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Just a simple question.
In my 25+ years of installing Microsoft development tools, I've always followed the rule that the tools and updates should be installed in a synchronously ordered fashion based on their release dates.
For example, a rule would be to install VS 2017 before VS 2019. When the VS 2017 installer was created by Microsoft and then run by users, Microsoft could not predict what a future version of Visual Studio and its installer would be doing to the machine. Yet the VS 2019 installer and updates will know to respect changes implemented by the VS 2017 installer.
So, if an update to VS 2017 is run after an update to VS 2019, could the VS 2017 update overwrite a change implemented by the VS 2019 update? Could it break VS 2019?
I've included a screenshot showing VS Installer updating VS 2022 before VS 2019. Perhaps the new installer is on top of all this. Thanks for your response.
I accepted your answer, @Anna Xiu-MSFT .
Although files are installed in different folders, the installers may also add/modify entries to the registry, to .ini/.json/.config files, default shortcuts, and other shared resources. An older installer might overwrite something set by a new installer. I will assume these tools no longer use these shared resources. Also, the installers for these tools no longer live on burned media (CDs, DVDs) that do not change. Instead, they are "living" installers constantly updated by the product teams to prevent this sort of nonsense.
Thank you for responding and your insight.
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Hi @Davin Mickelson ,
Welcome to Microsoft Q&A!
VS2017, VS2019 and VS2022 are installed into different locations, and they can work side-by-side.
Updating one doesn’t affect other VS instances.
Sincerely,
Anna
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