Author Topic: Crashes to Desktop, fixed after uninstalling GSX  (Read 3305 times)

Schmutzfink18

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Crashes to Desktop, fixed after uninstalling GSX
« on: June 10, 2023, 01:05:59 pm »
Hello everyone! I have been using GSX for FS2020 for over a year now and never had any major problems with it. The timeframe around I updated to 2.5.9 Version, my Simulator became very, very unstable and i had multiple crashes to Desktop. They occurred at very random Situations. Sometimes while still being on the gate for Departure, sometimes during en route no matter the flight duration, and sometimes during Approach or even after arriving at the Gate. These crashes were completely unrelated to the Aircraft used and the area I was flying in. They happened very randomly As we all know there is little to no ways of figuring out why the Simulator crashed, so I did a little bit of deeper digging. As there were no other changes made to Hardware/Drivers, I knew it has something to do with software rather than hardware, as my Rig runs fine on other games and I never had any problems. Steps I did during my troubleshooting:
First I removed all Community Files in the respective Folder like Sceneries and everything I didn't need for the route I wanted to fly. As the Problem wasn't fixed, I read about the current Driver Problem with Nvidia Drivers (https://forums.flightsimulator.com/t/known-issue-updated-31st-of-may-crashing-with-nvidia-gpu-drivers-532-03-531-79-531-68-531-61-531-41/591685) and reverted to the last proper Working Version which however also didn't help. I tried several other things going as far as renewing the CPU Paste for better cooling which was needed anyway. No improvement. I also followed all the official CTD advices from Microsoft but saw no improvement. After all these Steps i then thought well, no other chance that removing the remaining bits of the Community Folder and let's see if the Situation Improves. As the first software I choose to deactivate GSX which proved to be a good decision.
I did this around 2 Weeks ago. Since then, I have around 20 hours of Simulator Runtime and didn't have a single CTD. This was unimaginable before, as i CTD'd before on nearly each flight.

I think it is clear that I proofed by trial and error that since I removed GSX, the crashed stopped rapidly. The Problem therefore must have something to do with GSX, be it on the Sim or Plugin side. During my Troubleshooting Duration, no Changes to Hardware or anything Sim Relatated has been done.


Regarding the Event Logs in Windows: In other CTD Topics in this Forum i read, that often the SIM Crashes and therafter Coutl, which makes sense that this crash isnt caused
« Last Edit: June 12, 2023, 03:08:57 am by virtuali »

downscc

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Re: Crashes to Desktop, fixed after uninstalling GSX
« Reply #1 on: June 11, 2023, 06:44:57 pm »
Okay, so I'm not alone.  I've had two crashes with GSX installed, the first with GSX active in the toolbar during the session and the second with the GSX toolbar icon turned off and after a 2:50 flight during a descent arrival.  However, mine were not crashes to desktop; rather, in both cases the screen when black and a constant buzz was heard on the speakers.  Could have been to desktop, I just could see the display.  There are no problem reports (by anything not just couatl) and the couatl log does not contain anything that looks like an error, but it looks like it just quit running.

Remove GSX and execute same session no problem.  This was with GSX v2.6.2, MSFS Store version, no betas. NVidia 516.94 studio version been stable for months. Hardware monitored for temps, no overclocking.

virtuali

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Re: Crashes to Desktop, fixed after uninstalling GSX
« Reply #2 on: June 12, 2023, 03:09:38 am »
This has been discussed so many times on the forum, you are being mislead by the event viewer and are assuming that, just because you see Couatl crashed, it was the cause of your MSFS crash, but it's not.

The couatl engine, as an .EXE, doesn't have ANY access to the Flightsimulator.exe process, meaning it cannot possibly cause a crash. This is granted by the OS at the lowest level, and programs that don't attach to a process like debuggers ( and Couatl surely doesn't ) and/or are not lower level services or drivers, simply cannot crash other apps.

