Update to 2.9.19.13478 failed or is corrupted.

[Esteban73]

On 8-15-25 I tried to update my DCS to 2.9.19.13478 but it seems to have failed and corrupted my install. I’m only now finding the time to attempt a repair.
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My system:
Windows 10 Pro 22H2 updated to build 19045.6093
32GB Ram. RTX 3070 Ti GPU. Intel i7-8700k CPU.

The main install of DCS is on SSD drive D which had approximately 80 to 90 GB free space prior to updating.
I use hard symlinks for The Channel, Persian Gulf, Syria and Nevada maps which are on SSD drive Y.
I had Nevada ‘deactivated’ in the Launcher prior to the update attempt.

I unfortunately did not notice the size of the update before attempting the update. The updater gave no warning of insufficient drive space.
DCS_updater.exe said it updated "successfully" to 2.9.19.13478.

When I opened the Launcher and then started DCS, I received a message onscreen saying:
    Authorization failed
    Authorization is valid for 2d 23h 59m
    The following DLCs are not authorized and will be disabled: TheChannel

The ‘Files’ feature in the Launcher showed The Channel as installed but I didn’t find any Channel content after DCS itself was loaded. I closed DCS for a while to search for guidance online.

When I restarted the Launcher and restarted DCS I received the same error message again with the validity at the same 2d 23h 59m even though considerable time had passed. I restarted the Launcher and used the Repair feature. Some action of repair occurred but the details flashed by too quickly. 

When I restarted DCS once more, the error message no longer displayed. However, I still didn’t find any Channel content within DCS. Within the Module Manager, the Channel map didn’t even show as installed though the Launcher still showed it as installed.

    I have attached the logs from the update and the repair update. 
    The update log indicates it may have tried to update the Channel map.

    The repair update log indicates it repaired or installed the Persian Gulf map, but nothing
    showed about the Channel map being repaired.

    The Eagle Dynamics online Change Log doesn’t indicate any kind of updates for these maps.

    On drive D there are now two new ‘backup’ folders: 
        _backup.002 which contains the Channel map                 
        _backup.003 which contains the Persian Gulf map. 
        Both are dated 8-15-25 and seem to be only partial backups (maybe just backing up what got changed?).

    On drive Y the Persian Gulf was partially(?) installed or updated. Syria, Channel and Nevada seem to have not been updated.

I’d appreciate suggestions on how to recover from this point without a complete reinstall. (I understand I may need to buy a larger SSD dedicated to DCS but I still prefer the option to use hard symlinks.)

Since my D drive was low on free space that may have caused the installer script to fail. Ideally, wouldn’t the scripts analyze the installation layout, the free space available, whether symlinks are present and then provide the user with a warning if a complete, clean update is unlikely? I received no such warning.

I do have backups of folders D:\Eagle Dynamics\DCS World, Y:\Eagle Dynamics\DCS World\Mods\terrains, and C:\Users\xxxx\Saved Games\DCS from before the failed update. Can I just delete the post-update folders and replace them with these backup folders? Will that restore my installation to the way it was prior to the update attempt?

Are one or both of the scripts unable to handle the use of hard symlinks? 
How do I remove and reinstall the corrupted maps? 
Are the _backup.xxx files even useful at this point?
If I do have to do a nuclear option and reinstall everything, is reactivating as simple as signing into my DCS account online?

Any guidance will be much appreciated!

(A larger drive is on it's way...)

autoupdate_log.txt repair_autoupdate_log.txt

[silverdevil]

11 hours ago, Esteban73 said:

C:\Users\xxxx\Saved Games\DCS

hello

it could be drive space. keep the saved games folder you noted. this is the most important. DCS itself can be repaired from any condition. no need to reinstall.

11 hours ago, Esteban73 said:

On drive D there are now two new ‘backup’ folders: 
        _backup.002 which contains the Channel map                 
        _backup.003 which contains the Persian Gulf map. 
        Both are dated 8-15-25 and seem to be only partial backups (maybe just backing up what got changed?).

the backup folders are customized files that are moved to backup. these are seen as mods and are replaced by the standard files.

11 hours ago, Esteban73 said:

(A larger drive is on it's way...)

my suggestion is wait until you get your drive and install it to the point Windows knows it is there. then come back and we can get the rest sorted. i needed a new drive. i went from 2 TB to a 4 TB. i cloned it with Acronis. Windows never knew the difference. it may cost a little but the avoided headaches will be worth it.