Update Size 153.16GB?

[PilzZwerg029640]

Hello, after having customized the sim with Thrustmaster throttle, mapping all the buttons, installing vatsim, i just wanted to have a nice relaxing flight yesterday, until…

…the UPDATE. It wanted to install the 26GB on the C drive (i think the launcher location), but i had the entirge 120GB of the sim on D, where I have enough space. (Well it took me another hour to confirm that, because all the files are “hidden”, aren’t they).

Ok, so I changed the install path to D, and all of a sudden the download size grew to 153.16GB !!! Wow!

I thought, this is a joke, started the update, but yes, really started at square one and wants to download everything again.

There is also no way to abort this or to retrieve the previously suggested download path on C, whatever.

Can you please give me advice on what to do now?

Thank you

[HawkMoth9135]

If I understand your problem correctly, the only thing I can think of would be to move your MSFS installation to the drive where you want it, before starting the update again. Then, when the updater looks in your specified install drive for what is already there, it will find your current installation, rather than an empty folder.

You can search the forum for help with moving MSFS to another drive, but Move MSFS2020 to New Drive - Self-Service / PC & Hardware - Microsoft Flight Simulator Forums is one that appears to provide a suitable method.

Good luck

[PilzZwerg029640]

Thanks for your help.

Well, the update pointed to a folder (\Microsoft.FlightSimulator_8wekyb3d8bbwe) which sits on C, but only has 156KB in it. All the other files of the sim are on D, which I chose during the original installation.

But yesterday before the update it asked me, if i want the 26GB on C - which I did not, and so I changed it to D.

And from this decision there seems to be no return?

Actually I really don’t want the 26GB on C, because it is my system drive…

So how should I do it? I do NOT want to move the sim, which is correctly on D, i just want the update work.

Thank you

[janyf]

You probably select wrong folder , when prompted , all updates ingame should point to packages

[HawkMoth9135]

First of all, I’m not sure why the updater would have asked you where you wanted to put the update, as I would have thought it would have just put it where your initial installation resided. I just tend to press the continue button, when it tells me there is an update, so maybe I’ve just missed what is a default setting.

In that thread I linked, there is a file that appears to point to where you have MSFS installed. Maybe you could point that at where your MSFS is currently installed and re-run the sim.

Even if it does install it onto your system drive, which I’m not sure it will, you could always move it later.

[wcoesel]

you should not change the drive with an update…thats a nono for every windows program.
remove the whole thing and download all anew and now to where you really want it and
never change that again.

[PilzZwerg029640]

Sorry, I still not understand the update process and what I can do now:

in the user cfg file it says the installed packages path is on D - this is correct because I have chosen this location due to space on my disks:

But - this was the path the update automatically pointed to in the first place, and it was on C:

- 153.16GB

if I manually select the path on D:

- 152.14GB

[PilzZwerg029640]

Sorry the last screenshot should be:

[PilzZwerg029640]

Well, why does the update program then ASK me?

Why does it suggest that it will install 26GB on a drive I do NOT want to have it on, and it reality it does just the opposite (install it in a hidden location on a different drive)?

The irony of all this is, I viewed several videos before purchasing and then decided on the MS store, because I thought I will have least trouble there…

[Ephedrin87]

It shows the C path on my system too but installs correctly into E. Don‘t change it once it‘s installed, it will find its way.

[CatapultF4E]

I believe that you’ll find that the 26Gb won’t be going into your C drive. That’s because the MSFS2020 files going into C are very small “virtual” values (such as DLL’s) only. The actual “physical” (quite large indeed) files will go to D where your sim is. I wouldn’t recommend changing that path because it WILL want to install EVERYTHING into your C drive as though you were installing a brand new copy of MSFS2020 there. You can verify this in real time - during the installation by hovering your mouse over your D drive - you should see ever increasing value of files going into D, but not into your C drive. The file size should be increasing (and available space in that drive decreasing) as the update progresses. I know it’s confusing but I’m pretty sure what I’m saying is correct. Yes, files are going into C, but they are just links (like DLL’s) to the physical files that are going into D. By changing that path, the installation will act as though you’re actually installing a fresh copy, so please do yourself a favor and leave it be. As I said, if you hover your mouse over your D drive, you can actually see, in real time, that its space is being taken up by files significantly as the update installs. Hover it over C and I’m sure you won’t see an increase anywhere near as significant as 26Gb.
Anyone here with IT knowledge please feel free to correct me if I’m wrong.

[PilzZwerg029640]

Thanks, this is what confirmed my assumption.

MS asks “Where do you want it?” - Users gives CORRECT answer - Update and main install (130GB!!) gets irrevocably broken! Great!

After reading the other comments on the update here (that it broke nearly everything from dynamics to taxi lights etc) I just asked for a refund.

I really don’t have the time and the nerves for such an experience…

Very sad that this happened after my first online flight for a decade, with the great Fly by Wire A320, everything worked perfectly… Thanks MS!