Windows 11 - live update and addon manager not working

[Fly2belgium]

1) made a clean install of Windows 11 Pro
2) made a clean install of P3dv5.3 with HF
3) installed GSX.
4) Addon Manager folder added to Windows Defender exclusion

5) When I start the Live Update, coatl_updater.exe works, but when it wants to start coatl_updater2.exe nothing happens

6) When I start P3d I get the warning message of antivirus exclusion, which I have done. I do see the addon manager, but it says the couatl script hasn't started

7) coatl.log only gives me this:

Python 2.7.16 Stackless 3.1b3 060516 (default, Mar  9 2019, 21:32:11) [MSC v.1500 64 bit (AMD64)] wxPython 3.0.2.0
couatl v4.0 (build 4475)
log started on Mon Feb 14 19:31:30 2022

connecting to SimConnect...
connected to SimConnect
bglmanx non ready yet, waiting.
connected to bglmanx
View changed to Virtual Cockpit
View changed to Virtual Cockpit
View changed to Virtual Cockpit
Simulator version: 5 3 17 28160
Running in mode: Prepar3D v5 (bglmanx setting)
RunningMode::pathToInstalledPackages
Loading addons
Loading addon common
Added Menu Item "Couatl settings" (id 68)
Addon common loaded
Loading addon LiveUpdate
Added Menu Item "Couatl Live Update" (id 70)
Added Menu SubItem "Disable" (parentId 70, id 71)
Addon LiveUpdate loaded
requesting AddOn list to bglmanx
Failed SHA256

How can I make this work?

[virtuali]

couatl v4.0 (build 4475)

That's an old version, a newer was already online since way before this update. The version you have hasn't been online in months, so it seems it has been a while since you updated last.

Failed SHA256

This error, combined with the above log showing you have an old version of the program, clearly indicates your problem is the antivirus, which has allowed some file to download, but blocked the .EXE so, this line reports the mismatch of the new version of likely all files, but the .EXE from the old one.

- Configure the antivirus to add the WHOLE Addon Manager folder to the antivirus Exclusions:

- Run the FSDT Live Update again.

5) When I start the Live Update, coatl_updater.exe works, but when it wants to start coatl_updater2.exe nothing happens

Your antivirus is blocking that one too.

[Fly2belgium]

Umberto

I am running a clean install of Windows 11 and P3dv5.3
I have downloaded today gsx_p3d4_setup.exe from your website (634kb in size)

No antivirus installed, Windows Defender disabled (antivirus and firewall)

Since the installer downloads everything from the server, why is it installing an old version?
How come the program is blocked by antivirus when the antivirus has been disabled?

Couatl.log still shows the same

Python 2.7.16 Stackless 3.1b3 060516 (default, Mar  9 2019, 21:32:11) [MSC v.1500 64 bit (AMD64)] wxPython 3.0.2.0
couatl v4.0 (build 4475)
log started on Tue Feb 15 05:30:41 2022

connecting to SimConnect...
connected to SimConnect
bglmanx non ready yet, waiting.
connected to bglmanx
View changed to Virtual Cockpit
View changed to Virtual Cockpit
View changed to Virtual Cockpit
Simulator version: 5 3 17 28160
Running in mode: Prepar3D v5 (bglmanx setting)
RunningMode::pathToInstalledPackages
Loading addons
Loading addon common
Added Menu Item "Couatl settings" (id 68)
Addon common loaded
Loading addon LiveUpdate
Added Menu Item "Couatl Live Update" (id 70)
Added Menu SubItem "Disable" (parentId 70, id 71)
Addon LiveUpdate loaded
requesting AddOn list to bglmanx
Failed SHA256

[virtuali]

Since the installer downloads everything from the server, why is it installing an old version?

Because the antivirus is blocking the download of the new version, so you are stuck with the previous version you had before. As I've said, the version you have hasn't been online in months, we had several version that followed it.

You said you downloaded the full installer: that version is NOT even included in that installer so, even if you had no internet connection, so the Update didn't run, you should have a newer version, the one included in the installer.

How come the program is blocked by antivirus when the antivirus has been disabled?

That's because you are assuming you could disable the antivirus. The antivirus is not really disabled, because its low-level service is still running in the background so, the only way "disable" it would be uninstalling it.

That's why we NEVER, ever, suggested to "disable" the antivirus but, instead, add the whole Addon Manager folder to the Antivirus exclusions before running the FSDT Live Update.

Another thing you can try, is to manually REMOVE the Addon Manager\Couatl64\couatl64_P3D.exe file and run the FSDT Live Update again, and see if you get the correct version, maybe there's a permission problem that is preventing the file to be written over.

[NW253]

Hey everyone,

I am faced with a similar issue.
- I just did a clean install of Windows 10 (new PC) and Prepar3D 5.3.17.28160.
- I downloaded the gsx_p3d4_setup.exe from the FsDreamTeam website and installed it. (C:\Addon Manager)
- Added C:\Addon Manager folder to my BitDefender exclusions.

When I try to run the Live Update, it just closes without any error message a few seconds after clicking "next".
When I start P3D I also get the "Couatl scripting engine not started, check antivirus".

I also tried:
- Disabling anti-virus
- Disabling firewall
- Disabling Windows security features
- Adding the Couatl_Updater.exe and Couatl_Updater2.exe to the antivirus exceptions
- Using a VPN (multiple locations)
- Disabling DEP in Windows
- There is no mention of anything being blocked in my Bitdefender events.

I do not have the couatl.log, but when I check the properties of couatl64_P3D.exe, it shows version 4.0.0.0
I never had GSX on this PC before, it is a fresh install. So there should not be any old versions.

