Author Topic: Can't RELINK - GSX Pro and External USB drives  (Read 18645 times)

virtuali

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Can't RELINK - GSX Pro and External USB drives
« on: August 24, 2022, 11:40:55 am »
Some users reported a failure of the FSDT Installer to Link the GSX packages correctly, even if the installation seems to have been completed, resulting in the install button always indicating "Relink", with no reaction when clicked.

In all reported cases, user had their Community folder on an external USB drive formatted as exFat. Most external drives ships pre-formatted this way, so they can be used immediately on Windows, Mac or Linux, but on Windows, some features might be missing. In our case, when need to create a "Symbolic Link", which is the most modern kind of link, supported by Windows 10 and above, but it's no available on the exFat filesystem, they require NTFS.

The only possible solution is:

- Reformat the drive in NTFS.

This is the best solution long term, because NTFS it's a more reliable filesystem, which handles better file corruption or bad sectors, and it supports 100% of the Windows filesystem functions, so it's compatible with more Windows applications. Since on external drives, the chance of losing data due to a power loss ( cable disconnected, for example ) are even higher than on an internal drive, not using NTFS it's even more dangerous.

The issue is, most external drives come pre-formatted on factory in ExFat, so you can use them right away on PC, Mac and Linux without reformatting, but it means they are using the lowest common denominator system, which doesn't offer any of the reliability features of each OS.

There are some ways to change to NTFS without losing data, some have been explained here:

https://www.easeus.com/partition-master/convert-exfat-to-ntfs.html
« Last Edit: March 13, 2023, 10:15:48 am by virtuali »

Westtomfc

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Re: Can't RELINK - GSX Pro and External USB drives
« Reply #1 on: August 25, 2022, 08:43:45 pm »
How do I do the first method with the free Add-on linker as I am confused how to do it?

Westtomfc

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Re: Can't RELINK - GSX Pro and External USB drives
« Reply #2 on: August 25, 2022, 08:45:34 pm »
Please could you give me step by step instructions for the free Adon linker method
Thanks tom

Magic Man

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Re: Can't RELINK - GSX Pro and External USB drives
« Reply #3 on: August 25, 2022, 10:21:21 pm »

Westtomfc

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Re: Can't RELINK - GSX Pro and External USB drives
« Reply #4 on: August 26, 2022, 08:35:53 am »
Is it a problem and what should I do if I don't have the "\Addon Manager\MSFS\fsdreamteam-gsx-world-of-jetways" folder

virtuali

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Re: Can't RELINK - GSX Pro and External USB drives
« Reply #5 on: August 26, 2022, 06:23:41 pm »
Is it a problem and what should I do if I don't have the "\Addon Manager\MSFS\fsdreamteam-gsx-world-of-jetways" folder

This doesn't have anything to do with this thread, and instead it's caused by an incomplete install due to a bad downlead caused by server under stress during the first days of release.

The solution:

http://www.fsdreamteam.com/forum/index.php/topic,26933.0.html

Karim.K

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Re: Can't RELINK - GSX Pro and External USB drives
« Reply #6 on: August 28, 2022, 10:05:35 pm »
 I had it installed on C drive (which is NTFS type) while MSFS is in E drive (which is Exfat). After installation the installer would say "Not linked" rather than "installed". Even when you click to link it nothing happens. I uninstalled GSX and installed the addon manager on the E drive and still same issue. Also tried to manually symlink using command prompt as the link you provided but to no avail.

Another issue is the constant updating over and over again. But would appreciate more help on what else to do as nothing is working to get GSX linked to the community folder.

Please help in solving this issue.


virtuali

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Re: Can't RELINK - GSX Pro and External USB drives
« Reply #7 on: August 28, 2022, 10:10:40 pm »
I had it installed on C drive (which is NTFS type) while MSFS is in E drive (which is Exfat).

That's exactly what is supposed to happen: Symbolic links are not supported on exFat drivers. The top post of this same thread shows all possible solutions.

Karim.K

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Re: Can't RELINK - GSX Pro and External USB drives
« Reply #8 on: August 28, 2022, 11:08:09 pm »
Okay so say that the addon manager and both GSX files are on the C drive. Where do I create the simlink ? If I choose a junction or symlink to connect each folder to the community folder then it says that file already exists. Unless i want to create a linked file, then where do I place the linked file ?


virtuali

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Re: Can't RELINK - GSX Pro and External USB drives
« Reply #9 on: August 28, 2022, 11:18:09 pm »
Okay so say that the addon manager and both GSX files are on the C drive.

The Addon Manager is not the problem, the problem is your MSFS is on an exFat drive, and Symbolic links simply cannot be created there. I strongly suggest reformatting as NTFS, in addition to support all Windows features, it's a more robust filesystem, more resilient against file corruption.

Karim.K

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Re: Can't RELINK - GSX Pro and External USB drives
« Reply #10 on: August 28, 2022, 11:25:25 pm »
Thanks for the help ! Ill probably just format the drive. Any chance theres a way to change a ssd to NTFS without losing the data ?


virtuali

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Re: Can't RELINK - GSX Pro and External USB drives
« Reply #11 on: August 28, 2022, 11:31:46 pm »
Thanks for the help ! Ill probably just format the drive. Any chance theres a way to change a ssd to NTFS without losing the data ?

There might be utilities that allow to do this, but I can't say I tested it. Most of them convert from Fat32 to NTFS without losing data, those that convert from exFat to NTFS are harder to come by.

Don't you have something you can backup the whole thing on ? If you have, just copy the whole MSFS content ( the folder that contains Official and Community ) there, reformat the drive and copy it from the backup.

Westtomfc

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Re: Can't RELINK - GSX Pro and External USB drives
« Reply #12 on: August 29, 2022, 08:20:16 am »
What link should I use such as soft or hard or symbolic or junction. And I assume I leave the folders in he same place just link them in the community folder?

virtuali

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Re: Can't RELINK - GSX Pro and External USB drives
« Reply #13 on: August 29, 2022, 09:26:46 am »
What link should I use such as soft or hard or symbolic or junction. And I assume I leave the folders in he same place just link them in the community folder?

Hard links don't work for directories, only single files, so they can't be used.

Symbolic links and Junctions work only on NTFS.

Westtomfc

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Re: Can't RELINK - GSX Pro and External USB drives
« Reply #14 on: August 29, 2022, 09:52:03 am »
So or a hard drive thats exfat I should use symbolic or junction?
« Last Edit: August 29, 2022, 09:55:38 am by virtuali »