VS.NET 2003 - Can not open solutions or debug

Question

This is for Visual Studio .Net 2003 on Windows XP Pro.

 

I have scoured the internet for any solution to this and have found nothing.  Many people claim to have the same problem or a very similar one, but nobody has found a fix.  As far as I can tell, Microsoft has not acknowledged this issue yet.

 

My issue is this:

When I try to open a .SLN or .VBPROJ file, it will start to open and then crash every single time.  If I open visual studio and then open the solution from within there, then it opens fine and I can use it.  Also, when I try to debug a solution it works fine, but when I stop the debugging in any way, it crashes.

 

Here is the error for when I try to open a solution:

Error Details - An unhandled exception has been caught by the VSW exception filter.

Error Signature - AppName: devenv.exe        AppVer: 7.10.3077.0 ModName: comctl32.dll        ModVer: 5.82.2900.2982           Offset: 00029932

Event Viewer Error - Faulting application devenv.exe, version 7.10.3077.0, faulting module comctl32.dll, version 5.82.2900.2982, fault address 0x00029932.

 

Here is the error when I stop debugging:

Error Details - An unhandled exception has been caught by the VSW exception filter.

Error Signature - AppName: devenv.exe        AppVer: 7.10.3077.0 ModName: oleaut32.dll         ModVer: 5.1.2600.2180 Offset: 00004874

Event Viewer Error - Faulting application devenv.exe, version 7.10.3077.0, faulting module oleaut32.dll, version 5.1.2600.2180, fault address 0x00004874.

 

I have tried the following:

- Repaired VS

- Uninstalled and Reinstalled VS

- Tried VS SP1

- Reinstall .Net Framework 1.1

- Opening my solutions on another computer (they work fine)

- Restoring windows

 

This started happening a few weeks ago and I tried fixing it then with no avail.  Today, I became very frustrated with it and tried fixing it again and I am left with creating this forum thread.  Hopefully someone can help.

 

Thanks,

Cory Palmer

 

Answer 1

Does anyone have any ideas?

Answer 2

Really?  Nobody even has an idea?  I really dont want to reformat.

 

Answer 3

I have a similar problem with VS6.  Every time I try to open it I get a pop-up that says "Development Environment has encountered a problem and needs to close."

 

Can't find any information that fixes that either.  Tried to remove and reinstall and everything.

 

I'll let you know if I come across anything that may help you in my search.

 

Answer 4

If you haven't found a solution to this already, try removing any .suo files in your project directory. This file stores user settings for the project - including, I believe, what windows open when the solution is opened. I try to remember to close all windows (or at least the designer windows) before I leave the solution so it doesn't try to open them when the solution is opened. The couple of times I've gotten into this cycle of crashing, it's been with a designer window.

Answer 5

Thanks for the replies.  I still have not fixed this problem or reformatted yet.

 

mproteau - I tried deleting the .suo file and that did not help.  That was a good idea, though.

 

Does anyone else have an idea?

 

Thanks,

Cory

 

Answer 6

I had the same problem too.
The sympton is that if i login windows with other account, no problems at all. It only occurred for a certain account.

In the case, what you could try is delete your account profile for VisualStuido in windows by:

1) go Documents and Settings - Find your account - Application Data - Microsoft - delete your VisualStudio folder.
2) go Documents and Settings - Find your account - Local Settings - Application Data - Microsoft -delete your VisualStudio folder.

Try open the .sln again. It worked for me and hope for you too.

Answer 7

 

THANK YOU ENNI!!!

 

That fixed it!  This issue has been so frustrating for so many months and thanks to you, I dont have to reformat!

Answer 8

Glad to hear that. I know exactly how frustrating it is!!!!