"Unspecified error" error message when you perform a Source Control operation in Visual Studio .NET 2003

In Visual Studio .NET, when you try to perform a source code control operation by using any Microsoft Source Code Control Interface (MSSCCI) provider that is installed on your computer, you may receive the following error message:

In Visual Studio .NET, when you try to perform any source code control operation, Visual Studio .NET tries to load the corresponding MSSCCI provider. However, an MSSCCI provider that is registered in the Microsoft Windows Registry by using the relative path of the corresponding DLL may pose a security threat to your computer. Therefore, before Visual Studio .NET loads an MSSCCI provider, Visual Studio .NET verifies whether any MSSCCI provider on your computer is registered by using a relative path.

If any MSSCCI provider on your computer is registered by using a relative path, you may receive the error message mentioned in the "Symptoms" section of this article.

WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk. To resolve this problem, modify the corresponding registry entry for each MSSCCI provider that is registered by using the relative path of the corresponding DLL. Modify the registry entry so that the MSSCCI provider is registered by using the absolute path of the DLL instead. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, and then click Run.
2. In the Open text box, type regedit, and then click OK to start Registry Editor.
3. In Registry Editor, locate the following registry subkey:
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\SourceCodeControlProvider\InstalledSCCProviders
   Each of the corresponding registry entries for this subkey contains information about a registry path under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE. For example, the corresponding Microsoft Visual SourceSafe registry entry contains the following data:
   Software\Microsoft\SourceSafe
4. For each of the registry entries that you located in step 3, locate the registry subkey that is indicated by the information about the corresponding registry path. For example, locate the following registry subkey:
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\SourceSafe
5. For each of the registry subkeys that you located in step 4, do the following:
   1. If the corresponding SCCServerPath registry entry contains a relative path, right-click SCCServerPath, and then click Modify.
   2. Type the absolute path of the MSSCCI provider DLL in the Value data text box. You can use Windows Search to locate this absolute path.
      
      Note Contact your MSSCCI provider vendor to verify that this step does not interfere with the functionality of your MSSCCI provider.
   3. Click OK.
6. Start Visual Studio .NET.
7. Open the SourceControlDemo application project that you created in step 2 of the "More Information" section of this article (if this application project is not already open).
8. Perform a source code control operation by using any MSSCCI provider that is installed on your computer. For example, if Microsoft Visual SourceSafe is installed on your computer, do the following:
   • On the File menu, point to Source Control, and then click Add Solution to Source Control.
   Notice that you can successfully complete this source code control operation without receiving the error message that is mentioned in the "Symptoms" section.

This behavior is by design.

Steps to Reproduce the Behavior

On a computer that has an MSSCCI provider that is registered by using a relative path, follow these steps:

1. Start Visual Studio .NET.
2. Use Microsoft Visual Basic .NET or Microsoft Visual C# .NET to create a new Windows Application Project. Name the project SourceControlDemo.
3. Try to perform a source code control operation by using any MSSCCI provider that is installed on your computer. For example, if Visual SourceSafe is installed on your computer, do the following:
   • On the File menu, point to Source Control, and then click Add Solution to Source Control.

For more information, visit the following Microsoft Web sites: