fixed MP - Long minutes before a module DLL files are loaded into memory

[Flappie]

I rarely start threads in this section of the forum but I'm having a big issue: some modules I want to fly take long minutes to load. In the meantime, DCS is unresponsive. Here's a fresh example:

2025-01-07 20:07:15.532 WARNING LOG (5856): 447 duplicate message(s) skipped.
2025-01-07 20:07:15.532 WARNING EFFECTS2 (Main): OParticleSystem: preset '' not found in 'shipTrail.lua', using default
2025-01-07 20:07:15.533 ERROR   ED_SOUND (Main): source_update(-1, 0000005a9870e7f0): invalid source
2025-01-07 20:07:15.692 WARNING LOG (5856): 83 duplicate message(s) skipped.
2025-01-07 20:07:15.692 INFO    APP (Main): MissionSpawn:spawnLocalPlayer 1000031,Mi-24P
2025-01-07 20:11:32.794 INFO    EDCORE (Main): Loaded E:/DCS World/Mods/aircraft/Mi-24P/bin/Mi24.dll
2025-01-07 20:14:57.041 INFO    EDCORE (Main): Loaded E:/DCS World/Mods/aircraft/Mi-24P/bin/CockpitMi24.dll
2025-01-07 20:14:57.850 INFO    COCKPITBASE (Main): WebRTC VOIP init: registered radio receiver "ARC_15" with id - 0
2025-01-07 20:14:57.853 INFO    COCKPITBASE (Main): WebRTC VOIP init: registered radio receiver/transmitter "R_863" with id - 1

I checked my default Windows antivirus and it still has an exception for the main DCS folder.

Next step: a full DCS cleanup and repair. If you have other ideas, I take them.

Edited January 7 by Flappie

[Tom Kazansky]

Does this always happen while loading the Mi-24P or are other modules also affected?

[Flappie]

Yes, I've been having this issue with several modules. Earlier tonight, I ran a user's track with the F-16 and it did the same.

And ten minutes ago, after the DCS cleanup, I tried an AH-64 instant action mission and the issue did not occur. Then I joined an MP server, selected a Mi-24, hit "OK" and the issue was back.

[Blackfyre]

I have the exact same issue time to time. It isn't consistent, sometimes DCS spawns me instantly, sometimes it takes up to 9 minutes. 

It also happens with different modules: F-18, Ch-47, Oh-58, Mi-8, Ka-50 are most often used by me.

Edited January 7 by Blackfyre

[Czar66]

50 minutes ago, Flappie said:

If you have other ideas, I take them.

Well, if anything helps, excluding the saved games folder (Shaders and scripts) from the equation can be a good thing if you perhaps haven't done it so already. Maybe it's something else is delaying the DLL loading and it is in that folder.

1. Rename DCS folder in the 'saved games' folder to something like DCS.OLD so you can keep your stuff instead of deleting it.
2. Copy and paste your inputs folder into the new one DCS will generate after a single boot (or you can manually make a 'DCS' folder before launching the sim) so you can actually fly. Should look like DCS/Config/Input.

If you never see the issue again, might be something in that folder indeed.

Edited January 7 by Czar66

[Flappie]

So, the full DCS repair did not help.

I wasn't expecting much from the renaming of the Saves Games/DCS folder. I often tell users to try it, especially when I see a lot of mods in their logs. I use little to no mods... and yet, the renaming seems to have fixed it! I'll do more testing but I feel optimistic. Thank you for the advice.

I'm now going to try and find out the root cause.

[Flappie]

I'm progressively eliminating any folder content I can find. So far, the content of these are innocent:

• Mods
• Scripts
• fxo
• metashaders

Next target: the Config folder (I made a backup, no worries).

[Flappie]

Big progress: since I was able to reproduce the problem flawlessly using the Mi-24, I went to "Saved Games/DCS/Config/Input" and renamed all 4 Mi-24P related files. Then the problem was gone!

That means the culprit is some custom control binding. I'll keep digging tomorrow!

 

 

[jnr4817]

Did you have a double bind or get the red exclamation point warning at all when looking through your mi24 bindings?

I noticed after this last update I had several double binds and red warnings i had to fix. 

[Flappie]

16 hours ago, jnr4817 said:

Did you have a double bind or get the red exclamation point warning at all when looking through your mi24 bindings?

No, not a single red warning.

 

I've just found out THE culprit:

This "Config/Input/Mi-24P" folder was the source of my issue. I believe it was the initial Mi-24 input folder before it got replaced by the 3 others.

