Help! - fs2004 keeps crashing

Reinstall fs9 and then check in your "My documents"folder for a folder called "Flight Simulator Files". I dont know why,but some installs forget to load this folder.If its not there,make one yourself and name it as above.
Come back and let us know 😉

Check and see if you have a folder in "My Documents" titled Flight Simulator Files. Without that it won't start.
Be sure to have disk #4 in the caddy and get the latest DirectX 9.0c.

If you continue to have problems come on back.

TTT you snuck in ahead of me. Never saw you 😂

Under the fence while you were not looking 😂

Thanks for getting back to me folks!

I've reinstalled it, got the folder in My Docs, got DirectX9.0c and got Disc 4 in the CD drive... Anymore ideas???

Thanks again guys

I take it that you couldn't get it started.
This link and see which helps, my $ is on 10.
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;837195

if you are running Windows XP Pro you could always try going to administrative tools in your programs menu and looking in the applications section of the "Event Viewer"

If you don't have administrative tools in the list do the following:

Click START

CLick Settings

Click Taskbar and start menu

Click the Start Menu tab in the new window

Click "Customise" on which ever setting you have

Under the "Advanced Start Menu Options" section, tick the box that says "Display Administrative Tools"

Then check the event viewer to see if fs2004 has reported any errors, if it has copy and paste the message in here or google it

I've seen that list before thanks RadarMan, but it didn't fix it. And I'm an Admin on this machine, so still pretty much stumped really... 😞

I've looked in Event Viewer, and this is the error that's coming up in Event Viewer when FS crashes:

The description for Event ID ( 0 ) in Source ( ) cannot be found. The local computer may not have the necessary registry information or message DLL files to display messages from a remote computer. You may be able to use the /AUXSOURCE= flag to retrieve this description; see Help and Support for details. The following information is part of the event: 6.

The error comes up twice each time it crashes (same error, but with a number 7 at the end, if that means anything???)

I would try the following proccess:

1.Uninstal FS(Unfortunately again )
2.Delete the FS folder in ''My documents''
3.Delete FS folder from C/program files.
5.Empty your recycle bin.
6.Click My computer/right click drive ''c''/properties/disk cleanup/click all the tabs you will see and clean them
7.Clean up your registries from Strat/run/type ''regedit''/edit/find/type ''flight'' ...or use a registry cleaning program like F.E. ''RegCleaner'' ➡

http://www.downseek.com/download/21692.asp

8.Just in case run a spam-add on cleaner like ''Spybot'' ➡

http://www.download.com/3120-20_4-0.html?tag=srch&nid=1&qt=spybot&tg=dl-20&search.x=23&search.y=10

and ''Ad-aware'' ➡

http://www.download.com/3120-20_4-0.html?qt=ad-aware&tg=dl-20

9.Reboot your system.
10.Instal FS.

11...Let us know 😉

the bit about being unable to display messages from a local computer is worrying...

have you virus scanned lately?

www.avast.com is a fantastic free scanner (home edition)

can you check all the different event viewer sections for errors around that time too? system, applications and security ?

Do you have any issues playing any other games?

Thanks Greekman - I'm sure we'll get to the bottom of it!!!

1.Uninstal FS(Unfortunately again) arrrgh!! 😂

2.Delete the FS folder in ''My documents'' It didn't add this folder to My Docs in any of the installs before - had to add it manually. Am I right in adding it to the My Docs folder of the account I'm logged on to during the install? (got two accounts on the PC - both are admins btw)

3.Delete FS folder from C/program files.

5.Empty your recycle bin.

6.Click My computer/right click drive ''c''/properties/disk cleanup/click all the tabs you will see and clean them

7.Clean up your registries from Strat/run/type ''regedit''/edit/find/type ''flight'' ...or use a registry cleaning program like F.E. ''RegCleaner''

http://www.downseek.com/download/21692.asp so do I just delete everything in the registry that mentions flight sim?

