Marianas not loading

[russelldav]

I downloaded the Marianas map from Steam and it does not load. Anytime I select the map for a mission / flight, nothing happens - I just get returned to the home screen without any error. Any ideas? I have DCS World 2.7.3

 

[Northstar98]

Welcome to the forums!

 

Firstly, have you tried a full repair? I'm unsure how you do it on steam, but if the shortcut to "DCS World Repair" isn't in the start menu, you can use the command prompt (cmd.exe) to do the same thing, and I can detail how exactly you'd go about doing that.

 

Secondly, if you look in your user area -> saved games -> DCS -> logs, there should be a text document called DCS, if you can attach that into your reply it might give us some clues.

[russelldav]

Here is the log file. Thanks for the offer to try and help resolve this!

dcs.log

[Northstar98]

2 hours ago, russelldav said:

Here is the log file. Thanks for the offer to try and help resolve this!

dcs.log 39.92 kB · 4 downloads

 

Thanks, and no problem!

 

It looks like there's a fair few errors relating to map objects whose models DCS couldn't open for some reason.

 

So next up, have you tried a full repair? It might be that the files are corrupted, a full repair should check the files and redownload them as necessary and hopefully that will resolve the issue.

 

Let me know if you need help figuring out how to run a repair, I'm not sure if steam has the same shortcuts on the start menu that the regular install does, but if it doesn't it isn't too tricky to do it via the command prompt.

[russelldav]

I think I will need those terminal commands. Steam has a file integrity check, which passes first time without issue. There are no start menu shortcuts as you launch the game from Steam.

[Northstar98]

Just now, russelldav said:

I think I will need those terminal commands. Steam has a file integrity check, which passes first time without issue. There are no start menu shortcuts as you launch the game from Steam.

 

Okay, no worries. Firstly, is your DCS installation in your C drive? It'll be in the same place as your Steam folder, which should be inside Program Files.

 

If it is, open up cmd.exe and type "cd\" then press enter, exactly as typed, without the speech/quotation marks.

 

You should then see C:\>

 

Then, you need to point it to the DCS bin folder, inside the main DCS folder, it'll be found inside your Steam -> steamapps -> common folder. So you'll need to type "cd Program Files\Steam\steamapps\common\DCS World\bin" and then press enter (the folder path may be different, I don't have the steam version so I don't know if it's steam -> steamapps -> common -> Eagle Dynamics -> DCS World, or just steam -> steamapps -> common -> DCS World).

 

You should see C:\Program Files\Steam\steamapps\common\DCS World\bin>

 

Then simply type "DCS_updater.exe repair" and then press enter.

 

The updater should launch and after a brief loading period it should show you the DCS repair dialogue, you need to select "check all files (slow)" then press repair, it may take a while to complete, but it should check all files, making sure they all match with those on ED's servers.

[MAXsenna]

 
Okay, no worries. Firstly, is your DCS installation in your C drive? It'll be in the same place as your Steam folder, which should be inside Program Files.
 
If it is, open up cmd.exe and type "cd\" then press enter, exactly as typed, without the speech/quotation marks.
 
You should then see C:\>
 
Then, you need to point it to the DCS bin folder, inside the main DCS folder, it'll be found inside your Steam -> steamapps -> common folder. So you'll need to type "cd Program Files\Steam\steamapps\common\DCS World\bin" and then press enter (the folder path may be different, I don't have the steam version so I don't know if it's steam -> steamapps -> common -> Eagle Dynamics -> DCS World, or just steam -> steamapps -> common -> DCS World).
 
You should see C:\Program Files\Steam\steamapps\common\DCS World\bin>
 
Then simply type "DCS_updater.exe repair" and then press enter.
 
The updater should launch and after a brief loading period it should show you the DCS repair dialogue, you need to select "check all files (slow)" then press repair, it may take a while to complete, but it should check all files, making sure they all match with those on ED's servers.

Don't think that works for Steam. One of the reasons Skatezilla's Launcher doesn't support DCS on Steam.

OP might wanna check his Anti-Virus, and exclude Steam/DCS folders.

Sent from my MAR-LX1A using Tapatalk

[Northstar98]

3 minutes ago, MAXsenna said:

Don't think that works for Steam. One of the reasons Skatezilla's Launcher doesn't support DCS on Steam.

 

Oh, does it not?

 

Does steam not use the default DCS_updater.exe to handle repairing? Or is DCS_updater.exe just not present?

 

So far OP's issue seems to be that various models needed for the Marianas map can't be opened, so I've got a feeling that running a full repair would redownload those files and solve the issue, I'm not sure if steam's own verify integrity checker would catch this (depends on whether it just checks modified date or whether it actually inspects the contents - the full repair of DCS should do the latter).

