410 download too big!

B

blade

New member
Hey there!

I've had G3 for a while now and down loading 378 was a chore that took several attempts to get done. The 410 down load is impossible with a standard internet connection. I've tried to down load it 3 times and I've managed to get about 3/4 of it before I get an error. Needless to say, when it aborts the down load it makes G3 useless and I have to uninstall/reinstall to get G3 working again.

I've turned off my fire wall and all of my virus programs, and it still aborts the download because of the size. My computer is more than G3 needs to run with everything enabled and I would like to take advantage of all the new fearures.

I kind of feel that for $200 you should be able to send a user a CD with updates for them to use to upgrade. or provide smaller files to down load to achieve the update without messing up my program.

I'm not a very happy camper right now since I've spent the better part of 20 hours trying to get the latest update and it still doesn't work!

How about sending me a CD?

blade
 
blade said:
Needless to say, when it aborts the down load it makes G3 useless and I have to uninstall/reinstall to get G3 working again.
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Actually, that shouldn't cause any problems at all. If an update is cancelled before it is finished, your existing installation should be completely unaffected. You'll still be at the same version you were before you started (obviously); nothing else should be any different. And the next time you start the online update, it will pick up where it left off, starting after the last completely downloaded file.

Can you give me more information about exactly what happens that makes you say your current installation is corrupt after cancelling the update?

I kind of feel that for $200 you should be able to send a user a CD with updates for them to use to upgrade.
Click to expand...
You can contact RealFlight Technical Support and see if they can help you with that. This update is still a public beta, though, and was just released. They might not be able to do something like that, even if they will be in the future.
 
Ryan

The program tells me that "rfv3up.dck" is corrupt and I need to reinstall G3. Even when I start the down load again it tells me that I already have the latest version of G3, .410. The bad part is, I get about 100,000k, and the down load fails, which is about 5 hours of wasted time.

Also, when it does restart the down load, it does pick up with the most recent file. The unfortunate thing is, the last file is 104106k in size, and I can never get the entire file before the down load is aborted by either Knife edge or my provider, which is MSN.

Everytime I restart the down load, it starts at the beginning of the file, and never where it left off.
 
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Well, I tried to down load it again! This was my 4th attempt!

This time I got 85 meg of the 140 meg down load before it got interrupted. What a bummer!

Again, after the interruption, G3 would not function. I had to uninstall/reinstall to get it to work again.

I sure am glad that my version at least came with the heli update disc, but it sure would be nice to have an update disc for all of the new stuff that came out after the heli update disc.

Maybe I'll just wait and see if they make a disc available for all us poor souls that don't have access to high speed internet.

I really think it's great that you guys keep working on the bugs and keep trying to improve your product, but for the money we spend for this software, you can surely afford to send some people like me a disc.
 
I think I know what's happening here, but I'm not sure why or how. I'd like to work with you to figure those things out. The latest version of the Launcher should completely prevent this from happening. It sounds like you might not have received the latest Launcher, even though it should send that before anything else during the online update, and are still using the version that came on your CD's. By the way, what version are your CD's? Based on what you've said so far, I'm guessing .366.

Using Windows explorer, go to C:\Program Files\Common Files\KnifeEdge (if C: is the drive Windows is installed on). Right-click on the Launcher.exe and select properties. What is the Modified date and time listed there? Also, there should be a Version tab on the file properties dialog. Switch to that tab. What file version is listed?

It is my hope we will be able to make update CD's available for users like you without a broadband Internet connection, but so far I don't have any news on that topic. As I mentioned earlier, this update just came out a few days ago, and it's still technically a beta version. If Great Planes does start sending CD's to customers who need them, it will probably take a while longer before they're ready.
 
Ryan

I'm using .366 that came with the update CD. I have in the past updated to .378 or .387, I don't remember which one it is off the top of my head. But when I did that, it didn't work at first until I dissabled my anti-virus and fire walls.

The first time I tried to down load the beta .410, I had a perfectly good running version of .378 or 387, and the down load failed about the same time as it has every time.

