[FIXED ON LIVE 1.19.8.0] You are missing packages that are essential to run Microsoft Flight Simulator. Please update the application and try again

Bug Reporting Hub Resolved
,
309

The crash report you send to Zendesk says what crashed (the sim) and gives a code which can often be pretty ambiguous like “no licence found” or “user not registered” or “not logged in”, that and any info you share with them is all they really have to go on so all they can do is issue a set of instructions that they believe or at least hope can fix it and if you follow those instructions to the letter, in sequence with nothing forgotten and still have the problem then Zendesk are still none the wiser to what is causing it and probably have no further instuctions to offer. If Zendesk were not so busy they would probably be less generic but the fact is they are and you are not the only one that can’t fly.

I can only imagine their next advice would be for you to contact Microsoft directly who I guarantee that if you aren’t willing to pay for support will be even less likely to help or at least will be very slow to reply. The alternative would be that they offer a refund on the sim but for that you may well need a receipt if they have actually lost your licence details.

310

I doubt it’s a licensing issue. Why would all the other mandatory packages in the same group be installed but not these.
Fyi, I have only ever installed on my one single PC, with the same licensed version of Windows that I purchased 3 years ago. Still have the problem.

311

The licensing issue arises because Xbox users are not allowed to play MSFS on PC without an upgrade so a check has now been added to the standard edition as well. Before SU5 this simply wasn’t a problem as they couldn’t even buy the sim yet alone play it. We also didn’t sign into Xbox.

312

I fail to see how anything what you said might help. Yes, everything you said makes perfect sense but everything you said we already have told Zendesk and BTW within the last 4 weeks the only advice or response I got was:

Support August 01, 2021 15:26

Hi Georg,

Where are the packages installed?

Please send us a copy of the UserCFG.opt file and screenshots of all the packages nested under the “Official” and “Community” folders. We’ll look into the issue.

Kind regards,
Microsoft Flight Simulator Support Team.

Take a close look at the date/time … that’s all I heard from them until the last reply which I will quote later.

And yes, I did all the troubleshooting and FAQ suggestions to the line (even if they didn’t told me to do so yet), nothing works.

Also, I fail to see how I as the user could have done anything wrong, I preordered the Store version and when it was available I hit the install button and the installation took place.
Exactly where and what did I do wrong there ?

Everything was working perfectly up until SU5, no help from support for weeks.

At one point I bought the DVD version and installed it to my laptop.

Again, please tell me what exactly did I do wrong ? I inserted the 1st DVD and the installation took place, automatically ?

I still don’t see where I did anything wrong ? The DVD installation to my laptop broke the preordered Store version on my PC ? :slight_smile: The preordered and installated Store version on my PC broke the installation for the DVD version to my Laptop ? :slight_smile:

I guess you get my point.

And no, neither Windows for PC and Laptop nor both MSFS versions are illegal.

Now lets get back to the last (and only 2nd official response) from Zendesk:

Support Yesterday at 10:45

Hi georg,

Please do the following in this order:

1. Delete any Community content that could conflict with the Official Package for the missing or broken aircraft.

  1. Close Microsoft Flight Simulator
  2. Go to the “Community” folder located by default here:

C:\Users*YourUsername*\AppData\Local\MSFSPackages\Community

NOTE: If you have installed the packages on a different drive look inside your custom folder (for example D:\MSFS)

  1. Search for the package folder corresponding to the content (for example “a320-neo” or “wymf5”)
  2. Delete the package
  3. Relaunch Microsoft Flight Simulator
  4. Go to Content Manager.

2. Delete the official package to redownload it from the Content Manager
If the download doesn’t start or the item is still missing in-game after downloading the package, you’ll need to delete the official package as well.

  1. Close Microsoft Flight Simulator
  2. Go to the “Official” folder located by default here:

C:\Users*YourUsername*\AppData\Local\MSFSPackages\Official

NOTE: If you have installed the packages on a different drive look inside your custom folder (for example D:\MSFS)

  1. Search for the package folder corresponding to the content that is missing or broken (for example the folder “asobo-aircraft-a320-neo” or “carenado-aircraft-wymf5”).
  2. Delete the package.
  3. Relaunch Microsoft Flight Simulator.
  4. Go to Content Manager.
  5. Download the package

The content should now be available in-game.

Kind regards,
Microsoft Flight Simulator Support Team
Knowledge base | Forums | Twitter | Facebook | Discord | SDK Q&A

Just assume I would not in the meantime (with no help from Zendesk at all) have been able to fix the problem. So I still would be without a C152 and TBM folder in my filesystem … please, please, please, let me know how I can delete something which is not there ?

And finally, even if I delete folders/packages, because the software fails to download them I would be back at the “essential packages are missing” message.

So basically, I would be back at where I started, a not working simulation, great.

I know you are only trying to help but bear with me / us, eveything you suggest we have already done and reported so again, it’s of no help at all.

313

If that is just missing packages there are IMO probably remnants of them in a different install folder. Hold it there and I’ll look for likely candidates.

