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Important
Information for Windows Vista Users
For users
that have Windows Vista, it will be important that you understand certain
aspects of Windows Vista, and how Vista may affect the installation
and usage of Flight1 products, as well as other products in general.
Please make sure you understand the disclaimer below
before proceeding to the technical areas of this page.
Overview
- What it means to use Vista
Windows
Vista has some major changes that could affect how you use your computer.
Some of these changes may hinder your ability to use your computer in
ways you have been accustomed to. Both developers and users are going
to have to adapt to the new Vista structure also. As time progresses,
you will likely have less and less issues most because developers will
have altered applications to be more compatible, plus you, the user,
will have gained an important and necessary understanding in
installing and configuring software on Vista.
With Vista,
you can reconfigure your system so that it works similar to the way
XP worked and this may take care of many issues. However, there still
could be issues. Some products and applications (of all types) will
run just perfect, and some may not run at all. Some may run with updates,
and it is even possible some may work on some Vista installations and
not work on other Vista installations. So please be aware that Vista
is a major change! So you should be prepared for both the good and bad.
In less common cases, some software may never be Vista compatible. So
do check to see if and when upgrading to Vista is right for you by seeing
if your most important software is Vista compatible before upgrading
or switching to Vista.
If you
are considering the 64-bit version of Vista, make sure this is something
you really need. If you do not have a specific need to run 64-bit applications,
then going the 64-bit route may be unnecessary and may cause more conflicts
compared to the 32-bit version of Vista.
This page
will start out assuming that you are using the default Vista settings
after a new installation of Vista. If you are the "hobbyist"
type of user, and you like to install many applications from different
developers, then with the default Vista configuration, you should prepare
yourself for potential problems in installing and running the add-on
software (if you have not reconfigured your system to work similar to
Windows XP). In some cases, compatibility will only be achieved if you
understand how to use Vista in certain ways, and in other cases, usage
may be as seamless as it was with earlier operating systems.
But as
a general rule, you should try to learn about the new security aspects
of Vista. Without understanding what Vista does, you may be limited
in how you can use your computer. But if you understand the restrictions
that Vista puts on certain areas of your system, you should have good
success in running most applications.
Important
Disclaimer - Read Before Proceeding!
Disclaimer
- Many of the notes, comments, and recommendations in this page are
the opinion of the Flight1 staff writer only. By proceeding below, you
agree to not hold Flight1 responsible for any event that occurs from
your use of the information listed on this page and/or associated links.
Table
of Contents
You can
select one of the quick links below, or just read down the page.
Running
Flight1 Wrapped Products, Installation Programs, and Regular Program
Applications
Windows Security
Warnings
More Information on User
Account Control
Program Files
is Restricted by Default (Administrator Access is Required)
Turn
off User Account Control
Change
Folder Permissions
Do
not install Flight Simulator to Program Files
Firewalls and the Internet
Windows Defender and other Spyware and Virus Scanners
The Dissapearing Program - Watch out for Data Execution
Protection (DEP)
Things to try when your software does not run
Try Windows XP
SP2 Compatibility Mode
Take Control of Your
Computer Through Experience!
If you are upgrading to Vista from Windows XP (Windows
Vista upgrade versions)
Why
is it necessary to disable all this "security" in Vista?
Running
Flight1 Wrapped Products, Installation Programs, and Regular Program Applications.
On products
that use the Flight1 E-Commerce Wrapper - These products will be upgraded
and listed in this
forum thread once they are added to the compatibility list. However,
since Vista is so new, we are not certain it will work in every configuration.
However, in all cases, what we discuss on this page is important.
Windows
Security Warnings
On Windows
Vista, if you get a Windows Security
warning giving you one of the following messages:
•
"Windows needs your permission to continue"
•
"A program needs your permission to continue"
•
"An unidentified program wants access to
your computer"
Then, if
you trust the source of the software, it is very
important that you give permission to allow program to run.
This most commonly occurs with Setup programs, but it could also occur
with other applications during their normal operation.
If
full permission is not granted in the above scenario, you may not be
able to install or run your software properly. Certain installers and
applications require full administrator rights in order to function.
These security
warning messages were not part of previous Windows operating systems.
