As if the current (and past) crappy record from ED wasn't enough, ED excelled itself again (for the worse)!

I decided to play DCS a bit after lots of months (perhaps even a year) without playing it, in order to play a bit with the F-15C and Su-27.
So I started the game and the DCS launcher detected a new update which I accepted (all normal after such a long time without playing it) but when the updated finished (and apparently successfully) the game started/initiated but suddenly I got an error which translates to something like:

"DCS.exe, the application was unable to start correctly (0x000007b)"


I tried to search for a solution on the web but to no avail! And I've seen a good deal of people with the same error and without being able to solve it as well.
There's even at least a post about this in the DCS forums which curiously (or not) it was closed without a solution.

My PC specs are:
- Windows 7 Ultimate (64 Bits)
- AMD HD 7850
- 8GB RAM

Really ED is getting more and more ridiculous!
I'm really starting to hope or desire that they go bankrupt ASAP! What a bunch of incompetent fellows!

Did you rename your Saved Games folder so DCS would create a new one?

First of all, thanks for your reply.

Secondly, no I didn't. How was I supposed to know that I should rename the "Saved Games" folder when absolutely no indication of this whatsoever? Besides what's the point of having an automatic updater if the user needs to do "manual" stuff in order to (successfully) update the game?
Moreover what folder is that you're talking about?
Is this the one:
C:\Users\"yourname"\Saved Games\DCS\
?

Could you clarify more about what I should do in order to try to fix this problem?
Thanks in advance for replies.

Yes. That is the Saved Games folder that I meant. I typically rename it and then copy the config\input sub-folder into the new one after initial testing.

It is not unusual for the old Saved Games folder to cause problems if, for example, graphic settings or game play options have changed. This is especially likely if it has been a very long time since the game has been updated. The patch notes for some updates have indicated that renaming the folder is recommended. There also have been some shader changes, recently, which conflict with the files saved in the old shaders folder.

In general, if problems occur after an update, I first rename the DCS saved games folder, then, if that does not help, I run a cleanup and then a repair, from the Start Menu. Also, you should make sure that all mods are removed before running the updater (a cleanup and repair should eliminate old mod files/folders which could be causing problems).

So you're saying that renaming to something like this:

C:\Users\"yourname"\Saved Games\DCS_OLD\

will work?

Yes. The game will create a new folder when it runs. Renaming is useful since some things, like controller settings, can be copied back to the newly created one.

Tried that but it didn't work.

No matter what (and even if your suggestion worked, which unfortunately didn't work) this doesn't make any sense! Nothing like this should ever happen! Incompetent ED!

But thanks for trying to help me.

Have you tried a complete re-install?

Did you try "repair DCS" ?

Maybe it's a missing redist? Could be direct x itself too.

Edit: Got auto-corrected ... most resist? What's that - an anime fix for a software problem? :P

You should post on ED forums just to see how tarded the responses from the "community" leaders is

Have you tried cutting a chickens head of and smearing its blood over your naked chest by the light of a full moon ?

Yes. But to no avail.



Yes. And again to no avail.


After digging a bit and still not having found a solution for my problem I decided to "downgrade" my DCS version to version 1.5.6.5199 which is the last but one version - the version before the most recent stable version (1.5.7.7741) and VOILA - it did work!
Then I decided to update again to the latest version (1.5.7.7741) and again the 0x000007b error!!

It seems that it's the latest version that doesn't work so for now I'll stick with version 1.5.6.5199 but this is ridiculous and only proves how incompetent ED really is! No way these guys will receive any extra dime from myself in the future and they can go all bankrupt for all I care! Sorry but I'm sick and tired to such incompetence!

To all of those who tried to help me here, my sincere thank you! I really appreciate

this procedure works only in DCS 2.1 - and further diminishing its effectiveness for daily use, as you correctly pointed out, it is only effective " by the light of a full moon ".