On the other hand, when Flight simulator crashes for any other reason, it will abruptly disconnect its communication with the Couatl program, which is waiting for a proper "quit" command ( which hasn't arrived, because the sim crashed ), to exit cleanly.

So, what really happened here, is that MSFS crashed for another completely unrelated reason, and it MADE Couatl crash too, because of the unexpected disconnection, and you are being mislead assuming Couatl has something to do with it, because you are seeing it referenced in the event viewer.

As discussed in this other post:

https://www.fsdreamteam.com/forum/index.php/topic,29540.msg191735.html#msg191735

If you checked the timestamps of the Event, it's likely you'll see that Flightsimulator.exe crashed BEFORE Couatl64_MSFS.exe, which means it was the simulator that made GSX crash, not the other way around.

virtuali

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Re: Crashes to Desktop, fixed after uninstalling GSX
« Reply #3 on: June 12, 2023, 03:18:32 am »
And yes, I see you think removing GSX "fixed" the issue how can easily mislead thinking it was caused by GSX but, even if this seems reasonable, that doesn't mean there's something wrong with GSX either.

The case about the sound stopping abruptly with a black screen is quite clear proof GSX cannot possibly be the cause, only audio drivers can possibly access the system to such a low level to cause a black screen. A normal executable like GSX ( the Couatl engine, more precisely ), simply doesn't have that kind of access, it just can't.

If this happens while GSX is generating lots objects, and you have video driver issues causing what are normally 100% legal model/textures to crash because of the driver, you can as well easily mislead it's "caused" by GSX (because you removed it and it's gone), that doesn't mean it's a GSX problem or something we can fix, it STILL is a driver problem that will go away when the driver will be fixed.

Of course, if GSX was really the cause, it would happen to everybody, and it wouldn't be possible for so many popular streamers to do Live streaming flights that last HOURS, all using GSX, if they couldn't complete a flight without a CTD ?

Schmutzfink18

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Re: Crashes to Desktop, fixed after uninstalling GSX
« Reply #4 on: June 12, 2023, 09:38:54 am »
Hello Umberto, i appreciate your answer.
This has been discussed so many times on the forum, you are being mislead by the event viewer and are assuming that, just because you see Couatl crashed, it was the cause of your MSFS crash, but it's not.

The couatl engine, as an .EXE, doesn't have ANY access to the Flightsimulator.exe process, meaning it cannot possibly cause a crash. This is granted by the OS at the lowest level, and programs that don't attach to a process like debuggers ( and Couatl surely doesn't ) and/or are not lower level services or drivers, simply cannot crash other apps.

I think you did misunderstood my initial post or didn't properly read it as you are writing about a different topic. In my Event Log, i never have 2 crashes after each other. Its either GSX crashing without causing FS2020 to crash (not a real Problem but still not speaking for stability), or it's the Game crashing without generating an Event for Couatl (my main Problem) for a reason unknown to me even tho GSX was loaded and used. This 2nd Problem doesnt occur with GSX uninstalled. I posted 2 of these Event Logs in my initial Post as a Picture. Please take a look at it.

On the other hand, when Flight simulator crashes for any other reason, it will abruptly disconnect its communication with the Couatl program, which is waiting for a proper "quit" command ( which hasn't arrived, because the sim crashed ), to exit cleanly.

So, what really happened here, is that MSFS crashed for another completely unrelated reason, and it MADE Couatl crash too, because of the unexpected disconnection, and you are being mislead assuming Couatl has something to do with it, because you are seeing it referenced in the event viewer.

If you checked the timestamps of the Event, it's likely you'll see that Flightsimulator.exe crashed BEFORE Couatl64_MSFS.exe, which means it was the simulator that made GSX crash, not the other way around.
As i posted earlier, that's not the case for me.


