Fix AutoOrtho not starting in X-Plane 12: repair mounts and drivers, correct paths and permissions, and restore scenery loading.
If AutoOrtho will not start or run in X-Plane 12, close both programs, reboot to clear a stale virtual mount, verify the configured X-Plane folder, and repair the required filesystem driver. Start AutoOrtho first under your normal user account, wait until its scenery is mounted, then launch X-Plane 12.
Which AutoOrtho failure are you seeing?
The symptom identifies whether the fault is in AutoOrtho itself, its virtual filesystem mount, or X-Plane's scenery configuration.
| Symptom | Likely fault | First check |
|---|---|---|
| Nothing opens, or the application closes immediately | Blocked executable, damaged configuration or missing dependency | Launch it from a terminal or command window and read the first error |
| AutoOrtho opens but shows no regions | Catalogue, path, permission or network problem | Confirm its configured folders are writable and accessible |
| Mount failed, access denied or device unavailable | Filesystem driver, permissions or stale mount | Repair the driver and reboot |
| AutoOrtho reports that it is running, but default terrain appears | Wrong X-Plane folder, disabled scenery or incorrect priority | Check the active installation and scenery_packs.ini |
| X-Plane hangs while loading scenery | Unavailable mount, interrupted cache or scenery conflict | Inspect both AutoOrtho's output and X-Plane's Log.txt |
How do I get AutoOrtho running again?
A clean mount, the correct X-Plane root and a working filesystem driver resolve most AutoOrtho start failures.
- Close both applications completely. Exit X-Plane before stopping AutoOrtho. Check the operating system's process list for a second AutoOrtho instance, then reboot if a mount previously failed or refused to close.
- Repair the virtual-filesystem component. AutoOrtho depends on a compatible mount driver—commonly Dokan or Dokany on Windows and FUSE on Linux. Use the driver required by your exact AutoOrtho build, reboot after installing or repairing it, and make sure your Linux account has permission to use FUSE.
- Confirm the X-Plane root folder. AutoOrtho must point to the active directory containing the X-Plane executable and
Custom Scenery, not an installer folder, old demo, backup or second copy. Our guide to locating the active X-Plane 12 installation explains how to distinguish these folders. - Use one normal user account. Run AutoOrtho and X-Plane with the same account and privilege level. On Windows, a mount created by an elevated process may not behave as expected in a non-elevated X-Plane session, so avoid running either as administrator unless the build specifically requires it.
- Check write access and free space. AutoOrtho must be able to update its configuration, cache and mounted scenery directories. Protected system folders, read-only external drives, cloud-synchronised locations and security software can interfere. Allow only the trusted application and required folders rather than disabling security protection globally.
- Launch AutoOrtho from a console. Start it from Command Prompt or PowerShell on Windows, or a terminal on Linux, so an immediate error remains visible. The first message about a missing component, denied path or failed mount is usually more useful than the later cascade of errors.
- Reset damaged settings cautiously. If the failure began after moving X-Plane or changing AutoOrtho versions, rename the application's settings file or folder so it can create a fresh configuration. Record the old paths first, and do not delete the imagery cache unless the log specifically identifies cache corruption.
- Verify the region and mount. If AutoOrtho opens but displays no available or installed regions, use our checks for diagnosing an empty AutoOrtho scenery list. Once a region is installed, start its mount and confirm that the generated scenery directories can be opened before launching X-Plane.
If the installation itself is incomplete, compare it with our full AutoOrtho setup and mount sequence. A folder merely existing inside Custom Scenery does not prove that its virtual content is mounted and readable.
Why is AutoOrtho running but X-Plane shows default scenery?
X-Plane will use default terrain when the AutoOrtho mount was unavailable at startup, its package is disabled, or another base mesh has higher scenery priority.
- Start AutoOrtho first. Wait for the mount to finish, then start X-Plane. If X-Plane was already open when the mount appeared, restart the simulator.
- Check
scenery_packs.ini. AutoOrtho entries must useSCENERY_PACK, notSCENERY_PACK_DISABLED. Airport scenery belongs above overlays, and overlays belong above base mesh packages. - Resolve competing meshes. Only one base mesh can provide a given tile. Place AutoOrtho above another custom mesh when AutoOrtho should win, or below it when you deliberately want the other mesh.
- Read
Log.txt. This file sits in the X-Plane root folder. Search near the end for the affected scenery package, missing DSF files, unreadable paths or load failures.
Do not routinely delete scenery_packs.ini as a first fix. X-Plane can regenerate it, but doing so may disturb the ordering of every installed scenery package.
Why does AutoOrtho stop during a flight?
AutoOrtho must remain open throughout the flight because uncached imagery is fetched and written while X-Plane moves into new tiles.
- Keep the cache drive connected, writable and awake; external-drive disconnections and power-saving settings can break the mount.
- Check that the cache has free space and that security software has not quarantined the executable or blocked its folders.
- Confirm the network connection is working. Cached tiles may remain usable during an interruption, but new terrain cannot be fetched.
- Do not start a second AutoOrtho instance or stop its mount while X-Plane is running.
If X-Plane freezes after a failed mount, close the simulator, stop AutoOrtho, reboot if the mount remains stuck, and test again. Our process for isolating X-Plane startup and scenery-loading hangs helps separate an AutoOrtho fault from another add-on conflict.
Should I reinstall AutoOrtho or X-Plane 12?
Reinstall AutoOrtho only after checking its driver, paths and permissions; reinstalling X-Plane is rarely necessary for an AutoOrtho mount failure.
Repair the filesystem driver first, then replace the AutoOrtho application files while preserving a backup of the configuration and cache. Recreate an individual region only when its files are reported missing or corrupt. If X-Plane starts normally after AutoOrtho entries are temporarily disabled, the simulator installation itself is not the cause.