DCS community LOLz...

ricnunes, this was one of my frustrations with DCS many years ago. With each patch, people would get problems but I avoided these by making a clean install each time. What this meant was backups, backups, and more backups, and I would re-integrate my modifications manually. This also meant that I was usually down 1-2 days after each patch as I did this maintenance nonsense. Initially, it was easy as I would just find the relevant files and enter my modifications there, but after a few updates where ED would move parameters around (such as where to enter values to adjust snap views), I gave up and moved to BMS. I can only imagine how convoluted the process is now...

Yeap!

Fortunately for me I was able to find the following site:

https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=114030

Where it has instructions which allows the player to revert to/install any desired version and that site even lists all DCS versions which is very handy specially to use with this ED's clunky install/revert system (gotta love ED's Software "engineering" )

Yes, I also and largely move on to other sims like BMS or modded SF2 series and also older sims like Jane's F/A-18 (again I haven't touched DCS for at least a year now).
However I'm currently having the desire to fly either the Su-27 or the F-15C and since I own FC3 which includes both aircraft and to be honest it's the best representation of such aircraft of any sim this despite FC3 is being somehow simpler (which is also great for me since currently I don't have the patience to learn "super-hardcore" sims) I decided to give DCS an another try - And once again I purchased FC3 which is part of the DCS World.

But yes, the fact that the latest version of DCS doesn't work with me and many others as well is indeed pathetic and shows the sorrow state which ED has been for quite a long time (by now).

Hahahahahaha!!! Yes, that bit...

"Play this state-fo-the-art sim!! Install updates through MS-DOS!!"
"ED makes the most advances flight simulator to date!! It's so advanced, new features have to be added via MS-DOS prompts!!"
"The latest version of this sim is so advanced, you might have to play with older versions instead!!"

LOL

But we have to give some credit to ED: it's not easy to develop something which is "comical" and "frustrating/infuriating" at the same time

True! That is an art!

If you don't like to call the updater via command line, SkateZilla has made a graphical user interface that does all this stuff for you.

Btw., most companies don't even supply their updaters with a feature that lets users switch between versions. I for one am happy that ED does.

Minor note: I'm pretty sure that none of your Windows installations include MS-DOS any more, as it was phased out quite a few years ago. Command line user interfaces are nothing uncommon in the IT world.

Totally missed the point...

Your point was that you find the user interface arcane, no? I told you that there is a graphical user interface if you don't like the original one. How is that besides your point?

The point was the need to use the arcane interface.

Kudos to Skate for making a GUI, but that still doesn't remove the fact that the game developer is/was asking users to use MS-DOS in 2017 and had to rely on someone else for a "fix."

LOL! If ED didn't supply "their updaters with a feature that lets users switch between versions" I wouldn't be able to play DCS World and ALL the MODULES that I PAID FOR because they F*CKED UP things real bad with they latest patch.

By the way "most companies" don't f*ck up things with they latest patches at least not in the level that ED did which it DOESN'T RUN AT ALL on my PC!!

So please I'm so pissed up at the moment with ED that I won't accept that "happy that ED does" BS argument since IMO ED only does this (the ability to "choose versions") because and only because of their pathetic and sorrow patch track record of breaking more stuff than it fixes with each new patch, PERIOD!

nothing wrong with MS-DOS windows and using commandline

seperates the men from the boys (in a non ghey way)

Though I was really hoping for a patch this week 1.5.7 is by far one of the crappiest versions of DCS to date

I agree with Ricunes, ED quality control must be terrible if a patch breaks a lot of normal working features and it gets to the end user without being spotted

The DCS Updater program is used by so many people that they really should develop a proper GUI version of it. But I won't criticize that to use the more esoteric functions of their patcher is command line. I will criticize their mission editor not taking advantage of the cutting edge technology that is the right mouse button though. You can't tab through text fields. There is no distinction between visible edit layers and player visibility. Middle click drag for ruler works in ME but not F10. The ME is about the most painful thing to use of its type I have seen.

