I have just completed downloading this 106 GB update that I had to limit to 500 kb/s to be able to download, otherwise it would just get stuck. It took four days straight to download it…
I played it for like 30 minutes today without a problem, but saw that I only had 2 aircrafts available, so I went to Steam and validated the cache files, and now when I start the game again I’m back at this screen where I have to download the 106 GB update again!!! Where did the files go that I have just downloaded under these 4 days?? (And yes, I have the same folder selected…)
When are they going to fix this looping problem with the updates???
Did you check the known issues at Zendesk? Go to support at the top of the page. I didn’t have any such issues, but “many” have, there are some solutions posted there in the help pages.
Unfortunately, the ‘Validate Files’ option in Steam will wipe your installation folder, forcing you to redownload the base sim, unless you install the sim in a non-default location. It’s a pain and I really hope they change it in the future.
In the meantime, once you install the sim, if you only have two aircraft and/or missing bespoke airports, click on ‘profile’ on the top menu bar, go to your content manager and manually install the missing content. There should be a select all checkbox that makes it easier.
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Wow, that sucks… but where would a non-default location be? I chose D:\Games\FlightSimulator as my directory, but apparently Steam wiped that folder…
So any tips where I should install the update so it doesn’t happen again?
Yeah, someone said that to me, that they were in Content Manager, but when I went there and started downloading them, it just says “Package Failed” after a few seconds… any idea why?
And sorry for the title, I changed it and it won’t happen again.
When you first opened the application, and it told you to download packages, it will have given you a choose directory screen, did you change your directory not that screen or leave it as is?
If you changed the path, I don’t think the verify files should have wiped the entire sim. Can you check your harddrive to see if it has been wiped? It may still be there.
There is another annoying issue that we see on patch day, if the client tries to check game files but expects them to be a different directory to where they are, it will want to download the hole sim again.
Yeah, just happened to me (install wiped when using Steam “verify integrity…”).
I first installed MSFS2020 with a Game Pass trial but when I went to purchase I decided to delete my MS install and purchase/install through Steam. I chose Steam primarily as I don’t like how MS Store games get installed in a convoluted folder structure and thought Steam would be a better choice from a management standpoint (Steam servers, current game library, etc.). Bad choice (Steam) for FS2020 IMO now that I realize what’s going on.
Steam IMO does nothing positive for managing MSFS2020. It installs and manages a small boot loader (1.3GB) in the Steam folders but the rest is completely managed by Microsoft. Once I’ve realized this (day after Steam initial install and subsequent verify delete) I uninstalled in Steam and asked for refund (just got an hour ago). I’ve gone back to the MS Store install/management (downloading for the third time as I type - approx 2 hours total estimated) for this game, and I get a 20% discount for buying with the current Game Pass trial!
There is also installation confusion (MS Store and Steam) that I only now understand. The initial install asks for a location which is straight-forward but then the MS install portion asks for another installation location (for “packages”) which defaults to a user’s OS Appdata… path - this was confusing as I had already provided an install location. Well, the first MS install I left as-is and later realized the “community” (Official folder) was buried in the above location. IMO, the best install location for “packages” is to chose a folder outside of the users’ OS profile so the community folder is easily accessible for add-ons/mods (ex D:\MSFS_Packages").
Third install is just about finished… time to get back to flying (love the sim/game)!
The folder that I installed the update in was completely empty when I checked just before I made this thread (The one at D:\Games\FlightSimulator like I said) so it did get wiped for some reason…
That folder just had the folders called “Community” and “Official” in it but nothing more and no files in those folders… so no idea what happened…
But after this installation I will never ever verify the files again
But the most annoying part is that I have to limit the download to 500 kb/s, otherwise one file will just loop forever, it will never download… if that problem didn’t exist I wouldn’t have a problem with reinstalling it…
Oh wow, lucky you that you were able to get a refund from Steam… I got like 130 hours now and out of those I’ve played the game for like 5 hours… the rest is download time… it sucks but whenever the game works it’s absolutely amazing!
Have fun flying around now! I will join in a few days…
The installation issues for this game continue to be a bit soul crushing. In the first week of release, I spent so much time volunteering trying to help people get the game running that I did not get to enjoy the sim at all.
As for @TheFoxPlayer issues, I am somewhat at a loss. Please send in a Support Ticket to report your download issues. It will hopefully help them track the issues down and resolve them for others.
Once you get the sim running again, try the package manager trick. If it does not work @mention me here.
And where do I change the location for the packages? I never saw where you can change that. I can only change this update that we have talked about now.
Oh okay, can’t remember that so I’ve no idea what directory I chose for the packages, sadly. But as soon as this 106 GB update was done the game worked perfectly, except that I only had 2 airplanes haha, but I think I couldn’t download them as I need to limit it to 500 kb/s when I’m downloading them as well. I had closed down Netlimiter so that was probably the reason why it didn’t work. So I’ll try that when the update is done and I’ll let you know!
Why dont steam warn people that the so called validation system is in fact just wipe all the files and start again? And why dont they use a more appropriate word too such as re-install since that is what it does? It must be sickening to spend days downloading this title just to have to redo the whole thing again.
In Steam’s defence, I think it is less of a “them issue” and more of an MSFS issue. After all how many other applications do you know that delete and re-install everything when you use that button? Every application I have validated on Steam (except for MSFS) has checked for broken files, and then replaced them only.
So that button in the UI is almost certainly hard-coded.
I’ve done the exact same thing. Verifying on steam erases everything.
After get the 106 GB base install completed, open msfs and go to Profile --> Content Manager to find all the other planes and scenery. Enjoy several more hours of downloading, but you can break it up and download as time allows.
