DCS has gone into lockdown

[Spinoni]

Because of work commitments I hadn't used my computer or been on DCS since the tail end of September 2020. Last week, when I finally got time to use my computer, I downloaded all the usual updates to Windows 10 etc. but had issues downloading those from DCS. It would stop downloading some 20 seconds into the downloads and come up with the message "DCS Updater 2.10.5.56 Timeout was reached - click OK". It would log me in off-line but nothing worked. I found some previous forum correspondence that advised to check Windows 10 Device Manager/Network Adaptors/Ethernet Connections/Properties/Power Management and untick the "Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power" box if ticked. I presumed one of the Windows 10 updates had done this so, I followed the advice and unticked the box. Internet links without any interruptions returned so I went back to the DCS Update tab and clicked on it. The updates downloaded without any interruption but there didn't appear to be anything near the quantity to download as had been there before when I had the download issues.

The problem I now have is that when I open DCS, initially everything looks to be OK on the Home page. The selection menu ("Instant Action", "Mission Editor" etc.) on the right hand side of the screen appears slightly greyed out and nothing happens when clicking on anything in that column with the cursor. If I go to the "Options" tab at the top of the screen it opens up on the Systems tab page. Clicking on the other tabs such as Misc or Controls does not open them. On the systems page selecting and clicking the cursor on any of the items does not work. The only button that works is the OK button and that just seems to move the "Chimney Smoke Density" slider to the left. I can't return to the Home page or do anything so have to exit DCS by using Task Manager and shutting DCS down.

I tried using "Repair DCS World" and it did do some bits of whirring and downloading?? but everything remained the same. I have checked my anti-virus software and firewall (turning them all off at one stage) but still the problem persisted.

I'm not very computer literate but is it possible that the download interruptions I originally had could have corrupted some of the key program files? Is there any possible fix to this problem or is it a case of having to uninstall all of DCS and then re-installing everything?

[Northstar98]

Looks very weird to me, especially given that you've tried a repair...

 

I wonder if there's anything in your DCS log that might give a clue - it can be found under your user -> saved games -> DCS (or DCS openbeta) -> Logs -> dcs

 

Usually (at least in my case), interrupting or cancelling a download has no effect - it just picks up where it left off with no issues.

[Flappie]

^^^^^ This ^^^^^

 

Also please attach your "\DCS World\autoupdate_log.txt" file.

[Spinoni]

I've attached the log but can't find any trace of the "autoupdate_log". I did a search but nothing comes up. Where should I be able to find it?

dcs.log

 

[Flappie]

Thank you. Please try this:

 

1/ Open "C:\Users\your_name\Saved Games\DCS\Config\options.lua"

2/ Find "["scaleGui"] = false," and change it to "["scaleGui"] = 1,"

3/ Save.

 

If this works, don't forget to set Fullscreen to false (it will spare you the startup bug), then manually set your Windows pagefile to 32 GB min / 32 GB max (you currently have a 4GB pagefile and DCS needs way more).

[pieroluigi.64]

buonasera a tutti, ho un problema con dcs da un paio di giorni e non mi sono reso conto di come sia successo. aprendo l'editor per creare una missione, al momento di inserire il velivolo mi sono accorto che ha tolto l'f14 dall'elenco, qualcuno mi riesce a dare una dritta? grazie in anticipo

[Spinoni]

Before I try this, I've noticed that I have two folders for programs. One is titled "Program Files" and the other is "Program Files (x86)". I seem to recall (when the computer was built for me) the first one was for 32GB and the second one was for 64GB. DCS World was saved in the "Program Files" folder for some reason. Could this be what is behind the problem? Excuse my computer ignorance but, I presume it wouldn't just be a case of me copying the DCS folder into the "Program Files (x86) folder?

[Flappie]

Before I try this, I've noticed that I have two folders for programs. One is titled "Program Files" and the other is "Program Files (x86)". I seem to recall (when the computer was built for me) the first one was for 32GB and the second one was for 64GB. DCS World was saved in the "Program Files" folder for some reason. Could this be what is behind the problem? Excuse my computer ignorance but, I presume it wouldn't just be a case of me copying the DCS folder into the "Program Files (x86) folder?

Actually, it's the opposite:

• 64 bits programs are stored in "Program Files"
  
• 32 bits programes are stored in "Program Files (x86)"
  

Your DCS is stored in the right folder.

[Flappie]

buonasera a tutti, ho un problema con dcs da un paio di giorni e non mi sono reso conto di come sia successo. aprendo l'editor per creare una missione, al momento di inserire il velivolo mi sono accorto che ha tolto l'f14 dall'elenco, qualcuno mi riesce a dare una dritta? grazie in anticipo

Ciao, ti risponderò in messaggistica privata. Per favore non dirottare questo thread.