8.Just in case run a spam-add on cleaner like ''Spybot''

http://www.download.com/3120-20_4-0.html?tag=srch&nid=1&qt=spybot&tg=dl-20&search.x=23&search.y=10

and ''Ad-aware''

http://www.download.com/3120-20_4-0.html?qt=ad-aware&tg=dl-20

9.Reboot your system. I'll be re-booting it across the room if it doesn't start working soon!!! 😂

10.Instal FS.

11...Let us know will do - thanks again for your help folks!

Hi Insight,

Yep, got up2date virus guard running.

There's nothing else untoward in Event Logs.

And no probs running other games - frustratingly, Combat Flight Sim 3 is running just fine and dandy!!!

have you got the latest drivers running?

It didn't add this folder to My Docs in any of the installs before - had to add it manually. Am I right in adding it to the My Docs folder of the account I'm logged on to during the install? (got two accounts on the PC - both are admins btw)

Hmmmm... This ''Flight simulator'' folder must have been created in my documents.This is a problem.

so do I just delete everything in the registry that mentions flight sim?

In a way yes.A program always leave carbages behind it when we delete it so we must use some programs like these i have suggest you ,and more ,in order to manage a good cleaning.

I'll be re-booting it across the room if it doesn't start working soon!!! 😂

Nooo please dont ...

Yep, all latest drivers running.

It didn't add the folder in My Docs on any of the installs I've done - I had to add it manually (after seeing the trouble shooting doc, that Insight posted the link to), but there was still no joy.

Can I clear registry out myself using regedit, or do I need to use software like that u posted the link to before???

It's just really frustrating, cos like I said before - CFS3 works fine!

damon80 wrote:

Yep, all latest drivers running.

It didn't add the folder in My Docs on any of the installs I've done - I had to add it manually (after seeing the trouble shooting doc, that Insight posted the link to), but there was still no joy.

Can I clear registry out myself using regedit, or do I need to use software like that u posted the link to before???

It's just really frustrating, cos like I said before - CFS3 works fine!

You said that your an admin in this system.Possible FS has installed to the other account of it.
I think that this folder must be created in MyDocs files to this different account.
In a former post you said that you got it.You mean in your account?
Check it out if you can.Get in to this account (if you can)and see if you still got it.This folder in MyDocs is a must in order to run FS and it creates while running installation(in most of cases as TTT right states)

I think that the problem maybe starts from this differents accounts.Lets try to get things clearer with this accounts issue and then we continue.

The priority is to find this folder in order to see where your system puts FS files etc.

I've checked the My Docs folder of the other account, and it's not in there.

I had to create a new folder myself in My Docs on my account, and call it Flight Simulator Files.

FS9 is installed in c:\program files\microsoft games\flight simulator 9

Well chaps - we've got lift-off! 😀

Did all what you suggested Greekman (no viruses or spyware found), put FS back on, and then it worked fine!

Soooo, I'm back in the skies again now! 😎

Managed to get a few circuits of Seattle done in the 172 (in heavy snow, heh heh heh!) - but got a lot of learning to do again, cos it's ages since I last flew in FS9 🙄

Thanks again for all your help folks 😉

👍 Thats great news.Enjoy your flights my friend. 😉

good news damon, glad you got it sorted!

I'm glad I got it sorted too mate - it was doing my head in!!!

My next plan is to hunt down a nice Chippie and possibly a Bulldog too, and get some nice cross-country flying in 😀

All I need to do now is remember how to navigate using the radios... 😳 😂

I just don't believe it... I've been getting nicely into FS9, went to fire it up last night for a quick flight, and the problem has started again!!!!

Not made any changes whatsoever to PC - it's just decided to start crashing to desktop again!!!

I've tried using the Troubleshooter to reset FS to the default settings, but it still didn't open.

I tried clicking on Safe Mode to open it, but that didn't work either!!

Anyone any ideas please?

Τhats indeed a very bothering...behaviour..from your system my friend.Pls saty calm and we will see what we can do.
Anyway...I just thinking of maybe this problem starts from some kind of overheating.Do you have the abilitie to cleans up the whole CPu area?Fan,heatsink etc.

