This morning I had this strange issue where MSFS would crash for me immediately after the “checking for updates” message had completed during the initial run of MSFS. A reboot of the computer didn’t fix the issue, nor did a “repair” app (I use the MS Store version). Accepting the prompt to start in “safe mode” also didn’t work.
What did work was the following:
- Delete (or rename) the content.xml file (for me this is found in C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.FlightSimulator_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalCache. MSFS will build a new one)
(I renamed it to .old and then once MSFS was running I deleted the new content.xml and re-enabled the one I had previously)
- Delete all the scenery index files (for me these are all the files located in C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.FlightSimulator_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalCache\SceneryIndexes) MSFS will rebuild these as well.
I then accepted the prompt to start in safe mode and once on the main menu I loaded into a flight on a random runway somewhere with, say, the Cessna 172 G1000.
I then exited the sim (restored my content.xml <---- but not necessary) and then re ran MSFS and it loaded with all my content without issue.