If they see fit to release a patch and ask people to compensate for their lack of bother by using the MS-DOS prompt, I doubt they'll bother to fix any shortcomings of the ME.
EVERYBODY will use the patch, not everyone uses the ME.

ICE having to use the MS-DOS prompt are the least of the problems
1.5.7 is an utter shambles and 2 weeks later still no fix / patch has been released

Just hornet videos being released , with people oooing and ahhhing like the little guys from Toy Story

It's not an argument, it is a statement of my opinion.

I'm sorry that the current DCS version doesn't work for you. Contrary to what you all seem to believe of me, i don't think that ED's QA process is as good as it should be.

I just don't think that posting a bunch of expletives here will change anything for the better. Before you start to purée that old horse again, no, that doesn't mean that i think you can't do it here.

I also agree with you. Indeed there's nothing inherently wrong with the MS-DOS command lines "per se".
However I don't think that having a sorry state update/patch track/record is in this case (of ED) completely unrelated with having a "clunky" MS-DOS command feature to allow the user to choose whatever version of the game desired. I think both are evidences on how ED totally and continually keeps missing the REAL AND IMPORTANT DETAILS.

Like you correctly said: "ED quality control must be terrible if a patch breaks a lot of normal working features" and this same ED quality control is the one that allows the release of a last century clunky interface in order to give the user the ability to choose whichever version of DCS he or she desires to install which I bet is only present in order to minimise the impact of ED's pathetic update/patch track.

Bu yes, I guess that I agree with your major point: It's far worse having patches which completely breaks things, like this pathetic 1.5.7 (or whatever it is called) "patch" than having a "version chooser" based on MS-DOS commands.

In the end with patches like this (1.5.7) who needs patches/updates at all?!

Putting aside the experimental build branches DCS has been quite good about the stability of their release branch builds. One or two might have had a severe problem? I don't have any particular issues with the current release branch version.

Actually more than you would think. Myself included. Poor FPS and M/P crashes just to name a few.
Several big hosts have gone back to 1.5.6 as that is stable and still provides good numbers without stutters and lag.

Some fixes being floated around are to delete the shaders and allow the game to rebuild them. Sorry, but why wasnt this caught before? I truly dont believe that none of the internal team saw these issues. Or they simply pushed it anyway.

Missed the point again Sobek.

Why is this also the dialogue nowadays? People use it like a get out of jail free card!
"DCS sucks because of [reasons]"
"DCS doesn't suck, I think they're great because of [other reasons]"
"Oh really? So that makes up for [reasons]??"
"Oh, I wasn't arguing with you, I was simply giving an opposite view for absolutely no reason at all. It was just my opinion, no need to address it at all."

argument
noun
an exchange of diverging or opposite views



Maybe the "bunch of expletives" here isn't posted to "change anything for the better" but rather to vent frustrations and disappointment?

Before you start to puree (how'd you do that special "e"??) your next reply, might be best to know the difference between the two.

"You have released a new Hornet video!! We are eternally grateful!!"
Hehehehe... yeah, was just making a point there re: MS-DOS prompt and twisting it like it's a good thing. ED has a long road ahead of it. I hope they'll cover a good bit of it with 2.5 release.



**cough!**
Su-33 update
**cough!**





Why is this still suprising at this day and age? They were doing this back when DCS BS2 was just released and AFAIK, they've just been going downhill ever since.

*Sigh*.



Opposite view? I thought we were all in agreement that the feature to switch between versions was a good thing. You won't see me arguing that v1.5.7 not working for ricnunes is a good thing.



Yes, but not exclusively. The noun argument can also be used to describe a single or a series of statements in stated exchange that are used to persuade the opposing side of one's own conclusion. That was not what i was doing. You'll have to trust me on that.



Which is fine, i stated that categorically in my last post. You must have missed that part.



