Problems after reinstalling Windows!

[imacken]

I had to reinstall Windows today, and after I restored from a backup, I had various issues with DCS.

Firstly, I had to reactivate my purchases, which was a bit of a pain, but most worryingly, even although I have only installed once before, I was being told I only have 1 activation left in some modules!!! Surely this can't be right.

What should I have done? Is there a way of deactivating an install?

Possibly more annoyingly, I seem to have lost my joystick configurations which I spent a lot of time on. I thought that they were stored in 'users\xxxx\saved games\DCS\config\input\A-10C\joystick', but obviously not as my original files were copied across during the backup restore and I have lost my configuration.

I still have all my original files. What ones should I be restoring?

Thanks, in advance.

[Rudel_chw]

Hi,

 

The problem arises from the fact that the new Windows assigns a Hardware ID number to your Joystick that its different from the one you had on your previous windows.

 

What you have to do is open in notepad++ the new joystick file that DCS generated on your users\xxxx\saved games\DCS\config\input\A-10C\joystick, then open the joystick file from your backup and copy the file contents from the backup file into the new file

 

... this will restore your previous key bindings onto the current DCS joystick file :)

 

Cheers!

[imacken]

Thank you so much for that. I would never have guessed that! All sorted.

However, my activation issue has got worse.

I looked at this page, and thought that would solve my issue. So, I removed all the key entries in the registry, and guess what? Far less removing the activation history, when I re-activated everything again, my activations have now gone down to zero!

Can someone please advise me what to do here?

[Rudel_chw]

Can someone please advise me what to do here?

 

For activations I believe the best option is to contact ED directly here:

 

https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/support/

[imacken]

Thanks, I've raised a ticket.

[Worrazen]

Unfortunately OEM/Microsoft backup features are best to be avoided, not just because things can be messed up and data you think was saved was not, but also because you won't get much help since most of the guru people out there afaik probably don't use these things, I don't, so I can't help, I can only help with clonezilla. Unless you find official tech support or the industry heads who have experience with these 1-2-3-easy-peasy backup "solutions".

 

The results that you're seeing are classic, and quite non surprising, no offence.

 

I remember back in the days when I started with PCs I used the microsoft XP "go back in time" thing, that's part of the "restore point" thing, it messed things up so much I never used it again. Every folder on the PC was doubled, double program files, double everything, and it didn't fix the problem, it's just wishful thinking, way more complex under the hood for this to work 100% and if it doesn't work 100% it's more problematic and it's therefore useless.

 

I basically do clonezilla full disk images every 1-2 months, or every time I change hardware, do major milestones with maintenance and program reinstalls, worked fine all the time and I had major filesystem corruption and still managed to save it, but it wasn't easy, I had to do a lot of digging while others who aren't as persistent were telling me "nothing you can do", well, Testdisk to the rescue. http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/Advanced_NTFS_Boot_and_MFT_Repair

 

See it's good to keep in mind how big deal OS maintenance is, most people will not bother and just reinstall an OS every few months like it's a piece of cake you toss around, it's not.

 

I'm getting a new GPU in 2 days and even tho DCS 2.5 isn't out yet, i'll make everything set to install it cleanly with the new GPU, that means deauthorizing all modules and DCS stuff, and completely uninstall it, save and backup the old configurations, and clean out the old configs in User Folder, AppData Local, AppData Roamin and ProgramData, these 4 folders are key to all such maintenance, and then uninstall the GPU drivers, reboot and do Clonezilla image, replace GPU, boot and install new drivers, and reinstall the game and then the game creates FRESH configuration, only then after the fresh config files are generated then you start getting back the old configs and that can be a timeconsuming manual process especially for such a deep game like a simulator, which is normal, you can't just copy the whole file over ... this is a very common and basic procedure for various programs.

 

Even if the GPU may not be part of the GUID, I think it's more with the MOBO, but just to be safe, some games I think they do take all the HW component GUIDs.

 

To make things easier, I won't bother installing 1.5 and 2.0 after I put the new GPU in, could take months before I get back to DCS, but I have other things I can do in the meantime no prob, even if for testing purposes, those findings may be already fixed and I could be wasting time, imo it's better to go with 2.5 and report bugs there for that release. My previous issues about lag may be totally gone because of the VRAM bottleneck being eliminated, then I'll see how much things get read from HDD on the 2.5 version.

Edited January 21, 2017 by Worrazen

[imacken]

Thank you for your detailed comments on backing up Windows. I have been using Windows since version 3 in the 90s, so I am well versed in the nature of backups, what to reinstall, etc. and am very anal about OS maintenance! At the moment, I use True Image 2017, and I feel it does an excellent job.

However, this thread is not about that, it is about the activation process of DCS.

While it was my fault to not de-auhorise all my DCS modules, I feel that the info supplied was not totally clear.

Looking here, it suggests that there is a solution to my exact problem, i.e. run the registry commands on that page. Unfortunately, editing the registry key entries had the opposite effect, i.e. it used up another activation!

So, I have no activations left for one module as all 3 have been used with re-installing Windows and using the recommended registry edit workaround. I know one is added every 30 days, but still.

[BIGNEWY]

Hi

 

when you use the registry fixes you will then use another activation to reactivate.

 

Essentially you should have deactivated before making hardware changes, ( not always possible for various reasons ) the registry fixes deletes the module entries in the registry so you are able to reactivate.

 

 

A pdf guide to activation's can be found in your DCS root folder

 

DCS World\Doc\DCS World Activation Guide EN.pdf

 

also some FAQ's here with the fixes https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/support/faq/564/#1780273

[imacken]

Thanks but I feel the info given on the page re registry hacks is confusing.

