Unable to install Microsoft Store, Xbox and all MS Apps - MSFS not launching either Windows 10

Bug Reporting Hub Install, Performance & Graphics
1

#pc

I am running a Windows 10 Home, 64, build 19042, 32 GB RAM , Processor Intel(R) Core™ i7-8700K CPU @ 3.70GHz, 3696 Mhz, 6 Core(s), 12 Logical Processor(s), Nvidia GTX1060 card and Crucial SSDS. MSFS2020 is installed on a separate SSD

Microsoft Store version + boxed DVDS

Are you using Developer Mode or made changes in it? No

Brief description of the issue:

Two days ago, out of the blue, with no new hardware or software having being installed, MSFS2020 stopped loading. I soon discovered that almost none of the MS Apps on my Windows 10 PC launch either. Their splash screen appears for a few seconds and then it’s back to the desktop. The event viewer shows that every time I try to launch a Windows app there is error 2147942402, which means the app cannot be found. This probably also explains why the steps below don’t work either.

I have tried all the solutions I could find online, both here and on other pages, namely:

Running Powershell, with the following results:

PS C:\WINDOWS\system32> get-appxpackage Microsoft.GamingServices | remove-AppxPackage -allusers
PS C:\WINDOWS\system32> start ms-windows-store://pdp/?productid=9MWPM2CQNLHN
start : This command cannot be run due to the error: The system cannot find the file specified.
At line:1 char:1
+ start ms-windows-store://pdp/?productid=9MWPM2CQNLHN
**+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**
** + CategoryInfo : InvalidOperation: (:slight_smile: [Start-Process], InvalidOperationException**
** + FullyQualifiedErrorId : InvalidOperationException,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.StartProcessCommand**

I also removed the Registry entries for Game Services

Whereas the Office App does not launch, the single components (Word, Excel, Outlook, etc.) all work perfectly, as does the browser, my scanning software, etc. etc. The issue is exclusively related to the Windows apps.

Prepar3d V 5.3 is also running without a hiccup.

I have run a deep antivirus scan, a Malwarebytes deep scan as well as sfc /scannow, with zero results

All troubleshooting software and steps report no issues.

Last November, a Windows update blocked my computer entirely so I had to re-install everything (Windows, software, etc.). Luckily, I had backups of everything, but installing over 3 Terabytes was an ordeal. I really don’t want to go through that again.

But short of lobotomizing my PC (again!), I have run out of ideas.

Any help would be highly appreciated.

2

Ok here are some things to try:

Ensure any third party antivirus programs (Avast, AVG, etc) are shut down.
Ensure you have an open path through the Window’s firewall.
Ensure all Windows updates are installed.
Make sure the time and zone in your PC settings are correct.
Sign out of the xbox app on your PC, and shut down Xbox app.
Sign out of MS Store App, and shut down same (that’s if you can, deleting the registry entries may prevent that)
Shut down computer.
Unplug all controllers, except mouse and keyboard.
Restart computer.
Re-install, open, and sign into MSStore.
Open and sign into Xbox app.
Reboot computer again.
Try sim (and your non working apps)
Plug in controllers.

3

Thank you. TheSevenFlyer.
Maybe my post was not clear enough, so I’ll try to simplify the situation:

The first four suggestions, I have done. No AV, no VPN, Windows Defender stopped, all updates downloaded and installed, time and zone OK.

  1. I cannot logout from Xbox because Xbox is not opening (so I can’t sign in either)
    2)I cannot sign out of Ms Store because MS Store is not opening
    3)I have unp0lugged everything except my keyboard, mouse and monitor. No cigar.

Basically, all my programs and software are working spot on EXCEPT MSFS2020 and all Windows Apps. The Windows Apps trouble-shooter didn’t find anything amiss. That is why I am stumped.

When I try to install via the Xbox installer, the installer launches but then it just hangs forever.
Something, I don’t know what, is preventing the apps from launching or installing.

4

Since you deleted the registry entries for the MS Store, you would have problems.

From the Windows start menu, right click MSStore app, select “more”, then “app settings”, then scroll down the settings screen to reset. Do so.
When complete, open, and sign into MSStore.

Again, from the Windows start menu, right click Xbox app, select “more”, then “app settings”, then scroll down the settings screen to reset. Do that as well.
Open and sign back in to xbox app when done.

Reboot computer again.
Try sim (and your non working apps)
Keep fingers crossed (advised not to hold breath though).
Let us know how this works!

5

Thanks once again.
I find no such menu item as “More” when I right-click on the app. I get:
Open
Pin to Start
Pint to Taskbar
Create shortcut
Sort
Autoarrange

That’s it.

