Registry keys

Post by **DD Stanislaw** » Monday 12 Jan 2015, 09:08

Installers often search for simulator registry key and if it is missing (f/e a simulator is not installed or a key was removed for some reason), there is no way to proceed with the install. To create such a key follow these steps:

1. Create a new text file and paste the text below into it:

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Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[Registry Key]
"LangID"=dword:00000409
"KeyName"="D:\\SOME_FOLDER\\FSX\\"

2. Adjust the Key Value (the path) parameter as required - it should lead to the folder where the launching "EXE" file (for example fsx.exe) is located. It might not be the "real" EXE file, but its name must be the same as the original. Remember to use a double backslash ( "\\" ) when entering the path, as in the example code above (it leads to D:\SOME_FOLDER\FSX ).

3. Adjust the Registry Key parameter and the KeyName parameter as required for a particular simulator. The key is placed inside square brackets ( "[ ]" ). Here are some possible examples:

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FSX:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Microsoft Games\Flight Simulator\10.0 - key name is "SetupPath"
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft Games\Flight Simulator\10.0 - key name is "SetupPath"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft Games\Flight Simulator\10.0 - key name is "AppPath"

FSX:SE:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\DovetailGames\FSX - key name is "Install_Path" or "SetupPath"
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\DovetailGames\FSX - key name is "Install_Path" or "SetupPath"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft Games\Flight Simulator - Steam Edition\10.0 - key name is "AppPath"

Flight Sim World:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Dovetail Games\Flight Sim World\1.0 - key name is "Install_Path" or "SetupPath"
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Dovetail Games\Flight Sim World\1.0 - key name is "Install_Path" or "SetupPath"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Dovetail Games\Flight Sim World\1.0 - key name is "AppPath"

Prepar3Dv1:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D - key name is "SetupPath"
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D - key name is "SetupPath"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D - key name is "AppPath"

Prepar3Dv2:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D v2 - key name is "SetupPath"
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D v2 - key name is "SetupPath"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D v2 - key name is "AppPath"

Prepar3Dv3:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D v3 - key name is "SetupPath"
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D v3 - key name is "SetupPath"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D v3 - key name is "AppPath"

Prepar3Dv4:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D v4 - key name is "SetupPath"
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D v4 - key name is "SetupPath"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D v4 - key name is "AppPath"

3. Save the file (f/e to your desktop) using Save as: FS_registry.reg . The actual name does not matter, the extension does.
How to change a file extension in Windows

4. Close the text editor and double-click the file - it will add a proper registry entry. Installer should now "see" the simulator even if it is not installed. Remember to place the EXE file at the path you have entered into the registry - some installers might check if the actual path is correct by searching for that EXE file.

If you have problems producing the *.reg file, you can add the key manually. Press Windows+R, enter "regedit" and press Enter. Now navigate to the proper directory. Using the File→Create you can manually create a registry key and its value.