GSX2 prevents P3Dv4 from starting

[Jürgen]

Last week my P3Dv4 was working fine, all was ok, also GSX2 (installed many months ago) worked fine. Since then I did nothing else to my P3D apart from routinely updating GSX2 and the various Airacs. However,  yesterday P3D did not want start at all. The P3D-Startup-Screen appears for about 20 sec and then disappears quietly with no error message. The task Manager still shows the P3D.exe for a long time but nothing appears to go on.

I played for quite some time with the various XMLs of P3D, it seemed that the fault was related to the "addon manager belonging to GSX2". Deleting those entries allowed P3D to start, as well as uninstalling GSX2. All worked well without GSX2.

But after again installing GSX2 the same problem that prevented P3D to start came back.

Has anybody come across this behaviour?

[louis1900]

i'm having the same issue with this, however i'm not sure if it's gsx or the addon manager itself.  check the topic i just posted called  ADDON MANAGER NOT WORKING ON P3D V4.4


i explained my case very similar to yours, eve though i thought that by making a full clean install from 0 would fix it, but it didn't.


but my problem is actually very similar to yours.

[virtuali]

A silent quit on start (if you are sure it's caused by the Addon Manager) it's usually caused by a mixup of old and new files in the same installation, which is normally not possible if you run the FSDT Live Update, since it will always download the latest files.

However, it will TRY to download the latest file. If you have an antivirus or a firewall which is preventing the download or, even worse, is allowing some files and blocking others, this creates a mixup of old/new files, which might cause a crash on start.

So, as discussed in all threads about issue with the Addon Manager and the antivirus, you MUST exclude the Addon Manager folder from scanning, being sure no firewall is blocking the download, and do the Live Update again.

[Jürgen]

Based on Louis experiences I did the following right now:

1. Tested whether P3Dv4 is working without GSX or Addon Manager installed. It does.

2. Deleted all files in my Addon Manager Folder which were left there previously during uninstallation

3. Downloaded the latest stand alone Addon Manager from FSDT and installed it (with Antivirus switched off and allowing the firewall all access)

4. The same trouble, P3D-Startup-Screen comes, scenery files were updated  and then after a few seconds the screen disappeared again.

5. At the time of writing (perhaps 10min after starting P3D) the Prepar3D.exe is still active as one can see in the Task Manager - consuming 16% of CPU and 610MB

6. Killed P3D in Task Manager

7. Uninstalled Addon Manager but during this process asked to keep Addon Manager

8. Tried P3D with the same result, it does not work

9. Installed Addon Manager again (as administrator)

10. P3D does not work

11. Uninstalled Addon Manager including the Addon Manager

12. P3D works fine

My conclusion is that the trouble appears to be connected to the new version of the Addon Manager. There must have been a change to the Addon Manager and this change was obviously installed by updating it with the help of FSDT Live Update (which by the way, I have used ever since). Why should P3D work fine with GSX and its Addon Manager last week and then after doing an update with Live Update (also updating the Airacs) stops working?

 

[virtuali]

My conclusion is that the trouble appears to be connected to the new version of the Addon Manager. There must have been a change to the Addon Manager and this change was obviously installed by updating it with the help of FSDT Live Update (which by the way, I have used ever since). Why should P3D work fine with GSX and its Addon Manager last week and then after doing an update with Live Update (also updating the Airacs) stops working?

As I've said, the problem is NOT caused by the new version of the Addon Manager, as if this could possibly have a problem, because it obviously doesn't.

What's really happening, instead, that *because* there IS a new version which we posted a couple of days ago, the one that fixed the CTD over Canada (which again wasn't caused by the Addon Manager either, but the new version prevents this bug in the sim from happening ), it's possible the new version, just because it's "new", it's not being allowed to be downloaded by the antivirus or the firewall, which might block it and possibly letting pass other newer files, causing a mixup between new and old files.