But they have recently been added to Windows Vista.
In some
cases there will be a long delay before you get the above notification
screen. This is part of the User Account Control function of Windows.
See the next section below for more information.
More
information on User Account Control (UAC)
By default,
Windows Vista has a feature called User Account Control enabled. User
Account Control limits the usage rights for all users using the system,
including any Administrator account. What this means is that any software
that requires access to your system must be given permission for this
access. This requirement is common with setup utilities. This is because
the program in the setup utility may require certain runtime modules
be explicitly installed to your system. This has been common for years,
but with Windows Vista, the system security has been tightened up to
prevent malicious programs from gaining automatic access to the system.
If you
know where your software is coming from, then it is usually always safe
to install that software.
User Account
Control is enabled by default, but it can be disabled so you do not
have to always see the Windows Security warning messages or have trouble
with certain applications. Computers are more secure with UAC enabled,
however, if you are a more advanced user, or if you are trying to install
an application that is not so Vista friendly, you may find it easier
with UAC disabled. To do this, follow these instructions (these instructions
may vary slightly on your machine):
- Go to
User Accounts. You can do this from the Start button in your taskbar.
Click Start/Settings/Control Panel/User Accounts and Family Safety/User
Accounts.
- Select
Turn User Account Control on or Off. Uncheck the box to turn User
Account Control off and select OK.
- You
will have to restart your computer.
You can
always re-enable it if needed later.
Program
Files is Restricted by Default (Administrator Access is Required)
Because
of the way Vista is setup, you have limited rights to anything in your
Program Files folder by default. This can cause errors because some
programs can't write data correctly. To get this to work so applications
can save data to these folders, you can try to right click your applications
icon (e.g. the Flight Simulator icon), and select Run as Administrator.
This may or may not work in every instance. You may have to change the
ownership and permissions of your Program Files folder.
For a more
permanent solution, you have 3 options, with 1 and 2 maybe being both
required:
1.
Turn off User Account Control
See this
section above for instructions on disabling User
Account Control.
2.
Change Folder Ownership and Permissions
- Open
Program Files in Windows Explorer, or double-click "Computer"
on your desktop.
- Open
Microsoft Games. You will see the Flight Simulator folder. Right click
that folder. Select Properties/Security Tab/Advanced. Optional and
recommended - You can select the entire Program Files folder
instead of the Flight Simulator folder, and then you do not have to
worry about this for other applications in the future.
- Select
the Owner tab, then Edit. Click Continue if a User Account Control
dialog comes up.
- Highlight
your user account (it must be an administrator account and the one
you use when using Flight Simulator), and select Apply. Click OK all
the way back to your folder list.
- Now,
right click the same folder again. Select Properties, then the Security
Tab.
- Select
Edit and type in your user name. After it appears, select Full Control
in the checkbox list. Click all the OK buttons again.
- To
test (optional): Open up the folder you just changed permissions on.
Then from the File menu in the top of the screen, select New, and
then it should open up a dropdown list with many items such as Text
Document. Select Text Document. If this document is created, it means
you now have a rewritable folder!
3.
Do not install Flight Simulator to Program Files.
We do
not recommend installing to Program Files unless the above 2 steps
are made. If User Account Control must be enabled, you may want to
remove Flight Simulator X, and reinstall it to a new folder that is
outside Program Files, such as C:\FSX. A shorter path makes the program
easier to work with when working with files manually because of the
shorter path.
Firewalls
and the Internet
In Windows
Vista, you must configure the default firewall so that programs that
need to communicate through the Internet have full access to communicate.
This should be easy and in most cases automatic with any of the Flight1
E-Commerce enabled EXE's you may download. However, if the default firewall
(or a 3rd party firewall) is limiting connection of the program you
are trying to run, then your program will not likely function.
The default
Vista firewall is entirely sufficient in our opinion. We do not recommend
any 3rd party firewall software of any kind. The hardware firewall in
your router and cable box is fine also! This can be used alongside your
Vista firewall with no problems.
3rd party
firewall software is notoriously known to "break" Windows.
"Break" means that it has an affect on Windows in instances
where you expect its behavior to be different. A prime example is the
3rd party firewall causing program interference, even if the firewall
is disabled. This is quite common based on our past experience.