OK the real obvious one is would you believe ‘Sim Objects’ but I also have a packages file in Roaming for my Arrow III that I moved to the root of my drive.

314

Totally valid point, that’s what I had in mind as well.

But, on my laptop there never was MSFS installed so there is no way remnants packages are installed in different install folders.

And as others have already pointed out, even a complete Windows wipe and re-installing everything does not help.

315

That’s what worries me and made me think they are acting on info on their system not yours and includes your log-ins etc. I really can’t see why they would withold aircraft files unless they have something to do with an update and they can’t find your originals, it probably sounds stupid but the install path for my Arrows was too long which is why I moved both Community and Official to the root of the drive and edited the path in UserCfg. After that no problems, it works like a dream.

316

I avoided the “to long path name” (without knowing anything about it at that time) with installing the whole sim on my F drive into a MSFS folder on the root F: drive.

And I know about the 2 other folders which will be created on the Windows drive

C:\Username\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.FlightSimulator_8wekyb3d8bbwe
and
C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\Microsoft.FlightSimulator_1.18.15.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe

but nothing is in there which relate to outdated files etc.

And on my laptop I made sure to don’t change the installation path (because I thought maybe that might be another reason) but again, it didn’t change anything, it still gives me a “essential packages are missing” and of course there are a couple of guys in this thread which have or haven’t changed the installation path, we even have Steam and Store (and now even DVD) installations.

317

Hi Georg As said before I have both aircrafts myself but nothing’s working better either. I’ve fully reinstalled Windows 10, fully re downloaded the sim at least 3 times, without any direct feed back from Zendesk I have followed what they have sent to you without any further improvement. All this is useless so far. Always this bloody message. Of course I can fly but with many various bugs anyway.

I did not understand at the beginning that you had installed the DVD on your laptop and the Store on your PC. Therefore just like you I cannot see how they could interfere with eachother.

It’s definitly coming from Microsoft not from us. Whatever DensestSnail693 says it does not help and just like you I think that it’s not a question of license or remnant file or whatever. How could we have remnant files after a full windows and sim re install ? Now when he says that he’s got a package file in ROAMING for the Arrow III it’s normal. The Arrow III has it’s own installer and being an addon I’m not amazed that a file locates in the Roaming. This is normal usually showing the time of flight with the aircraft. (At least in FSX).

What’s new and interesting in his comments is this point saying that Microsoft has issued a special check inside Standard in order to avoid the XBox guys to use the sim on PC without sending a few bucks to Bill… :wink: Then it could be a way to spoil the full download of the standard version BUT it could have been done without taking care of the PC version. I mean that the download would then be spoiled for everyone. If so I don’t think that it’s a big deal but we’d need them to have a look at it.

HOW TO ASK THEM TO LOOK AT IT ?

318

For info just sent this to Zendesk.

Hi

So far no news from you and after looking at the forum I’ve seen some of your answers to other simmers on that point. I have followed your advices to them but without any result. The problem is still there.

Now I’ve read that with the U5 Microsoft would have issued a special check during the STANDARD download (I beleive about the license) in order to avoid the XBox users to play on their PC without paying extra fees. If true, would it be possible that this process

could alterate the full PC STANDARD download ? Would you mind to have a look at it possibly ?

Thks for your feed back.

K.rgds

Michel

Let’s see where it leads us…

1 Like
319

Yes perfectly understandable depite the odd word and in a polite but businesslike tone. Perhaps it shouldn’t but this kind of letter is far more likely to be acted upon than one full off accusations and insults.

320

being polite for 4 weeks didn’t help at all, nuff said

1 Like
321

I know and not expecting much but with my odd word and polite businesslike tone let’s hope that they will have pity on us… :roll_eyes:

Anyway I’m trying whatever I can with my lousy english since they would probably not be able to get it in french or german… :rofl:

322

I have exactly the same problem as you, reported ZenDesk with the same bland response. In their official announcements, I have seen nothing to say they are tackling this problem.

I like you have been grounded for a month and I’m contemplating legal action.

Do you know anyone who is up and running with the same purchase avenues, so we can compare and see the differences? So maybe we can be up and running before Christmas!

323

Can you explain this with more details?

324

Checks introduced to keep Xbox users from playing on their PC’s for free seem to be blocking several PC users from completing their installs.

That’s as detailed as I go.

325

So, what would happen if I deleted my Xbox account? I have an account but no Xbox. The version I bought was from the Windows Store.

326

Except that it could be due to your account and the problem has only manifested itself now because of changes made in SU5/xbox launch. I think this is what @DensestSnail693 is trying to get across. There could be some corruption or other issue on your machine that didn’t cause a problem pre SU5, but because licence or other changes were made to support xbox or just other chnages in SU5, the problem has been created now.

327

I’m not sure about deleting it but certainly signing out is a good idea. You may be prompted for a password

328

I’ve reinstalled Windows 10 twice and the sim several times. What setting could I have changed?