FSX NTDLL crash

[Junntok lilit]

FSX crashes when I often change views, use the menu bar, or I right click often.

FSX has been working for me since January 2021 without it crashing. But on May 20, the problem started. FSX became unplayable for me because of this error. Even a reinstall and at the lowest settings, it did not fixed it. When FSX crashes, there is no event log in Event Viewer.

I used WinDbg to open the MDMP file and this is what it said:

This dump file has an exception of interest stored in it.
The stored exception information can be accessed via .ecxr.
(77f0.4d64): Access violation - code c0000005 (first/second chance not available)
For analysis of this file, run !analyze -v
eax=00000000 ebx=2c2d1ca8 ecx=5b448320 edx=0113d000 esi=2c2d1c58 edi=2c2d1c68
eip=779f38dc esp=0127cbc8 ebp=0127cbd4 iopl=0 nv up ei pl nz na po nc
cs=0023 ss=002b ds=002b es=002b fs=0053 gs=002b efl=00200202
ntdll!NtGetContextThread+0xc:
779f38dc c20800 ret 8

[shadowgravy]

A Google search of FSX NTDLL brings up several results and no specific cause. I'll provide you some links that may but probably won't help:
https://www.lifewire.com/how-to-fix-ntdll-dll-errors-2624474
https://www.avsim.com/forums/topic/379970-fsx-ctd-ntdlldll/
https://www.avsim.com/forums/topic/394774-ntdlldll-crashing-fsx/

Ignore the advice in the threads to install SP2. FSX Steam Edition includes SP2 by default, but the threads predate FSX Steam and probably assumed the user has the original FSX DVD without the Acceleration expansion. FSX Steam is "FSX Gold pack" with additional tweaks.

[Junntok lilit]

Found the problem: UIAutomationCore.dll caused the NTDLL crash.

I deleted it and no more crashes

[WianX05]

It also happens to me. Are you playing multiplayer when this occurs.

[rogerpilot3]

Hi, good day,
I have had some crashes on my FSX SE. Using aerosoft A320, sometimes FSX suddenly closes and has been on groung and on air, I notided using Windebug that is related to UIautomationcore.dll, this issue sometimes happens and sometimes dont, what do you think of this? How can I fix this?
Thanks for any advice or information.

[JJ FSX]

This stuff starts happening when FSX is low on memory, when users don't realize they have been increasing FSX's memory needs and demanding more of it with add-ons over time, some quality payware aircraft use A LOT more memory than default/freeware aircraft too. 32bit FSX gets low on the only 4GB of memory that it has access to. Reduce the amount of running add-ons IF you are not using them. You can make add-ons like AICarriers and others that start automatically through dll.xml and exe.xml prompt you at startup so you can allow or disallow them to run. They all have an entry: <ManualLoad>False</ManualLoad> , change it to True if you want the option to stop them from running at startup. Many of them like AI Carriers, can be started manually after FSX is already running too.

Only loading the add-on meshes, landclasses/photoreal and airport/sceneries that you are using (meaning don't load Europe if your flying only in USA and visa versa) also helps to reduce unneeded memory usage, even if not flying there the system has to verify they exist and index them for usage should you actually fly there.

Most non-tech people think they shouldn't have any memory problems cause their new computers have 16GB or 32GB whatever, not realizing it doesn't matter, FSX and all 32bit applications CAN ONLY ADDRESS (SEE/USE) 4 Gigabyte, Four.

[rogerpilot3]

So, you say that this issue is related directly with memory usage? and is not with that UIautomationcore.dll file? I have 8gb RAM, I only have Aeorosoft add-on on my FSX steam. What would you suggest me in this case? I ask this because windebug asociate that file when fsx crashes and also I have seen some similar issues in others forums or questions.
Thanks again for any advice or information.

[JJ FSX]

Originally posted by rogerpilot3:

So, you say that this issue is related directly with memory usage? and is not with that UIautomationcore.dll file? I have 8gb RAM, I only have Aeorosoft add-on on my FSX steam. What would you suggest me in this case? I ask this because windebug asociate that file when fsx crashes and also I have seen some similar issues in others forums or questions.
Thanks again for any advice or information.

Yes, I have proven it to myself on my system, every time I have gotten lazy and tried to keep every single add-on, every area of mesh, photo-real and scenery I have, all "active" at the same time, crashing while accessing the menu's starts happening A LOT, when I reduce it back down, it goes away. I'm not saying it's just the scenery. By itself I could probably load it all, but with ALL my add-ons active, A heavy duty aircraft that requires more memory obviously then a smaller/simpler craft AND all my scenery, I roughly seem to have discovered the breaking point. I know I cannot keep Everything Active at all times. They all take up memory and too many is just too much to fit in the 4GB limit.

I have 8GB too, but it doesn't matter as I said, FSX can only see "up to" 4GB of it. But with only 8GB memory, the OS and Steam/NVIDIA Overlays etc, you'll want to not be running anything else (like internet browser sessions), because the OS and those apps can eat over 4GB, leaving FSX even less when you start it, and that could cause a lot of memory swapping which is slow and causes hiccups. I also disable my Anti-virus's real-time protection while running FSX cause it slows FSX's access to data it needs fast when it interferes to check every file FSX wants to read.

FSX itself is like a real aircraft in the sense that you never really want to over fly it, meaning you don't really want to switch views fast and often, whip through menu's fast etc., it can actually cause hiccuping and when FSX is hiccuping (and it will on most all systems), it's not time to start or keep clicking, or accessing menu's. It's really "hands off time", let whatever is interrupting it finish and/or for it to catch up, often it will if you leave it alone. Keep clicking when it's "not responding" and you will surely cause a crash. Sometimes "not responding" is just during a Hard Drive access delay....hands off and wait.

[rogerpilot3]

Ok thanks for the information. very useful. And what do you think about deleting UIautomationcore.dll file on FSX SE root files? It is good or what would you say?

[Junntok lilit]

Originally posted by rogerpilot3:

Ok thanks for the information. very useful. And what do you think about deleting UIautomationcore.dll file on FSX SE root files? It is good or what would you say?

There are issues relating to UIautomationcore.dll. These includes:
- slow loading
- random crashes
- low fps
and many more

so yes I would recommend deleting the UIautomationcore.ll