Author Topic: GSX ground service (build 3.6.7) causes MSFS 2020 to crash  (Read 1873 times)

conrad70

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GSX ground service (build 3.6.7) causes MSFS 2020 to crash
« on: August 07, 2025, 02:15:23 pm »
Hello
since last update of MSFS (build 1.39.9.0) I could not start MSFS anymore. I have contacted MSFS support and they suggested me to bring MSFS to Vanilla state by removing all third party application. So I removed PMDG, FENIX, GSX Pro. I, then, reinstall them one by one and launched MSFS again. With PMDG and Fenix I have no issue using MSFS but when I install GSX ground service again, MSFS crashes. I've now removed GSX ground service and use MSFS without it. I'm waiting for your solution and suggestion to this annoying issue
Tx

virtuali

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Re: GSX ground service (build 3.6.7) causes MSFS 2020 to crash
« Reply #1 on: August 07, 2025, 06:40:28 pm »
GSX cannot crash the sim, this has been discussed so many times on the forum, maybe you are being mislead by having found something related to the Couatl engine in event viewer and are assuming that, just because you see it crashed, it was the cause of your MSFS crash, but it's not.

The couatl engine, as an .EXE, doesn't have ANY access to the Flightsimulator.exe process, meaning it cannot possibly cause a crash. This is granted by the OS at the lowest level, and programs that don't attach to a process like debuggers ( and Couatl surely doesn't ) and/or are not lower level services or drivers, simply cannot crash other apps.

On the other hand, when Flight simulator crashes for any other reason, it will abruptly disconnect its communication with the Couatl program, which is waiting for a proper "quit" command ( which hasn't arrived, because the sim crashed ), to exit cleanly.

So, what really happened here, is that MSFS crashed for another completely unrelated reason, and it MADE Couatl crash too, because of the unexpected disconnection, and you are being mislead assuming Couatl has something to do with it, because you are seeing it referenced in the event viewer.

As discussed in this other post:

https://www.fsdreamteam.com/forum/index.php/topic,29540.msg191735.html#msg191735

If you checked the timestamps of the Event, it's likely you'll see that Flightsimulator.exe crashed BEFORE Couatl64_MSFS.exe, which means it was the simulator that made GSX crash, not the other way around.

conrad70

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Re: GSX ground service (build 3.6.7) causes MSFS 2020 to crash
« Reply #2 on: August 07, 2025, 08:06:59 pm »
I'm not an expert on this matter but I simply reported what I repeatly observed. As I wrote in my original post, MSFS support asked me to return MSFS to Vanilla state and add the third party apps one by one. Here are the results:

1. PMDG no issue
2. Fenix no issue
3. GSX Pro, MSFS crashes

I have also changed the order of adding them with no difference. Everytime I add GSX Pro MSFS crashes. An pls note that I've been using GSX for over 1 year with 0 issue.
MSFS support told me to contact GSX support, however they only offer forum discussion
I'm upset as I paid this app and I cannot use anymore.

kevinbebek

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Re: GSX ground service (build 3.6.7) causes MSFS 2020 to crash
« Reply #3 on: August 11, 2025, 01:34:20 pm »
I am experiencing the same thing on MSFS 2024.

Have used GSX without issue for years.  2 months now, the only flights I can complete are the ones that GSX is not installed.   Also stripped back the sim to basic and installed one by one.  Only time the sim crashes is when GSX is installed.

Fenix - No CTD
FSLabs - No CTD
PMDG - NO CTD
ini Builds - NO CTD
Various scenery - NO CTD

GSX fresh install - CTD every time.  Only observation is that when GSX is installed,  during the opening of the program MSFS tool bar flashes red, which I understand to be a corrupt or incorrectly loaded file present.   

virtuali

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Re: GSX ground service (build 3.6.7) causes MSFS 2020 to crash
« Reply #4 on: August 11, 2025, 06:44:58 pm »
Have used GSX without issue for years. 

Ok, so there wasn't any need for that previous explanation, because you know GSX cannot crash the sim.

Quote
Only observation is that when GSX is installed,  during the opening of the program MSFS tool bar flashes red, which I understand to be a corrupt or incorrectly loaded file present. 

Please clarify this, because I never see the toolbar flashing red.

conrad70

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Re: GSX ground service (build 3.6.7) causes MSFS 2020 to crash
« Reply #5 on: August 12, 2025, 01:03:54 am »
I believe It is totally useless to keep saying that “GSX does not cause MSFS to crash” as several users are experiencing the same issue only when GSX is installed. That means that the CTD is somehow related to GSX. MSFS clearly wrote that GSX showes a compatibility issue with latest SU 16 of MSFS 2020 and that GSX has to solve its issue. So I suggest you start working with MSFS to solve the issue rather than keep defending a position that, ar the moment, doesn’t allow several GSX customer to use the sim .