6

OK , right click on the Windows Start icon in the lower toolbar.
At the top, select Apps and Features.
Find and click on the App in that list.
There should be an advanced features selection there, from which reset should be available.

7

Try: “Windows Key + R”. Type in the box: “WSReset.exe” and press “OK”

This should reset the Microsoft store.
– You’ll see a an empty command window open for a few seconds and the store should pop up shortly after it closes.

Next things to try…

Open a Command Prompt (CMD) - with Administrator privileges and type the following command: “dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth”

After complete… type the following command to check the Windows file system for errors: “sfc /scannow”

Lastly, reboot your PC.

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8

Hi guys,
First of all, thanks for your support and prompt reactions. They are truly appreciated.
Unfortunately, nothing seems to work. I have reinstalled the registry (which I had backed up before making any changes), have made sure the system is AOK, etc. etc. I even went line by line with RFEGEDIT to check that all values and DWORDS were correct, to no avail. Every time I try to launch an app that is Windows Store dependent, there is a brief flash on the screen and then nothing.
I don’t mind losing the Windows Apps because they are basically useless and there are better solutions for most of them out there. I am miffed because, obviously, MSFS2020 is indeed Windows Store dependent, and won’t work.
Life is too short for me to start re-installing Windows and all the software I have only because I can’t run MSFS2020, which I would have to re-install as well… No will do.
I guess I’ll have to wait until I buy a new PC and be forced to re-install everything. Until then, MSFS2020 will go into the freezer.
Once again, thanks!

9

You could try a repair install of windows, but I recommend backing up your important files onto an external or secondary storage drive first.

Because you seem to still have all your MSFS files; you can can save yourself a lot of pain by backing them up on an external drive, then replace a copy back when you go to re-install MSFS. This saves a boatload of time because you don’t have to re-download everything again.

FWIW, to make my life easy, I have my main MSFS files (Official & Community) stored & run off a second SSD, and back them up about once a month to a 2TB USB SSD.

If for any reason I have to wipe the files - I have a backup copy ready.

If I have to reinstall Windows or MSFS, I just point the instillation to the folder that’s on the second SSD.

10

Another easy and fast option to consider. Do an update OS reinstall that will keep your programs and files intact. Download the tool from here Download Windows 10 . The tool can create a bootable set of fresh WIN10 installation files on a USB thumb-drive. After that’s done, just run Setup and it will find the destination drive and give you the option to save programs and files. I’ve cleaned up a lot of sick machines with this path and it is usually complete within an hour including followup cleaning.

11

Thanks.
I have tried a repair of Windows, but that is hanging as well, so I am now considering a full re-install of Windows. My MSFS installation is on an entirely separate SSD drive. It is a Deluxe version, from a 10 DVD series, complete with all the successive updates, etc. I have trawled through the forum but I am still unclear about the exact process whereby, when I launch the re-installation of MSFS, I can avoid having to reinstall the whole shebang. Ahh the files are lying there and I would imagine that once the program is registered, it should find all the files there, but I still don’t understand where or how I should interrupt the installation to avoid hundreds of gigabytes of downloads and hours and hours of installation.
Thanks for any assistance.

12

MSFS does not make any registry entries.

13

I’m a bit stumped when it comes to the DVD release because I use the Windows Store version.

That said… Are you able to Install a copy of MSFS from the Windows Store, then when you go to launch it, pop in the DVD containing the license activation information?

I’m curious if this will work?

If it does, then it’s just a matter of telling the MSFS installer to select the folder where you have all your MSFS files.

14

Hello, I just reinstalled Windows 10 and was aiming to do a clean install of MSFS. When I go to the MS Store, I get directed to download MSFS from the XBox app and when it opens the dialog it offers the following location by default: C:XBoxGames. Is this nornal? Should it not be the standard location as per guidance, i.e. C:\Users\Username\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.FlightSimulator_8wekyb3d8bbwe. Please help me, I am stuck. Many thanks.

15

It seems they have altered the install location.

When I left the beta, I had to reinstall and I saw that as the location and went ahead with it.

Everything is fine and the sim works as normal.

16

many thanks, this is most helpful, I am going to try it right now. Cheers.

17

Unfortunately this did not work for me, I got an error 0x803fb107 and already tried various fixes for it - none are working …

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18

What isn’t working, the install to the new path or to the old?

19

The new one does not work. Where should I direct the program if I want to try the old?
This:

C:\Users\Username\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.FlightSimulator_8wekyb3d8bbwe

or this:

C:\Users\Username\AppData\Local\Packages

20

That was the error I had gotten.

Did you reinstall “Gaming Services” via the Window PowerShell commands in this post, because this is what fixed the issue for me:

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