I've searched the forums, and the internet for that matter, and have been unable to find a clear explanation or solution to a very common problem I've run into EVERY time I've used Visual Studio 2005 to build a .net windows application. When I try to run that application on a PC that doesn't have VS2005 installed, I get the following error... "This application has failed to start because the application configuration is incorrect. Reinstalling the application may fix this problem." the problem seems to be specific to using Visual Studio 2005 because if I rebuild the same program using Visual Studio 2003, I can simply double click and run the program with no problems. It looks like it could be a matter of finding some DLLs that are missing, but if so how do I find which ones? Has anyone else experienced this? do you remember what you did to fix it? Is this a common issue with a simple solution? Thanks so much in advance! Beeeph

You need to include the Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 Redistributable Package with your app to install the appropriate DLLs. The reason VS2003 works is that the DLLs it needs are older and are probably already installed on the PC by other apps.

Quote:Original post by Crisium
I got this too when I upgrade sp1 for visual studio (not a very nice way of microsoft to handle this).

What do you suggest they do? Provide everyone with irrelevant files via Windows Update that may never be used?

It's the application installers job to correctly install any dependant files. If you don't do that, it's your own lookout, not Microsoft or anyone elses.

I've tried installing the redist, i still get the same error.

so if i understand you correctly, you're saying the problem is the result of the first VS2005 service pack and, as a result, I need to recompile any third party libs that were compiled with VS2005 before the first service pack? if so, that could be what's causing the error.

any other ideas?

i just found an article that looks promising...

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/948854

I got a similar error when I compiled with a 64-bit compile target (by accident) and ran it on a 32-bit machine. Just check to make sure that is not the case.