msfs install crashes to CTD - need help!!

Installing Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020

 

I use a Win10 (1909) MSI Cx62 6QD laptop, i7, nvidia 940MX, 16Gb ram, 500Gb SSD.

 

I naively thought when I purchased the boxed Standard set (10 DVD) that is was just a matter of installing them and enjoying the experience of flying. The msfs Handbook, p7 said 150 Gb space was required. I cleaned up C: drive to make sure 150 Gb was available.

 

There was nothing on the packaging about “mandatory” internet connection or “mandatory” signing up to Microsoft Store.

It took four hours (!!) to install all the DVD’s. I then had to log into Microsoft Store to obtain the “Download Software Launcher”. This required the entry of the 25 digit Activation code, supplied with the DVD’s.

 

That’s when things went wrong!

 

After entering the code a message came up saying >100Gb of space was required. With the icons/ pictures of the msfs packaging prominent, I assumed this meant it was going to download the whole content already downloaded from the DVD’s. A moment of panic.

 

Eventually I took step of saying OK…. But the remaining space on C: drive (about 30Gb) was not enough for the 120Gb “new” download. I had to clean out my D: drive and nominate a folder there.

 

Initially the download was 62Mb file, followed by a 1.2Gb file.

Then came the answer……There was a “Mandatory Update” of 115.3Gb (turned out to be 120.38Gb!!!!!!!!!!!!)

It asked to install the game DVD… Which one? I have ten disks! Decided to load disk #1, seemed to work.

I gave it 6 hours, then left it overnight…. It took more than 12 hours to download. (ave 25 Mbits/s)

 

After 24 hours I still have NOT successfully installed msfs!!

 

It crashes to the Desktop (CTD) before completing the install. It gets as far as “World Improvements” – Spain/ Portugal etc. then crashes.

There’s a long thread (going back to 2019) on “failure to install – CTD”

https://forums.flightsimulator.com/t/game-crashes-at-launch/420354/29

The main successful solution seemed to be:

cmd.exe /C start shell:AppsFolder\Microsoft.FlightSimulator_8wekyb3d8bbwe!App –FastLaunch

 

This was tried numerous times…

Working in safe mode

While checking for upgrades – black screen – blue line at bottom, then CTD.

 

Checked for Win 10 upgrades – installed the latest Win10 upgrade 21H2

Removed the Realtek Audio 11.8.21 6.0.1.866

Tracked the error through Event Viewer:

Module d3ll.dll Ver 10.0.0.19041.1202

Exception code 0xc0000005

 

#7 Trial (!!)

Moved the download data to the C:\ drive

RE-tried the – Fast Launch

This time it looked for Updates and showed 92Gb as “Mandatory Update”

Started, 7:40pm. Download continued……

 

Now 9am on the third day and still no msfs2020…………

Rebooted laptop

Retried the – Fast Launch

Got to “Checking for updates”, Black screen, Blue line (about 50%) then CTD!!!!!!!!!!

Looking back on things, I do note that msfs raised a message “Your computer doesn’t meet minimum requirement and performance may be compromised.” The MSI spec (see above) looks OK????

Where do I go from here? Need help.

Your 940MX is SIX years old and can't handle MSFS. You need a gaming laptop or a newer desktop system.

First, your GPU (940MX) is only about 20% as capable as the minimum GTX 770. You really need more SSD free space. The DVDs contain only a tiny fraction of the program function, most of which is retrieved from the cloud.

Here is a screenshot from the UserBenchmark website comparing the 940MX to the RX570 which is the bare minimum GPU.

If you had only used the time you spent on your actions afterwards in learning (Internet and GPU specs) beforehand what options where best for your laptop you would be flying within 5 hours, albeit not above low specs. My system when I installed MSFS(Steam): I5 6700K - GTX1050ti - old HDD 1TB - 1 stick 16GB 1600mhz - LAN 1GB. It ran on low/medium just fine and I never had a CTD. I'm afraid you have 2 options, keeping your system and running FSX Steam ($22,00) on medium specs which is not too bad or saving for a system that meets MSFS minimum required specs. Edited April 11, 2022 by piet06273