MSFS doesn't launch - opens MS store with Gaming Services instead

One thing that makes me wonder ist that the Digital Ownership entry in the MS store shows “install”. As if the ownership is not active…? I tried to click “install” but nothing happens. Anyway - I think the issue only affects MS Store versions of MSFS. This store is somehow instable. Would have been better to buy the game from Steam maybe…

I’m sure it’s Microsoft store issue. I have 3 pending downloads for update and it’s taking hours for small files at 15kb speed… I have game services in the cue also and it’s not progressing.

Solution till it is fixed, go back to OS backup of Wednesday or Tuesday, immediately after start Windows go fast and furious to MS Store app and select download and updates option in … button in right upper corner and watch as an eagle to there till Gaming Services appear suddenly updating itself and you press like a thunderbolt the cancel option (X button), then disable all automatic updates of Store, to me that really stopped the MS Store app of updating was the last of this page https://www.thewindowsclub.com/disable-automatic-microsoft-store-updates, after doing all the previous ways, always after reboot Store auto update Gaming Services, despite all my orders even screaming verbally to it, never paid attention to me in an arrogant way.

You can update manually after, but always be ready to kill without compassion the Gaming Service update process that appear after, and the problem it is solved, or leave it as it is but remember then, then fast and furious first of all to MS Store in any start, reboot etc…, till all is solved.

Unfortunately I have no OS backup from before the Gaming Service update anymore. I now thought that I accept to go through a reinstallation of MSFS…bad idea…the install button in the store does nothing. I click it, it diappears and after some seconds it reappears as “install” button. So now i even cannot install the game i paid 60 bucks for…thanks MS

1 Like

Is a good idea to have a backup program like Easeus Todo Backup or Acronis and make one big backup file of all OS, and then perform manually or automatically normally small incremental backups of the only new and different of each day in your PC that counts as full backups but not doing a full backup. Hope all a good weekend and to solve quick this.

And do not forget to vote this thread for try to make it solved earlier.

1 In windows seacrh bar type

powershell

2 Right click on it and select run as administrator
image

3 Copy the command below and paste into powershell (right click to paste into powershell)

Remove-Item -Path “HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\GamingServices” -Recurse

Press Enter

4 Copy the command below and paste into powershell (right click to paste into powershell)

Remove-Item -Path “HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\GamingServicesNet” -Recurse

Press Enter

5 Copy the command below and paste into powershell (right click to paste into powershell)

Get-AppxPackage gamingservices -allusers | remove-appxpackage -allusers

Press Enter

Restert PC

6 In windows seacrh bar type

powershell

7 Right click on it and select run as administrator
8 Copy the command below and paste into powershell (right click to paste into powershell)

start ms-windows-store://pdp/?productid=9MWPM2CQNLHN

Press Enter

Click get (install gaming services)
Also update all apps via microsoft store app.

Run msfs as administrator.
image

I’ve done it but NOTHING solves it.

I have the same issue since SU6 (everything was working normally previously).

I tried the the advice here, using the Powershell (I have no compulsory or pending optional Windows updates):

https://support.xbox.com/en-US/help/errors/error-code-0x80073D26

It did successfully remove Gaming Services, such that I could then restart my PC and reinstall Gaming Services.

However, when attempting to start MSFS it takes me right back to trying to install Gaming Services in the Microsoft Store again (I’ve tried Terminating and Resetting the Microsoft Store app, but to no avail).

In short, I’m no closer to a solution…

4 Likes

I’ve noticed that even when Gaming Services appears to have installed OK when I use the Registry Editor I only see GamingServices… I don’t see GamingServicesNet. Perhaps this is a clue to the problem?

Well i have done a clean install of W10 and everything is back to normal for me. I guess there is something corrupt after the last SU6 update that prevents some of us from using MSFS.(may be coincidence but my W10 was previously on windows insider before W11 was released and i flighted the updates and went back to the latest W10 version.)

1 Like

In my case MSFS worked fine after the SU6 at first. I think that something with the GamingService update went wrong. After nothing else helped I also decided to do a clean install of my whole machine. This cannot be the common solution of course and I only did this because I anyways considered upgrading to windows 11 and also upgrading my OS SSD to more storage space. MSFS works fine again now…but please MS and Asobo: customers are not willing to do fresh OS installs only to get MSFS/Gaming Services to work again. Lets see how long my MSFS now runs until the next Gaming Services Update…

3 Likes

All they need to do is combine all the DRM/Gaming services apps and junk into the xbox app and none of this would happen. Glad you got it sorted as well.

I have the same prolem after the SU6. All worked fine for only one day.
I try to reinstall a safed version of the complete drive from September now.
Hopefully after later new installed SU6 it runs ok than.

Hi all, just updated the MSFS again (25/10/2021) and to make it work, had to re-install the whole game once more. As I like to stay positive I will refrain from commenting too much. Cheers

OK, I managed to fix mine using the Media Creation Tool to reinstall Win 10 and apps. It is the only method of the 3 shown in this video which worked for me:

2 Likes

“I will make a short flight around Dublin today…oh wait…I first have to reinstall Windows.” Would be funny if it was not that bad what MS is doing with us. I also think it is not Asobos fault but the mess with the MS store and its update and DRM policy. Next time I will buy my games via Steam again. Seems to make less problems.

3 Likes

Hi there,

I had exactly the same problem (WIN11) . I could solve it this way:

Go to windows - programs and features (start menu).

Search for gaming services, select ‘repair’ and ‘reset’.

After this procedure, MSFS startet perfectly without a reboot.

Hope this is helpful for someone?!

Regards Thomas!!

11 Likes

as so many others now i ran into the same bug, where opening the sim sends me to the MSStore to install gaming service which obviously is allready installed.
Before that, the game crashed after being away from the pc, after trying to restart i got this error. however as i was checking if either gaming service had an update or anything changed in the mendatory C: drive folder i realised that the icon changed from a “folder” to a “folder-shortcut” and the folder was completely empty, so i prompted the sim in the MSStore to “install on this pc” which downloaded the rughly 1gb to the C: drive and i could just start the game as usual.

can someone ( @spatialprof ?) still with this issue check if the folder (MSStore version) C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\Microsoft.FlightSimulator_1.20.6.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe
is indeed only a empty folder-shortcut?

2 Likes

I fixed mine (with the Windows + apps reinstall I mentioned above… which isn’t nearly as bad as it sounds), so the contents of my folders may now differ from those still experiencing the issue. That said I’ll try to remember to take a look tomorrow :+1:

I agree that this likely isn’t an Asobo issue, and my extension not a flight sim issue, but a wider MS issue instead.