A Visual C++ application may not start after you upgrade to Visual Studio 2005 or to a later version

Consider the following scenario. You are running a Microsoft Visual C++ application that dynamically links to the MSVC runtime, to the MFC DLLs, or to the ATL DLLs. You upgrade Visual C++ to Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 or to a later version. In this scenario, a Microsoft DLL dependency is missing, and the Visual C++ application does not start on the destination computer.

When you try to start the upgraded application on a target, non-development computer, you receive the following error message:Additionally, the System log may contain an error message that resembles one of the following error messages:

This problem occurs because the following files must be installed in the Windows side-by-side folder (the WinSxS folder):

• MSVC DLLs
• MSVCRx0
• MFCx0
• ATLx0

To resolve this problem, use one of the following methods.

Method 1

Use the Visual Studio Setup project in the Visual C++ solution to install through the Vcredist merge module.

Method 2

Run the appropriate redistribution installer on the destination computer. For example, run the Vcredist_x86.exe file.

To do this, follow these steps:

1. On the development computer, locate the Vcredist executable file in the following directory:
   Drive:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio 8\SDK\v2.0\BootStrapper\Packages\vcredist_x86
   Note If you are running a 64-bit version of the Windows operating system, the executable file is in the x86 "Program Files" directory.
2. Copy the executable file that you located in step 1 to the destination computer, and then run the executable file.

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.

For more information, visit the following Microsoft Web sites:

• Side-by-side assemblies
  http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa376307.aspx (http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa376307.aspx)
• Why C runtimes are installed to the WinSxS folder
  http://blogs.msdn.com/martynl/archive/2005/10/13/480880.aspx (http://blogs.msdn.com/martynl/archive/2005/10/13/480880.aspx)