Upon trying to download again, the launcher would tell me that I already had .410 installed. Which of course it wasn't, because G3 would not run and tell me that "rfv3up.dck" was corrupt and I needed to reinstall.

Well, I uninstalled/reinstalled and tried again, this was with version .366, and the same results were achieved. An error in the down load, a non-working G3, and having to reinstall.

Since then, I have down loaded the "new" launcher after a fresh install of .366, but haven't tried to down load .410 since then due to time restraints for me. What gets me is that, I have had success at getting .378 or .387 with my launcher that came with .366, but I can't get .410?

I don't know either what is happening, but after 4 attempts and the same message "an error has occurred, would you like to down load this file again?", it's getting pretty old.

I don't believe that it is my provider, since I'm still connected to the internet, so I think maybe it's on your end?
 
I know exactly what's happening. Everything you've said has helped verify it. What I'm trying to figure out is why you didn't get an updated Launcher at the very beginning of the online updates process, since that would have prevented most of these problems. With the Launcher from .366, I expect to see the problem you describe, where a problem occurs during the download a file is not fully downloaded, and the next time you try the update, it appears to work (except for downloading the partial file), but then gives an error and crashes while copying files and after that it thinks it's at the latest version, even though it's not.

But the Launcher that goes along with version .387 should prevent that from happening in all cases except a total Launcher crash, where it doesn't have a chance to clean up after the aborted download. Anytime you perform an update right now on the public server, it should send you a new Launcher first, then exit and restart before continuing the update. Does that ring any bells?

And the Launcher that goes along with version .410 should prevent that from happening in all cases, period, even if the Launcher crashes partway through a download and doesn't clean up after itself. If you do an update (to any version) on the public beta server right now, you should get the .410 Launcher before anything else, as described above.

The next time you do an update, can you watch to see if it downloads a new Launcher.exe and restarts before continuing the update? Let me know if it does/doesn't, and if not, tell me what version is listed in your c:\Program Files\Common Files\KnifeEdge\Launcher.ini file, in the [General] group. I'm looking for the number where "Launcher Version=X". (Note: this number does not equate to G3 build numbers.)

Also, if you find yourself in the situation where the Launcher thinks you're updated to the latest version, even though you're not, and it crashes when you try to run, you can try performing an update back to the previous version. I can't check right now, but I think that will still work, and get you back to a runnable state with the older version.

The reason you're experiencing problems with the update to .410 and not with .387 is probably due to the fact that one of the files is much bigger, so any problems that might occur have much more opportunity to do so. The server has a very good connection to the Internet. It's unlikely the problem is on that end. For what it's worth, we sometimes have problems from our office, too, but they are related to our local connection and not the server.
 
maybe if KE could put the beta out in a patch style file and make it avalible for download, you could use a download manager like "getright" to DL the file , its a godsend for ppl on dail up downloading huge files , if you loose connection it will reconnect to the source and resume the download.

dial up sucks , i feel for ya man....
 
I agree with the original poster that an update as large as this has to be made available on CD or split into smaller individual files. I use an ISDN connection and I can only download 100MB before my ISP forces me to disconnect and reconnect.

Breaking the update into individual files the way you've done it doesn't help much either, since the core file is 140MB, ie 89% of the total.

I've tried to update from .387 to .410 beta on two occasions, and both times I had to do a fast disconnect/reconnect part way through in order to get the 140MB file. This almost certainly caused the file to become corrupted, because both times I ended up with corrupt G3 installations. Yes it did update the launcher, yes it did complete the update, yes I did end up with an unusable G3.

First time through, I waited for the upgrade to complete, pressed "Restore Defaults" for the hell of it, and started G3:

"The CD is out of sync with the index files. Please reinstall the application. Code: 0,1112218666."

What??? Then:

"Error opening o:\ffv3\image\Planes\NexSTAR.plnG3."

I don't have an O: drive. Then:

"The aircraft NexSTAR failed to register. Unfortunately, this aircraft is based on one you do not have. It may be on an Add-Ons disk."

