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"WixAttachedContainer - The system cannot find the file specified" when you Modify-Repair Visual Studio setup

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Summary

This article describes an issue that occurs when you modify or repair the Visual Studio setup.

Symptoms

When you start Visual Studio setup in maintenance mode from Control Panel (by selecting Programs and Features -> Uninstall or change a program) and then select the Modify/Repair option, you may see the following error message:

"WixAttachedContainer - The system cannot find the file specified"

Cause

The setup files that are necessary to complete the setup do not exist on the machine. This can occur if the initial Visual Studio installation was cancelled halfway through the install process.

Resolution

Workaround

Please download the latest Visual Studio 2015 installer. Based on the current version of Visual Studio 2015 installer that you have installed on the computer, the newly downloaded installer may be started into the maintenance mode or new install mode.

If the downloaded installer is started into maintenance mode, simply click the Repair button to perform a repair action.

If the downloaded installer is started into new install mode, click the Default radio button to perform a default install, or click the Custom radio button to choose the additional feature(s) that you want to install. Note that the installer is going to give you the latest Visual Studio 2015 updates.

Applies to

  • Visual Studio Professional 2015

  • Visual Studio Enterprise 2015

  • Visual Studio Community 2015

  • Visual Studio Express 2015 for Web

  • Visual Studio Express 2015 for Desktop

  • Visual Studio Express 2015 for Windows 10