A question?Are you using the no CD patch or the 4CD in order to run FS?
If you use the no-CD patch check to be the right one from your version of FS you are running(9.1)If you dont run 9.1 you can upgrade it from FS site.
If you use the 4 CD check the condition of it(scratches etc.)and try to get no-CD to run FS.

https://flyawaysimulation.com/downloads.html

Unfortunately since you are not a member you cant download it from here.

We are with you in your problem so let us know.... 😉

Hi Greekman - thanks for getting back to me pal 😎

I don't think the issue was with the PC overheating, because I'd only just switched it on. Plus I checked all the fans etc about a month ago when I last had it open, and there wasn't a great build-up of dust on them.

I'm not using NoCD to run the game - I leave Disk 4 in the drive. There aren't any scratches on the disk or anything.

I tried running the FS9.1 upgrade last night after it started crashing to desktop again, but it keeps throwing up an error message saying that the setup could not complete because it can't find the file Sound.DLL - very strange seeing as I haven't deleted any files!!!

Any ideas??? 🙄

It's got me well and truly stumped!

Maybe a fool suggestion but just in case did you have second CD-drive in your system in order to try run CD4 from there?

I've got 2 drives installed - a DVD drive, and a DVD Writer. I'll try the CD4 in the other drive, but it was working in this drive before

Right, just tried CD4 in the other drive, and it's still not working...

It was a fool suggestion anyway...

Try to insert the CD1.Then hit ''Run'' and see what will happen.

Nah, not a foolish suggestion at all - sometimes these problems can be caused by the simplest of things! 😳

Well, I uninstalled FS9 (yet again!!!! ) and re-installed it, and it STILL wasn't working! In fact, nothing at all was working after that on my profile! So I used my g/f's profile, and FS ran fine! Went back to my profile, and it still kept crashing to desktop So it's looking like my profile's corrupt.

So it's time to make a new profile for me I think...

But in the mean time, I used her profile and I've just this second completed a flight from Manchester to Schipol (Amsterdam) in the 737 - navigating using GPS. Came in a bit steep on landing (well, a lot steep - IAS went as high as 250 at one point!!! 😳 ) but I managed to pull it together for a touchdown at 150kts.

Thanks again for keeping me sane Greekman - I owe u 1!

We'll have to have a flight together sometime (which no doubt will lead me onto my next question - how to setup a multiplayer flight! 😂 )

Try to run FS and any other games you have in the main PC profil and not as an admistrator.
I didnt notice it to you ,even though i think of it, cause i think that you have fix it the first time your problem appears my friend.

Anyway im happy you finally manage to fix your problem...Have nice and long flights... 👍
As about multiplayer...Hmmm...I must learn to fly alone at first and then maybe we will try it... 😉 😉 😉

I'm getting the same errors and everything exactly the same as the poster here. I have tried everything mentioned and am still getting the crash to desktop. I've even changed out video cards to see if that was the issue. If I get it working I will become a member, I just don't want to pay $5 when the game won't even run.. Does anyone have any other ideas? Any help is much appreciated. I get the same error he mentioned in my Event Viewer :

The description for Event ID ( 0 ) in Source ( ) cannot be found. The local computer may not have the necessary registry information or message DLL files to display messages from a remote computer. You may be able to use the /AUXSOURCE= flag to retrieve this description; see Help and Support for details. The following information is part of the event: 7.

Also I've tried from another account taht is a User account and it does the same thing.

Dis you try all of the suggested stepps of this topic?Anyway restart windows in safe mode and try to run FS.It wont run with best way but just check it.
Use one account,the one you have installed FS.
Check if you have the FS file in My documents?(not mine...yours 😉 ).

Let us know your computer specs in order to be more helpful to you. 😉

Have you tried disableing or editing your firewall preferences (if you have one) during installation and during running the game?

Also- are you using a legit copy- if not, you might need the no-cd patch 🙄