Please
use 3rd party firewalls with caution. We have seen some cases in Windows
XP where systems had to have a system rollback in order repair the affects
from 3rd party software firewalls. This was after manual configuration
and subsequent uninstall of the software firewall did not work.
We recommend
the ShieldsUp test at www.grc.com to
test your Internet "exposure". It is a free test, and it will
tell you if you are visible on the Internet. If with your default Vista
firewall (plus any firewall that may be active in your cable or DSL
modem), the ShieldsUp test shows you are in Steath mode, then you are
likely very safe out there on the Internet. Nobody will be able to find
you! So extra firewalls in this scenario may only cause additional problems
for you.
Windows
Defender and other Spyware and Virus Scanners
Security
applications are one of the most common reasons for software application
failures. Windows Defender and any other security programs you install
can cause program interference, and prevent your software from running.
If you
have trouble installing software, it is always recommended that you
disable any security software on your system (as long as you trust the
source of the software you are installing). This includes virus scanners,
spyware scanners, and Windows Defender.
The false-postive
rate from Virus Scanners is higher than ever, thus causing a lot of
unneeded extra effort for both end-users and product support staff.
If something stopped working that was working before, it is possible
your security software flagged a required file with a "False Positive".
Check your security software logs to find out what file may have been
marked with a false positive, If you trust where you got the software,
then you can instruct the security software to allow, or skip over,
the required file in future scans. Make sure you read the Take
Control of Your Computer Through Experience section below.
The
Dissapearing Program - Watch out for Data Execution Protection (DEP)
Data Execution
Protection can be set to a setting that prevents your software from
running. If it is set to a setting that is too high, you may notice
programs that do not start up (they show nothing when you execute the
application), and in some cases, you may notice the program simply closing
with no message or warning. It just seems to close (or dissapear from
the screen), when a certain action takes place.
If DEP
is causing you trouble, you should make sure it is set to "...essential
Windows programs and services only." To do this, right click the
"Computer" icon on your desktop and select Properties. Then
select Advanced, and then select the Performance Options button. You
will see a Data Execution Protection tab there. Make sure it is set
to "Turn on DEP for essential Windows programs and services only."
After you change this, reboot your system. Do not set DEP to the "...all
programs and services" option unless you want to experience program
shutdowns or programs that do not run.
Things
to try when your software does not run.
So, if
you are having trouble with any software, here is what we suggest you
do to try to get things running...
- Verify
first if the software is indeed Vista compatible. There is no need
to go through extra steps on non-compatible programs.
- Disable
User Account Control - or you can try to right-click the file and
run it as administrator.
- Disable
Windows Defender.
- Adjust
Data Execution Protection as outlined above.
- Disable
any 3rd party security software including any virus or spyware scanner.
- Make
sure your 3rd party firewall software allows the proper exceptions.
- Run
the software in Windows XP compatibility mode (see below)
- Make
sure your user account is a top-level Administrator account, and does
not have reduced rights to any areas on the computer.
- Turn
of the Aero Desktop theme in Vista. The use of video resources to
render the Aero theme can cause instability with other applications
in some cases.
Many of
the above may need to be disabled through your services menu (at your
Start/Run prompt, type services.msc, then hit Enter). You can disable
them one at a time to find what the problem application or service is.
Or, add them back into service once your software is running correctly.
If you
still do not have success, you may need to go as far as fully uninstall
any security software, and make sure the DLLs and services for that
security software are removed also. In worst cases, a system rollback
may be required. This should not be required for properly designed software.
Most rollbacks are caused by security software installations that were
improperly designed.
What all
the above basically means is that you have to have full control over
your software, with no interference from any outside application. Do
note that there could be problems we still do not know about with certain
Vista configurations. If you have continued problems, please contact
Microsoft Support, as well as use other Internet forums available. Other
users may have had experiences to share with you.
Try
Windows XP SP2 Compatibility Mode
You can
have Vista try to run the software emulating Windows XP Service Pack
2. To do this, right-click the file you want to run, select Properties,
then under the Compatibility tab select Windows XP SP2. This may
help in some cases when the application itself has trouble running.
