Atomic Systems

Hi all,

I am needing a bit of advice on getting MSTS to work with Windows 10 from members who have been successful in getting it going.

I have changed my hard drive to a 500gb SSD drive and changed the graphics card from an AMD on to a Nivida Geforce GTX 750Ti. I know that it isn't the fastest graphics card but if it make Train Simulator 2016 go at 100fps as apposed to 15 on the AMD card, its good enough for what I need.

I've installed on C drive outside the program folders and called it 1MSTS. I've installed the update, UKFS, X-Tracks, New Roads, Bin Patch and Patch, Tsection42UK, Class 50 and sd40-2 updates. It almost loads up but then it throws up error messages.

No Extended Shape data for A2t250r5d.s
Failed to open shape filell Global\Shapes\ A2t250r5d.s
Shape failed to load A2t250r5d.s

Also the same for the following: A2t100mstrt.s, A2t10mstrt.s, A2t500r5d.s and A2t50mstrt.s.

I gave up after those. So I would be most greatfull for any advice. I'm getting withdrawal symptoms having not had MSTS since before Christmas.

Regards,
Steve

Hi Steve,
The first question is : Are you running the default MSTS installation, ie without any other routes?

You haven't mentioned any other routes, so I'll assume it is, in which case the missing track shapes would appear to be the default track shapes. Although you've installed UKFS and XTracks, they are not required by the default routes.

Have a look in the GLOBAL\Shapes folder for those reported shapes and their associated sd files. If they are present (which I'm sure they will be), then it appears that your PC might have a resources problem. Although you've installed an SSD and a decent graphics card, MSTS depends, almost solely, on the capability of the CPU. Try taking all the MSTS settings (in OPTIONS) to their lowest position and see if it loads successfully.

It might also be helpful if you could post the specifications of your PC.

Cheers,
Ged

Hi Ged,
Yes I am running it without any other routes. All I've done is install the update and also the Class 50 update and SD40 update. For some reason I could not use the keyboard so I was just in the cab and couldn't move any of the controls. I then decided to see what would happen if I installed the New Roads. So I did and then I was able to use the keyboard and everything seemed OK. I then installed MSTSBin and Tsection42UK.dat. That's when missing shape files, data and shape failed to load errors appeared. I wrote them down so that I could check them in the Global\Shape folder and they were there.
Regards
Steve

Dell XPS8300, Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-2310CPU @ 2.90GHz 2.90 GHz Installed Memory (RAM): 12.GB DDR3 System type: 64-bit Operating System, x64-based processor. Graphics Card NVIDIA GeForce GTX 750Ti 2GB

Hi Steve,
Well, your PC looks quite capable of running MSTS without any problem.

Incidentally, if you're only running the default routes, New Roads, MSTSBin and Tsection42UK.dat will definitely not be required! I'm pretty certain that installing New Roads won't have any effect on you being able to use the keyboard. I wonder if some other software you run, reconfigured the keyboard for its own use and didn't reset it?

As the "missing" shape files are present, it seems to indicate that your PC might have been very busy doing something else - like an anti-virus scan, or video editor, running. Alternatively, have you installed the latest drivers from NVIDIA (NOT those from Windows update!)?

Cheers,
Ged

Hi Ged

It is rather odd that this is happening. My son is coming up in the morning for a few days, he works in IT so I'll if he can solve the problem. He put the graphics card in so I would expect that he would have got the latest drivers in.

I'll keep you posted anyway. It'll be a few days before I get back to you though.

Cheers
Steve

Hi Ged,

Sorry I been a long time in letting you know how I've got on. Since then my father-in-law died so I've been helping to sort things out.

Since the last time I have managed to install MSTS and it 75% to 80% working. I have install all the other stuff, X-tracks, Fine scale, New Roads, Bin etc. I've installed Bristol to Birmingham, Thames-Trent and Yorkshire Coast Route. They work without any trouble, I've also installed Train Store with no trouble at all. The only problem I do get is if I try the original msts routes, they don't work at all, not that I'm bothered, but it is a bit odd.

I've also installed the five mini-routes up to now BC1, MEP1.0 and NWC2 work. I'll probably reinstall SCP and SDJR again.

I've also installed Activity Analysis. At the moment it is only showing two routes but there are 10 showing in Train Store. I've unstalled and re-installed a few times but it makes no difference.

Regards,
Steve.

Hi Steve,
I'm pleased that you have "most" of your MSTS working correctly

Regarding Activity Analysis, until you've entered the registration key, it will only show two routes. If you don't have the key, see my post here : http://forums.uktrainsim.com/viewtopic. ... 6#p1776191

I can't give you an answer about the default routes - are any messages displayed when you try to use them? Are they shown on the MSTS Route & Activity menu?

Cheers,
Ged

Hi Ged,

Thanks for the link. I've tried activating the help file. There is a question mark in the blue circle. When I press it windows 10 tells me the is an error opening help. It says " Error opening Help in Windows-based programs: "Feature into included" or "Help not support"

Regards
Steve

Hi Steve,
It appears that old Windows help files (.hlp) are not readable under Windows 10. Google will find many solutions, but all are too complicated to reproduce here!

One solution which looks promising is here : http://appuals.com/how-to-read-hlp-files-in-windows-10/ I haven't checked it out yet. I have now - see below

Cheers,
Ged

EDIT : The page I linked to shows two solutions - I can confirm that the first worked without any problems when applied to my Windows 10 Pro 64-bit installation and MSTS_ACTIVITY_ANALYSIS.HLP displays as expected.

Hi Ged,

Thanks for the link for getting help to work. It is almost working, I just need the registration code to be sent to me by Ernst Tollknaepper.

As far as the original MSTS is concerned the error messages that I get are the same as I said when I first made this Post. Everything else works just fine, well not quite. I haven't managed to get the Editor and Tools to work yet but perhaps I'd better do that in a different post.

Anyway I'm reasonably happy with it at the moment. I'll be away for about a week from tomorrow.

Cheers
Steve

Hi Steve,

I just need the registration code to be sent to me by Ernst Tollknaepper.

You won't get it!! Ernst left MSTS a very long time ago. Although I linked to it in an earlier post in this thread, see here : http://forums.uktrainsim.com/viewtopic. ... 6#p1776191

In case your browser won't translate the information at the bottom of that page, here is my Anglicised version :

After installing, this version works when the following data is entered:
Name: <Enter here the real name> NOTE : Enter any name
Email: geschenk@german-railroads.de NOTE : This MUST be entered
Registration Number: 2467

Regarding your missing track shape files, you posted :

so that I could check them in the Global\Shape folder and they were there.

If that really is the folder name, it's the reason that MSTS can't find them! It should be Global\Shapes

Cheers,
Ged

It's certainly worked for me. Many thanks to Ged for the links and guide.

Hi Ged,

Thanks for that link, I would have been waiting forever. I've now got it working so I'll keep that info safe.

Cheers
Steve