Tailgunner Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 You probably haven't seen my post in General Discussion, 'So where's my user profile?' No reason why you should. Lots of guys have tried to help, but my bad CTD problem involves a file used by developers in connection with FSX surface traffic - so just possibly one of you may be able to help? [This CTD is occurring since I used System Restore] When I start up FSX, this warning appears: "Living World settings in LWcfg.xml are invalid. Please delete LWcfg.xml from your hidden user profile." I click OK, the sim boots 100% - much faster than usual - and the opening screen is entirely normal apart from no revolving aircraft in the box. I click Fly Now, and it's CTD and error report. I start up again, but now there's a yellow triangle enclosing an exclamation mark, and no text. I click OK, and opening screen is as before. This time I select an aircraft before clicking Fly Now. Result: an empty blue screen. I've selected 'show hidden files,' and checked User Profiles, but LWcfg.xml isn't there, and a Windows search reveals no trace. If anyone could advise me how to find and delete this wretched file, I'd really appreciate it. PS: I'm not sure that deleting and reinstalling FSX would counter an exterior problem like this? Same with buying a new copy...? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tailgunner Posted July 22, 2008 Author Share Posted July 22, 2008 - here's the error message Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Lehmann (FSS) Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 I think the file you're actually looking for may be LWcfg.spb and can be found in Vista C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\FSX XP (I think) C:\Documents and Settings\<USER>\Application Data\Microsoft\FSX Just try renaming it to LWcfg.spb.bak first and see how you go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Venema Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 We don't touch Lwcfg.xml at all (and it's only created by developers who need to use it - the shipped default file is Lwcfg.spb; an .xml suggests you've installed some addon which added a custom extended version, usually in .xml format), and this error is the first I've seen of anything like it. Not sure how I can assist to be honest. A Google search found nothing on this either, so I expect this is a rare condition. Try Adrian's suggestion though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tailgunner Posted July 22, 2008 Author Share Posted July 22, 2008 Thank you both for such a swift reply. I tried Adrian's suggestion: result above, and error message as before. I'm devastated by this. Ancient and homebound, FTX is [was] the joy of my life. I'll do whatever it takes or costs to get it back. Being only semi-computer literate, I don't really know what that would be. I don't imagine that simply buying a new copy of FSX would help: presumably the bug [which cropped up after System Restore] would be waiting for it. So what's the surest way of getting rid of the bug? A new hard drive? Reinstalling XP? If you could put yourselves in my place for a moment, what action would you take? I'd be most grateful for advice... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holger Sandmann Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 Hi there, sounds frustrating indeed. Two things I'd try first: 1. Deactivate all add-ons in the scenery library menu. If you can't even get into that menu you can just place a copy of the default backup, in the main FSX folder, into the roaming folder where the active version resides. Rename the active version to *.cfg.bak first. Does the error/CTD remain? 2. Maybe the system restore reverted partially to an older version of FSX and thus you have an incompatibility. If you let us know which flavor of FSX you're running (RTM, SP1, SP2, or Acceleration) we can upload the correct version of the LWcfg.spb for you to try. If none of that works I'd uninstall FSX completely, along with registry checkers like CCC etc., and re-install. It does sound like an issue specific to FSX so I don't think you need to worry about hardware or XP at this point. Cheers, Holger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Lehmann (FSS) Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 I've also seen at least one person have success with this issue by putting the FSX disk in and doing a repair of the installation. However I don't know what affect this has on installed add-ons and you would more than likely have to re-install and service packs or Acceleration after it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolter van der Spoel Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 attached you'll find a zipped up version of my LWcfg.SPB I did a in depth search on my system and it did not come up with a LWcfg.xml it only found the LWcfg.SPB \ I have XPpro SP3 UK version installed I have: FSx SP1 Acceleration ~ should equal to SP2 in case you don't have Accelereation Hope it helps LWcfg.zip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tailgunner Posted July 23, 2008 Author Share Posted July 23, 2008 'Morning, all. AusFlightSim - I've tried Repair.No joy. Wolter - thanks for your spb. At 156.282, it's a bit larger than mine. See below. John may know if that's significant. John - as always, it's good to have you aboard. I've disabled all 130 addons in the library. [broke my heart to disable FTX!] Sadly, it was blue screen again. It's curious that everything except the plane-in-a-box appears to be OK. But try to fly - disaster.To answer your questions - I'm running FSX DeLuxe. SP1, Acceleration [but I deleted that earlier while trying to cure a jammed brake problem. I also used System Restore at that time, and I suspect this LWcfg.xml problem cropped up after that. I tried a much earlier System Restore yesterday, but no effect.] LWcfg.spb: The version in my root folder is 9/9/06, 152kb. The version in my Application data is also 152kb, but is at present cfg.bak, as AusFlightSim suggested. See Wolter's attachment above. So I've tried System Restore, Repair, cfg rebuild - running out of options ... If it comes to an uninstall - Presumably I enable the addons again first? What is the safest/most efficient method: addon/remove, or the FSX disc? Do both have the 'save games' option? Registry checkers: seems dangerous territory. I do use an Australian program, whose name I forget [AusLogic?] which combines registry,disc clean and defrag, and appears to work well. I don't know CCC. Do you recommend? What concerns me, obviously, is that even after re-install, that damned bug may just be waiting to reattach itself. My FSX has been knocked about so much, one way and anorher, that I fear it may be more vulnerable. Would it perhaps be sensible to buy a fresh copy of the sim? Though I suppose that I'd then lose all the files which 'save games' saves? Still, if it would increase the chances of defeating the bug ... Regards to all Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
