I hope I’m doing something silly, but I can’t even get this to start running.
I bought the DVD version of MSFS 2020. It was ordered online from a retailer this past week and arrived a few days later.
I ran the installation. I fed in all 10 DVDs. It shows as installed if I look at the list in Windows.
I redeemed the code. (It did say it was pre-release, which surprised me.)
Flight Sim isn’t showing up on the start menu. There aren’t any shortcuts on the desktop either
I went to the online store. It shows that I’ve purchased the Premium Deluxe version, but wants me to download the game.
I uninstalled the game.
I reinstalled the game, and reached the same position again.
Does anyone have any ideas about what I might be doing wrong, or what else I need to do.
OK… have you got a Microsoft store account + Xbox App + Xbox Console APP’s installed. If not, install and create your account and create your profile and passwords, and BOB’s your AUNT. It should then work.
I already had my Microsoft account. I hadn’t installed the Xbox App or Xbox Console App. They don’t even get a mention in the installation guide. They weren’t even on my radar as I don’t have an Xbox.
I had the same problem until I phoned the microsoft helpline and was told to install all that "^%$&^&^%. Nowhere did it mention this was needed on my DVD set or anywhere on the Microsoft site. I’m pleased you’re sorted. Enjoy
I’m not sorted yet. I’m installing for the third time. I didn’t know that there was such a thing as an xbox account.
I’m kind of glad that you had the same problem @Grumpy3355 . The game isn’t working yet, but at least I know now it’s probably not something I’ve done.
Account with Xbox | Xbox Microsoft Flight Simulator uses the Xbox account as the DRM. You need to have an active Xbox account to be able to use the sim. Just access that link and Sign in, make sure everything is set up and linked to your Microsoft Account that you used to log into your PC.
Ordinarily, I’d say this was a stupid question. But with all this xbox stuff being new to me, where will I find FS2020 when it’s installed? It hasn’t been visible anywhere each time I’ve installed it, other than in Windows setting in the list of installed apps where you modify or uninstall them.
I don’t know the location for DVD installation. I live in Australia, we don’t get the DVD version here. and I don’t have a DVD drive in my PC either. I haven’t had a DVD drive in my computer for the last 5 years. I know where the sim is installed for the Steam version or the Windows Store version. And it usually shows up on the desktop directly.
When you install the DVD version, does it ask you if you want to create a shortcut on the desktop? And you are on the latest version of Windows 10 (20H2), right?
No it doesn’t ask me about creating a shortcut. It asks me what directory I want to install to. I feed in 9 more DVDs. Then it says that it has finished.
My advice is to update Win 10 to 20H2 and to make a virtual drive of disk 1 so you don’t have to put disk 1 in your optical drive everytime you want to use MSFS. They were supposed to do away with the disk in the drive, but that never happened. heyho!
The MSFS 2020 shortcut - LH bottom Start (on your taskbar) scroll down to “M”, Microsoft Flight Simulator should be there, right click and pin to taskbar…and it should be there with you other icons. Happy days.
Have you watched this video guide? It’s in a different language, but it’s easy enough to follow the images.
I don’t know how long the DVD version would stay relevant, though. If they give you 20 GB update for every world update. In a few years, if you install using the DVD that was compiled the first day on launch, it’ll basically redownload the entire game as an update, since the files in the DVD becomes obsolete.
But give this video a try, it looks like after installing from the DVD it opens the Microsoft Store and downlaod the update from there. So maybe check the store and see if you have the flight sim in there, and launch it from there?
It was confusing. It was only trying to download the loader, but it didn’t actually say that. It still wanted 127 gigs of space even though it was only going to download the 1.4 gig loader.
Now all I have to do is wait for the update to download and install. My connection speed is faster, but for some reason it’s only downloading 54 gigs at around 4 mb/s. It’s going to take a while. I haven’t actually got to fly a plane yet, but I think it’s promising.
