How do I bypass Visual Studio 2005 SP1 failing to install on Windows 7?

I'm trying to install Visual Studio 2005 in Windows 7. When attempting to start, Windows 7 complains that Visual Studio 2005 is incompatible with Windows 7 and offers me to search online for a solution. It comes up with a link to Visual Studio 2005 SP1 for Windows Vista and Windows 7, but when I download it (VS80sp1-KB932232-X86-ENU.exe) and try to run it, it refuses to install saying that

The upgrade patch cannot be installed by the Windows Installer service because the program to be upgraded may be missing, or the upgrade patch may update a different version of the program. Verify that the program to be upgraded exists on your computer and that you have the correct upgrade patch.

JesperE

Posted 2009-09-02T10:05:37.097

Reputation: 1 545

1Programmers should supersede IT for their own machines, especially when it comes to their area of specialty: software development. Or straddle the fine line between programmer roles and unofficial IT. Also, I agree, upgrading to a newer version is not trivial. – wag2639 – 2010-06-08T18:12:18.093

There you go @JesperE :-) Great question btw! – Ivo Flipse – 2011-01-13T09:18:24.530

Why do you need to install VS2005? Without knowing this, all we can suggest is to install VS2008 instead. – ChrisF – 2009-09-02T10:07:19.700

1Switching VS-versions is not something we can do lightly; we need to do it (as I understand it) more or less on a company-wide basis. We are, however, in the process of switching to VS2008, but I still need to be able to build with VS2005 now and then. – JesperE – 2009-09-02T11:12:23.903

If this is your company machine then ask IT - unless you are IT of course! – ChrisF – 2009-09-02T11:23:23.820

1Deciding on compiler versions is not something we dare leave to our IT-department. – JesperE – 2009-09-02T14:08:01.907

1There are very good reasons to continue to use VS 2005, for example, the xsd designer – bobobobo – 2009-12-24T19:44:34.080

Answers

You need to ignore the warning and install VS 2005, then SP1 and then the VS2005-Vista update. Three installs.

Richard

Posted 2009-09-02T10:05:37.097

Reputation: 8 152

Visual Studio 2005 might not be compatible with Windows 7:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/4c26cc39%28VS.80%29.aspx

Operating System

Windows 2000 Service Pack 4, Windows XP Service Pack 2, Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1, or Windows Vista3,4

For a 64-bit computer, the requirements are as follows:

Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 x64 editions

Windows XP Professional x64 Edition

TFM

Posted 2009-09-02T10:05:37.097

Reputation: 4 243

Ok, thanks. I'll go with VS2008 for now. – JesperE – 2009-09-02T14:08:38.757

NB these compatibility lists don't always get updated. There is a specific post VS2005-SP1 patch for Vista. – Richard – 2009-09-03T09:50:43.987

VS2005 actually is compatible with Windows 7, I just misunderstood how to install the patch to SP1 for Vista. – JesperE – 2009-09-04T17:16:42.280

-1, VS2005 is compatible with windows 7. but as other users have put in their answers "you need install VS2005, then VS2005 SP1, then VS2005-Vista-Update" in order to get VS 2005 to run in windows 7. – Trevor Boyd Smith – 2011-09-08T18:20:42.177

Consider using Windows XP Mode.

user36219

Posted 2009-09-02T10:05:37.097

Reputation: