Visual Studio Runtime Dll Errors

I'm having trouble with MS Visual Studio Runtime Redistributables... AGAIN... (want to puke)
I installed some software that seemed to bork some of them and now MANY softwares are throwing DLL errors. I simply can not reinstall/repair even the last few recent releases unless I uninstall them, and when trying to do so, I get a popup such as:-
_________________________________________________________

The feature you are trying to use is on a
network resource that is unavailable.

Click OK to try again, or enter an alternate path to a
folder containing the installation package 'vc_red.msi'
in the box below.

Use source:
y:\e0a98a532ca298c1c63302\
_________________________________________________________

Ugh, I don't even have a Y:!!!

So I'm looking for a brute-force way to remove them all, so I can actually reinstall them all again from scratch. I've actually done this before, hacking chunks out of my registry (not recommended) but it was a long time ago and I don't feel too confident, so if anyone can recommend any tools/utilities/whatever that could assist cleaning them all out or repairing them all or offer any help at all, please. I really don't understand this whole business with it looking for a file with a ridiculously vague filename, in a gibberish folder, on phantom drive I don't even have. It's like some evil practical joke.

 

Try this.
https://m.majorgeeks.com/files/details/visual_c_redistributable_runtimes_aio_repack.html

 

I managed to uninstall all packages, but now I get stuck on 2012 with error:-
__________________________

vcredist2012_x86.exe - Entry Point Not Found

The procedure entry point LeaveCriticalSection could not be located in
the dynamic link library api-ms-win-core-synch-l1-2-0.dll.
__________________________

I got a copy of that DLL from a previous backup, infact I ended up trying to replace all api-ms-win*.dll files, but did not fix the issue. I searched through pages of Google results and tried multiple suggestions, some Windows updates, etc. Still can't get past 2012 package.

I stumbled across this article which explains how it's possible other DLLs that link to these, just for some functions. This DLL error might possibly be a result of completely different DLL problems:-
https://www.nirsoft.net/articles/windows_7_kernel_architecture_changes.html

So I might try MSVC* files or a few others, but, if the rabbithole goes too deep, I guess I'm looking at needing to reinstall Windows. That sucks because all I did was try to install a piece of software, which I don't want to name, but damn, I have no idea what went wrong. I missed a Windows update or borked a redist install somewhere, combined with installing the wrong thing at the wrong time...

 

Did you try this?

 

Yes, plus many more. All of these "AIO" solutions simply install them in sequence without prompts, they don't actually pertain to my situation and provide any help with deep-clean uninstallation or negating errors searching for MSI files in ProgramData or Y:.
That was really what I was looking for and frankly I think Microsoft themselves should provide it.

I would really like to not have this topic derailed and hopefully focus on fixing the issue I'm having.

 

Have you tried downloading & installing from Microsoft?

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=30679

For Windows 64-bit you must install both 32-bit & 64-bit.

 

"all I did was try to install a piece of software" - unfortunately, we're into a bit of guesswork here with an unknown application installed on an unknown MS Windows operating system. Which version of MS Windows and bit precision has the "piece of software" been installed in? What is the "piece of software" manufacturer's statement on compatibility with respect to MS Windows versions/precisions? If it's Windows 7, then Microsoft ended support for that OS on 14th January 2020: https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/windows-7-end-of-life-support-information and other similar MS articles.

vcredist2012_x86 is a 32-bit Visual C++ Redistributable runtime library for x86 (Intel) chipset. The latest version is update 4 that can be downloaded and installed from MS at: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=30679. Alternatively, the AOI package mentioned earlier could be used. The last update for this libary is on 20th November 2013, which suggests that the "piece of software" is at least 10 years old and it's compatibility with latest OS questionable. Does running the application in a compatibility mode resolve any issues with the application?

Hopefully, you'll have a backup for restoration if things go wrong. Before installation, run the system verification and repair tools at "How to Scan and Repair a Single File Using System File Checker" https://www.majorgeeks.com/content/..._a_single_file_using_system_file_checker.html The related articles at that may be of relevance.

Typically, applications will install their own versions of compatible run-time libraries (MS Windows DLLs), this may include MS Windows VC or VB re-distributable libraries. When this happens, it's likely that the application install will attempt to modify the run-time library path to include its install directories - so that the application can run. Depending on how this is done, this may have a detrimental effect on other applications that also rely on the DLL search path and therefore pick up an incompatible version of a DLL that the application wants to use.

In this case, either the application "piece of software" has picked up an incompatible DLL (and not one of it's own compatible versions) or the application (either by installation or execution) has modified the system such that other applications pick up the "piece of software" installed versions of libraries that may or not be compatible with the other application.

For more details on library search paths, see the MS document "Dynamic-Link Library Search Order" at https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/dlls/dynamic-link-library-search-order

 

If you can do, System Restore to before you started replacing the dlls. Then use the MS Install Uninstall Troubleshooter

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us...-removed-cca7d1b6-65a9-3d98-426b-e9f927e1eb4d

If necessary, have it remove the Minimum Runtime and Additional Runtime of every MSVC++ Runtime that you're having problems with.

 

Thanks for any advice. The rabbithole actually did go too deep and I don't have time to study how OS DLLs are referenced throughout the registry. What I did is use Acronis True Image to restore the OS from my laptop and restore it to my desktop, and amazingly that worked. I plan to make new images, once setup, and try the MSVC stuff (uninstall and reinstall) and then maybe try that software again, and see if it breaks everything again. If it does, then I'm going to consider it the work of the devil.

Solution: Acronis True Image.

 

You still have not told us which Windows OS you are running...