And just like that…
Beginning on Friday, 19 August and continuing through the weekend hundreds, perhaps thousands of MSFS users from all around the world began experiencing issues where Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 would CTD (crash to desktop). Unfortunately, around the same time FSDreamTeam released their GSX Pro MSFS Add-on. As users were installing GSX Pro the issues causing the CTD’s were also showing up on the scene. This gave a false sense that the CTD’s were being caused by GSX Pro when in actuality GSX Pro was certainly not the issue. The proof of this became apparent when users began posting their CTD experience on the MSFS forums. While some had just purchased GSX Pro, the vast majority had not.
My Own Experiences
During this same timeframe I had installed GSX Pro and I also was experiencing CTD issues. However, I had also made the decision to also begin the process of reinstalling Windows 10 and MSFS as I discussed in my “Saying Goodbye to P3D…For Now” blog posting. This rebuild process took place on Friday and before I had even installed MSFS, I ensured Windows 10 was fully patched. On Saturday morning with MSFS installed and fully configured with all my add-ons reinstalled, I attempted to load up a flight. During the process of launching MSFS, my PC would CTD three times in a row. On the 4th attempt, MSFS launched successfully and I was able to conduct a flight from DEN to SLC. While I managed to complete the flight without a CTD, the performance of the sim was sluggish with stutters during the approach and landing phase. The experience throughout the weekend was pretty much the same. MSFS would often CTD while loading up and on two occasions I experienced a CTD after landing and while taxing to the gate. For the most part, my own experiences matched up with what many others were also experiencing.
Crickets
For much of the weekend as more and more users posted their CTD experiences in this thread on the MSFS Forums, the silence from anyone at Microsoft or Asobo was deafening. While there were a few official community forum admins posting occasionally, nothing was really happening with regards to any official communication and recognition of the issues. Funnily enough, even as of today, Wednesday 24 August neither Microsoft or Asobo have officially made any comments. Yet, the issue has apparently been resolved.
The Fix
On Tuesday, the community began to hear via the MSFS Forum admins of a possible fix to the CTD issues. The fix is as follows:
1. Check for MS Updates, apply/install any updates available.
2. Restart the PC (More about this in a minute)
3. Launch MSFS and Fly
Of course the community took the advice and low and behold it worked. But is it as simple as this? Is this really all that was required? Do you mean to tell me that we could have all saved countless hours, gray hairs and the stress of watching a multi-hour flight vanish before our very eyes as we’re on final approach into XYZ airport?
The Placebo Effect
For my own setup, the above “fix” was simply a placebo. It didn’t do anything to address the root cause of the CTD’s and poor performance and I knew that as soon as I read it. Like I said at the beginning, I had just reimaged my PC. My PC had installed ALL MS updates available. In addition, and this is important….I also disable the Windows 10 “Fast Boot” option when I build/rebuild a PC and you should also considering doing it as well.
The “Fast Boot” option was introduced as a feature in Windows 10. It does exactly what it says on the tin. With the feature enabled (and it’s enabled by default) when you perform a shut down of the Windows 10 OS, it keeps many elements of the Windows OS in a state of hibernation thus saving time when starting up. The problem with leaving this enabled is any problem (regardless of how minor it might be) that exists with drivers, kernel, etc. will remain to be a problem each time you start your PC. As the old PC saying goes, if you experience an issue….just reboot and 99.9% of the time that issue will go away. But with Fast Boot enabled, unless you actually perform a “Restart” you are just bringing those same issues back. With Fast Boot disabled, a shut down (which we all do to save electricity) will do the same as a restart. On boot, everything gets refreshed.
If you are interested in learning how to disable Fast Boot on your PC, just Google it. You’ll find all the info you need on how to disable this feature that really isn’t that much of a feature.
What I really think happened?
I have two possible ideas. My first thought is on Friday, Microsoft/Asobo made an untested change to the backend servers which caused these issues. After all, some users were successful at getting MSFS to work without CTD by disabling live weather, traffic etc. Or, another scenario is something within these same backend servers got corrupted in some way that was eventually resolved by Microsoft/Asobo either late Monday or sometime on Tuesday.
Most likely we will never know for sure. The root cause analysis will never be revealed by Microsoft and that’s just the way things work.
Concerns Going Forward
From the very beginning of my experience with MSFS, I’ve had concerns with a few things about the new sim. First, I’m not a big fan of the automatic update features where you are forced to take sim updates when they are available. This will become a much bigger issue for us as more and more 3rd party add-ons are introduced. While the updates are made available to everyone in the form of a beta, not all 3rd party developers have the resources to act immediately to how the sim is changing and evolving. We’ve seen with Prepar3D where a new update will break 3rd party add-ons for a period of time until these can be updated. Generally speaking, these periods of time are only a few days to a week or two at most, but it is an issue. I would like to have the choice as to whether I take an update today or perhaps delay it until the 3rd party developers have had some time to perform their own patches/updates.
Second, I’m also concerned about just how much MSFS relies on the online infrastructure hosted by Microsoft/Asobo. Again, comparing it to P3D….once I install and configure P3D to my liking, it just works regardless to what is happening at Lockheed Martin.
Finally, I’m also concerned with the parallel development of MSFS for both PC and Console players. While this may sound harsh to console players, I’m a PC gamer and while some games can certainly be enjoyed on the console platform, many can not. MSFS on a console just will never be the same experience as that of the PC and I feel those of us on PC could be held back as a result of this parallel development concept.
The Future IS MSFS
In closing, a resounding YES, MSFS is the future of flight simulation. When I think back to where this hobby has come from to where it is now…OH MY GOD! I have personally experienced it all. Starting in the early to mid 1980’s on the Commodore 64 throughout all the Microsoft branded flight simulators over the years, Prepar3D and now MSFS. It’s a great time to be alive and be involved in this hobby. I just hope my concerns become null and void.
As always, thank you for reading.
Until next time…
Happy Flying!!!
JT
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