normandean Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 Just a quick check. When you ran the repair for FSX did you also run the repair for Accleration as well? If not then you will always get an error message and CTD on start up. Norman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tailgunner Posted July 23, 2008 Author Share Posted July 23, 2008 I repaired Ascendance, then FSX. Later I deleted Ascendance. Which leads me to a curious thing, perhaps worth mention in case it has any relevance to LWcfg.xml. This whole saga kicked off when I found the 'brakes' warning on my screen was jammed. And in fact, all aircraft brakes were apparently locked. The only way to take off was to slew up. It was then, trying to remedy that, that I started Repair, System Restore, etc, in the course of which LWcfg.mxl appeared on the scene. Today, bereft of FTX, I dusted off the Fs9 untouched for many months - and blow me, when it fired up, there was the 'Brakes' sign, jammed as before, and the aircraft brakes were jammed as before. Only difference this time: after landing, the sign vanished and brakes worked. Any possible connection between brakes and Living World settings? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Harris Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 forgive me for being Captain~obvious here, are you sure you don't have a sticking "." Key on your keyboard? or sticking trigger on your joystick, peddles ? and in repairing, restoring, massaging FSX you have inadvertently somehow caused the LWcfg problem which is most likely caused due to bodgy FSX dvd repair funtion? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tailgunner Posted July 23, 2008 Author Share Posted July 23, 2008 No, I checked out key and control settings, all OK. I tried a new stick, no good. As for inadvertenrly causing present problem - I wouldn't be surprised. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holger Sandmann Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 Hi Peter, in my opinion, System Restore is useful only in very specific circumstances because as soon as you have done more than one manipulation it'll be difficult to disentangle even with the most clever restore code and thus it gives a false sense of security. In fact, I have system restore deactivated on my system. FSX's Repair option is similar in that it uses a brute force approach to restore FSX to its original state regardless of any changes that installation of add-ons may have made. Thus, if you have a bunch of complex add-ons installed, both scenery and aircraft, running FSX repair will almost certainly mess something up in regards to the add-ons. Uninstalling FSX and starting fresh may seem painful but it's probably better than and endless search for the cause of your CTDs. If you completely remove FSX from your HD then there's no reason to asume that the LWcfg.xml problem will show up again. And buying a new copy of FSX won't make any difference because the code on the DVDs are exactly the same. I'd uninstall FSX via the control panel entries. No need to re-activate your add-ons as you'll have to re-install them anyway (if you know of add-ons that are 100% contained to their respective folders then you can keep them as is without having to re-install them but if you're not sure then don't simply re-activate them after re-installing the sim because they may be incomplete). After uninstalling delete the remaining FSX folder tree or, if you're worried there's stuff remaining in the folders that you still need, give the directory a different name and/or move it to a different location as a backup. Re-boot your computer and then run your registry checker to ensure that all registry entries relating to FSX and add-ons got removed. I've been using CCC - http://www.ccleaner.com/ - for years but if you already have one installed there's no need to switch. Re-install FSX, SP1, and Acceleration but don't do it all at once. Run FSX at least once after each part to make sure no issues have crept in already. Then re-install your add-ons and aircraft in the same manner: never in bulk but rather one after the other and checking each time whether the scenery/aircraft works as expected. Good luck! Cheers, Holger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tailgunner Posted July 24, 2008 Author Share Posted July 24, 2008 Holger, many thanks indeed. Yours is truly the voice of reason! At risk of overtaxing your patience: MS Insider says : "When uninstalling FSX, users will be asked if they want to remove their 'games files ...' In principle I'd likke to keep them, but I'm not sure whether in my case it might be unwise. MS Insider doesn't specify whether this option to keep the files applies to ADD/REMOVE, the FSX disc, or both. Provided it's OK for me to use it, do I get that option if I follow your advice and axe FSX with ADD/REMOVE? All the best Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holger Sandmann Posted July 24, 2008 Share Posted July 24, 2008 Hi Peter, I assume that keeping the "games" files refers to any flight situations you may have added. Those would be in one of the roaming folders, in XP I believe it's in \Documents and Settings\[user]\My Documents\Flight Simulator X Files. Good idea keeping those but I would remove them from that folder and temporarily store them somewhere else so that you can delete all the roaming folders as well before re-installing (others are \Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Microsoft\FSX and \Documents and Settings\[user]\Application Data\Microsoft\FSX). I'm not sure whether both uninstall options give you that question regarding the games files. I'd assume so but you can make backups of those flight situation files prior to uninstalling to be safe. Also, as far as I know the FSX uninstall will remove only those files with the same date stamp listed in its installer data base. Since many add-ons touch default files you'll probably end up with lots of left-over files and folders. As I mentioned above, you can rename the main FSX directory (as well as the roaming folders) and move them to a storage location so that you can look through it later for specific files that you perhaps wanted to keep but didn't think of at the time of the uninstall; or purely for reference. Cheers, Holger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loosestping Posted July 25, 2008 Share Posted July 25, 2008 As above, I've had the odd gremlin in system. Before uninstalling I suggest you make a copy of your simObjects file (minus the commercial "installed" planes-they tend to have registry items etc, so to be safe reinstall those separately). That way you very quickly get all the planes back straight after the reinstall. You mention repurchasing FSX, don't do this, unless your disc has been rendered unreadable. Same for the commercial add ons (I also presume your have your original copy of these either on media or as a download file). I know it can be a space hog (mind you with 750Gig HDD's coming in under $100 these days, there's no excuse), but I've a dedicated "FSX add-ons" folder with all those files in it, just in case FSX goes belly up again in future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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