Side-By-Side errors on 99% of programs...I need help!
- Two nights ago, I shut off my computer, and let it install updates as it did so. The windows update history lists them as follows:
Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool x64 - May 2009 (KB890830)
Definition Update for Windows Defender - KB915597 (Definition 1.57.1329.0)
Both of these were installed 5/14 as I shut down the computer.
Yesterday, 5/15, I turned on the computer, and lo and behold, something has gone horribly wrong. If I try to run any program other than Internet Explorer and the base explorer stuff (Windows Update included), I get this error:
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[Executable Path]
The application has failed to start because its side-by-side configuration is incorrect. Please see the application event log for more detail.
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I went to the "Installed Updates" section of the Programs and Features section of the control panel so that I could roll back those patches, and discovered that apparently, no updates were installed on 5/14, according to that.
Apparently, however, my google-fu is weak, and my searching has turned up very little. Supposedly, it's a DLL error...but all the pages I've found have been limited to one or two programs--not every single program on the computer.
I managed to discover that WordPad also works at the moment. The file that is broken, according to the application log, is
x86_microsoft.windows.isolationautomation_6595b64144ccf1df_1.0.0.0_none_35d357a66c38ade4.manifest
in the C:\Windows\winsxs\ directory; it is supposed to be XML, and instead it's like the old DOS/early Windows INI files...hence, why windows is finding an XML error on line 0 of the file (or so says the event viewer).
In particular, I am running Windows Vista Home Premium 64 bit...if anyone out there happens to be running that same type of system and wants to look up that file and somehow get the contents to me, I would greatly appreciate it.1 person got this answerI do too
Answers
- Success! I am so glad I did not have to reinstall windows (and it would have been very difficult for me to choose to install vista again).
I had a heck of a time getting the permissions set so that I could write the file. I had to go change the permissions on the Manifests folder to allow Administrators to write. Then I had to change the permissions on the bad file to allow Administrators to modify it. I chose to rename it with BAD in the name rather than delete it. That allowed me to copy the replacement file into the directory. I also took ownership of the directory and file to be able to do this, but this may not have been necessary.
BTW the only group that has permission to write to this file is TrustedInstallers. I guess windows Update shouldn't be in that group.
Following my success I made a system restore point, although that didn't help before. I am also copying the Manifests folder to my backup drive. All 71,046 files. It's taking awhile.- Marked As Answer byMartin - Support Engineer Wednesday, May 20, 2009 4:01 PM
All Replies
Hello Steev,
Thank you for posting. Since this is a manifest file its contents will be unique to your system. I would recommend that you try a System Restore to a restore point before the update. If this doesn’t resolve the problem try creating a new Administrator account and see if you are able to launch programs from within it. Let us know what you find out.
Thanks,
Jack
Jack
Microsoft Answers Support Engineer
Visit our Microsoft Answers Feedback Forum and let us know what you think.Unique to the system? That's rather unfortunate. It's also unfortunate that I haven't made any restore points, so a System Restore won't work. Teach me not to do that, I guess. And finally, the new administrator account didn't accomplish anything, still gave me the same issue.
Thanks for the suggestion, though. Would you happen to have any more?
Thanks again.- Steev,
I have the same problem and I hope we can help each other. I too am running Windows Vista Home Premium 64 bit. It happened exactly as you described and on the same date except my corrupt file is x86_microsoft.windows.common-controls_6595b64144ccf1df_5.82.6001.18000_none_886786f450a74a05.manifest
I have found that shortcuts don't work and any 32 bit programs. 64 bit programs seem to work if you don't use a shortcut to get to them. This is consistant with what I have learned about the way side-by-side works.
I did have a restore point before the updates, and I tried restoring to several different points including back to 5/9. No luck.
The interesting thing is my corrupt file looks like it hasn't been modified since more than a year before I ordered this computer. I think that the update corrupted our files and then failed. Mine has mostly unreadable characters except "This program cannot be run in DOS mode." It's dated 1/20/2008 10:39PM.
I have a copy of yours - x86_microsoft.windows.isolationautomation_6595b64144ccf1df_1.0.0.0_none_35d357a66c38ade4.manifest - dated 11/2/2006 6:16AM and it looks like an XML file should look. Want to swap files? Casey,
I'm glad I'm not the only one with the issue. As you said, it does appear I can run 64-bit programs directly. Likewise, my corrupt manifest file has the exact same modify time as the one you say you have. And the one your missing has the exact same modify time on my side as well. I'm good with swapping files...hopefully what Jack said above won't end up causing issues.
Should we send to addresses attached to the account here? That's fine with me.- Sounds good. I put my email address in my profile. I didn't see how to send an email to your account associated with this a forum. Send me an email and I'll reply with your file.
I don't know if there will be issues or not, but it's worth a try. I'm just about ready to admit I have to reinstall Windows if this doesn't work. Since I've backed up my data, what do I have to lose? I've already got a PC I can't use. - Success! I am so glad I did not have to reinstall windows (and it would have been very difficult for me to choose to install vista again).
I had a heck of a time getting the permissions set so that I could write the file. I had to go change the permissions on the Manifests folder to allow Administrators to write. Then I had to change the permissions on the bad file to allow Administrators to modify it. I chose to rename it with BAD in the name rather than delete it. That allowed me to copy the replacement file into the directory. I also took ownership of the directory and file to be able to do this, but this may not have been necessary.
BTW the only group that has permission to write to this file is TrustedInstallers. I guess windows Update shouldn't be in that group.
Following my success I made a system restore point, although that didn't help before. I am also copying the Manifests folder to my backup drive. All 71,046 files. It's taking awhile.- Marked As Answer byMartin - Support Engineer Wednesday, May 20, 2009 4:01 PM
- Worked on my end as well. I did have to take ownership (I did it all the way at the winsxs level; it was giving me troubles changing Manifest directory permissions), but once I did that and work my way through the entire path. But once I got your file copied over, things seem to work.
Thank you for your assistance...and I think it may be time to make a restore point of my own.
