Trouble Shooting Installation Problems

At Simlog, we work hard to make our products easy to install and use. And although we carefully test them on many different PCs, customers sometime encounter problems with product installation.

So here is a (short) list of common installation problems with some hints and suggestions.

I have connected and calibrated my simulator controls, but there's an error when I launch my Simlog software.

If you have connected many simulator controls to the same PC to use with different simulation software, then it sometimes happens that when you launch, the simulation software will be "confused". That's because the Windows operating system always lists your simulator controls in alphabetical order and the simulation software starts with the first item on that list. To resolve the problem, connect just the simulator controls that you need for the simulation software that you are launching, and disconnect all the others.

Using Windows Vista, my Simlog software becomes unlicensed when my computer is not connected to the Internet or to a local area network.

Unlike previous versions of Windows such as XP, Windows Vista disables (deactivates) networking if your computer is not connected to the Internet or to a local area network. And with networking disabled, your Simlog software will become unlicensed (and return to the unlicensed Evaluation Mode). To resolve the problem, just change the Windows Vista setting to enable (activate) networking, even if your computer is not connected to the Internet or to a local area network.

Using Windows Vista, I get an error when I launch my Simlog software, even though my PC is working properly and my simulator controls are connected and calibrated.

Unlike previous versions of Windows such as XP, Windows Vista disables sound playback if you don't have speakers connected to your PC. As a result, your Simlog software cannot execute properly because the sound playback that accompanies the graphical simulation is blocked (deactivated). To resolve the problem, just connect speakers to your PC, and then Windows Vista will re-enable sound playback.

There are no sounds and the screen is blank (or white) when I launch a simulation module from the User Interface window.

There may be a problem related to your sound card. To resolve the problem, just download a new "driver" from the sound card manufacturer's Web site (there will be no charge).

I hear sounds but the screen is blank (or white) when I launch a simulation module from the User Interface window, and I see the execution time counter at the bottom.

There may be a problem related to your graphics card. Your PC just isn't providing enough graphics horsepower so try alternative settings for the "Display" and "Graphics" options of your Personal Simulator (accessible via the "Options" main menu).

Alternatively, you might need to download the new (current) version of the "driver" from the graphics card manufacturer's Web site (there will be no charge).

Finally, if the problem persists, then you'll need to upgrade your graphics card. With a desktop PC, this means buying a new card and installing its driver. But with a laptop PC, there's nothing to be done except use a different (and better) PC.

There's a problem when I quit a Simulation Module, i.e. when I end a simulator-based "session".

Your Personal Simulator is having trouble displaying your simulation results. Since Simlog looks to Microsoft's Internet Explorer to display those results, you must have Internet Explorer installed on your PC. This problem was encountered by one customer because IT staff at his company had uninstalled Internet Explorer (on all PCs) to limit Internet access. To resolve the problem, the customer simply re-installed Internet Explorer.

The simulation "freezes" when I launch a Simulation Module.

You are likely using an old version of DirectX. (Remember that DirectX is the part of the Microsoft Windows operating system that communicates with your PC simulator controls.)

To resolve the problem, just download the new (current) version from Microsoft's Web site at no charge.

I can't calibrate my joysticks.

You are likely using an old version of DirectX. (Remember that DirectX is the part of the Microsoft Windows operating system that communicates with your PC simulator controls.)

To resolve the problem, just download the new (current) version from Microsoft's Web site at no charge.