The solution to my problem was to simply erase this" Mi-24P" folder.

 

Now, I'll check all other modules.

[Flappie]

It seems I also solved the same issue for the A-10C, A-10C II and Ka-50 III after I deleted obsolete .diff.lua files:

 

Conclusion : if some of your modules take long minutes to load:

1. Backup the whole "Input" folder.
2. Look for old unused files and delete them.

@Blackfyre 

Edited January 8 by Flappie

[OpticFlow]

Flappie, thanks for posting the solution!

I hope it helps someone in the future. I used to have a similar issue with long loading times and thought it's because my PC is getting old. Then I've upgraded but kept the original windows drive and nothing changed. Finally I reformatted the partition and installed windows and everything from new, which solved all DCS issues I had before but wasted few days doing so...

[318_Bonzo]

For those who encounter this problem.

I had the same problem, the culprit turned out to be the Default folder (in the Input folder). When I deleted it, the planes loaded in the blink of an eye.

From what I've noticed, each of us may have a different file causing problems, but the problem lies in INPUT.

Thanks a lot @Flappie for discovering and pointing me in the right direction

[Kharrn]

FML! you are a genius, my saviour, my hero! Merci beaucoup! @Flappie

The issue for me started in summer/automn as far as i remember. After some update. Either when DLSS was introduced or altered, dont know. Or maybe when Kola was released (i had it installed but when the next patch hit, i had to deinstall it to have enough free space to update xD). My hardware (HOTAS etc) did not change since 2023.

So either it happened after a patch, or since i run not-installed modules (F14, Kola, some campaign) and those show up "red" (as usual). Well, its pretty subjective and i cant pinpoint it down, but that should be around the timeframe.

I coped with it by only flying 1-2 module(s) at a time and loading into them via some instant action mission (then jsut going away for 5-15min helped). And after that it would load into the module quickly.

i googled the issue and read some reddit but only today stumbeled over your post and IT WORKED! well at least partly.

Deleted all the old .lua, some double .lua(s) and the Default folder. Ran a repair and it worked - a bit.

 

--------------------------------------------

Just ran an F4 mission from the ME and it took a good while again to load (stuck in an F2 view, because i used the module as a "client" so no loading screen). Somehow deleting the Temp folder helped - again. wierd stuff

[Flappie]

On 2/22/2025 at 8:51 PM, Kharrn said:

Just ran an F4 mission from the ME and it took a good while again to load (stuck in an F2 view, because i used the module as a "client" so no loading screen). Somehow deleting the Temp folder helped - again. wierd stuff

Yes, maybe my solution was kind of a placebo, I'm not sure, but I still get this issue from time to time. Maybe the issue is twofold. Anyway, devs are testing a fix.

Edited February 23 by Flappie

[Kharrn]

vor 41 Minuten schrieb Flappie:

Yes, maybe my solution was kind of a placebo, I'm not sure, but I still get this issue from time to time. Maybe the issue is twofold. Anyway, devs are testing a fix.

Yeah its really wierd. 

I checked all the config files and deleted old ones etc.

Then today i again checked those for old files, deleted the "default" folder, deleted the Temp folder (appdata/local) and then did a slow repair - just to make sure.

Restarted DCS 3 times, loaded into AH64D, F4 and Huey without problems (always used a different map per module). So just normal loading times.

So tomorrow after my pc has been shut down i will see if it still works or if the problem is back

Fingers crossed️

 

I just hope they find a working fix for everyone, even if it takes some time

 

Thy for all the great help you give and encourage @Flappie 

Cheers

[winghunter]

Restarting my PC and launching DCS without Skatezilla launcher seemed to fix the issue for me.

 I had noticed that when DCS was hanging at "Spawn Objects" for 5 minutes, i closed the Skatezeilla launcher and DCS immediatelly unfreezed. This caused me to suspect Skatezilla launcher to be the root of my issue. But I had to restart the PC because some process seemed to be left hanging.

I've reported the bug with Skatezilla so hopefully it gets resolved with the next update.

Edited March 13 by winghunter

[Flappie]

This issue is completely random. You may think you don't have it anymore but it will come back. Fortunately, the next core update should fix this (I cannot reproduce this issue anymore with ED internal build).

[winghunter]

Yes, I did some more testing and it also happens when i dont use the Skatezilla launcher. Restarting PC seems to have the best effect.

Edited March 13 by winghunter

[Flappie]

The issue was fixed with today's update.