Why I'm sure this "new" version of the Addon Manager is NOT causing the problem ? Because it's not new, it has been posted on our forum in January and, as you can read from that thread, the feedback from users has been overwhelming positive, so we decided to make it official, and put it on the Live Update server:

http://www.fsdreamteam.com/forum/index.php/topic,20063.0.html

The very same file, bit-by-bit identical, is now on the Live Update server and it will work, provided is being downloaded correctly and not blocked by anything.

Of course, before replying, I double checked and I can confirm that both the file downloads correctly (indicating the Live Update is updated and has the correct file online) AND P3D starts just fine with it.

If you want to be sure what you are downloading, the current (and correct) file which is online now is version 4.0.0.17, and its MD5 is:

86CC50BE565ED121DC5CA3C9C4649193

This is exactly the same file (the hash matches, of course) that has been on the beta update server since January and worked well for everybody that used it.

[Jürgen]

So then tell me what happened to my installation during these last few days since all worked fine and updating Addon Manager with FSDG Live Update?

Please suggest what I shall try next.

[virtuali]

So then tell me what happened to my installation during these last few days since all worked fine and updating Addon Manager with FSDG Live Update?

I thought it should have been clear from my last post: something is interfering with the Live Update OR your antivirus is blocking the new Addon Manager, just because it's new.

That's why:

- I added the file hash of the correct .DLL, so you can check it has been downloaded correctly. You might use this site to verify the file hash:

http://onlinemd5.com/

- Once you are sure the correct file has been downloaded (and if it hasn't, the problem is likely your firewall/antivirus again), you should then be sure the antivirus won't block the file from being executed, which might easily lead to a crash as well, so you must be sure the whole Addon Manager folder is excluded from scanning.

Another thing to try, is to just run the Live Update again.

Sometimes, Windows automatically set a wrong compatibility flag for a program that has crashed (for any reason), and this result in a registry key that would prevent the sim from starting. The Live Update clears that registry key if it's found so, it might just be enough to run it again, to Undo the problem the Windows compatibility assistant created.

[Jürgen]

Anyway, I deleted all traces of Addon Manager right now, deactivated the Antivirus and switched off the firewall.

Then I downloaded setup_addonmanagerX.exe again and executed it it even as administrator. After that I did an update with FSDG Live Update.

P3D is not running.

With Avira Anti Virus and my firewall disabled, which files could have been blocked or corrupted?

Deinstallating it completely and P3D works without problems.

So what to do and which files shall I check at onlinemdt.com?

[virtuali]

Then I downloaded setup_addonmanagerX.exe again and executed it it even as administrator. After that I did an update with FSDG Live Update.

Nowhere I said you had to install the Stand-Alone Addon Manager.  In fact, as indicated on what was previously the Stand-Alone Addon manager download link:

Standalone Addon Manager

The Stand-Alone Addon Manager is no longer required. Just run the FSDT Live Update from the Desktop, to keep all your FSDT products constantly updated

With Avira Anti Virus and my firewall disabled, which files could have been blocked or corrupted?

Nowhere I said you should disable the antivirus. Some antivirus (and Avira IS one of them), keep blocking files even if their user interface has been shut down. As long their low-level Windows service is running, they still work.

That's why I said to EXCLUDE the Addon Manager folder from scanning, and not disable the antivirus.

So what to do and which files shall I check at onlinemdt.com?

It's onlinemd5.com, and it's the bglmanx64.dll, to be sure it was downloaded correctly. And, you should check it before and after trying running the sim. Because, it's even possible your antivirus has CORRUPTED IT, because it tried to "heal" it from a non-existent threat. This will guaranteed a crash on start.

[Joggu]

Hi

I have exactly the same Problem, and ...

- I am sure, that the problem is the addon manager
- I have testet the file with onlinemd5.com - it's exactly the same
- I have turned off the antivirus (Kaspersky) / exclude all flight sim Folders


So I am also happy, when you can help me!


Regards
Joël

[louis1900]

alright, let's say no addon manager is installed neither any fsdt softwares.

please tell us, step by step, what should we do in order to install the current (and correct) version of addon manager or whatever .dll file that corrects the crash?

