Recover a missing FS2004 logbook safely: locate Logbook.BIN, restore the right copy, fix an empty folder and prevent future loss.
To recover a missing FS2004 (FS9) logbook, close FS2004, find every copy of Logbook.BIN, and back them up before changing anything. Restore the newest known-good copy to the active Documents\Flight Simulator Files folder. If no intact copy or backup exists, FS2004 cannot reconstruct the old entries automatically.
Where is the FS2004 logbook stored?
FS2004 normally stores its logbook at Documents\Flight Simulator Files\Logbook.BIN within the Windows user profile, not in the main simulator installation folder.
Older versions of Windows call Documents “My Documents”. On a newer PC, the folder may have been redirected to OneDrive, moved to another drive or recreated under a different Windows account. Windows filenames are case-insensitive, so logbook.bin and Logbook.BIN are the same filename.
What if there is nothing — “nema ničega” — in the folder?
An empty Flight Simulator Files folder usually means FS2004 used another Windows profile or Documents location; it does not prove that the logbook has been deleted.
Search from This PC rather than searching only the visible Documents folder. Look for Logbook.BIN and Logbook*.BIN, which can also reveal renamed backups or cloud-conflict copies. Check these locations:
- Other folders under
C:\Users, including old or similarly named accounts. - OneDrive or another redirected Documents folder.
- Old hard drives, transferred user folders and
Windows.oldafter a Windows upgrade. - The Recycle Bin, Windows backup, File History, previous versions and cloud version history.
- Any backup folder created during an FS2004 reinstall or PC migration.
Before launching FS2004 again, copy every candidate to a safe folder outside any synchronised Documents location. Repeatedly opening and closing the simulator can update a newly created empty logbook and make the timestamps less useful.
After preserving the candidates, you can identify the active Flight Simulator Files folder by saving a disposable flight, closing FS2004 normally and finding where the new flight files appeared. If the logbook still points somewhere unexpected, back up the configuration and inspect its [LOGBOOK] section; our guide shows where to find FS9.cfg on modern Windows.
How do I restore Logbook.BIN safely?
The safe method is to preserve every candidate, replace only the active copy and test the result before deleting anything.
- Close FS2004 completely. Confirm that
fs9.exeis no longer running before copying, renaming or replacing the file. - Show filename extensions. This avoids accidental names such as
Logbook.BIN.bin. - Back up every copy found. Put each candidate in a separate folder and label it with its original location. Do not open the file in a text editor; it contains binary data.
- Confirm the active folder. Use the folder where FS2004 places newly saved flights, not simply the first
Flight Simulator Filesfolder found by Windows. - Choose a known-good candidate. Prefer the most recent file that actually contains the expected flights and opens without errors.
- Preserve the existing active file. Rename it to something such as
Logbook.current-backup.BIN, then copy the chosen file into the folder and name it exactlyLogbook.BIN. - Check write access. The restored file must not be read-only, and the Windows account running FS2004 must be able to modify its folder.
- Test the restored logbook. Open it in FS2004, complete a normal test flight and exit the simulator cleanly. Confirm that the entry appears and that the file's modified time changes.
Which Logbook.BIN copy should I restore?
The best candidate is the newest copy that opens correctly and contains the expected history, not necessarily the file with the latest timestamp.
| Candidate | Likely meaning | Recommended action |
|---|---|---|
| Older file containing most of your flights | A usable backup made before the loss | Restore it, accepting that later entries may be missing |
| Recently created file with no entries | A fresh logbook created under a new profile or location | Keep it as evidence, but continue searching for an older populated copy |
| File under another Windows account | The logbook used when FS2004 ran under that profile | Copy it into the active profile while FS2004 is closed |
| Cloud or previous-version copy | An earlier synchronised state | Download or restore it as a separate candidate before replacing anything |
| File associated with freezes, errors or failed exits | Possible binary corruption | Stop using it and test another preserved copy |
A mistake we see constantly is choosing the newest file even though it is an empty replacement created after the original disappeared. File size and date help to sort candidates, but only opening a preserved copy in FS2004 confirms what it contains.
Why does Logbook.BIN exist but show no flights?
A present but empty logbook usually indicates the wrong file, a newly generated replacement, failed write access or corruption.
- Wrong profile or folder: FS2004 is reading a different
Logbook.BINfrom the one you restored. - Read-only file: Existing entries may appear, but new flights cannot be saved.
- Folder permission problem: FS2004 can read the file but cannot update it when a flight ends or the simulator closes.
- Cloud synchronisation conflict: A synchronisation service may restore an older or empty version after you replace the file.
- Damaged binary data: FS2004 may display no history, fail to add entries or become unstable when the logbook is opened or the simulator exits.
If a known-good backup works once and then stops updating, concentrate on folder permissions, Documents redirection, cloud synchronisation and the FS9.cfg logbook setting. Reinstalling FS2004 does not rebuild the missing flight history and may leave the underlying profile problem unchanged.
What if no usable logbook file exists?
Without an intact Logbook.BIN or backup, FS2004 cannot recover the original entries from saved flights, flight plans, screenshots or the simulator installation.
Check the Recycle Bin and every available backup or version-history source before accepting the loss. File-recovery software may find a deleted copy if its disk space has not been overwritten, but success is uncertain. Minimise writes to the affected drive, install any recovery utility elsewhere and recover found files to another drive.
Can two FS2004 logbooks be merged?
FS2004 has no built-in command for merging Logbook.BIN files or importing selected entries from one into another.
Choose the most complete working file as the active logbook and preserve the others separately. Do not concatenate files or splice their contents in a text or hex editor; the result can make the entire logbook unreadable.
How can I prevent the FS2004 logbook disappearing again?
Back up Logbook.BIN regularly while FS2004 is closed, and retain several dated generations rather than repeatedly overwriting one backup.
- Keep one copy outside the active Documents or OneDrive folder.
- Verify occasionally that new flights appear and the file's modified date advances.
- Use the same Windows account consistently and avoid changing Documents redirection without transferring the logbook.
- Resolve read-only files, permission errors and cloud conflicts as soon as FS2004 stops recording flights.
- Exit FS2004 normally before shutting down Windows or copying the file.
A separate flight logger can provide an independent record if the built-in binary file fails. Suitable tools may be found in our freeware add-ons and utilities library, but no utility can recreate flights that were never recorded or backed up.