# Blank/black screens in FSX



## nickjcnz (Jun 10, 2009)

Hi all,

A bit of an FSX problem I'm hoping someone can help with please...

What I did: 
Installed a third-party aircraft.

What happened: 
(1) The box on the main screen where the aircraft preview normally displays is now blank; and
(2) The main flight window (cockpit etc.) is also blank.

It was working perfectly before I added the new aircraft (which I have subsequently deleted). The problems started only after I had run the add-ons in FSC and designated them as "trusted" (as per this http://www.fsinsider.com/tips/Pages/TrustandVerify.aspx).

My system:
Six week old Dell Studio
Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 64 bit
256MB ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4570 (realise it's not the best technology, but has previously worked well)
15.6" 720p WLED (1366x768) 
FSX Deluxe (all up to date)

So far I have tried:
- Switching between full screen and windowed mode (this just causes the screen to flash between white and black and the desktop);
- Adjusting the resolution;
- Reducing the variables available in ATI CCC (anti-aliasing etc.);
- Updating all my drivers (which were all up to date);
- A clean boot.

None of these common solutions has worked. 

I'm fast running out of ideas and haven't been able to find anything else useful on line. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Many thanks,

Nick


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## McNinja (Jun 22, 2008)

Hi nickjcnz!

First off, I don't know much about FSX but I do know someone on TSF who is probably the resident expert on this game. Its Sven2157

I'll give him a PM and what and see if he can come and help you out. This'll be better than repeating what you've already gone through and he does know his stuff about the technical side of FSX and getting it to work.


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## Sven2157 (Feb 10, 2009)

Mcninjaguy said:


> Hi nickjcnz!
> 
> First off, I don't know much about FSX but I do know someone on TSF who is probably the resident expert on this game. Its Sven2157
> 
> I'll give him a PM and what and see if he can come and help you out. This'll be better than repeating what you've already gone through and he does know his stuff about the technical side of FSX and getting it to work.


LOL! :laugh: Thanks McNinjaGuy! :wink:

Hello nickjcnz :wave:

First things first....

When installing aircraft/scenery in FSX, I use a program from ClickTeam called "Install Creator" (IC from here out). I use this because, most third party software for FSX is a click and drag type install. However, when problems arrive, finding ALL the files that were "copied" into the FSX system folders, is next to impossible. The IC will create an install package and ALSO a UN-install package. This way when I get a bogus addon, I can click the uninstall icon, and it removes ONLY what it puts into the folders..... IC is also FREE, FREE, FREE! :wink:

Having said that......

From the sounds (looks) of your post, you installed an aircraft, had problems with a black preview and black cockpit. You then unistalled the aircraft and are not sure about the "Trusted" portion of the original install.

From there I am lost? :4-dontkno Are you still having the problems with the black preview screen? Are you see green people driving down your street? What is still happening?

To clear ANY addon "modules" that you designated as "trusted" is very simple, but before I explain that, let's try something even easier.....

Do you have, in your options the "DirectX 10 Preview" selected? If so, uncheck it. I have a Quad Core, Vista Ultimate 32 bit, 4GB PC-6400 RAM and a GTX 260 Black Edition 896MB GDDR3. I still can not have that selected, there is a programming error in it on most aircraft. The stock ones are fine, but third party ones have major issues with it.

Second, 90% of the addon aircraft were designed and developed for MS Flight Simulator 2004 (04 from now on). The textures for these can work sometimes. Other times they turn up black. FSX introduced a whole new file structure and file format, from that of 04. In 04, some textures were actually "baked" to the 3D model. If those textures are not FSX compatable, or DirectX 10 compliant, they will turn up black.

Now, to "UN-Trust" the modules for that airplane do this:

1. - Go into a folder on your compter, like "Documents", and click the "Organize" drop down. In that list, click on "Folder and Search Options". A new window will open....

2. - Click the radio button that says, "Show hidden files and folders", under the "Hidden Files and Folders" icon.

3. - Now close that and you will see a semi-transparent folder called "AppData". Double click that folder.....

4. - Double click "Roaming", then, "Microsoft", then "FSX"......

5. - In there you will see several files, you will be looking for a file called, "fsx.CFG".

--> Side Note <--

If you have never opened a .CFG, or configuration file, before, you will get a window that asks if you want to search the internet, or selecet a program to view the file.... SELECT A PROGRAM. When you have that window open, one or two programs will be "guessed" by Windows. If you see Notepad, good! If not there will be a little "<" symbol, but it points up and down. Click it and it will show you more options. ULTIMATELY SELECT NOTEPAD.

--> Side Note End <--

6. - Now that you are in there, I hope your still with me :wink:, you are going to find a header named Trusted. Headers look like this:

*[Trusted]*

It will be easiest to use the "Find" function of Windows. To use this, press "ALT + F", then type trusted. It will bring you right there.

7. - There are two ways to do this (however you choose below, LEAVE the [trusted] header):

7a. - Select ALL in the *[trusted]* area *ONLY*, and delete them. Any correctly working aircraft gauges, will need the "Allow"/"Run" again if you get into them.

7b. - Look through the list and find what you "OK'd" and just delete them.

