this happened I ran several antivirus/antimalware programs and all came back clear so a bug shouldn't be the issue.

 

I'm very perplexed. I know it's a long shot, but any ideas what could cause such catastrophic results?

 

Intel i8700

32 Gigs DDR4 3600 RAM

500 Gigs SSD

2 TBs SSD

NVIDIA 2080Ti

 

You seem to have a second computer to read this from. Here is the link to starting your computer in Safe Mode. Safe Mode loads only the absolutely necessary stuff so you can get control.

 

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/start-your-pc-in-safe-mode-in-windows-10-92c27cff-db89-8644-1ce4-b3e5e56fe234

 

Then I suggest you restore the computer to an earlier point prior to making these changes. I call it the Way Back setting. It looks like you've already tried this but go back and do it in Safe Mode and see if it will reset.

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10-update/how-do-i-restore-my-windows-10-computer-to-an/433f1778-fefe-48ef-b940-3b8605e2e4a9

 

If you get it to restart in Safe Mode at an earlier date then reboot and start normally but DO NOT try to start the Sim. Go to the the Read Me and see do what it says.

 

I hate to say ask but how much do you trust the anti-virus programs and have you done this same routine before. There used to be a recommendation that you only have one malware program at a time. I'm not sure if that is still advisable. In reading your post I see that is the only thing you did differently which makes me suspicious. I used to use a highly recommended anti-virus program that seemed to cause problems so I took it off. Sure enough they were busted for planting stuff on computers to get you to upgrade to the more better version. Anyway then there is the issue of running several back to back. Did some file get corrupted? Defender that comes with Windows was once panned but some say it's as good or better than 3rd party.

 

If you get it running I'd suggest you call customer service before trying to start it again. You should also be able to download a clean copy of Windows 10 to your external HD from the second Computer.

 

Have no idea if these are helpful. Keep us informed. If it happens to one it can happen to anyone.

I appreciate everyone's responses! Unfortunately I had a MBR failure. I had to re-format the drive and re-install Windows...ugh! Not fun having to put everything back together. Luckily I had backups of all of my important things and was able to bring the computer back to life. I was able to re-load MSFS2020 which took quite a while due to all of the updates. I haven't had a chance to fly yet but will do so next weekend. Thanks again all!

Ouch. At least you had backups. Happy landings.

Help, what's MBR?

Master Boot Record - google computer mbr for the full description!

No

same happened to me

its a problemwith Gaming Services update

 

Google best advice is to go to regedit

delete Gamingservices and Ganingservices.net

 

restart pc

 

go to Ms Store, Updates, confirm install again of Gaming Services

 

MSFS 2020 working again

 

people fall too often for things like format drive, memory MBR faults because they "read" and make bad selections of what they read and should do