Couatl Stopped Working - And No Audio Problem **SOLVED**

[amberfluid]

Hi,
This problem has been going on for weeks now but I've waited because I read that others were having the exact same problem so I ASSUMED it would be fixed but obviously it has not. Today I started FSX (after a reboot and after making sure Windows had finished doing all it's stuff and the activity on all four CPUs was down to zero (well consistently under 3% anyway). But, before I even got to chose my aircraft the "Couatl Has Stopped Working" message came up so I shut down FSX and waited 5 minutes (I also checked the Task Manager to make sure Couatl.exe had gone).

Is there anyway to restart Couatl without having to restart FSX because when it stops working later on in the process when the aircraft's fully configured and the FMC is fully programmed then having to restart FSX is VERY annoying indeed?

Anyway I digress.

So, I restarted FSX and this time I managed to get the aircraft to the gate at my chosen airport so I went into GSX settings to check the audio settings and there was no audio available to be selected so I did the restart Couatl option then went back into GSX settings and was able to select my audio option so then I saved and exited that box and was about to start getting the aircraft setup from my usual "cold and dark start" and up came the "Couatl Has Stopped Working" message again so I shut it all down and came on here to write this.

There's nothing wrong with my audio drivers, I've changed nothing other than update GSX and all these problems started.

By the way, talking about updates, when I get the live update message asking if I want to install the latest update I do but then it happens every time I start FSX and to stop it I always have to go to your website and download the full installer.

This program is really becoming a BIG problem.

Regards
Steve


 

[amberfluid]

OK, here's the thing ... after writing the above post a couple of hours ago I shut down my browser and then started FSX and everything (including GSX) worked perfectly, not one problem, a perfect flight from boarding at Paris to deboarding at Manchester. How can Couatl and audio fail twice then work perfectly all in one session without a reboot or reinstall or anything?

I'm very confused.
Steve 

[virtuali]

How can Couatl and audio fail twice then work perfectly all in one session without a reboot or reinstall or anything?

The answer is obvious: since Couatl is always the same, it's clear that Couatl itself has NOT failed, but it's your audio driver that has CAUSED the problem, most likely because it might have a bug in the OpenAL support in its driver.

A thing to note: I just rebuilt a new PC from scratch, with Windows 10 freshly installed. Using the Windows 10 audio drivers that came with the mainboard ( ASUS, with Realtek audio chipset ), NORMAL WINDOWS AUDIO randomly disappeared. I'm not referring to GSX or FSX. I'm referring to the normal, standard, sounds that Windows makes.

Searching online, it seems Realtek is blaming Microsoft, and Microsoft is blaming Realtek...

However, when I uninstalled the audio drivers that came with the mainboard, and replaced them with the generic ones that comes with Windows for the Realtek chipset, all my problems with audio disappeared.

I'm not suggesting this might be the same thing that affects Couatl, but it's something you might want to try.

[amberfluid]

I find that hard to believe when I watch TV on my computer and I listen to my 4000 mp3s on my computer with absolutely no audio problems. GSX worked fine for years with the same audio drivers and now, according to you, everybody's audio drivers have suddenly become corrupt all at the same time. I don't think so sir!!!

[virtuali]

I find that hard to believe when I watch TV on my computer and I listen to my 4000 mp3s on my computer with absolutely no audio problems. GSX worked fine for years with the same audio drivers and now, according to you, everybody's audio drivers have suddenly become corrupt all at the same time. I don't think so sir!!!

Don't make the usual mistake many do, which is assuming that, because audio in other apps is working, the drivers is working fine.

As I've said, GSX uses OpenAL sound standard so, if you driver has a problem WITH IT, you will be mislead thinking it's a GSX problem "because other audio works",  but that's not the case. You might have a point, if you had ANOTHER app, usually games, that uses OpenAL too, and it doesn't have problems.

And besides, have you TRIED to do what I asked to do ? Which is replacing the mainboard-specific audio driver with the generic one (for the same audio chipset, of course) that comes with Windows ?

[amberfluid]

I may have to eat a bit of "humble pie" here, yesterday I went to the Realtek website and downloaded the latest drivers for my system and I had a successful flight yesterday afternoon and again this morning. I'm holding off on my official apology for a couple of days though but at this stage it's looking good.

[virtuali]

I may have to eat a bit of "humble pie" here, yesterday I went to the Realtek website and downloaded the latest drivers for my system and I had a successful flight yesterday afternoon and again this morning. I'm holding off on my official apology for a couple of days though but at this stage it's looking good.

Thank you for your report: I was quite sure of it...

[luko]

I may have to eat a bit of "humble pie" here, yesterday I went to the Realtek website and downloaded the latest drivers for my system and I had a successful flight yesterday afternoon and again this morning. I'm holding off on my official apology for a couple of days though but at this stage it's looking good.

Hi,

can you confirm, since you update audio driver, problems are definitive gone? What driver version have you installed?

[amberfluid]

I can confirm that since downloading the latest driver from the Realtek website (0006-32bit_Win7_Win8_Win81_Win10_R279.exe) I have not had any problems when using GSX. The current driver version is showing in Device Manager is 6.0.1.7541.

Cheers
Steve

[luko]

Hi,

thanks for reply. I also install 2.79, but problem still exist.

All the best,
Lucas