And yes, I see you think removing GSX "fixed" the issue how can easily mislead thinking it was caused by GSX but, even if this seems reasonable, that doesn't mean there's something wrong with GSX either.
I worked in the Field of QA for some Months, and in general if a Product is installed and a certain type of error occurs that doesn't occur with the Product not installed/disabled, it is highly likely that the Problem is caused by the Product itself and the Problem should be searched there and not somewhere else primarily. This is 1 to 1 what i proved with my testing described in the initial post. MSFS works absolutely fine for over 20 hours where before i wasn't even able to complete a single flight with the Plugin installed. For me, it's quite obvious that there are Problems, causing Problems.


Of course, if GSX was really the cause, it would happen to everybody, and it wouldn't be possible for so many popular streamers to do Live streaming flights that last HOURS, all using GSX, if they couldn't complete a flight without a CTD ?
Umberto, seriously, you are developing and selling a Product for a relatively new, continuously evolving Game for PC. We all know that when developing/selling something for PC the weirdest Problems can occur on User side as there are infinite different builds out there, some even built together by the user itself. None of these Builds are the same, Hardware and Software wise. Therefore, saying "It works for the majority of Users, why shouldn't it work for you?" is leading to nowhere at this point.

I agree to you however, what downscc report sounds to me like a Driver/Hardware Problem. The newest Driver of Nvidia apparently fixed the Problems, so you could try there downscc (https://forums.flightsimulator.com/t/known-issue-updated-31st-of-may-crashing-with-nvidia-gpu-drivers-532-03-531-79-531-68-531-61-531-41/591685)



If you need any further information like a GSX Log let me know, iam happy to find the cause of the Problem.


Best Regards!
Timo Frisch


EDIT:
Now I know why we talked about 2 different Topics. You edited my initial Post, removing some important parts including the Pictures and leaving it grammatically incorrect without a closed sentence? I never posted it the way it exists now. Why did you do that? It was crucial to understand that the Problem is unlike other CTD Topics in the past in this Forum.
Why was my Initial Post edited, left uncomplete with parts of my Post and the Error Logs removed?


Anyway, here are they again:
Firstly 2 Crashes of the Simulator without Couatl Crash Log even tho GSX was installed and running (My Main Problem):
https://i.ibb.co/ZNHgXKj/1.jpg
https://i.ibb.co/5kpK7bH/2.jpg

And 2 Crashes of only Couatly without Causing the Sim to Crash. A side Problem, but not really speaking for general stability if you ask me:
https://i.ibb.co/3f52mJq/3.jpg
https://i.ibb.co/vD8Fwxm/4.jpg
« Last Edit: June 12, 2023, 03:56:52 pm by Schmutzfink18 »

virtuali

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Re: Crashes to Desktop, fixed after uninstalling GSX
« Reply #5 on: June 12, 2023, 02:06:04 pm »
Hello Umberto, i appreciate your answer.I think you did misunderstood my initial post or didn't properly read it as you are writing about a different topic. In my Event Log, i never have 2 crashes after each other.

Yes, that wasn't entirely clear. I edited your post because we prefer not posting inline images, as a curtsey to users with a metered/paid connection, not forcing them to download an image automatically. That's why have these suggestions in the Screenshot posting rules.

Quote
Its either GSX crashing without causing FS2020 to crash (not a real Problem but still not speaking for stability)

Of course. GSX cannot crash the sim.

No external app can do that, this is not really opened to discussion, unless you decide not to trust my insurance the Couatl engine IS a 100% user-level executable that doesn't have any privileged access to the simulator own memory, because it doesn't attach itself to the sim as a debugger, which would be the only possible way it could do that, and it could work only if you explicitly launched MSFS in DevMode with a specific command line switch to *disable* the check the simulator does to block these applications (this is part of the MSFS DRM as well)

About the overall stability, it depends what kind of GSX-specific crash you looking at, and in both cases stability won't be affected because:

- If it's a "crash" (not really a crash, more like an handled error ) that comes with a Couatl.ERR log or something displayed as an error in the Couatl.log which would cause GSX to Stop, this is 100% completely harmless, because there wasn't any crash to begin with. It was just a *bug* of the Python sandbox, which was correctly reported as such and logged, and nothing happening inside the Python sandbox can possibly affect the stability of the system.

