Advice for Todays Update

Hello All, so we are all prepping for todays SU5 update. This one is likely to be huge, and its important more than ever to follow the instructions. I have always found it very unhelpful after an update the amount of people complaining how their Sim is now “broken” with very little information, under than its obvious that instructions were not followed, with the excess noise often hiding real issues.

So as a friendly reminder, here is a more detailed instructions on “correctly” installing the update.

First and MOST important
Please read and fully understand the release notes when the update is available. Follow any instructions on the release notes, as well as what i have written below. If anything the release notes conflict with an instruction below, follow the release notes for the conflict.

Before the update

  • Backup and clear your community folder. You may also need to backup and remove additional folders created under package folder for individual community acraft, such as the A32NX, WTCJ4. Essentially make your content as “normal” as possible
  • Turn off ALL Overclocking before the update, and ensure your computer is adequetly cooled (especially laptops, do not leave on a bed blocking airflow - keep on a flat hard surface such as a table). The update is highly intensive and stresses the GPU/CPU in decompressing its packages. The last thing you want is overclocking causing problems, including corrupting data as its written to disk (It DOES happen)
  • Navigraph Subscription users may want to read @gordongreig 's post below for some further considerations (Advice for Todays Update - #50 by gordongreig)
  • (optional and potentially harmful). Remove the content.xml file (or rather rename to context.old) if you have previous had a LOT of third party community content. Note I have done this many times, and not faced any problems, buit if you do, please rename it back.
  • shutdown other applications before the update (ideally restart the computer) This will clear any links third party applications may have with the simulator, which can interfere with the update.

During the update - both inital from Steam/MSStore and startup

  • (from @Jummivana Advice for Todays Update - #54 by Jummivana). If you have MSFS installed in a folder different to the default, please check its installing the simulator in the correct custom folder. This applies especially if you have installed it on a different drive to your main drive. Apparently not checking the path is correct is one of the biggest cause of issues.
  • Have patience. Some internet providers (such as mine) seem to restrict bandwidth. No point complaining here, I know its frustrating, but lets have a coffee and chill out!
  • If you have modified offical files, or maybe even a third party application modify offical files, you may end up with a larger download than expected. Annoying, but that is what it is.

After update

  • Do not run any third party programs just yet
  • Go to content Manager and check if there is further updates that need to be downloaded.
  • Possibly check Marketplace for anything you may need to download (see instructions when release)
  • restart the simulator once all updates are complete.
  • You may need to restart your comptuer if you have certain “complex” hardware controlls (thanks @Flying2Night for the suggestion bellow. Please read their post for more info)
  • This may happen automatically, but it may be a good idea to clear the rolling/manual cache too at this point. (thanks @Eelis61 for reminding me that)
  • (Suggested by @rhumbaflappy below) Make sure you dont have any bandwidth limits set in your simulator (see their post below, hint data section) or by your ISP/router. Advice for Todays Update - #31 by rhumbaflappy

Hopefully if you follow these instructions you should have a successfull update.

Reporting issues
First and foremost, if you have any serious issues it’s best to first read other posts, and see if there is anyone else who may have had similar issues and have a solution. Then file a Zendesk ticket if it is an issue with the sim, or politely raise it with any third party devs. Please dont be rude… Complaining here may not be seen by those who need to see it.

Please do not put posts saying “this is broken/this is unplayable” on the inevitable thread that will appear post release. This is not helpful, as it doesnt explain what the issue is, and at worse is just noise, that is highly distracting. I hope the forum mods can crack down on and removethose sorts of posts on the inevitable update thread.

If you do want to post an issue here, please try and be as detailed as possible, to help others.

If your favourite mod does not work, this is unfortunately highly likely. This update seems to be making a lot of changes, and may break many community content. I strongly advice creating a seperate thread in the third party section for the add on (if one doesnt exist already) to give the third party dev an opportunity to read the issues. Again be polite, and informative. Please be patient, let the third party devs resolve it. No point coming here and blaming Asobo/Microsoft.

Otherwise, good luck, and hope for a successful release!

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This is my After Update routine, just to be as clear of issues as I can be.

After update

  • Do not run any third party programs just yet
  • Switch off your computer and switch it back on again. I’ve had issues with my yoke and x-touch not getting the memo that a restart happened :confused:
  • Start the sim and go to content Manager and check if there is further updates that need to be downloaded.
  • Possibly check Marketplace for anything you may need to download (see instructions when release)
  • Once more, with feeling - exit the sim and switch off/on your computer again. Just to be sure that any connected hardware gets the message to also reset.
  • Restart the simulator and hopefully have an issue free experience.
  • Then start the process of closing the sim, and re-adding anything from your community folder. I usually do this one add-on at a time (except airports, I just add 'em all in one go)

Yes, it’s long-winded, yes it can take an age, but so far for me it’s been fail-safe. And once I’m finished I’m CTD-free :slight_smile:

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Yes that can be an issue with certain hardware, especially where the hardware is not a typical HID device. I use a Thustmaster 16000m FCS, but I use the HID type profile, so usually do not get many problems, but yes adding a restart is probably a good idea… i will mod my original post to add that.

