Installation failing due to VC++

[grubbyfoot]

Every time I try to install Mass Effect 3 it installs the game but then stops with the following message: 

Error: The VC++ runtime redistributable package was not installed successfully. Setup Cannot continue. (-2147024894)

Then if I try to run the game via the files on my hard drive, origin butts in and tells me it isn't installed. Running Windows 7 64bit, and I've tried restarts and reinstalls of Origin.

[grubbyfoot · Accepted solution]

Played through a bit and everything seems fine! Here's how I fixed it:

1) find your ME3 installation directory; this will be wherever Origin decided to put it unless you changed that before starting; you can check by looking at the 1st tab in the origin/application settings menu (from within origin). Navigate to ...\mass effect 3 \ _installation \ VC \ vc2005sp1  (spaces added for clarity)

2) from there try running vcredist_x86.exe. If you have the same error as me, they will fail with an error similar to this:

"Error creating process <c:\users\appdata\local\temp\ixp000.tmp\vcredi~1.exe>. Reason: The system cannot find the file specified."

The file path between the < and > may be different, but stop here and make a note of it.

3) install winRAR if you don't already have it; it's an archive tool thar reads .rar and .zip files, and the free trial version will be enough for this fix.

4) Back in your vc2005sp1 folder, right click on the first installer, and select extract here. This should unpack the contents of the .exe file into the same folder. This should consist of the file mentioned in the error message above; in the case of this example, "vcredi~1.exe". Keep this window open for later.

5) Next, using the path from the error message above, open a new window and create the folders that are noted within <>'s. So for instance, for the example above I would go to "c:\users", then either create a folder called "appdata" or open it if one already exists; then I would do the same for "local" (create or open), then "temp", then "ixp000.tmp".

6) once you have created & opened the final folder, move the extracted files from step 4 into it (by either copy & pasting or dragging).

7) run vcredist_x86.exe again; this time it should work properly, as we have moved the file the error requested into the folder it was looking in. If you get a similar message again however, note the path again, create it and copy the files there as you did in steps 2, 5 & 6 above, then repeat step 7.

8) if you are running a 64-bit OS, then you may need to repeat steps 2-7 for vcredist_x64.exe.

9) Run installer from origin again; this time it should install VC++ successfully.

Good luck!

[Kuvuplan]

Which version of VC++?

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=5555

is a direct link to VC++ 2010 x86.

You might want this one:

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=21254

However, Mass Effect 3 is an x86 game, so these might be your best ones (In that order):

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=3387

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=5638

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=14431

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=26347

Microsoft Visual C++ 20XX as the search field where XX is the appropriate year for the redistributable package that it is failing on.  Get the base, Service Packs, and updates, then Mass Effect 3 will not try to install it for you and fail if it is already installed.

[grubbyfoot]

 I did try installing VC++ manually from the disc (which didn't fail) but only the x64 version; I've since installed all 4 VC++ versions found on the disc/in the download (2005 x86 & x64, 2008 x86 & x64) and still get the error, which suggests that origin doesn't check whether vc++ is needed, it just installs blind. Tried installin VC++ 2010, but the installer stops because I have a newer version installed.

Could this be the error that origin is stalling on? And if so, is there a way to wipe origin from existance and install games manually like a grown up workaround?

[Kuvuplan]

Origin wants to be there so you can have access to Multiplayer and validate your DLC.

You can try uninstalling all the Redistributables and let it helpfully install it for you, then once it is finished upgrade to the proper Service Pack(s).

[grubbyfoot]

I've been speaking with tech support via email all morning without any success yet. I did try removing & reinstalling VC++ (all versions) as well as reinstalling origin and ME3 whith a fresh restart & no other programs running; still the same error.

However, 5 hours in and I've cracked it! The game has installed, although I've not yet run it; will return later to confirm.

I had to manually unpack the VC++ 2005 installer with WinRar and move it to the temporary folder that the installer expected it to be in, then run the installer through origin so it could "install" VC++ without the installer crashing. I'll go into more detail when I'm sure it's working, in case anyone else has the same problem.

[grubbyfoot · Accepted solution]

Played through a bit and everything seems fine! Here's how I fixed it:

1) find your ME3 installation directory; this will be wherever Origin decided to put it unless you changed that before starting; you can check by looking at the 1st tab in the origin/application settings menu (from within origin). Navigate to ...\mass effect 3 \ _installation \ VC \ vc2005sp1  (spaces added for clarity)

2) from there try running vcredist_x86.exe. If you have the same error as me, they will fail with an error similar to this:

"Error creating process <c:\users\appdata\local\temp\ixp000.tmp\vcredi~1.exe>. Reason: The system cannot find the file specified."

The file path between the < and > may be different, but stop here and make a note of it.

3) install winRAR if you don't already have it; it's an archive tool thar reads .rar and .zip files, and the free trial version will be enough for this fix.

4) Back in your vc2005sp1 folder, right click on the first installer, and select extract here. This should unpack the contents of the .exe file into the same folder. This should consist of the file mentioned in the error message above; in the case of this example, "vcredi~1.exe". Keep this window open for later.

5) Next, using the path from the error message above, open a new window and create the folders that are noted within <>'s. So for instance, for the example above I would go to "c:\users", then either create a folder called "appdata" or open it if one already exists; then I would do the same for "local" (create or open), then "temp", then "ixp000.tmp".

6) once you have created & opened the final folder, move the extracted files from step 4 into it (by either copy & pasting or dragging).

7) run vcredist_x86.exe again; this time it should work properly, as we have moved the file the error requested into the folder it was looking in. If you get a similar message again however, note the path again, create it and copy the files there as you did in steps 2, 5 & 6 above, then repeat step 7.

8) if you are running a 64-bit OS, then you may need to repeat steps 2-7 for vcredist_x64.exe.

9) Run installer from origin again; this time it should install VC++ successfully.

Good luck!

[bfw0401]

I am an utter idiot when it comes to 'putters I may as well bin the game because all I want to do is download it and play it, I've never had this problem before, by the way I'm trying to install Crysis 2 Max Edition and getting the same results, money wasted as far as I'm concerned EA don't care

[hyperstatic43]

I saw your solution but I had this same error, or something similar yesterday when installing Crysis 2 Maximum Edition. The game ran fine though. I have the Origin files on one drive and the actual game files on another so that might have been the problem and the error was just a phantom error.