PMDGSounds.dll problem **SOLVED**

[mosteen]

After updating my FSDT installations by downloading the latest Addon Manager, I got an error message saying that PMDGSounds.dll is defective when starting FSX.

If I choose to load it anyway, I get an appcrash. If I don't load it, FSX starts normally. PMDG aircraft are all working normally, with sound (!)

I can't for the life of me understand what has happened.

I have tried the following, yes I know, some are far fetched, but at least I've not left anything out:

1. Uninstalling GSX, removing all related modules.
2. Checked and confirmed the sound settings/device in Windows, FSX and PMDG FMS.
3. Checked and confirmed .NET and all versions of the C++ libraries
4. Checked and confirmed Simconnect installers
5. Rolled back a complete verified and working backup from a few days back (!)
6. Re-configured EZdok EZCA
7. DL and installed the latest GSX with all modules
8. Re-ran the ASN_connect installer on the main FSX computer
9. Checked exe.xml and dll.xml in Notepad++ as per the guide on PMDG knowledgebase
10. Re-authorized all modules in dll.xml
11. Ran the sfc.exe to check Windows system files

Everything works normally, except for the error from FSX regarding PMDGSystem.dll.

I'm thankful for any tip

Cheers,

[virtuali]

Well, that's simply confirms what we always said (when people reports that problem in our modules) that message can happen with any developer's modules too.

That error doesn't mean that module has a problem, it means that FSX, for some reason, cannot load it, and it's usually because of missing/corrupted system libraries, or some kind of conflict with other addons.

The only thing sure, it's the conflict is NOT between the Addon Manager.

We had a discussion about modules conflicts here:

http://www.fsdreamteam.com/forum/index.php/topic,12418.msg94357.html#msg94357

Usually this error is caused by different 3rd party modules that have been linked using different Simconnect version, loaded at the same time, but that message it's a result of some checks I made on several popular 3rd party modules and, PMDG are the ones that use the SAME Simconnect as we do (which is the latest one for FSX), so we can safely exclude the cause of the error is conflict between PMDG and our modules. Besides, I always keep them installed so, if there was any conflict, it wouldn't go unnoticed.

But, of course, your error might be caused by ANOTHER module using a different Simconnect version, and there are some I listed in that post you might have and might try to disable to see if they are in conflict with the PMDG modules.

Something you can try too, is to rearrange the order of sections in the DLL.XML, to change the loading order, which sometimes has an effect on potential conflicts.

[mosteen]

Good Umberto, thanks, very useful. I'll get to the bottom of it.

I also believe the module error, and that it happened when installing the latest AOM, is kind of a coincidence.

The fact that I have sound in all PMDG aircraft makes me supspicious towards a deeper system glitch, that's why I checked my Simconnects and the other libraries.

Initially I thought it had something to do with me changing from a on board sound device to a USB sound device a few days earlier, but I have checked that everything is set up correctly, DXdiag returns all good too.

Also, just want to stress one thing; I've never had a single glitch with Cuatl / AOM or any of your products, they just work

I run a pretty tight ship though, trying to keep everything tidy and always knowing what I do.

Cheers,

[mosteen]

One more thing Umberto, after reading the other tread;

I run a Norwegian Win7 Ultimate, and after AOM, I have to x86 C++ redist in my installed programs, with identical versions.

The one that is installed by AOM is in a strange language

Can't remember that has happened before.

[virtuali]

The one that is installed by AOM is in a strange language

Since the Control Panel doesn't say which program installed which version of the runtime, it seems strange how you can possibly say the "strange" one is the one installed by the Addon Manager.

However, I can assure you the Addon Manager simply contains and runs exactly the same file you would have downloaded from the Microsoft site, which is the vcredist_x86.exe for the Visual C++ 2013 redistributable runtimes.

If your runtimes has gone corrupted, you might try removing ALL of them (all the 2013 versions, if you have more than one, remove them all), then download them again from the Microsoft site and install them all.

I suggest removing ALL of them (and both x86 and 64 bit versions), and download and reinstall both the x86 and 64 bit versions. Be sure you don't install the ARM version, though...

[mosteen]

Thanks, I did that after removing GSX with modules the first time. Installed both x86 and 64 from MS site.

After installing GSX again, I have two instances of the x86.

That's how I see that it is the one installed by GSX that is in an unknown language; if I try to uninstall, the dialog language is not in english.

Is it correct that AOM should install a duplicate C++ when I allready have the version installed?

[virtuali]

Is it correct that AOM should install a duplicate C++ when I allready have the version installed?

If the version numbers are identical, that's not a duplicate. It's only a duplicate entry in the uninstall registry key, which doesn't mean you have two version of the .DLL installed, you only have two ways of uninstall them.

I checked the MS website, and there's no Norwegian version of the VC++ redist so, it's possible the installer picked up a language related on the OS we compiled our installer under, which is Italian (that "strange" language you might have seen), I'll see if it could be possible to force to run the MS installer always into English mode.

But, again, this is just a cosmetic issue: it's simply the language the uninstaller will be displayed, it doesn't have any effect on the actual installed files. Thankfully, MS got rid of the hideous Side-by-side system with the VC++ 2013 runtimes, and they reverted to the good old system of just placing files in the Windows\System32 folder, and those are always the same files, and are:

MSVCR120.DLL
MSVCP120.DLL

So, regardless of which language used the installer/uninstaller, you'll always end up with these files only, and no duplicates.

[mosteen]

Roger, thanks again, I'll try with re-arranging my entries to see if I can get the situation to change, will report back.

Cheers,

[mosteen]

Finally managed to solve it, I rearranged my dll.xml, put bglmanx.dll at the very bottom, still got the error message when starting FSX, but this time when pressing OK on the question if I wanted to load PMDGSounds.dll anyway, there was no CDT.

Next time I started FSX, no error message!

Happy times!

Some of my hassle with this was bound to my ignorance; namely that I thought I had to get rid of the warning, no matter what. That was obviously not the case.

Thanks for your support Umberto, your direct and no-nonsense responses to our (sometimes nonsensical) quieries are much appreciated!

Regards,
Morten Steen

[mosteen]

Sadly this issue resurfaced after downloading and installing the latest Addon Manager today.

I tried the usual remedies, rearranging dll.xml and re-trusting the modules, but no luck.

Weird stuff

[mosteen]

Solved, again. It was the old trust bug described by Pete here:

http://forum.simflight.com/topic/68382-fsx-fails-to-run-after-fsuipc4-first-installed/

Endless rearranging of the DLL's finally made it load.

Cheers,