It states:

'These reg files can help you if you did an upgrade of PC without correct procedure of de-activation of the serial number.

Please run the reg file it will delete old (wrong) information about activations from your Windows registry.'

The implication is that running the reg files will resolve the issue, but in fact they make it worse by retaining the original number of activations and using up another! I don't see any purpose in these commands.

In my case, I installed once using activation 1 of 3, activated again after a Windows re-install (2 out of 3), ran the reg files hoping I would get my activation back, but no, it used up activation 3 of 3.

It was my fault for not de-activating, but as you said, it is not always possible. and ir wasn't in this case.

[Art-J]

The aforementioned Wiki entry might have been more thorough (please note, the page was opened for and written by community members, not the devs), but seriously, the only thing it literally implies is - the reg files will erase an activation from user's Win registry, and that's what they do. Once the activation is trashed, it's trashed and a new one will have to be used up.

 

These "hacks" are meant to be used when the registry data gets corrupted for one reason or another and the user wants to clean up the mess without the need for reinstalling both system and DCS (quite notorious issue for some DCS:MiG-21 owners for example, they use these "hacks" on regular basis). That didn't happen in Your case, as Your post Win-reinstall activation went smoothly it seems, so why did You decide to erase Your correct activations in the first place?

 

Mind You, DCS aircraft modules are "shipped with" 10 activations per each by default, but for payware campaign modules its only 3 per each. So If You're running out of activations for planes already, something's fishy indeed and You should send a support ticket. But if it's for the campaigns, then everything works as designed (1st acivation on Your old system, 2nd on the new one, and 3rd after trashing the 2nd).

[imacken]

The aforementioned Wiki entry might have been more thorough (please note, the page was opened for and written by community members, not the devs), but seriously, the only thing it literally implies is - the reg files will erase an activation from user's Win registry, and that's what they do. Once the activation is trashed, it's trashed and a new one will have to be used up.

I would disagree with you on what it 'implies'. It states quite clearly 'These reg files can help you if you did an upgrade of PC without correct procedure of de-activation of the serial number.' There is no ambiguity, is there?

 

These "hacks" are meant to be used when the registry data gets corrupted for one reason or another and the user wants to clean up the mess without the need for reinstalling both system and DCS (quite notorious issue for some DCS:MiG-21 owners for example, they use these "hacks" on regular basis). That didn't happen in Your case, as Your post Win-reinstall activation went smoothly it seems, so why did You decide to erase Your correct activations in the first place?

Cleaning up registry data mess is not mentioned on that page at all, and I didn't decide to erase my correct activations in the first place, I tried to resolve the issue of losing an activation unnecessarily and follow the 'advice' on that page. But, all that happened was that I made it worse.

 

Mind You, DCS aircraft modules are "shipped with" 10 activations per each by default, but for payware campaign modules its only 3 per each. So If You're running out of activations for planes already, something's fishy indeed and You should send a support ticket. But if it's for the campaigns, then everything works as designed (1st acivation on Your old system, 2nd on the new one, and 3rd after trashing the 2nd).

I'm not running out of activations on planes, I still have 8 out of 10 left, it's the spyware campaigns that are the issue with only 3. Why is that anyway?

 

I realise that the system is perfect and this is all my fault, so let's leave it at that.

[imacken]

Hi,

 

The problem arises from the fact that the new Windows assigns a Hardware ID number to your Joystick that its different from the one you had on your previous windows.

 

What you have to do is open in notepad++ the new joystick file that DCS generated on your users\xxxx\saved games\DCS\config\input\A-10C\joystick, then open the joystick file from your backup and copy the file contents from the backup file into the new file

 

... this will restore your previous key bindings onto the current DCS joystick file :)

 

Cheers!

 

Today, I have plugged my joystick, fcs and throttle into (possibly) different USB ports, and all my settings are lost again.

This is crazy! Do I have to edit, copy and paste my settings every time I plug my controllers in (to maybe a different port - I can't always remember which one they were previously plugged in to!)? Surely not.

[dburne]

Today, I have plugged my joystick, fcs and throttle into (possibly) different USB ports, and all my settings are lost again.

This is crazy! Do I have to edit, copy and paste my settings every time I plug my controllers in (to maybe a different port - I can't always remember which one they were previously plugged in to!)? Surely not.

 

It is not often I find myself needing to unplug my devices from their USB ports, but it is for this reason that when I do, I always make note of which port each device is plugged into and make sure that when I plug them back in I use the same ports.

 

A little bit of pain, but saves a lot of grief.

[cthulhu68]

I ended up putting different color tape on fl. stick and throttle and the USB's they plug into since having these and a wireless XBOX controller wreaks all kinds of havoc. I have to unplug stick and throttle to use wireless on some games. Plug and play my @$$!

[Art-J]

Imacken, for me, as a person who knows how the licensing system here works and had to clean up the activation eFF-ups of my MiG-15 and MiG-21 installations numerous times in last years, the entry in the wiki page is clear and to the point, while Your reasoning is puzzling and counter-intuitive. I can see, however, the page might be somehow confusing for new members like Yourself, who don't know how the activation data of DCS products is stored.

 

Still, looks like You've just used up 3 out of 3 activations per campaign in "ordinary" manner, so I wouldn't hold my breath for Your support ticket, as it all happened "by the book", withing constraints of the system. The good thing is, I seem to recall customers who used up all their activations, get one free replenished per month I believe, and sometimes can apply for a few extra in case of some 3rd party developers.

 

The question why ED decide to give only 3 activations per every payware campaign was a subject of many very heated debates over here. I certainly don't consider it "perfect" (far from it actually), but that's their business decision.