I don't think so. At this point I reached for the "Uninstall" button and my original CDs.

Second time through I ended up with a .410 installation which had exactly one airfield, all the rest were missing. I think there may have been some error messages too, but by this time I was too tired to care. Time to reinstall again.

Possible solutions:

Make updates available on CD (I'd even be willing to pay real money!)
Break the update into smaller files so there's a better chance of everyone being able to download them, even if it has to be done one file at a time.
 
I am on dialup and have about the same problems and have only tried to update .366 to .387. I haven't even thought about getting .410. My two attempts were within the last couple of days and seem to have successfully gotten a new, updated Launcher, and seemed to have gotten the update as well. And neither worked.

The first attempt got the Launcher (the update "installed" for awhile, then told me to start over) and went through the "2nd" part as if it'd worked. During that 2nd part, my ISP hung up on me and I had to dial back up. I did get a message that seemed to indicate that the entire install had worked, and in fact G3 worked immediately after however... I tried to install an Add-On and it said that RFV3UP.adj was bad and that I had to uninstall and reinstall G3.

After the uninstall and reinstall, I did another attempt, and when it's update blew up, I then tried to update back to .366, and that seemed to work until I installed the Add-On and then I got the same RFV3UP.adj is bad message.

Truth is, I don't plan to try any more version updates any time soon. I really can't afford to get dsl or cable, as I'm retired and don't have the income. I had actually come here just now to try and find out just how large the .410 update was and after seeing how large..... I gotta live without that puppy.

As a retired programmer with over 35 years of experience, I'd like to offer a few suggestions.

It looks like a cd is the proper solution for people on dial-up, even after you de-bug whatever bugs remain in your new style of software update. Honest, it really isn't sensible to expect that people on dial-up would want to take hours and hours to babysit a huge download. It's also not sensible to expect many of them to actually have the time to do so. And it's also not sensible to expect many of them to have the "computer" savvy to deal with the process, or for that matter, to even want to deal with it.

And what really disappoints me is that from seeing the "install" in action, it appears that from the way it works, it won't be something that I can get my buddies with cable to be able to plug into a cd and send me, whether or not you guys offer a cd. What they'd wind up having to do is do exactly what hackers do when they steal applications to share with their buddies. I'd just as soon not ask anyone to do that.

My Jasc Software Paint Shop Pro update for Version 8 showed up in the mail one day. I didn't even know they had an update available. Impressive product support? You betcha! Truth is, that envelope containing that cd has been the most powerful "mail advertising" I've ever encountered. And it wasn't sent as advertising, was it.

And my last and least suggestion? Please take the time to prominently show, up front, how large your updates are going to be so everyone can see what they face on their installs. When I started the last updates, it appeared to me that the size warning was for the installer. I'm not sure I ever saw how large the whole processes were going to be. Some of us can actually plan to do updates in the dead of night to side step the ISP's and the internet's busy times. Others of us will realise that we simply will have to go without the latest goodies or fixes. Truthfully, I see no way for myself to be able to avail myself of whatever is in your new and improved code. And that doesn't seem fair to me.

whatever..... G3 is certainly the best application I've bought in awhile. It's going to save me a bunch of repairing and rebuilding. And it's fun. I just wish it was easier to update.
 
Too big also for me...I cannot have an ADSL or cabled line in my area.
After about 25Mb I have an error during the download and I have to reload the big file 140Mb (RFV3UP.dck) ...

But...is possible to download it without the download procedure ? We can use a download manager like getright that can use the resume option.

Or...can you compress the file, if it is not already compressed.

Or...is there one way to download it from another computer ( at work ) where is not installed the G3 ?

As example you can give us an account or activate the anonymous account on the server 12.156.2.54 which is the server from where the RealFlight Launcher download the software ( in http mode...you can use the FTP that is point to point mode )
Or you can give us the URL from where the launcher download the software....

Thank you very much for your answer !
 
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I also cant obtain the update due to inaccessibility to a faster connection. Dialup will time out before the whole file is downloaded. :( There has to be a better way for us loyal dialup G3 customers.
 