I have no antivirus, just virus & threat protecion as well as firewall & network protecion. In this case i have them all disabled, also I excluded the folders and files where addon manager is suposed to be installed (prepared addons).

Thanks for your help.

[virtuali]

I am sure, that the problem is the addon manager

No, it's not. Well, it is on your system, but it's surely working correctly so, the issue is not that "it is the Addon Manager", but why in your system it doesn't work.

- I have testet the file with onlinemd5.com - it's exactly the same

This means the file is correct so, it's not a problem of downloading it, but a problem of being blocked by the antivirus.

- I have turned off the antivirus (Kaspersky) / exclude all flight sim Folders

Excluding the simulator folder won't do anything, as I've said in all my previous messages, you must exclude the Addon Manager folder instead.

[virtuali]

please tell us, step by step, what should we do in order to install the current (and correct) version of addon manager or whatever .dll file that corrects the crash?

There's nothing spacial to do, of course. Just install any FSDT product and be sure no other software (antivirus or firewall is interfering).

I have no antivirus, just virus & threat protecion as well as firewall & network protecion

Then you DO have BOTH antivirus AND firewall.

. In this case i have them all disabled, also I excluded the folders and files where addon manager is suposed to be installed (prepared addons).

Then it should work, provided you did it correctly and, of course, you don't have *other* software that might behave like an antivirus that you haven't disabled or properly configured.

[Joggu]

- I have turned off the antivirus (Kaspersky) / exclude all flight sim Folders

Excluding the simulator folder won't do anything, as I've said in all my previous messages, you must exclude the Addon Manager folder instead.

With "all flight sim Folders" I mean that the Addon Manager is also exclude. So the problem is not only with the antivirus.

Regards
Joël

[louis1900]

Hi again, i know it's a bit frustrating for you and also for us that all the solutions you are giving us are not working. i just made all the possible solutions even from this post:

http://www.fsdreamteam.com/forum/index.php/topic,17484.msg122656.html#msg122656


i'll start by making very clear that i have never installed or had any 3rd party antivirus or firewall or software that behaves like it, also by saying that the virus and firewall that comes with the system are totally disabled, this is real time, cloud.delivered protecion, automatic sample submission, controlled folder access are all disabled. exlusions folder I have an attachment on that one, so you could see all the files exluded. Also firewall which are domain, private and public network are all disabled. 


I uninstalled and reinstalled all x64 x86 2005 2013 2015 VC++ . I restarted the system.  after that i checked all virus potection were still disabled as well as the firewall protections disabled. then i installed the standalone addon manager from your website (version 4.5.0.10), inmediately after, i run fsdt live update so i checked the bglmanx64.dll file with this   http://onlinemd5.com/  (there's another attachment on that one) , just to make sure any missing VC++ or anything else i also run the .MSI  located in here   Prepar3D v4\redist\Interface\FSX-SP2-XPACK\retail\lib\SimConnect.MSI , and finally tried to rerun p3d.

sadly it did not work.

what for me was very curious is that, when checking the folder where bglmanx64.dll is located ( in my case is located in here: C:\Program Files\Lockheed Martin\P3D V4 Addons\Addon Manager ) i found two files named very similar: bglmanx64.dll and the same file without X64 so just bglman.dll.

i tried to run p3d without one of those files and guess what? p3d started as usual when i removed bglmanx64.dll , but when opening the addons window after loading whatever scenario to fly, just SODE was displayed.

i honestly don't know what else i could do in order to have everything working as always.

for the record the standalone addon manager version is a bit different from bglmanx64.dll file, where addon manager  is 4.5.0.10 and bglmanx64.dll 4.5.0.17 

also for the record, when i removed the bglmanx64.dll file from the folder, i rerun the fsdt live update and it was introduced the file again, which means, if i'm not wrong, the system is not interfering with the update neither VC++ or antivirus and firewall.


i hope that this one would make it very clear and letting you know i'm doing the exact same thing you're giving us a solution that, appearently in my case, it's not working.