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There might be some scenery related corrections and repairs, so deleting the rolling cache would be a good idea too.

-eelis-

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All that are great advice for sure! Thanks

No, no, no: just do a “Restart” from the Windows menu, not a turn OFF, turn ON.

I know a lot of people don’t know that, so I can’t blame you.
Actually doing a “Restart” empty all, clear all, and restart all.
When you do a turn OFF, Windows save state of the computer, of drivers, etc. to be able to turn ON more quickly.

So only the “Restart” from the Windows Start menu give you a real refresh of the system.

You have a way to deselect the Quick Start from Windows which allow the turn OFF and turn ON to act like a real “Restart”, I just cannot find anymore where it is (it’s there somewhere, I’ll find). Your computer will be slower to start from a full turn OFF, but it’s not really annoying.

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Should we switch off / clear the scenery cache to be safe?

No, when it comes to hardware, because of the way hardware works (a windows restart does not reset hardware) sometimes on SOME hardware, it needs a switch on or off. I myself have my own custom dials/knobs, and it is better to have the power removed from the device when restarted. Of course, as its usb powered, I can pull out the USB cable, but due to the way COM drivers, and others work, switching off the computer is a good idea. Obviously for most people a restart of windows is enough, but as I said, in some cases, with certain hardware, nothing beats removing power all together!

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Tell that to my x-touch :confused: :smiley:

Very good question. In past cases hes its reccommended, especially for world updates. But i haev heard reports that in later version, it automatically invalidates the rollign cache (not sure if its true though, can anyone confirm?) Absolutely not sure about the manual cache.

For those who have a LOT of community content, its a good idea to remove the content.xml (or rather rename to content.old) . This gets rebuilt on next start. I will add it to my list.

And even a restart won’t necessarily power down attached devices depending on your motherboard. Some of the USB ports on my PC are powered even when the PC is powered down

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Always do that ,i feel that its smart thing to do
Good luck
Fly safe

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Interestingly, for a long time I left my pc in a "standby " state and didn’t switch off the power . Then, one day, after totally disconnecting the power then restarting, noticed a significant improvement in VR.

Not doing any of that, it’s a game, not heart surgery.

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Yeah… I think the part about restarting is not correct. Do a complete shutdown and power off. If you want to make certain that all USB devices are also reset, use the actual power switch on the back of your computer on the power supply to completely remove power from the motherboard (which powers down absolutely everything connected to it) and wait 10-20 seconds before turning it back on. This will ensure that all hardware devices go through their initial power up initialization sequences. If your PS does not have a switch on it (I’ve never seen one that doesn’t, but that’s not to say that they do not exist), pull the power cord for a half minute or so.

Doing a Windows restart only does not shut off all of the individual HW components. This might allow them to hold bits of information in memory and registers throughout the process.

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Are we sure that SU 5 is being released for PC today ? seems like the dev team have been painstakingly working for an Xbox release set for today, so not sure about a PC update.

PC will become a second priority as of today.

Technically, I don’t think that PC and Xbox version will be kept identical unlike stated many times by the devs.

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I can: Please show it my answer above! :crazy_face:

Joking apart, I guess some devices prefer a turn off for the power really turned off. Saying that, when turned ON, Windows will copy all data it save on hard drive when turned off (fast boot), so drivers still in an unknown states. You have to do a Windows->restart from time to time to flush and clean all.

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I get your point RE FastBoot(I have disabled it for the obvious reasons! but i will make note of that)

The only things I do when an update is coming is renaming “Community” folder to “Community_OLD” and create an empty “Community” folder. Not even sure creating one is needed as the game will probably create on on start. Like this you don’t have to backup/copy content of this folder, just a rename.

Ho! and I do a “Restart” obviously :sunglasses:

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Guys,

It’s friendly advice. You don’t have to follow it, and if you have a better/quicker/easier/consistent way, and it works for you, then that’s absolutely brilliant.
The OP is helping out those who may have been less fortunate in their experience.

I do hope we all have a hassle-free update come 15:00z and we all greet each other warmly in the skys afterwards.

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Dear Flying2night, I thank you very much for your advices​:+1::+1::+1::pray::pray:

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