I'm trying to download it with GetRight...then I will test it with my RealFlight G3 and I will give you informations on the procedure.

We/I have to wait about 5 hours. :(
 
Finnally that's what to do to download the big file RFV2UP.DCK.

If the OnLine Updating stops when it tries to download this file with the error message, follow these steps:

1) close the online updates

2) download Getright from http://www.getright.com and install it

3) In the File menu choose "Enter New URL to download" and insert:
http://12.156.2.54/onlineupdates/archive/realflightg3/disk1/realflight/data/rfv3up.dck.24

4) than it will start the download with the resume option activated

5) when the download is finished copy the file "rfv3up.dck.24" in the directory:
c:\program files\RealFlightG3\OnlineCache\%INSTALLDIR%\Data

6) Restart the OnlineUpdate and it will continue the download with the next file (RealFlight G3 Manual.pdf.2)

Remember the OnlineCache directory is automatically created by the RealFlight Launcher when it begins the OnLine update procedure.

If also the "RealFlight G3 Manual.pdf.2" is too big for your connection than use again GetRight:
http://12.156.2.54/onlineupdates/archive/realflightg3/disk1/realflight/data/RealFlight G3 Manual.pdf.2 ( I'm not sure about the URL, I have to check or please Ryan give us the right URL)
Then copy it in the directory:
c:\program files\RealFlightG3\OnlineCache\%INSTALLDIR%\Documentation\English

That's all folks !

PS.
I used Ethereal sniffer to know the URL of the file.
 
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Ryan

The first time I tried to download .410 from my working .387, I did get a launcher download and had to restart with the new launcher.

Everytime after that, I never had a download of a new launcher. That was probably due to the fact that the launcher is not in the G3 folders, it's in the Knife edge folder in my common files folder.

I also noticed that even if you uninstall G3, the Knife edge folder still remains and nothing is deleted from it.

Also, on my more recent attempts to download .410 from a fresh install of .366, the launcher has remembered that I have entered the code to access the beta site. Right now I have launcher.exe version 1.0.0.142.

I'm going to give the .410 download another shot tomorrow after I get off work and let it run during the night, which was the best time for my .387 download. If it does'nt work, I'll just settle for downloading .387 again.

I'm also glad to here that there are other G3 owners out there that feel this large of an update is a rediculous thing to have to do over a phone line connection. I know myself, I wouldn't mind a surprise CD in the mail, you've got my address!
 
Blade,
Since you've done the research to find where the update is located on the hard drive, I've a suggestion that some might find useful.

If you know anybody who has both a G3 and a high-speed connection, ask them to copy the file onto a flash drive---it'll have to be a 256 meg drive---and then copy it directly from there to the proper folder on your computer. Those flash drives are so small, you could even send it through the mail.
 
It's because you didn't use the full address. If you copy/paste the text that you see on screen, you'll notice the elipses in the middle of the url. That is because it is being shortened for display. If you right click the link and choose copy shortcut, you will get the full url.

Travis
 
Thanks Vitek and Nemo,
I learn something new everyday! :eek: The file is downloading as I type this. I cant wait to see those photofields! Long live G3!
 
Ryan

Okay here goes!

I started with a fresh install of .366 and the latest launcher you had up for download and these are the results.

I started the update and the first thing that happened was a download of "launcher.exe" version 1.0.0142, the same one I started with.

The next file it downloaded was "copylauncher3.exe". It then downloaded "realflight.exe", and after that it started downloading "rfv3up.dck". It again failed around 80 meg.

I also had to close the launcher and restart the download at the beginning just like you said it should do.

Anyway, I started the download again and it started with "rfv3up.dck". It's now 11pm and I'm going to bed and let it run its course to see what happens one more time.

I also checked on DSL in my area, and it's not available. I don't live in the sticks either, I live in a suburb of Seattle. Otherwise, I would be more than happy to speed things up. I think too many people take DSL for granted, but it's not readily available for more people than you think.

Wish me luck, because it looks like I could use some!
 
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