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...