DCS.exe running, but fails to launch

[Nealius]

This has been happening very frequently since the 1.5.8 updates. After login and authorization, the sim fails to launch, however the DCS.exe process is still running. I have to kill the process and try again multiple times before finally getting the game to launch.

 

I have already tried a repair and it did not solve the problem.

 

The DCS log in my Saved Games folder always looks like this when it happens:

 

=== Log opened UTC 2017-12-10 03:16:21

00000.000 INFO VFS: Using 'Saved Games': "C:\Users\Neal's Beast\Saved Games"

00000.124 INFO DCS: DCS/1.5.8.12265 (x86_64; Windows NT 6.1.7601)

00000.124 INFO DCS: DCS revision: 132265

00000.124 INFO DCS: Renderer revision: 14969

00000.124 INFO DCS: Terrain revision: 14987

00000.124 INFO DCS: CPU cores: 4, threads: 4, System RAM: 16324 MB

00000.129 INFO EDCORE: (dDispatcher)enterToState_:0

00000.132 INFO Dispatcher: 2017/12/10 12:16 V1704040900

00000.140 INFO INPUT: Device [Keyboard] created deviceId = 1

00000.186 INFO INPUT: Device [saitek X52 Flight Controller {0883B940-1113-11e6-8009-444553540000}] created deviceId = 2

00000.186 INFO INPUT: Joystick created[saitek X52 Flight Controller {0883B940-1113-11e6-8009-444553540000}], ForceFeedBack: no

00000.188 INFO INPUT: Device [saitek Pro Flight Rudder Pedals {0883E050-1113-11e6-800A-444553540000}] created deviceId = 3

00000.188 INFO INPUT: Joystick created[saitek Pro Flight Rudder Pedals {0883E050-1113-11e6-800A-444553540000}], ForceFeedBack: no

00000.188 INFO INPUT: Device [Mouse] created deviceId = 4

00000.188 INFO INPUT: Device [TrackIR] created deviceId = 5

00000.189 INFO INPUT: Device [HeadTracker] created deviceId = 6

00000.248 INFO SOUND: loaded 1259 sdefs from "sounds\sdef"

00000.263 INFO SOUND: Using driver: xaudio27

00000.267 INFO SOUND: XAudio2: Using device ID:'{0.0.0.00000000}.{49dba4a2-cacc-4576-a865-039134763864}' Name:'Speakers (2- Realtek High Definition Audio)', channels: 2

00000.274 INFO SOUND: XAudio2: channel layout: Headphones/Stereo

00000.274 INFO SOUND: Found 3 available audio device(s):

00000.274 INFO SOUND: 0: ID: "{0.0.0.00000000}.{49dba4a2-cacc-4576-a865-039134763864}", Name: "Speakers (2- Realtek High Definition Audio)"

00000.274 INFO SOUND: 1: ID: "{0.0.0.00000000}.{916cb1ad-cf44-4414-a0b6-981e186cedc4}", Name: "Realtek Digital Output (2- Realtek High Definition Audio)"

00000.274 INFO SOUND: 2: ID: "{0.0.0.00000000}.{f9eddc6e-82c1-453b-98df-35d9f2e23bf3}", Name: "W2340-4 (NVIDIA High Definition Audio)"