Edited August 15, 2021 by Northstar98

[MAXsenna]

3 minutes ago, Northstar98 said:

 

Oh, does it not?

 

Does steam not use the default DCS_updater.exe to handle repairing? Or is DCS_updater.exe just not present?

 

So far OP's issue seems to be that various models needed for the Marianas map can't be opened, so I've got a feeling that running a full repair would redownload those files and solve the issue, I'm not sure if steam's own verify integrity checker would catch this (depends on whether it just checks modified date or whether it actually inspects the contents - the full repair of DCS should do the latter).

 

Pretty sure Steam doesn't use the updater, and thus cannot do the ordinary troubleshooting.
This is one of the reasons I don't use Steam for DCS.

 

Yeah, something's broken with OP's installation.

 

[russelldav]

I can confirm there is no executable file with that name in the directory - is that a Steam "feature"? Any way to repair properly using Steam? Or just uninstall and reinstall?

 

The only applications in 'bin' are:

 

• DCS
• edCefCrashpadProcess
• edCefRenderProcess
• edm_tool
• luae
• ModelViewer2

 

Edit: Steam repair completes but makes no difference? Time to uninstall and reinstall? How can I save my joystick mappings

Edited August 15, 2021 by russelldav

[MAXsenna]

I can confirm there is no executable file with that name in the directory - is that a Steam "feature"? Any way to repair properly using Steam? Or just uninstall and reinstall?
 
The only applications in 'bin' are:
 

• DCS
• edCefCrashpadProcess
• edCefRenderProcess
• edm_tool
• luae
• ModelViewer2

 
Edit: Steam repair completes but makes no difference? Time to uninstall and reinstall? How can I save my joystick mappings

Your joystick mappings and keybinds are stored in Saved Games\DCS.xxx\Config\input or something like that. They will not be touched by an un-installation or re-installation.
Did you check your Anti-Virus settings?
If you're gonna re-install (I really don't see a point if repair didn't fix it), you might as well leave Steam behind and migrate to Standalone.

Sent from my MAR-LX1A using Tapatalk

[russelldav]

59 minutes ago, MAXsenna said:

Your joystick mappings and keybinds are stored in Saved Games\DCS.xxx\Config\input or something like that. They will not be touched by an un-installation or re-installation.
Did you check your Anti-Virus settings?
If you're gonna re-install (I really don't see a point if repair didn't fix it), you might as well leave Steam behind and migrate to Standalone.

Sent from my MAR-LX1A using Tapatalk
 

I’d agree except I purchased a lot of add-ons in Steam

[MAXsenna]

I’d agree except I purchased a lot of add-ons in Steam

Good for you that they are not wasted then.
One can transfer from Steam to Standalone (you can still use them on Steam, they don't get removed), but not from Standalone to Steam. So you can also keep purchasing modules on Steam, if you like them all in one place, even though ED gets less money.
Just link your Steam account to your ED user account, and you're good to go.

Sent from my MAR-LX1A using Tapatalk

[russelldav]

Ok so it’s best to switch away from Steam then - if I can keep my addons, I’m happy to try that 

[MAXsenna]

Ok so it’s best to switch away from Steam then - if I can keep my addons, I’m happy to try that 

Yes, you can keep all your modules.

Sent from my MAR-LX1A using Tapatalk

[russelldav]

Ok a bit of an update. I migrated to the standalone version. Did a successful repair and I am still getting a crash loading Marianas. Here is the latest logfile.

 

The process I followed to ditch Steam is below for info. This all worked fine.

 

Edit: I've also tried a few other aircraft and maps I downloaded and have had lots of crashes and errors. Is it worth a total uninstall and reinstall? I can't get The Channel map to run either.

 

1. Download installer from ED
2. Untick "download" at end of setup
3. Copy across files from Steam to Standalone
4. Change STEAM to ED in retail.cfg
5. Run Repair DCS World (don't delete any files yet)
6. Start the game, activate the modules you want, and run Repair DCS World again

dcs.log

Edited August 17, 2021 by russelldav

[Northstar98]

Still looks like the same problem files cannot be loaded.

 

I was going to suggest deleting the problem files and running the full repair again as it should rebuild them, but I'm not sure where they are.

[MAXsenna]

Still looks like the same problem files cannot be loaded.
 
I was going to suggest deleting the problem files and running the full repair again as it should rebuild them, but I'm not sure where they are.

