Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio error at startup

Question

I get this error when I try to run Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio:

The application has failed to start because its side-by-side configuration is incorrect. Please see the application event log or use the command-line sxstrace.exe tool for more detail.

error window image

SxSTrace detail:

1, 2

What I did for solving the problem:

reinstalled SQL Server
reinstalled Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio
updated at recent version of .NET Framework
reinstalled Visual C++ Redistributable

And I still get that same error.

What should I do?

After a couple of attempts, i got working. When you say 'Reinstalled' Studio, do you mean repair or uninstall/install? — MiscellaneousUser, Jan 20 '21 at 19:10
@MiscellaneousUser I know that I uninstalled and than installed the latest version of it. Can you explain how did you do to get it working? Maybe your answer will be useful for others. — ABC, Jan 20 '21 at 19:46
I can not even reinstall. The installation window runs forever. By forever I mean more than 24 hours. — manymanymore, Feb 02 '21 at 15:45

score 5 · Answer 1 · answered Aug 18 '20 at 02:49

5

you should install an earlier version. I had the same error and I installed version 18.5 and it worked just fine.

https://learn.microsoft.com/pt-br/sql/ssms/release-notes-ssms?view=sql-server-ver15#185

answered Aug 18 '20 at 02:49

Patrick Dantas

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1
3

score 3 · Answer 2 · answered Aug 30 '21 at 15:40

I had the same error with version 18.9.2. I don't know if it's related to the problem, but I firstly installed SSMS in Program Files and not in Program Files (x86).

First I have tried to repair the installation, with no success.

Then I have uninstalled SSMS, rebooted by PC, re-installed SSMS (this time in the default Program Files (x86) folder) and rebooted my PC again. After these steps, I was able to start SSMS without errors.

score 1 · Answer 3 · answered Apr 29 '21 at 12:07

I did the following to solve this error.

Copied all the files and folders from the folder C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio 18\ from a working machine and pasted on the server which was having issue.

Once the copying was completed, I it started appearing in Add or remove programs @ control panel.

Post copy SSMS started working normally.

score 1 · Answer 4 · answered Aug 17 '22 at 15:57

Uninstalling did not work.

Upgrading (Installing newer version or same version) did not work.

What worked:

delete or rename “C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio 18”
delete registry manually or via .reg file

reg DELETE “HKLM\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio” /reg:32)

Afterwards, installing SSMS worked without a flaw and it started.

Found at https://social.msdn.microsoft.com/forums/en-US/7ab37d2b-6bac-4221-b827-d274b00b9a56/ssms-18-how-to-uninstall?forum=sqlkjmanageability&prof=required, similar to https://superuser.com/a/1440276/146668 .

score 0 · Answer 5 · answered Jun 25 '22 at 16:11

I removed the following Sql related ones from the control panel.

Then i followed these steps

https://stackoverflow.com/a/66085979/16391774

I reinstalled the same version (at present latest version v18.12.1 and i used it version) and my problem was solved.

Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio error at startup

5 Answers5