 

[Spinoni]

Thanks for the help that you are providing but, I'm going to sound really stupid now. How do I open the the "options.lua" file? It is only 5Kb in size and when I try to open it Windows 10 asks me how I want to open it and gives me the option of looking for an app in the Microsoft Store?

 

If I do change it to ["scaleGui"] = 1, and it works, you say don't forget to change Fullscreen to false. Where exactly is that?

 

I did manage to find the Windows page file by following the link you provided. I currently have 4864Mb allocated for all drives. Do I select the C-Drive, where I have the DCS Program installed, and do I type in 256000Mb which is the same as the 32GB you suggest? I note that my C-Drive has 157357Mb available. I presume that this won't matter?

[Flappie]

It's OK. :)

1. Open the notepad program (press Windows key and type "notepad" to find it).
   
2. Drag and drop the options.lua file into the notepad window. You should now be able to see and edit its content. Save the modifications, close notepad, then launch DCS.
   

scaleGui and fullscreen are both parameters stored in the options.lua file, but I'd like you to first test the scaleGui modification alone.

 

We'll deal with the pagefile once your GUI issue gets fixed. Just know that a pagefile needs free space on a fast storage drive (preferably an SSD, NVMe, or M2 disk).

[Spinoni]

I changed ["scaleGui"] = false, to ["scaleGui"] = 1, saved it and closed Notepad and then opened DCS. Unfortunately, none of the symptoms appear to have changed and I had to close it by using Task Manager. The scaleGui modification had saved properly because after I left DCS I checked it again in Notepad.

[Flappie]

OK. Then we'll try something less subtle, but often effective:

1. Rename your "C:\Users\your_name\Saved Games\DCS" folder into "DCS_backup".
   
2. Launch DCS. It will create a new DCS folder containing default settings. See if you can reproduce your issue.
   

If your issue gets fixed, you'll need to copy your former "Saved Games\DCS_backup\Config\Input" folder and paste it over the new one to replace it, in order to retrieve your keybidings.

[Spinoni]

That seems to have got things basically working again. Many thanks. There's now some light at the end of the tunnel.

 

When I launched DCS it requested all my passwords etc. but once the Home page came up, everything seemed to be in order. The Options allowed me to go into the various tabs for sound, controls etc. and the Mission Editor, Quick Mission etc. on the right hand side all responded when I clicked on them with the cursor. I opened Black Sea Free flight and it loaded. A lot of the settings will need some tinkering and many of the controls will need re-assigning - the rudder pedals now control the throttle.

 

I do have a few more stupid questions. I have not yet copied and pasted the former Saved Games\DCS_backup\Config\Input folder from the now renamed DCS_backup over to the new DCS folder. You say to paste it over the new one in the new DCS folder. But when I go into the new DCS\Saved Games\DCS\Config folder there is no Input folder to be replaced. The only folder in the new DCS\Saved Games\DCS\Config folder is OptionsPresets which doesn't appear to have anything in it? I'm not sure what keybindings are but, if I do eventually copy and paste it across to the new DCS folder, will this restore some of the settings and missions that I used to have and perhaps some of the control assignments? Once I do replace the Input folder, should I leave the old folder I renamed DCS_backup alone or should I delete it?

 

A final question. When I launched DCS it only filled a small part of my monitor screen. I couldn't see anything obvious to click on to fill the screen. I'm sure I had this problem a few years ago and solved it but can't remember what I did?

 

Many, many thanks for your help again.

[Flappie]

You're welcome. :thumbup:

 

I guess the Input folder appears as soon as you start customizing your controls (I call them keybindings, sorry), but don't bother. Just copy the backup "Input" folder into the new "Config" folder, and it will work: you will get all your keybindings back.

 

Simply set the definition of your screen ingame, and it should fill up your monitor the next time you restart DCS. You shouldn't need to use the Fullscreen option (and you don't want to: it causes DCS startup to fail with a black screen sometimes).

[Spinoni]

Brilliant. Thanks.

 

Most of the original settings are now back as they were. Should I leave the DCS folder that I renamed DCS_backup as it is or do I need to delete it? Also, is it now worth my setting the Windows Page file to 32Gb as you suggested earlier and, if so, could you answer the questions I previously had about this please? They were:

 

I currently have 4864Mb allocated for all drives. Do I select the C-Drive, where I have the DCS program installed, and do I type in 256000Mb which is the same as the 32GB you suggest? I note that my C-Drive has 157357Mb available. I presume this won't matter?

 

My computer has 32GB of RAM. The C-Drive where DCS is installed and two others I have are all SSD so I should be OK to save a page file to the C-Drive. Is there any particular folder or file where it needs to be saved?

 

Many thanks again and I can now look forward to getting back into the air.

[Flappie]

If you have retrieved your customized controls in DCS, you can now remove the "DCS_backup" folder, yes.

If you have no performance issues, it's better to leave Windows handle the pagefile size automatically (which is the default setting).