The only 2 error messages I was able to find is in Windows Event Viewer:

Code: [Select]

Application: Couatl_Updater2.exe
Framework Version: v4.0.30319
Description: The process was terminated due to an unhandled exception.
Exception Info: System.IO.FileNotFoundException
   at Couatl_Updater2.Product.CheckLicense(Couatl_Updater2.FrmMain)
   at Couatl_Updater2.Program.Main(System.String[])

Code: [Select]

Faulting application name: Couatl_Updater2.exe, version: 2.0.2.15, time stamp: 0x620980f6
Faulting module name: KERNELBASE.dll, version: 10.0.19041.1526, time stamp: 0xd9a6be6b
Exception code: 0xe0434352
Fault offset: 0x0012b812
Faulting process id: 0xaf0
Faulting application start time: 0x01d8225174651ec4
Faulting application path: C:\Addon Manager\Couatl_Updater2.exe
Faulting module path: C:\Windows\System32\KERNELBASE.dll
Report Id: c9e34e4f-4d19-458e-a21f-9b2c9b6b10b2
Faulting package full name:
Faulting package-relative application ID:
Can you think of anything else? This is driving me nuts.

Thank you for any assistance

[Fly2belgium]

Umberto

Please understand that this is a clean version of Windows 11 Pro and a clean version of P3D.
There  can be no "stuck with previous version"

No I did not download the full installer, I downloaded gsx_p3d4_setup.exe from your website (https://www.fsdreamteam.com/update/gsx_p3d4_setup.exe), it's 634KB in size
It downloads everything else from the fsdt server.

There was never an antivirus installed and the Windows security one is turned off.
How can I uninstall Windows security?

Can it be Windows 11 Pro related?

I have removed Addon Manager\Couatl64\couatl64_P3D.exe and Ran the Live update again, makes no difference.

Basically couatl_updater.exe  works but coatl_updater2.exe does not

[NW253]

I also tried deleting the couatl64_P3D.exe and ran the update again - same results unfortunately.
Looks like the same issue @fly2belgium has, although I am running Windows 10.

[Pilotor]

I also have this exactly same problem and I also did a fresh install of W10 and P3D yesterday.

Antivirus off, and also added an exclusion.




"Python 2.7.16 Stackless 3.1b3 060516 (default, Mar  9 2019, 21:32:11) [MSC v.1500 64 bit (AMD64)] wxPython 3.0.2.0
couatl v4.0 (build 4475)
log started on Tue Feb 15 10:07:38 2022

connecting to SimConnect...
connected to SimConnect
bglmanx non ready yet, waiting.
connected to bglmanx
View changed to On-Board (ChasePlane)
View changed to On-Board (ChasePlane)
Simulator version: 5 2 22 27615
Running in mode: Prepar3D v5 (bglmanx setting)
RunningMode::pathToInstalledPackages
Loading addons
Loading addon common
Added Menu Item "Couatl settings" (id 68)
Addon common loaded
Loading addon LiveUpdate
Added Menu Item "Couatl Live Update" (id 70)
Added Menu SubItem "Disable" (parentId 70, id 71)
Addon LiveUpdate loaded
requesting AddOn list to bglmanx
Failed SHA256"

[virtuali]

Please try to read the previous message, which already clearly explained the problem.

ALL of you with version 4475 listed in the log, with the last line saying "Failed SHA256" have the SAME PROBLEM:

- your antivirus or your firewall has blocked the download of the current version.

- Your version is even OLDER than the previous one, the one before the passenger update! Version 4475 hasn't been online in months.

So, please, if you see in the log you don't have the latest version, or you check the FILE version of the executable and don't see the correct version, which is 4642, it's no use continue posting, you need to fix your antivirus or firewall.

And no, DO NOT disable the antivirus but, instead, configure it to add the WHOLE Addon Manager folder to the antivirus Exclusions and THEN run the FSDT Live Update again.

If that doesn't work, try to REMOVE the exe manually and run the Live Update again, perhaps your antivirus has locked the file so it can't be overwritten.

It that doesn't work either, after you REMOVED the exe manually, try the new FSDT Universal Installer:

http://www.virtualisoftware.com/update/FSDT_Universal_Installer.exe

[Fly2belgium]

Haven't changed anything, but whatever this new universal installer does differently, it works!
Thanks

It that doesn't work either, after you REMOVED the exe manually, try the new FSDT Universal Installer:

http://www.virtualisoftware.com/update/FSDT_Universal_Installer.exe

[NW253]

Same here, the universal installer works!
Thank you so much.

I'd like to add/clarify that I did set up the necessary exceptions in my antivirus, so something else must have went wrong.

You mentioned that
- Your version is even OLDER than the previous one, the one before the passenger update! Version 4475 hasn't been online in months.
This is odd, all of us had a clean installation of Windows and downloaded a fresh version of GSX.

[virtuali]

This is odd, all of us had a clean installation of Windows and downloaded a fresh version of GSX.

Which also surely did not contain that old version, since we updated also the GSX installer a few days ago.

[NW253]

I really don't want to disagree here, but where else would 3 people with a clean system have gotten the outdated version?
I downloaded it 3 times, just to be sure, from here: http://www.fsdreamteam.com/update/gsx_p3d4_setup.exe

Could you maybe double check the version available for download?

[Fly2belgium]

Umberto, where did our old version come from in a clean install?

[virtuali]

Umberto, where did our old version come from in a clean install?

From the antivirus that blocked the download of the correct version which is done automatically at the end of the installation.