- If it's a real crash that results in Couatl64_msfs.exe generate an Event, while this might sound more serious, it's *usually* harmless, because what is usually causing this, is an abrupt quit without being able to reclaim the memory allocated internally. However, the Windows OS will do that anyway so, the only possible problems I see is you are getting too many of these in the same session, and you are short on RAM, it *might* cause memory fragmentation over time.


Quote
or it's the Game crashing without generating an Event for Couatl (my main Problem) for a reason unknown to me even tho GSX was loaded and used. This 2nd Problem doesnt occur with GSX uninstalled. I posted 2 of these Event Logs in my initial Post as a Picture. Please take a look at it.

If you don't see any event for Couatl in the Windows even log, it's even more definite proof GSX couldn't possibly be the cause. What is more likely to be happening, it's a bug in one of the Simconnect API calls IN THE SIM, which are required by GSX to work. The most likely cause might be the Navdata API, because it's the newest addition, and there aren't many other add-ons ( if any ) using it.

And that's precisely why you are assuming GSX is the "cause", because it doesn't happen without GSX. The cause here is a possible bug in the Navdata API, which is only triggered by GSX, but that's just because it might be the only add-on using it. Of course, GSX cannot possibly work without it, unless you revert to the legacy Airport Cache method, which will prevent GSX from working on Marketplace airports, so we don't use it anymore after SU12.

If your crash happened while in Flight, when GSX is not doing much *except* calling the Navdata regularly, to present you a list of the nearby airports. if you don't need that feature, you might find easier to close the GSX Toolbar menu when in Flight, or even Quit the Couatl engine after take-off, and Restart it before landing.

If that fixes your problem, you can be fairly sure the crash happened because of a problem of the Navdata API (possibly even a problem with the data itself, like corrupted/illegal names for airports or navaids) so, again, it's NOT a problem "caused" by GSX, it's a problem the simulator has, and would happen with any other add-on that would make use of the Navdata API.

Quote
As i posted earlier, that's not the case for me.

Fair enough, so your crashes are likely issues with the Navdata API, not GSX.

You can try, as a test, to re-enabled the legacy "airport cache" method, by editing this file:

%APPDATA%\Virtuali\Couatl_MSFS.INI

and set this line:

useAirportCache=1  ( by default it's 0 )

This will use the old method of reading .BGL instead of the Navdata API. However, I'm not 100% sure if the Navdata won't ever touched again during flight.

Or, as I've said, you could just exit Couatl after takeoff and restart it before landing. It has been designed to be used like this, that's why there's a Try bar icon with options like "Restart" and "Quit" and an icon on the Desktop to start it manually.


Quote
I worked in the Field of QA for some Months, and in general if a Product is installed and a certain type of error occurs that doesn't occur with the Product not installed/disabled, it is highly likely that the Problem is caused by the Product itself and the Problem should be searched there and not somewhere else primarily.

It shows you worked for "some months". Any experienced IT would tell you this approach it's only useful as a general troubleshooting strategy to see what the problem is about, but it's just a starting point. It won't tell exactly what is the REAL cause.

I'll repeat it again, starting from the assumption an external .EXE CANNOT CRASH ANOTHER .EXE ( I'm being generic on purpose, because MSFS and its own add-ons are not an exception to this general rule ) UNLESS it attaches to it as a Debugger, and this is not something opened to discussion, if you take this into account, and add it to the other observation "it doesn't happen without GSX", then the only possible explanation left is, the simulator has issues with Simconnect that needs to be fixed, and you cannot possibly blame GSX for using what is 100% fully documented and, it's *required* by GSX to work properly.

And it's not as if I'm making this up: it has been fully documented and it's a very well known problem, even without GSX, that there are several cases of Simconnect completely breaking up (and Simconnect IS part of the sim, it CAN crash it), when the number of maximum objects (documented as 1000) has been reached. This usually starts with objects randomly disappearing, it degenerates into very low fps for a brief time, and it might even lead to a crash of the sim.

