After a year or so of using Windows Vista, in various Beta’s and then RTM, my PC was in need of a re-format – lots of random errors, and slooow in parts. Too many other beta install’s / uninstall’s.
Decided to go for Windows Vista x64 this time, following some “encouraging” words from blurg (the comment was “…so you’re finally taking the x64 plunge, took your time you wh00sey!!”)
I was pleasantly surprised (and amazed) at how smoothly & trouble-free the installation was. Thankfully, I’d borrowed a “wired” keyboard, as my Bluetooth wireless KB and mouse wouldn’t have worked during install.
No driver problems, everything detected, was online immediately – just easy.
Although, I did have a blue screen when plugging in my Toshiba Gigabeat MP3 player – had to re-boot, of course. Tried it again (a little nervously) and all worked OK – not sure what happened, but it’s been fine since then.
I started installing some programs – Office-2007, Virtual PC, and so on – all OK so far. Then – I ran into a nasty problem with Visual Studio 2008 Professional.
The installation would proceed for a while, and then show lots of red error flags & warnings – unable to install Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 (pre-requisite).
I re-booted, re-tried and still no luck.
Bear in mind that this was a clean, brand-new installation – less than 24 hours old, with all latest updates applied – shouldn’t be a problem.
From some hunting about on Google, I kinda stumbled/guessed upon the notion that one of those updates might actually be the cause of the problem.
I am running Vista 64-bit English, brand new install (only two hours old) and my update settings are to download but notify… NOT install.
Yet, while installing Visual Studio, Windows Update pops up saying I need to reboot for my updates to take affect. I never told it to install anything.
Hotfix for Windows (KB110806)
There’s also some confusion about what this KB (knowledge base) patch or update is actually for.
Anyone know what this update is? The link to MS gives: “The article you are looking for is currently not available”.
It turns out that this particular hotfix is a bit wrong in it’s naming – and it’s actually a service pack, not a hotfix :
Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 Service Pack 1 (x64)
…provides cumulative roll-up updates for customer reported issues found after the release of Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0.
In addition, this release provides security improvements, and prerequisite feature support for .NET Framework 3.0 Service Pack 1, and .NET Framework 3.5.
Problems that are fixed in the .NET Framework 2.0 Service Pack 1
Well – I thought it couldn’t hurt to remove it, right ? *eek*
So – I (bravely) uninstalled this particular “hotfix” – and had to re-boot.
Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features > Installed Updates
Just locate the KB110806 in the list, and uninstall.
After the re-boot, then installation of Visual Studio 2008 proceeded – and was successful !
And – from looking at the updates list afterwards, it looks like the KB110806 has been re-applied during installation of VS-2008.
Not sure if this affects any Vista-32, or Windows XP installations – but that was the answer for me, at least.
So – having problems with Visual Studio 2008, due to .NET 3.5 ?
Just uninstall KB110806 – and then re-try installing VS-2008.
Filed under: Visual Studio 2008
Hi and thanks for this post!
I also just made the leap to x64 and hit the same snag. After reading your post I tried a different approach. I happened to have a copy of the offline installer for .Net Framework 3.5.
Without uninstalling KB11006 I simply installed the Framework first, rebooteed and then installed Visual Studio 2008 – also worked like a charm.
Same problem here.
I din’t have this problem when running xp or vista 32.
Thanks for the “hotfix”
Byebye;
[...] Studio 2008 Professional. … I am running vista 64-bit English, brand new install only two …http://grumpywookie.wordpress.com/2008/02/12/problems-installing-visual-studio-2008-on-vista-x64/AnandTech: A Messy Transition Part 3: Vista Buys Some Time… visual Studio could make it easier for [...]
Hello, thanks for your help, it was very helpfull for me.
I just spent 4 hours trying to install Visual Studio 2008 …
Hi, I have been trying to install VS 2008 on Vista and have found the same problem. Another problem is the file KB110806 is not installed. I have checked some other posts – mentioning about deleting KB930264 and KB929300. But, none of these are installed on my system. I am unable to understand what could be the problem. Help..
it happened to me too. I installed a fresh vista 64bit and trying to install visual studio 2008 before I’m install everything else but getting the error x64bit preques.. things.. Help
Before intalling VS2008 on my Vista Ultimate x64 I checked if there are no problems with this. After reading this article I checked updates there already was .NET x64, so instalation was without problem, at beginnig it tells that x64 .NET is installed it would not be installed. So is enough to make all needed updates an VS2008 will run without problems on Vista x64.
Thanks NSD – good that Microsoft have updated the installer.
This article was over a year ago – glad that it’s now working.
I had successfully installed VS 2008 and 2008 on my Toshiba Notebook running Vista Ultimum. Then I decided to do a Help/Get Updates, which took me to the Microsoft VS 2008 site. There I hit Download Now then Install.
That is the last time I saw my computer alive. All it has been doing since is two operations: boot and reboot. In between, it tells me it is doing update 3 of 3 0%, which changes suddenly to update 3 of 3 96%. Then it dies and re-incarnates. Over and over and over like the eveready battery commercial. Bill Gates should never have fired some one of those 5000 employees!