Agree. But delete the whole /Mods/terrains/MarianaIslands folder and do a repair.
Come to think of it, I had initial problems with the Marianas myself. Emptied the _download folder, did a repair, and then it was okay. Maybe do both, as they pretty much seems corrupted by now, and the issue was definitely transferred from the Steam install.
Oh, also skip in AV!!!
Crossing my fingers now!

Sent from my MAR-LX1A using Tapatalk

[russelldav]

Ok rapidly losing patience this this game LOL. Tonight I tried the repair you mentioned by deleting the Marianas files and it made no difference. So then I uninstalled DCS. Restarted and reinstalled. I have only installed the Marianas module so far from a clean install and get this.... it still crashes. I added an exclusion to Windows Defender for the Game too so that the AV doesn't interfere. Log file attached. 

dcs.log

Edited August 18, 2021 by russelldav

[Northstar98]

3 hours ago, russelldav said:

Ok rapidly losing patience this this game LOL. Tonight I tried the repair you mentioned by deleting the Marianas files and it made no difference. So then I uninstalled DCS. Restarted and reinstalled. I have only installed the Marianas module so far from a clean install and get this.... it still crashes. I added an exclusion to Windows Defender for the Game too so that the AV doesn't interfere. Log file attached. 

dcs.log 38.57 kB · 2 downloads

 

 

Still the same problem files it seems... Personally, I'm stumped, the steps we've been doing should have remedied the issue, clearly something elseis going on.

 

I understand the frustration.

 

EDIT: Might've found the problem, your pagefile settings looks to be on the small side (less than 10GB), I have nearly double your pagefile despite only having a quarter of your RAM.

 

So let's see if this works: Go to your start menu, open settings and search for 'performance', you're after the 'Adjust the appearance and performance of Windows' setting. A window titled 'Performance Options' will pop-up, go to the advanced tab, and click 'Change' on the Virtual memory setting. Then you need to untick 'Automatically manage paging file size for all drives', then select 'custom size' and then change the minimum and maximum values to at least 16384 MB.

 

This might've been the problem from the start, so I've inadvertedly sent you all over the place with changing between steam and release, repair and reinstalling, for which I apologise (though personally the non-Steam version is the better one to have, personally).

Edited August 18, 2021 by Northstar98

[western_JPN]

4 hours ago, russelldav said:

So then I uninstalled DCS. Restarted and reinstalled. I have only installed the Marianas module so far from a clean install and get this.... it still crashes. I added an exclusion to Windows Defender for the Game too so that the AV doesn't interfere. Log file attached. 

dcs.log 38.57 kB · 4 downloads

 

 

Hi.

 

Don't you install some MODs in your "USER / Saved Games / DCS / " folder ?

 

Today's DCS installer / uninstaller (also same about steam's manager) don't touch "USER / Saved Games / " folders.

So .... If the crash-cause exists in Mods in "Saved Games /" , that might be kept after uninstall + re-install ..... the crash continues ....

 

If so , once uninstall mods from "USER / Saved Games / " folder.

[MAXsenna]

 
Still the same problem files it seems... Personally, I'm stumped, the steps we've been doing should have remedied the issue, clearly something elseis going on.
 
I understand the frustration.
 
EDIT: Might've found the problem, your pagefile settings looks to be on the small side (less than 10GB), I have nearly double your pagefile despite only having a quarter of your RAM.
 
So let's see if this works: Go to your start menu, open settings and search for 'performance', you're after the 'Adjust the appearance and performance of Windows' setting. A window titled 'Performance Options' will pop-up, go to the advanced tab, and click 'Change' on the Virtual memory setting. Then you need to untick 'Automatically manage paging file size for all drives', then select 'custom size' and then change the minimum and maximum values to at least 16384 MB.
 
This might've been the problem from the start, so I've inadvertedly sent you all over the place with changing between steam and release, repair and reinstalling, for which I apologise (though personally the non-Steam version is the better one to have, personally).

Damn, I forgot to mention the page file yesterday.
Well spotted North!

Sent from my MAR-LX1A using Tapatalk

[russelldav]

Ok good idea, thanks both. Give me half a day and I will try and report back 

[russelldav]

Page File was set to automatic - I have 64GB of RAM and when I went in to check it happened to be at 9GB. I don't want to manually override it if I don't need to. Wouldn't it expand/adjust as required? I don't have any mods in my User Files. I have just tried deleting "C:\Users\%username%\Saved Games\DCS.openbeta\fxo" and doing a repair.

 

No change - still crashes loading at 9%.

dcs.log

Edited August 19, 2021 by russelldav

[russelldav]

Here is a test with the Page File override just to test - no improvement.

dcs.log