Visual Studio 2008 - Install Problems and Solutions

Ok, maybe this has already been blogged about in various places, but I am going to list my steps that were required for me to get Visual Studio 2008 to install properly under Vista.

My previous situation was:

  • Had Installed VS2008 Release Candidate

I tried the following when I went to install VS2008 RTM:

  • Uninstalled VS2008 RC
    • Install of RTM failed.
  • Uninstalled Document Explorer and Web Authoring component.
    • Install of RTM failed
  • Uninstalled every other component that had 3.5 after its name
    • Install of RTM failed.

In all situations, it would fail shortly after beginning the VS2008 install step.

Now I finally got the install to work, so here are my steps that got it working:

  • Uninstall Hotfix for Microsoft Windows (KB110806)
  • Uninstall Hotfix for Microsoft Windows (KB930264)
  • Uninstall Hotfix for Microsoft Windows (KB929300)
  • Uninstall SQL Server Compact 3.5 components (there about 3 of them I think)
  • Uninstall .Net 3.5 Compact Framework components
  • Uninstall Document Explorer 2008
  • Uninstall Visual Studio Web Authoring Component
  • Uninstall Visual Studio 2008 (RC or Beta 2 - whichever you have)
  • Uninstall .Net framework 3.5 (can't remember which step I did this in, but I wanted a "clean" uninstall of everything remotely related to 3.5)
  • Restart your machine at the end of all the uninstalls. Note. You will have to restart in between hotfix uninstalls, or at least I did anyway.

Now you can start installing VS2008 RTM and all should be good.

Note: If you get a balloon prompt during the VS2008 install, asking if you want to restart your machine or Postpone it, make sure you Postpone it for a few hours until the install is complete. Then restart at the end of the install.

Thats it.  Hope that helps.

Update: I forgot to mention, thanks to Rick Strahl and Julie Lerman on the ASPInsiders tech lists that provided the info.

35 Comments

  • Unfortunately, the steps you specified above did not work for me. I am still getting the crash shortly after beginning the VS2008 install step, with exactly the same error log.

    Talking about Vista Ult. x86

    The differences from your setup are:

    1. Don't have Hotfix (KB930264) on my machine.

    2. Had VS2005 before, removed it, together with all its parts (CF, SQL Server Mobile, DocExplorer, etc.)

  • for my case, this did not work.
    i had to uninstall also the Microsoft .NET framework 2.0 SP1 (181 MB).
    only after that installation worked.

  • Tried to install Visual Studio 2008. Install completed and it requested a reboot. After rebooting, there was no trace of VS 2008 in Program Files directory.

    Microsoft is losing its mojo.

  • Installation of VS 2008 final release failed in the first step of .Net Framework 3.5 install and everything following that was reported as failure. I installed the framework separately by downloading and then everything was installed successfully. But VS 2008 installer still reports that it failed installing .Net framework 3.5 even though it was already installed.

  • Please help. I have installed Visual Studio and Visual Web 2008 successfully. Now, I had VS and VW 2005 in my computer. Windows did not ask me to uninstall, nor did it remove them during installation. My question is can I safely uninstall the Visual Web and Visual Studio 2005 to save my hard drive space, or are the 2005 versions require for running 2008? Are they requisite? Any help be appreciated. Email me... davidboy388 at hot mail dot com.

  • Just in case someone out there is as dumb as me...
    I downloaded the VS 2008 Trial as an ISO.
    I then just set up the ISO as a Virtual CD drive and tried to install.

    It didn't work. Setup.exe immediately closed.

    Hours later, I tried just copying the files to disk.
    Lo and behold, the installer launched.


    Hopefully, you're more clever than I, but just in case, there you go. :)

  • Two failed installs of VS2008 Pro RTM on Vista at the 3.5 framework stage - made me think something ain't right.

    Figuring the installer may be corrupt I downloaded Windows installer 3.1
    rebooted
    copied the iso to harddisk
    and ran setup as Administrator

    voila !!! everything sweet as candy !##

  • Even though, I am set up as an Administrator for my computer, the domain Administrator of the LAN had to install the Windows installer 3.1 and .Net Framework 3.5 in order that the installation would be successful.

  • I have visual studio 2005 installed, and know I want to "upgrade" to 2008. The installation stopped because "the instalation of .Net Framework 3.5" failed.

    Any solutions...???

    Thanks

  • hi,i have one problem visual studio 2008 express edition during the installation error occur like this."error occur during setup"
    my system :compaq
    ram:256MB
    HARDISK:6GB
    OS:XP PROFESSIONAL SERVICE PACK2
    PLEASE TELL ME ANY SOLLUTION.

    VENKATESH

  • Visual studio 2008 express has gone crazy. I have Downloaded the ISO Images and extracted the files with ISO Buster and tried Installing. like any other release before this also fails to install.