The first option is easiest, and you have no worries, as it will not affect your FSX installation, nor will it affect your other aircraft. If you delete ALL trusted, the next time you try to fly that aircraft, you will get the same thing that is posted on the FS Insider link.

8. - Now just close it, and it will propmt you to save it. Save it.

IF YOU ARE UNSURE ABOUT CHANGES YOU MAY HAVE MADE, CLOSE THE FILE WITHOUT SAVING! START OVER!

Let me know how that goes....

Sven2157

:tongue:


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## nickjcnz (Jun 10, 2009)

Hi Sven2157,

Thanks so much for your _very _helpful and thorough reply!

*DirectX10*

I don't have an option to turn on/off DirectX 10 preview in FSX - should I? Where else might I find this?

*Removing "trusted"*

I've followed your instructions (option a) and removed the entries under "trusted" from my fsx.cfg file.

Unfortunately this hasn't fixed the problem. :4-dontkno

What else do you think I could try?

Many thanks,

Nick


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## McNinja (Jun 22, 2008)

Thank you so much Sven!
You know your stuff, keep up the good work because I notice your replies and they're very well informed.


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## nickjcnz (Jun 10, 2009)

Hi,

I've attached some screen shots showing the problem, and will upload a couple more of my settings.

Cheers,

Nick


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## nickjcnz (Jun 10, 2009)

A couple of screen shots showing my settings screens.


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## Sven2157 (Feb 10, 2009)

Ok, :xolconfus

I forgot about your video card, it has to be DirectX 10 capable in order to see the "Preview DirectX 10" option.... :tongue:

Now... When you say "Clean Boot", what exactly do you mean? Did you re-install FSX? Repair your installation? Are you running FSX with SP1 or SP2?

Try this... Uninstall ANY Service Packs you have on the system. Then insert you disk and try a repair on the program.

Let me know how that goes....

Sven2157

And BTW, no propblem McNinjaGuy and nick! Always glad to help! :grin:


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## nickjcnz (Jun 10, 2009)

Hi Sven,

By "clean boot" I mean starting Vista in basic mode (without non-system programmes launching).

I haven't tried reinstalling FSX yet because my discs are 25 kilometres away at my storeage unit - But I guess it's all that's left to do!

Thanks for your help,

Nick


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## pat mcgroin (May 1, 2009)

Another option that I have used when I mucked things up.
Rename the FSX.CFG to FSXOLD.CFG.
FSX will rewrite the file at startup with only standard entries.
After that you can go to the old file and copy and paste any custom entries back into the new file one or two at a time until you hit a snag.
Ive found this to be pretty helpful to determine where I went wrong.
Sometimes my need to tweak things gets the best of me.

One other thing that I have noticed with FSX that may or may not apply to you is that if I have dream scenes on the desktop and turn FSX on I get various problems even though I get the message that FSX has changed the color scheme to Vista Basic.
I have tried this using the compatiblilty|disable visual themes in the properties of the shortcut both on and off.
So try it with that off if you have it.


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## nickjcnz (Jun 10, 2009)

Hi Pat,

Thanks for that.

I've tried removing the fsx.cfg file, but it didn't work for me unfortuntely - problem is still there. Makes me think that it's probably a system-level/Vista setting that's causing the problem rather than FSX.

I don't have dream scenes, but thanks for that suggestion.

Still scratching my head on this one!

Cheers,
Nick


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## Sven2157 (Feb 10, 2009)

What I was originally going for was that fact that you may have removed/copied over a system file for FSX, when you uninstalled that addon aircraft.

If this is the case a simple "Repair" of FSX will put back ALL the neccessary "core" files, and FSX should work normally again.

Also, do you have Visual Studio (Any version) installed on your computer? This has caused problems when the .NET Framework updates. FSX uses ActiveX controls for the menus area and if Windows is not properly up to date, this has caused CTD's.

I am still thining that a "Repair" will do the trick.

As for you disks being 25 km away, if you know someone closer that has the DVD's you shouldn't need but you product key; although it shouldn't even ask for that, as you're not installing, just repairing......

Sven2157


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## nickjcnz (Jun 10, 2009)

I've done a "repair" reinstall with my FSX DVDs which has fixed the problem (indeed, FSX is working better than ever!). Still no idea what happened.

Thanks to everyone for your helpful suggestions.


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## Sven2157 (Feb 10, 2009)

nickjcnz said:


> I've done a "repair" reinstall with my FSX DVDs which has fixed the problem (indeed, FSX is working better than ever!). Still no idea what happened.
> 
> Thanks to everyone for your helpful suggestions.


AWSOME! :woot: Glad to hear that! You should check out our FSX server if you ever get into multiplayer; it's called Chicago Flights! We fly all the time! rolleyes: You'd think we need jobs or something! :laugh

Happy Landings!

Sven2157


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## d6cln (Mar 22, 2014)

hi 
i know this is a bit late :facepalm: im having the same problem altho i know nothing about computers only the basics. i was looking on google,youtube ect to try the "repair install" 
i also dont have my old discs as ive lost them now :nonono:
can you tell me how to do the repair that you done
thanks 
Declan :wink:


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