Again, it's probably *easier* to reach the limit if you are on big airport, with lots of AI and with GSX passengers, and you can be easily MISLED (again) assuming "it's GSX because it doesn't happen after I removed it", but in that case the fix would be removing ANY of the other add-ons as well, since each and every add-on contributes to the number of objects in the scene, so you just can't say one is more responsible than the other.


Quote
Therefore, saying "It works for the majority of Users, why shouldn't it work for you?" is leading to nowhere at this point.

That's not very different than your apparently "reasonable" assumption that, if you remove GSX it doesn't happen, so it must be a GSX problem, isn't it ?

Quote
If you need any further information like a GSX Log let me know, iam happy to find the cause of the Problem.

There's no need to provide anything, just try the two solution I listed because, since GSX cannot crash the sim, and if the sim crashes because we made a perfectly legal and documented Simconnect API call we NEED, there's just nothing we can do about it, it must be fixed by Asobo, the only things you might do to mitigate the problem would be those I listed before.
« Last Edit: June 12, 2023, 04:02:57 pm by virtuali »

Schmutzfink18

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Re: Crashes to Desktop, fixed after uninstalling GSX
« Reply #6 on: June 12, 2023, 03:55:55 pm »
Hey Umberto,
thank you for your extensive answer! I appreciate your help.
Yes, that wasn't entirely clear. I edited your post because we prefer not posting inline images, as a curtsey to users with a metered/paid connection, not forcing them to download an image automatically. That's why have these suggestions in the Screenshot posting rules.
This is kind of off topic, but we are in the Year 2023 by now. Who seriously doesn't have unlimited Data nowadays? I of course will respect that rule and edit my Post so the Image doesn't load without clicking on it.

Of course. GSX cannot crash the sim.

No external app can do that, this is not really opened to discussion, unless you decide not to trust my insurance the Couatl engine IS a 100% user-level executable that doesn't have any privileged access to the simulator own memory, because it doesn't attach itself to the sim as a debugger, which would be the only possible way it could do that, and it could work only if you explicitly launched MSFS in DevMode with a specific command line switch to *disable* the check the simulator does to block these applications (this is part of the MSFS DRM as well)

About the overall stability, it depends what kind of GSX-specific crash you looking at, and in both cases stability won't be affected because:

- If it's a "crash" (not really a crash, more like an handled error ) that comes with a Couatl.ERR log or something displayed as an error in teh Couatl.log which would cause GSX to Stop, this is 100% completely harmless, because there wasn't any crash to begin with. It was just a *bug* of the Python sandbox, which was correctly reported as such and logged, and nothing happening inside the Python sandbox can possibly affect the stability of the system.

- If it's a real crash that results in Couatl64_msfs.exe generate an Event, while this might sound more serious, it's *usually* harmless, because what is usually causing this, is an abrupt quit without being able to reclaim the memory allocated internally. However, the Windows OS will do that anyway so, the only possible problems I see is you are getting too many of these in the same session, and you are short on RAM, it *might* cause memory fragmentation over time.
Thank you for clarification! I have 32 GB DDR4 3200MHz, so I think that should be enough Memory to work with.

If you don't see any event for Couatl in the Windows even log, it's even more definite proof GSX couldn't possibly be the cause. What is more likely to be happening, it's a bug in one of the Simconnect API calls IN THE SIM, which are required by GSX to work. The most likely cause might be the Navdata API, because it's the newest addition, and there aren't many other add-ons ( if any ) using it.

And that's precisely why you are assuming GSX is the "cause", because it doesn't happen without GSX. The cause here is a possible bug in the Navdata API, which is only triggered by GSX, but that's just because it might be the only add-on using it. Of course, GSX cannot possibly work without it, unless you revert to the legacy Airport Cache method, which will prevent GSX from working on Marketplace airports, so we don't use it anymore after SU12.

