How do I repair or rebuild scenery.cfg in FS2004?

In FS2004, close the simulator, back up the active scenery.cfg, then repair the reported [Area.xxx] entry or rename the file and let FS2004 build a clean default. On modern Windows, check VirtualStore as well as the installation folder: editing the wrong copy is the main reason a fix appears to do nothing.

Where is scenery.cfg in FS2004?

FS2004 normally stores scenery.cfg in its main installation directory, often C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Games\Flight Simulator 9 on 64-bit Windows. A custom or disc installation may use a different folder.

Because FS2004 predates User Account Control, Windows can redirect changes to a second copy under a path such as %LOCALAPPDATA%\VirtualStore\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Games\Flight Simulator 9\scenery.cfg. This usually happens when FS2004 is installed under Program Files and run without administrator privileges.

If both files exist, compare their modification times. A safe way to identify the active copy is to change the enabled state of an optional add-on in the Scenery Library, close FS2004, and see which file changed. Do not use a required default layer for this test.

This file is not FS9.cfg, which stores display, sound and simulator preferences in the user profile. See our notes on locating and resetting FS9.cfg if that is the configuration file you need.

Should I repair one scenery area or rebuild the file?

Repair one entry when FS2004 names a specific scenery area; rebuild the file when its structure is badly damaged or errors affect many unrelated layers.

How do I repair a damaged scenery.cfg entry?

Use FS2004's Scenery Library to remove or correct an add-on whenever the simulator can still reach it; manual editing is mainly for errors that prevent normal access.

1. Close FS2004 completely. Editing the file while the simulator is running risks having your changes overwritten when it exits.
2. Back up the active file. Copy scenery.cfg to a clearly named file such as scenery.cfg.before-repair. Back up both the installation-folder and VirtualStore copies if you are unsure which is active.
3. Find the reported area. Open the active file in a plain-text editor and locate the heading shown in the error, such as [Area.123]. The entry normally contains lines including Title=, Local=, Layer=, Active= and Required=.
4. Correct the actual fault.
   • If the add-on still exists, make Local= point to its base folder. For example, Local=Addon Scenery\My Airport should identify the folder containing the Scenery subfolder, not the Scenery subfolder or an individual BGL file.
   • If the folder was moved, restore it or update the path. Check spelling and every parent folder.
   • If the add-on was deleted, the safest method is to recreate its expected folder temporarily, start FS2004, and remove the entry through the Scenery Library.
   • If an obsolete Remote= path refers to an unavailable network or removable drive, restore that location or remove the complete add-on entry.
5. Keep the area structure valid. If you manually remove a block, keep the subsequent [Area.nnn] headings in a continuous numerical sequence. Preserve unique layer values and their relative priority. Never remove a core area marked Required=TRUE merely to suppress an error.
6. Save the exact filename. Keep it as plain text named scenery.cfg, not scenery.cfg.txt. Retain the original text encoding where the editor offers that choice.
7. Restart and test. The first load can take longer while FS2004 updates its scenery indexes. Check the affected airport and at least one default location before restoring more add-ons.

If the message identifies a missing BGL or texture rather than an invalid area path, rebuilding the configuration may not solve it. Follow our checks for diagnosing missing FS2004 scenery files instead.

How do I rebuild scenery.cfg in FS2004?

A full rebuild restores FS2004's default scenery catalogue but removes add-on registrations and their saved priority order; it does not delete the add-on files themselves.

1. Record the existing add-ons. Retain the old configuration as a reference for each title, path and layer order.
2. Rename the active file. With FS2004 closed, rename scenery.cfg to scenery.cfg.old. If both an installation-folder copy and a VirtualStore copy exist, back up and rename both so FS2004 cannot fall back to the other one.
3. Start FS2004 normally. Use the same administrator or standard-user mode you intend to use afterwards. FS2004 should create a fresh default scenery.cfg and rebuild its scenery indexes.
4. Verify the default world. Confirm that default airports and terrain load without configuration errors before adding anything else.
5. Register add-ons again. Add scenery in small batches so a bad package is easy to identify, and restore the intended priority rather than copying every old block into the new file. Our guide to registering scenery folders and setting their priority covers the correct folder level and library procedure.

If FS2004 does not create a new file, or the rebuilt library lacks required default areas, restore the backup and use the original installer or media's repair function. Back up add-ons first; our instructions for repairing the core installation and applying FS9 updates explain the safer order.

Common FS2004 scenery.cfg mistakes

• Editing the wrong copy: VirtualStore can hide an older installation-folder file or redirect saved changes.
• Mixing run modes: alternating between normal and administrator launches can make FS2004 use different effective files.
• Deleting scenery folders: rebuilding the catalogue only requires renaming the configuration file; do not delete the core Scenery directory.
• Using a blank file: FS2004 needs its general section and default area entries. Let the simulator generate them.
• Copying another simulator's file: FSX and Prepar3D use similar-looking configuration data, but their default layers and paths are not interchangeable with FS2004.
• Restoring every add-on at once: one invalid path can recreate the original failure and make the offending package difficult to isolate.