forums.naturalpoint.com

Yes! I should have thought to given you that. I just upgraded from Windows XP Home to Vista Home Premium 64 bit. In addition to the before mentioned problem, I cant seem to install FSX SP2. I'm waiting for an answer from Microsoft on that. Regards,
Larry

Try running both applications as an admin, right clicking in the exe for each application and selecting run as admin.

I did run FSX by right clicking on the fsx.exe file, loaded a flight and performed a run-up to set my fuel mixture and then exited FSX. I still couldn't delete the x86 microsoft.flightsimulator.simconnect... entries. As far as SP2 ia concerned I assume you meant that I right click on the fsx_sp2_ENU.msi for installing SP2 but when I did I didn't get a selection to run as administrator. The Microsoft agent is suggesting that I uninstall FSX and do a "clean install" which she will guide me through after I try your suggestion. I assume that would remove and reinstall a new entry to the winsxs folder but that is just an assumption. If you have a better solution I would like to try that first. Regards, Larry

Uninstalling FSX, will not delete the Simconnect folders. Her clean install should include it, if it doesn't then you may have an issue, because FSX will not reinstall them, if detects them still being installed.

After upgrading to Vista, I was confused by the two "Program Files", Program Files and Program Files x86, tried experimenting and ended up with FSX installed under both folders. I elected to uninstall them (one of them could only be deleted) and then reinstalled FSX to the default Program Files x86, but then had to download the "Windows Inst Cleanup Utility" and run it which enabled me to successfully install FSX. I was then having a sound problem on one of my planes (which I hadn't had under XP Home) and tried to run a repair but then I couldn't get it to load. I reinstalled it first to Program Files (unsuccessfully), and finally successfully to Program files x86 using Windows Inst Cleanup Utility. I say all this because I suspect that this lead to the multiple entries. If the "clean install" doesn't work do you think I'll need to try again by first running the Windows Inst Cleanup Utility? I think it's supposed to remove what the uninstaller didn't.

Not familiar with the cleanup utilty, so I have no point of reference.

The difference between the Program files (x86), and Program files, is that the Program files folder is for 63-bit applications, and the (x86) version is for 32-bit applications.

When I tried to reinstall FSX the first time I kept getting an error message; 0x80040702, Failed to load DLL Gameux Install Helper. I did a search using the error code on http;//support.microsoft.com and found this utility. It's a free download. I've copied a discription of it and I hope you don't mind me passing it on to you:

When you are working on your computer and installing a new program, the installation suddenly fails. Now you are left with a partly installed program. You try to install the program again, but you are unsuccessful. Or, maybe you have problems trying to remove an old program because the installation files are corrupted.

Do not worry. Windows Installer CleanUp Utility might be able to help. You can use the utility to remove installation information for programs that were installed by using Windows Installer. Be aware that Windows Installer CleanUp Utility will not remove the actual program from your computer. However, it will remove the installation files so that you can start the installation, upgrade, or uninstall over.

When you run it you get a "Window Installer Clean Up" window of course and inside this window there is a window labled "Installed Products" which lists just that. I scrolled down and found "(All Users) Microsoft Flight Simulator X", highlighted it and clicked on the "Remove" at the bottom of the window to remove it. Then I was able to run the install successfully. I'm getting a call from the MS agent tomorrow and we will try to reinstall it. I'll try to let you know the result. By the way, I did get TrackIR4 to run beautifully on the previous successfull installation . TrackIR4 has been my faithful companion from the time I first bought it in the summer of 2006 until I upgraded to Vista a couple of weeks ago. I suspect my problem with Vista has been self inflicted though.

We did a clean uninstall of FSX which included removing FSX files from the registry, reinstalled FSX, FSX SP1 but still no luck in installing FSX SP2. They're going to research the situation a little more and perhaps send me a free Disk of FSX Acceleration. As far as the "SimConnect" entries in C:\Windows\winsxs, they still remain as you thought they would. Microsoft thought these entries were 3rd party which I think they thought were put there by TrackIR_4. I do see "simconnect.manifest" and "simconnectSP2.manifest under the TrackIR_5 driver folder but they appear to be just that, documents. And that "SP2", could that be FSX SP2? Another quick question. The TrackIR window, "Advanced Settings" under the "Titles" tab, is there any settings we have to make?

The SXS files are installed by FSX, during it's install. If they are still there, when you reinstalled, then FSX does not reinstall them.

Yes the SP2 listing in the TrackIR refer to the file we updated to work with the SP2 version of Simconnect (each version of FSX has a seperate version of simconnect)

Not sure the person you are working with is that familiar with FSX

I think I'm going to have to agree with you on that last statement. I did go back and review this thread and was reminded that you did suggest installing SP2 and indicated that it was a remedy to the problem. On a previous installation before this problem occured I had successfully installed FSX, SP1 and SP2 and at that time TrackIR4 worked fine. Microsoft sent me a step by step proceedure on how to check the registry to see if FSX had been completely removed by the uninstallation. Sure enough they appeared to be gone. After reinstallation I checked the registry again and they were still gone. After my last reinstallation I did find "Flight Simulator" listed in the HKEY_CURRENT_USER chain but not in the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE chain. Microsoft didn't know why that was happening so they are now sending me free of charge two new DVDs for the FSX Deluxe Simulator with a new Product Key and a DVD for the FSX Acceleration Pack which I guess includes SP1 & SP2 in some form. If this works, I think I will have my TrackIR4 back again. Let you know what happens.