FS2004 crashing out of no where

[DiveBomber189]

I uninstalled FS2004 to clear up some space and get rid of many addons that I never used (including the 9.1 patch). When I reinstalled it, I started flying like i always do, but then it crashed after a few minutes. It forced me to restart FS2004, so I did. And the same thing happened. This was without any addons or the patch.

When I uninstalled it, I used Add/Remove Programs, and after that, I cleared out and deleted the FS2004 folder and the files in the My Documents section. This should have erased any trace of FS2004 ever being on my computer, unless there's some hidden folder I don't know about. It also CtD when I try the flight lessons. Everything worked just fine before the uninstall and I could fly perfectly. I know I probably shouldn't have uninstalled it, but that's past, what can I do to fix it?

Specs:
AMD Athlon 3000+ 2.2ghz
GeforceFX 5200 128MB
1024 Ram
(no spyware or viruses according to spybot S&D, Norton Antivirus, and Ad-aware)

[Nav]

Might have been better to uninstall the orthodox way - by using the 'Uninstall' option on Disk One.  Also, did you reinstall using the disks?

The other question is what you mean by 'clear up some space'.  Presumably uninstalling and reinstalling FS2004 didn't affect your free space - so did something else you did have the effect of reducing it?  I know FS2004 needs a lot of free space/memory to operate properly.

Maybe worth uninstalling again and then reinstalling (on the C: drive) using the disks only, anyway.   That ought to work; hope so, anyway.

[dave3cu]

Just a guess here, but.......

Did you follow the FS9.1 update instructions for removal.

From FS9UpdateReadme.rtf (in FS2004 main folder).........

To uninstall Flight Simulator 2004: A Century of Flight after installing the update, you must first uninstall the update, and then uninstall Flight Simulator

If not, my guess would be there are registry entries, or other artifacts  left that could cause problems.

If this be the case, you might try to install the 9.1 update and then uninstall it properly, or if you run XP you could try finding a restore point from before you installed the 9.1 update.

Cheers,
Dave

[jordonj]

When I first tried to do the FS9 patch, it hung on me.  I could not uninstall it, reinstall it (the patch) and FS9 just hung on me.

I tried everything else I could.  This included restoring a backup of FS9.  It did work when I did so, but then FS9 would not recognize new scenery or planes.  I had to bit the bullet and do a full re-format, re-install...

Such is the price of tinkering.

[Nav]

Gosh, dave, thanks for that tip!

I just checked my own setup (being careful for once), and my 'uninstall' list didn't include the update.

Divebomber, the update uninstall program is 'buried' in the FS2004 files.  If you open them up in Windows Explorer (Program Files, Microsoft Games, FS9), you will eventually find not one but TWO logos showing a bridge - run the mouse over the lower one, and it comes up as 'FS9 Update Uninstall'.

I'm as sure as I can be that dave's advice is correct.  Hope his solution works!  :)

[garymbuska]

Not sure if it will help or not but try system restore.
Just go back before the patch was ever installed. But BEWARE you will loose anything you might have added since that time.

[DiveBomber189]

Thanks a lot for everyone's responses. I don't really have the time to reinstall FS2004 at the time, so I'll try during the weekend (hopefully I won't be as busy as last weekend).

[DiveBomber189]

I installed FS9 and the patch, then uninstalled it properly... I guess the only choice left is to format my whole computer  :( I knew I shouldn't have cleared those old restore points.... Thanks again for everyone's help