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FYI I found this out while finishing the BETA self-installer for the Milton's Aero Commander collection.....

Seems that it appeared my registry entries for FSX were entirely missing. As a result, the self-installer couldn't fill in the install path for FSX using the registry keys I entered.....also, of course, I coudn't find them so I had to ask my good ol' buddy ol' pal Fled for what they looked like on his system. Sure enough, he had 'em, I didn't.

So first, I attributed this to rumors I'd heard that after uninstalling the FSX Demo, which I did after having FSX installed so I could transfer settings and such easily, the Registry entries for BOTH FS9 and FSX are wiped or missing. Which does seem partially true.....the only registry settings left for FS9 are those which were placed there by Active Camera. The rest of them, which I am familiar with from referencing in install programs I've made, are just GONE.

Also, the FSX registry entry that I am sure should be there but is not (SetupPath) was also gone, there was no "10.0" section at all under the "Flightsim" key.

So what to do......

I did restore my FS9 EXE Path in the registry by uising the "FS9 Registry Repair Tool" at flight1.com:

http://www.flight1.com/view.asp?page=library

Next problem.... the FSX entries. I didn't want to reinstall and burn my second install/activation over this. Also I wasn't sure if running the "Repair" option from Disc 1 would fix it, and when something works (this hasn't been a real problem at all, until now) I HATE to "fix" it and screw it up!

So after doing some digging, I learned something VERY interesting to know....

FSX allows the app to be installed "For All Users" originally, and if this default is left alone upon install, the FSX registry values are actually written to HKEY_CURRENT_USER and not HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE as we are used to. All well and good, and I'd been looking in the wrong place all along.

HOWEVER - this poses a dilemma for future addon installers that will be looking for the setup path in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE....like my installers, and mostly everyone else's made with Install Creator, do.

So it's still a bit of a problem lurking down the road some rainy night after downloading something cool.

Here's the FIX: Free tool at "tweakfs.com":

http://tweakfs.com/news/free_files.htm

The FSX Registry Utility. "fsx_reg_utility.zip". Just tried it and it will search either registry location, show you what (if any) value is there, and ALSO allow you to set the path up in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE just to be on the safe side.

Not a bad tool...and glad I found it regardless because this little "feature" of FSX is very likely to trip some of us up one day, since the darn registry keys the installers need could be in either of two places!

Excellent find Stoopy and we're trying to see if we can host these files at CC. Some things are just TOO good to pass up..lol

Thankx Stoopy !!
Excellent find !!

fled

the level of expertise this flight sim community is second to none.