Take
Control of Your Computer Through Experience!
Here is
what many of us go by here at Flight1...
- Keep
no virus scanner or Internet security active in memory unless it is
system friendly. Use only a quality, reasonable, security product
like NOD32 from Eset, and know when to call on it. Plus, if you keep
NOD32 loaded in memory, it does not negatively affect the system compared
to some other scanners. For more information on NOD32, go to http://www.eset.com.
Many free virus scanners can give false positives, so we recommend
a quality commercial scanner like the above.
- Only
use the default Vista firewall, and what may be in your cable or DSL
modem. We NEVER use any 3rd party firewall, no matter how reputable
that company is. It is not needed in our opinion!
- Never
execute a program from an untrusted source without scanning it with
NOD32 or equivalent. Hence what I mention above... know when to use
your virus scanner.
- Know
what 3rd party security software is appropriate, and professionally
designed. Security software companies want to SELL you software with
features and "technology", and can put on a great show.
But a great show is not just what you want. You want software that
does not take too much control of your system, and does its job well
when called on. So again, know WHEN to use your security software,
and learn HOW to use it on-demand.
Once you
gain full control of your computer back, your chances to run error free
are much greater.
If you
are unsure, or still new to computers and feel the need for additional
security, then waiting for Vista would maybe be better (if you do not
have a very important need to have Vista). For Flight Simulator 9 and
10 (FSX) there is currently ZERO advantage to Vista now. If you do have
Vista now, learn safe computing so you do not need to rely on other
applications (and Vista) to keep it safe for you. Then you should have
better luck using a wider range of software! But you may already be
a very educated user and the software simply has problems with your
configuration!
If
you are upgrading to Vista from Windows XP (Windows Vista upgrade versions).
When you
upgrade to Windows Vista from Windows XP, you may have problems running
your previously installed software. You will need to likely reinstall
your previous software either from the downloaded e-commerce enabled
EXE, or from the CD. This may or may not work completely, as you may
have to remove invalid files first. If you have tried reinstalling and
you still have problems, then please post a message in our support forum
at www.simforums.com.
From what
we have seen, using an upgrade version of Vista on TOP of an XP version
is not as good as a full, clean, Vista install with a reformat of the
system. Your upgrade installation may be fine, but if you are given
the opportunity to install fresh, do so.
Why
is it necessary to disable all this "security" with Vista?
The problem
is that there are so many variations of operating environments out there.
It is much more than simply saying "I have Vista". If we simply
knew that every computer out there would have exactly Windows Vista,
with NOD32 as the virus scanner, then it would be so much easier because
we would know exactly what to expect and could build and test to this
configuration.
But in
reality, many users have so much security installed and/or active, from
multiple sources, that no 2 operating environments are the same. What
may work on one system may not work on another, even though the systems
appear to be nearly identical. So the best way to get compatibility
is to work from the ground up with no possible interference from the
operating system or 3rd party applications. This is why for years you
have seen setup programs warn you about virus scanners or other running
applications.
As developers,
we can start to change how products are installed on the users system,
which in an overall sense is not such a bad idea. We will start moving
what used to be "System Files", into non-system folders for
example. We will try to lower our dependence on 3rd party modules (DLL's,
OCX's) where possible, so less files need to be distributed with the
application. But what about that legacy program you had from a few years
ago? Not all programs are going to be "cracked back open and repackaged"
by every developer. So in these cases, your legacy application will
need all the help it can get so that it can be successfully installed
and run on your computer. Even some fully Vista compliant applications
will still need special attention in Vista to install them on some configurations.
So if Flight1,
or any company or developer says that the program does run on Vista,
you may need to actually rephrase that to mean "It does run on
Vista, as long as Vista is configured to allow it to run." Of course
Flight1 will try to assist with instructions, like the ones here on
this page. But much will be up to your ability to adjust and configure
Vista and associated applications in your system.
Microsoft
basically "locked down" the operating system with Vista, so
more novice users would be better protected. This does come at a cost!
However, with a proper understanding of everything mentioned here, you
will likely be able to successfully install and use a wide variety of
applications on Vista, including both legacy and new Vista compliant
applications.
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