It's called "accent aigu", you will have to look that up for your keyboard layout, since your's is probably not German. Also, it would be conducive to the discussion if you could at least try to dial the snark down a little. I saw you wondering in the past why people don't want to get back to you in threads. I assume that that's a big part of it.

Please let's try to practice what we preach.



No, it's not necessarily a good thing. It is a **NECESSARY** thing considering how messed up ED's patching process is. You are happy that ED does it, saying it like it's a good thing and that other companies don't do it hinting that ED should be given points for making this option available. The opposite view is that this ISN'T a good thing but rather a necessity given ED's track record.



Might need to be clearer on that stance next time to avoid confusion then.



I just don't think that posting a bunch of expletives here will change anything for the better. Before you start to purée that old horse again, no, that doesn't mean that i think you can't do it here.
"I don't think what you're doing will change anything, but you can do it here."
Is that a fair translation of what you said?
If you recognize that ricnunes is just venting, what exactly is the point of calling him out on it and saying his venting is useless in terms of changing ED practices? It's clearly not what he was doing (trying to change ED practices) and you claim to have clearly understood it, so why the need for that statement from you?



é Aha!! Thanks!! ééé

I didn't say that you don't have a point. I said you missed mine. That's a fine but important difference.



Again, poisoning the well. I'm not saying that it's good when a patch doesn't work for someone. Just that the updater feature is a good and useful thing (some people need to switch versions a lot even if everything is working just fine, for various reasons). Nothing more, nothing less.



Will do, if in return you try a little harder not to always jump to the meaning that is most advantageous for the point you're trying to make (which seems to be that i don't have one, judging from your statements).



I didn't state that to call him out. I made that statement to illustrate my point of view in this discussion. You repeatedly try to paint a picture of me that is not accurate (namely that i'm uncritical of ED). I am not, i just express my criticism differently.

Sorry, was unclear there. What I meant to say was that I probably/obviously missed your point or that I was unclear... you know what? Scratch that, let me try again: If I've missed/misunderstood your point, I'd appreciate it if you'd say it again, re-word it, or point it out so that I can address it (the point) properly. Thanks!



Ah, I get you.... I'm not very familiar with the "poisoning the well" fallacy; I've looked it up but still don't see how that applies here.
Sure, the updater is a good and useful thing and it is for most other games and sims. What I'm saying is that ED doesn't get a pat on the back on this one (despite it being useful) because it is a NECESSITY due to their own ineptitude. Just like how the GUI by Skate is a good thing... but ED still doesn't get a pat on the back for it becausee we shouldn't be using MS-DOS in 2017 and people shouldn't be having to make GUIs to cover up ED's ineptitude.

If ED didn't have a two steps forward, three steps back approach to patching, if each new patch was 95% better than the last one and the 5% is easily fixed, then yeah, the updater feature is a good thing and NOT a necessity..... but this isn't the situation we're in.

It's like bringing your car to the shop for an oil change and the car shop gives you an extra bottle of oil (for topping up) and a syringe (to take excess oil out). Sure, that's a good thing for the most part but not if you're having to use it after each oil change because the car shop keeps on getting the oil level wrong! Oh, and better get a wrench too because they've not tightened up the bolt properly and you're leaking oil....



Hehehehe.... why will I jump on a less-advantageous meaning? If I have a word that fits 100%, why use one that is only 75%? And no, I didn't mean to say you don't have a point.... apologies for the confusion.



Which is??



I'm not painting you anything, Sobek... also, if your criticism is that you're happy that ED gives updaters, that command-line interfaces is common in the IT world, and that you find the need to say that "your words here will not change anything for the better," I fail to see where your criticism of ED is.

Sadly there seems to be zero players on multiplayer on 1.5.6 right now (I have been looking)

You don't say! I think we did mention that this was a major issue about 126 years ago.

I remember back when I was flying DCS A10C that when a new patch would come out, we would wait until we had the "higher up's" approval to patch to it.... and if there were issues, we'd roll back or stay at an older version.


Translation: YESTERDAY in ED-speak