 

Here's a small brief about pagefile anyway. Its goal is to ease data transfer between your disks and your RAM. It holds everything Windows thinks will be asked for by the RAM in the next seconds/minutes/hours. That's why it needs to be stored on one of your fastest drives. Now, a pagefile has a min and a max size, which means if you set a min size of 256 GB, the pagefile will at least occupy these 256 GB, and you don't want this! Usually, Windows usually gives a pagefile size comprised between 4 GB and your total RAM quantity. Mine is automatically set to 32 GB, but a lot of PCs have a 4 GB pagefile. I repeat: if you don't have performance issues, you should leave your pagefile as it is.

Edited November 15, 2020 by Flappie

[Spinoni]

Thanks for the explanation. I generally have OK performance but I don't have the settings at maximum on DCS -sliding scales in general are set around 70% and everything seems to operate relatively well. However, if I fly at around 1,500' I presume the frame rate drops slightly so that the motion does have a hint of stutter. At higher altitudes I can also get the distant scenery appearing in blocks as I move towards it - is this called rendering? As I say, nothing drastically wrong but it would be nice if it didn't do it.

 

I had my computer built for me a couple of years ago. It has an intel Core i7-9700k CPU @ 3.60 GHz, 32 GB of RAM and 2x NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Ti which I was told should be more than sufficient to get good quality visuals on DCS. The only reason I questioned about the Page file is that you initially drew it to my attention and a number of videos on the internet of DCS posted by users seem to be of slightly better quality in terms of detail etc. than I currently get. Of course, they may have better hardware set-ups and certainly will have more knowledge of the workings than I will ever have. If you think it's not worth me messing with it then I'll take your word for it and leave well alone.

 

Thank you for all the help you have provided as you have certainly resolved all the issues I initially had around getting DCS to work. I'm still puzzled as to what, other than not loading it for about a month, may have caused the problem in the first place.

[Flappie]

Wow! You have a hell of a PC, indeed! What is your moitor definition? Do you play in VR? In my opinion, you should be able to push all sliding scales to the max.

 

Let's try it then:

• Open the Start Search, type in “env”, and choose “Edit the system environment variables”.
  
• Click the first “Parameters…” button, under Performances.
  
• Click "Advanced", then "Modify...".
  
• Uncheck "Automatically manage paging file size for all drives".
  
• Ensure your fastest disk has enough free space (let's say 80 000 MB), then select it in the list.
  
• Check "Custom size".
  
• Set Initial size to 32768 MB.
  
• Set Maximum size to 32768 MB.
  
• Click OK.
  

 

About rendering, set your distant view to "Extreme" in the DCS graphics options.

[Spinoni]

I've just bought an ultra wide 34" screen monitor (3440 x 1440) which I haven't really yet tested on DCS. I have and do occasionally use VR but the definition/resolution?? isn't as good as a monitor so I don't use it as a first choice.

 

I'm sorry to be a pain but I got sort of lost at your second bullet point. If I type in "env" it takes me to "Edit the system environment variables" as you describe and when I click on that I find myself in "System Properties" and in the "Advanced" tab. There is a "Performance" section within "Advanced" with a "Settings" button but, if I click on that it takes me to "Performance Options". The first tab in there is "Visual Effects" with a button highlighted against "Let Windows choose what's best for my computer" - do I leave that as it is? The second tab is "Advanced" with a section called "Virtual Memory" which states "Total paging file size for all drives: 4864Mb" and provides a "Change" button. Clicking this button then brings up the window you have attached in your post. I think that is where I'm supposed to be albeit via a possibly slightly different route. I didn't see "Modify..." anywhere en-route so I just want to check I am in the right place before changing anything.

 

Can I also just clarify that I can select any SSD disk for the Page file and that it doesn't have to be the disk that the DCS program is on. One of the SSD disk drives that I have only has the DCS reference guides and instruction books on it so that would presumably the best place to save it?

[Flappie]

The second tab is "Advanced" with a section called "Virtual Memory" which states "Total paging file size for all drives: 4864Mb" and provides a "Change" button. Clicking this button then brings up the window you have attached in your post. I think that is where I'm supposed to be albeit via a possibly slightly different route. I didn't see "Modify..." anywhere en-route so I just want to check I am in the right place before changing anything.

This. When you see the window pictured above, you're in the right place.

 

Can I also just clarify that I can select any SSD disk for the Page file and that it doesn't have to be the disk that the DCS program is on. One of the SSD disk drives that I have only has the DCS reference guides and instruction books on it so that would presumably the best place to save it?

I assume it has plenty of free space, and it's fast since it's an SSD. So yes, excellent choice.

[Spinoni]

Thanks for all of your help. I'm most grateful. I've set the Page file to 32GB and everything is now more or less up and running and it does seem to be a little bit smother than I've had before. I've now just got to fine tune some of the audio settings etc. to get back to where I was before all of the issues surfaced.

[Flappie]

You're welcome. Fly safe! :pilotfly: