MSFS on Steam doesn't start, no loading window, no error message, nothing

User Support Hub Crashes (CTDs)
, ,
1

Hello,

I’m remotely helping an old simmer who wanted to try MSFS.
We successfully installed Steam, bought MSFS, and trigger the install of the launcher from Steam.
We have also ensured the XBox application and related Gaming services were installed correctly.
We also ensured his Microsoft account was enabled to be XBox Live as well.

Unfortunately, after installing the launcher, when we click on “Play” in Steam, nothing happens. The Play button shortly switches to “Stop”, but after just a few seconds, it turns back to “Play”.
There is no loading window.
There is no error message.
Literally nothing happens, as if we never clicked on Play.

I have checked the event log in Windows. There is an error code 0xc00…05 which is often mentioned in several topics here, however the offset is 0x00…00 (only zeroes) and there is no information about a faulty module or anything in the logs.

Here is a copy of a recent error, for example (sorry it’s in French):

Erreur 05/09/2024 15:04:11 Application Error 1000 (100) "Nom de l’application défaillante FlightSimulator.exe, version : 1.37.19.0, horodatage : 0x00000000
Nom du module défaillant : unknown, version : 0.0.0.0, horodatage : 0x00000000
Code d’exception : 0xc0000005
Décalage d’erreur : 0x0000000000000000
ID du processus défaillant : 0x3bf4
Heure de début de l’application défaillante : 0x01daff94106c5c92
Chemin d’accès de l’application défaillante : E:\SteamLibrary\steamapps\common\MicrosoftFlightSimulator\FlightSimulator.exe
Chemin d’accès du module défaillant: unknown
ID de rapport : 3232682f-ec76-4734-8ab2-a0215706bc0f
**Nom complet du package défaillant : **
ID de l’application relative au package défaillant : "

At this point, I have no idea on what to do.
I have checked what I could, but remotely it’s very difficult.
I have checked that the C++ runtimes 2015-2022 are installed and up to date (they look the same as on my computer, which works fine).
I don’t know what else to check ?

I suppose I should ask him to run the usual commands with DISM and SFC, but I’m not sure he’ll be able to perform these steps… I’m also really surprised to see an app crash like that, without any indication of error, any info on a faulty module, no hint on the cause, nothing, nada, niet…

Would you have any suggestion, before I recommend him to ask for a refund ?

2

Yes I would start with that. How are you helping him remotely? Maybe if you both install TeamViewer you could do that stuff for him also? (that will let you copy from your end and paste into Command Prompt).

The full steps (you probably know!) here

One at a time, in this order:

Dism.exe /online /Cleanup-Image /checkhealth

Dism.exe /online /Cleanup-Image /scanhealth

Dism.exe /online /Cleanup-Image /Restorehealth

sfc /scannow

Dism.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /AnalyzeComponentStore

Dism.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /StartComponentCleanup

After this, I would try using the Steam Verify Files option. Nothing to lose.

If that still does not work, I would suspect some GPU driver needs updating or something like that.

The xc0005 type errors are usually to do with RAM or Disk Access. What system spec does he have?

3

I’m helping him via email.
I’m afraid I can’t use a chat or audio. That person is 80 years old and has had a stroke, so I have to give him time and very clear and easy instructions.

I’m going to take a look at the steps your provided, thanks. But at this point, I’m afraid to perform operations that could create any interferences (or creating new problems) on his computer…

4

Maybe his PC is just not powerful enough?

5

Well, he has an i5 4690 @ 3.5 GHz coupled with a GTX660.
I think his computer is powerful enough to run the sim, even if low settings.
It should at least be able to launch the launcher program to install MSFS. The fact that the launcher program doesn’t even start is really puzzling to me.

6

True, so you mean the sim is not installed yet, only the ~2gb Steam files?

That sounds like he’s not logged in correctly to a MS account?

GTX660 is really going to struggle though!

7

Wait .. what did you just said ?
gtx 660 ??
I think that card is with 3 gigabytes of memory, i am not sure this card is good enough for msfs. Is it?

8

Yes you got it right, only the 2 Gb initial install from Steam.
From there, we are supposed to launch the game, which should ask us to log in to our XBox account, then ask us a destination folder to install, before downloading the approx 100 Gb of game content and finally reaching the main menu.
We can’t do that.
We don’t even get a black screen or anything.
We don’t even get a small window, not even a message :smiling_face_with_tear:

9

There are videos on Youtube of people running MSFS on a GTX 660 :slight_smile:
Yes he’ll have to drastically reduce the texture resolutions, LODs etc… but it should work I think.
In any case, his GTX 660 shouldn’t prevent him from launching the installation…

1 Like
10

For info, I could verify that his computer is correctly connected to his Microsoft Account.
The MS Store identifies him properly (and shows his account avatar).
The XBox app also identifies him properly now.
But that’s not enough for the sim to start :frowning:

11

Is Windows fully up to date? Windows 10 I assume?

I still suspect the GPU driver. Can you help him update that?

EDIT: This is similar problem. Really not sure if that will help but it’s going to be hard to help him remotely on this!

1 Like
12

Has he installed all the “Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable” to his pc?
And by that, i mean from 2005, up to 2022. (which means all of them x86 x64)
and plus the “Microsoft Windows Desktop Runtime”.

By the way, i am also using MSXML 4.0 on my pc. I am not sure if they are all needed
because i already had them installed a long time ago, for other applications so…

i don’t know, just saying

1 Like
13

Wow yes, it seems it’s exactly the same behavior.
Ok… What is this VCOMP140.dll file ? Isn’t it a base Windows file that would be checked by the DISM or SFC commands ?

14

Yes C++ runtimes are there, I could see a screenshot of his app list in the control panel.
Not sure about the “Microsoft Windows Desktop Runtime” though.

15

Something to do with Visual C++

16

I think you could ask him to run this “all-in-one” package and just make sure they are all there and “repaired”. It’s just a single file he needs to run (batch file) then wait.

1 Like
17

P.S. I hate Windows lol

It’s so over complicated and archaic! There should be no need for this rubbish these days but here we are!!!

18

Yes that’s true, I agree …

1 Like
19

Ok I’ll first try to make him execute a DISM check command (we’re already struggling to launch the CMD as admin…).

Then based on the results, I’ll download that C++ package and send him, to see if he’s able to execute it. Thanks for the tips :slight_smile:

1 Like
20

I just wanted to mention this one here,

in my country i have a few friends that had their windows 10 “administrator name”
in Greek letters. So, the resault to that was that, MSFS2020 could not launch at all.
So they had to delete their whole windows system and re-install it in 'English letters".

After that everything worked. :thinking: :unamused:

1 Like