If your crash happened while in Flight, when GSX is not doing much *except* calling the Navdata regularly, to present you a list of the nearby airports. If you don't need that feature, you might find easier to close the GSX Toolbar menu when in Flight, or even Quit the Couatl engine after take-off, and Restart it before landing.

If that fixes your problem, you can be fairly sure the crash happened because of a problem of the Navdata API (possibly even a problem with the data itself, like corrupted/illegal names for airports or navaids) so, again, it's NOT a problem "caused" by GSX, it's a problem the simulator has, and would happen with any other add-on that would make use of the Navdata API.
Thanks again for the Background Infos! Do you have any further Infos on this, is Asobo aware of the possible Bug?
I will definitely try stopping Couatl after take-off as the Nearest Airport Feature is not used by me. I normally never open the GSX Window in flight. I will test it and get back to you once i know more!


Now iam definitely better informed than before about Sim Connect and the technic, GSX uses. I appreciate your help and will post again once i know more. For now i will test it with closing Couatl after takeoff.


Best Regards
Timo

Schmutzfink18

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Re: Crashes to Desktop, fixed after uninstalling GSX
« Reply #7 on: June 16, 2023, 01:02:00 pm »
Hello everyone!

I can report so far, so good! I followed the advice of closing Couatl from the Tray after Pushback is completed and start it again after i landed. I did multiple Flights with estimated 15 hours sim Runtime and the Sim didn't crash once, so it's a massive Improvement!

Apparently really the Nav Data API that GSX calls from time to time en route is causing the Problems. Umberto, is there a possibility that you add an Option to GSX to prevent these callings when airborne, so people that are affected by these Problems don't need to close and reopen it during each flight? You could trigger it to Wheels being on Ground or Groundspeed below 40 KT I'm sure there is a variable you could use for this.
We all know that waiting for Asobo to fix Bugs can take ages, so adding such a (in theory) simple feature would be nice!


Best Regards!
Timo Frisch

Schmutzfink18

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Re: Crashes to Desktop, fixed after uninstalling GSX
« Reply #8 on: June 25, 2023, 09:52:55 am »
Umberto, is there a possibility that you add an Option to GSX to prevent these callings when airborne, so people that are affected by these Problems don't need to close and reopen it during each flight? You could trigger it to Wheels being on Ground or Groundspeed below 40 KT I'm sure there is a variable you could use for this.
We all know that waiting for Asobo to fix Bugs can take ages, so adding such a (in theory) simple feature would be nice!

Any Update?

virtuali

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Re: Crashes to Desktop, fixed after uninstalling GSX
« Reply #9 on: July 04, 2023, 10:32:35 pm »
Any Update?

Nobody was able to answer, because all FSDT was away attending the FSExpo, and we stayed in the US until today. We noted the suggestion.

Schmutzfink18

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Re: Crashes to Desktop, fixed after uninstalling GSX
« Reply #10 on: July 05, 2023, 12:25:52 pm »
Ah okkay check. Hope you had a great time.

Best Regards!
Timo

Ramflt

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Re: Crashes to Desktop, fixed after uninstalling GSX
« Reply #11 on: July 27, 2023, 06:15:34 pm »
Hello

I am writing in hopes of seeing this topic re-addressed.  I have had the same exact problem that is outlined here concerning CTDs at various times and including the inclusion and exclusion of GSX in my community folder.  Also accidentally I noted that I could complete a flight if I shut down Couatl.  I learned this because I noted that a lot of my crashes were happening immediately after pushback so I had begin shutting down Couatl.  Then I noted so was able to sometimes complete a flight or at least delay the crash.  After reading through this forum I now see (and suspected but was not sure) that the problem resides in Simconnect.  Please update and let us know if Asobo is aware of this issue.  If not we need to make them aware.  The problem has become so bad for me over the past month that the sim is unusable for me now.  I had the most difficult time troubleshooting this and felt that the problem was unique to my build so I feel comforted.

Please update when you can.