00000.274 INFO SOUND: Using SSE FTZ/DAZ mode.

00001.833 INFO NET: Login success.

00003.585 WARNING LOG: 1 duplicate message(s) skipped.

00003.585 ERROR SECURITYCONTROL: Failed to parse manifest: mods/tech/476rangetargets/dcs_manifest.x86_64

00004.298 INFO Scripting: OBSOLETE mount_vfs_sound_path() used in ./CoreMods/aircraft/AJS37/entry.lua

00004.316 INFO Scripting: OBSOLETE mount_vfs_sound_path() used in ./CoreMods/aircraft/C-101/entry.lua

00004.338 INFO Scripting: OBSOLETE mount_vfs_sound_path() used in ./Mods/aircraft/AJS37/entry.lua

00004.344 INFO Scripting: PLUGINS START-------------------------------------------------

00004.348 INFO SOUND: loaded 1 sdefs from ".\coremods\aircraft\ajs37\sounds\sdef"

00004.349 INFO SOUND: loaded 15 sdefs from ".\coremods\aircraft\av8bna\sounds\sdef"

00004.353 INFO SOUND: loaded 9 sdefs from ".\coremods\aircraft\c-101\sounds\sdef"

00004.362 INFO SOUND: loaded 19 sdefs from ".\coremods\aircraft\m-2000c\sounds\sdef"

00004.365 INFO SOUND: loaded 10 sdefs from ".\coremods\aircraft\mig-21bis\sounds\sdef"

00004.370 INFO SOUND: loaded 8 sdefs from ".\coremods\aircraft\sa342\sounds\sdef"

00004.379 INFO Scripting: plugin: 476 targets skipped, not authorized

00004.385 INFO SOUND: loaded 136 sdefs from ".\mods\aircraft\ajs37\sounds\sdef"

00004.387 INFO SOUND: loaded 42 sdefs from ".\mods\aircraft\av8bna\sounds\sdef"

00004.389 INFO SOUND: loaded 44 sdefs from ".\mods\aircraft\m-2000c\sounds\sdef"

00004.393 INFO SOUND: loaded 109 sdefs from ".\mods\aircraft\mi-8mtv2\sounds\sdef"

00004.396 INFO SOUND: loaded 21 sdefs from ".\mods\aircraft\uh-1h\sounds\sdef"

00004.399 INFO Scripting: PLUGINS DONE--------------------------------------------------

00004.525 INFO Database: OBSOLETE mount_vfs_sound_path() used in ./CoreMods/aircraft/AJS37/entry.lua

00004.544 INFO Database: OBSOLETE mount_vfs_sound_path() used in ./CoreMods/aircraft/C-101/entry.lua

00004.567 INFO Database: OBSOLETE mount_vfs_sound_path() used in ./Mods/aircraft/AJS37/entry.lua

00004.572 INFO Database: PLUGINS START-------------------------------------------------

00004.582 INFO Database: plugin: 476 targets skipped, not authorized

00004.584 INFO Database: PLUGINS DONE--------------------------------------------------

00004.590 INFO SECURITYCONTROL: Loaded ./CoreMods/aircraft/AV8BNA\bin\AV8B_AI.dll

00005.377 INFO SECURITYCONTROL: Loaded ./Mods/aircraft/A-10C\bin\A10.dll

00005.512 INFO SECURITYCONTROL: Loaded ./Mods/aircraft/A-10C\bin\Cockpit_A10Common.dll

00005.580 INFO SECURITYCONTROL: Loaded ./Mods/aircraft/A-10C\bin\Cockpit_A10C.dll

 

 

It always ends at "Cockpit_A10C.dll"

[cthulhu68]

If you have any mods installed disable them and try another repair.

[Nealius]

I only had the 476th Range Targets mod installed. I uninstalled that with no improvement. Out of curiosity I uninstalled my A-10C module, and that appears to have fixed it for now.

 

Nope. Now the log ends with the line:

 

00004.596 INFO SECURITYCONTROL: Loaded ./CoreMods/aircraft/AV8BNA\bin\AV8B_AI.dll

 

I installed the Harrier at the same time I updated to 1.5.8, so I don't know if either of those could have any influence.

Edited December 10, 2017 by Nealius

[14_Punch]

Same here...only when I change my radio text to my center monitor load page is stuck at 10%...

[Nealius]

This is still happening. It happened three times today, and the last line of all three logs is the same:

 

00026.602 INFO SECURITYCONTROL: Loaded ./CoreMods/aircraft/AV8BNA\bin\AV8B_AI.dll

 

Is there some issue with the Harrier?

[BIGNEWY]

Remove all unofficial modifications and run a clean up and repair.

[Nealius]

I've already done that.....twice.

[Jetstreamsky]

Same issue, have removed all mods and run repair and only get a successful launch on rare occasions.

[Nealius]

Still happening to me as well. I ran a cleanup from CMD as instructed, then repaired. Still the same issue with the log ending on AV8B_AI.dll.

 

Do you have the Harrier too? I'm thinking that may be the problem.

[Nealius]

In the past three days this has happened 11 times. I have done a cleanup and repair three times now with no improvement.

[BIGNEWY]

what antivirus are you using?

 

Make sure DCS.exe and DCS_updater.exe are added to your antivirus allowed list.

 

It is the only thing I can think of that could be interfering with the process

[Nealius]

I am not running any 3rd party anti-virus. Windows Defender is off. Windows Firewall is off, but blocks incoming connections that are not approved. DCS have been added to the approved list with no changes.

Edited December 15, 2017 by Nealius

[Nealius]

This is now happening after updating my 1.5 Release version to 1.5.8 and installing the Harrier. If I can get the goddamn program to run I will try disabling all modules to narrow down which one is causing problems.

 

At this point I am getting pissed off because DCS fails to run 75% of the time.

 

Disabling all modules except the Harrier seems to work for now. DCS will not run with other modules enabled in addition to the Harrier.

Edited December 16, 2017 by Nealius

[Nealius]

...and it's still not working. This evening I have tried to run DCS in excess of 15 times, and it launched only three times! DCS logs show nothing abnormal. Windows event logs show no glaring errors. Running DCS as administrator doesn't work. Setting to run maximized doesn't work. Running in compatibility mode for Windows 7 doesn't work. Nothing has fixed it.

[BIGNEWY]

contact support

 

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

[Nealius]

Attempting a complete re-install of 1.5.8, deleted all associated Program Files/Saved Games DCS folders. If that doesn't fix it I'll send in a support ticket.

[Nealius]

I completely uninstalled all my versions of DCS, deleted all DCS folders from Program Files and Saved Games, cleaned my registry, then reinstalled 1.5.8 Release and 2.2 Open Alpha from scratch on a brand new SSD that I literally bought yesterday.

 

The problem persists. I submitted a support ticket 3-4 days ago but they just repeat the same "clean and repair" mantra. Is there any software or background processes, other than anti-virus, that are known to cause conflicts with DCS?

Edited December 26, 2017 by Nealius

[cthulhu68]

Do you have additional drivers from Nvidia installed? 3D Vision and Geforce Experience can cause problems.

[Nealius]

I removed GeForce Experience quite a while ago, long before the 1.5.8 update. The 3D Vision I'm not sure about. Would that show up in Add/Remove programs through the control panel, or is it something in the Nvidia control panel?

 

EDIT: Found it and uninstalled 3D Vision. Rebooted. Still having problems. Log file is always ending with that Harrier AI.dll, on both 1.5.8 and 2.2.

 

I should note that when this happens, DCS.exe is running as a Process, but does not appear under Applications in the Task Manager. The process is not working on the CPU (0% usage), but is taking up RAM (242,354kb).

Edited December 26, 2017 by Nealius

[Nealius]

Upgrading from Win7 SP1 to Win10 appears to have resolved this problem (for now).

[Svsmokey]

I had this same problem following the 1.58x update in Windows 10 . What solved it for me was running the 1.5 updater , which then opens DCS WORLD , instead of using the DCS WORLD executable directly . GO FIGURE!