    Giving it a favour I tried installing on 5 other system all failed. Then I tried on a fresh windows xp sp2 system it also fails.

    Cheers to Microsoft for making product that cannot be Installed. What a fancy UI VS 2008 express has but it never get install. Only heaven know what they are trying to do.

  • Installation of VS 2008 final release failed in the first step of .Net Framework 3.5 install and everything following that was reported as failure.

  • I'm installing VS2008 in Vista business, with all updates installed.
    VS installation program is asking for Windows XP SP2!!!

    My Vista is a running in Virtual PC 2007.

    Any idea?

  • Funny - VS08 install will not start on my computer. As if the dvd-drive cannot be read.
    On other computers, it works fine.
    have tryid with an image, to avoid dvd-errors, but the same problem.
    The installer wont start at all.
    What to do?

  • Upgrading vs2005pro to vs2008pro will not accept my product key. ??

  • I also get the error message during install stating that Windows XP SP2 must be installed. But, I'm performing the install on Windows Vista Ultimate SP1! what the heck? HELP!

  • hey i m unable to uninstall the hotfixes itself. I am using vista 32bit.

  • i cn download and install the visual c++2008 but right after it says install finished.. i cnnot find it nywhere on my system.. its like it doesnt exist

  • i have download the ISO Cd of visual studio 2008 express but it fails to install the .net framework 3.5. i am thinking if i will separately install the .net framework.

  • I install ed vs 2008 express sql 2008 and the vb 2008
    with difficultiy! when i ran vs 2008 clicked new project and there are no vb 2008 stuff ex: no windows form application etc. can you help? all the learning video's beth massi shows go thru vs 2008 and she has all the vb stuff there. Whats up and whats the answer to get it. newbie so easy step by step pplease. i'd leave my url if i knew what a url is my email address? jeresamll@yahoo.com
    thanx

  • Why don't some bright guys offer a service in major cities where people could take it in to get vb2008 sql express installed?

    They would be swamped!

  • source file not found. cab1.cab. error code 1311

  • It's horrible!
    I've tried it several times without success (deinstalling all other VB Components i ever had on my HDD). FInally i tried it without the virtual drive (so unmounted it and installed it directly from the disk), and it worked.... woa. Never again. It's always the same: The program designed by Miscrosoft themself don't work with the Os, while other programer seem to be able to cope with the "challenge".. Anyway.
    Thanks to Chem (Chem said on Wednesday, January 30, 2008 10:33 PM (...)) for the usefull advice!
    Happy programming

  • Hey i cant install 2008 Its shoe Error in installation suite

  • Can't open MFC80.lib--
    I am using DirectX SDK2008 and Visual Studio 2008 on a brand new computerfor the first time, when I try to open my project which was created in VS2005, it looks for MFC80.Lib? Why? Shouldn't autumatically look for MFC90.lib now?

  • my ionstallation stoped at sql server compact edition.

  • Hi, I uninstalled the visual basic 2005 and try to install the visual basic 2008 but appears some error message

    [04/07/09,15:38:23] Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5: [2] Error code 1603 for this component means "Error grave durante la instalación.
    "
    [04/07/09,15:38:23] Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5: [2] Setup Failed on component Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 ....
    [04/07/09,15:49:29] VS70pgui: [2] DepCheck indicates Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 is not installed.

    i think that I have to clean the computer from the last instalation but how?

  • .NET framework 3.5 installation suckssssssssssssss.....!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • Sucks of VS2008 Express .....

    i have download VS2008 express,

    i use my vista home premium and installation only successfull in c++ redistributable package... and the others are failed....

    suck microsoft

  • Try to install Visual Studio 2008 on Windows 7 x64 RTM with disabled User Account Control. This helped me out with WebDevelopTool(WebDesignerCore)-issue which caused VS not install.

  • is there any solution in world to get the VS2008 installed successfully. Always giving error of digital signature missmatch in cab1.cab file.

  • i installed .net 2008 in my pc.but i when i connect to asp.net webserver .then that time i am getting erroor like i am unavaible to connect asp.net development server.eventhough i changed my harddisk i got same error.my pc has no data only i instaled only .net.i got this error number of time.pls give solution

  • I keep getting a setup error that says it is having a problem copying to the \DWINTL20.DLL, what am I suppose to do?

  • i had installed visual studio2008 in my pc with xp as os
    but when i tried to open it .it shows "project system components r not installed computer reinstall it".eventhough i had reinstalled it

  • hi guyss..
    i have a big problem for Execute VS2005 or 2008 files.
    when i write command and want get execute in VS2005 give me a error like 0x0007.. and in VS2008 give me error like 000147 and said cannot found exe file for execute...
    i think this problem is for my hardware because i change my hardware..
    can you help me???

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