You're probably seeing this error when launching a game or old app
It's frustrating — you double-click and get that error box instead of your program. I've seen this on Windows 10, 11, and even Server 2019. The culprit here is almost always a missing or corrupted Visual C++ runtime library. Let's fix it.
The fix that works 9 times out of 10
Don't bother with system file checker or DISM first. They rarely fix this. Here's what I do:
- Uninstall all Visual C++ redistributables from Control Panel > Programs and Features. Look for anything that says "Microsoft Visual C++ 20xx Redistributable".
- Reboot your PC — this clears the old SXS (side-by-side) cache.
- Go to Microsoft's official download page for the latest Visual C++ runtime. Download both the x86 (32-bit) and x64 (64-bit) installers. Even if your system is 64-bit, some programs still need the 32-bit one.
- Run each installer as Administrator. Right-click and choose "Run as administrator".
- Reboot again.
That's it. I've seen this fix the 0xC0150008 error on AutoCAD, older Adobe products, and tons of indie games.
Why this works
The error code 0xC0150008 is a STATUS_SXS_KEY_NOT_FOUND error. Windows uses the side-by-side (SXS) system to manage DLL versions. When an app asks for a specific runtime version (like VC++ 2015-2022), and the registry key or DLL is missing, the activation context fails. Reinstalling the runtime puts back the correct registry entries and DLL files. The reboot clears any cached bad data.
When the fix doesn't work — less common causes
If reinstalling runtimes didn't help, check these:
- Corrupted .NET Framework. Download the .NET Framework Repair Tool from Microsoft. Run it. This has fixed a few stubborn cases for me.
- Third-party antivirus blocking. I've seen Norton and McAfee block runtime installers. Temporarily disable AV, then reinstall the runtimes. Re-enable after.
- Missing DLL from the app's folder. Some old apps need a specific DLL placed in their install directory. Check the app's documentation or forums for what file it expects.
- Windows Update broke something. If this started after a Windows update, try System Restore to a point before the update. Then reinstall runtimes.
One more thing — if you're on Windows N editions (like Windows 10 N), you might be missing Media Feature Pack. That's a different error, but I've seen it confused with SXS errors.
Prevention — stop this from coming back
Once you fix it, do this:
- Keep Visual C++ runtimes up to date. Microsoft bundles them in a single package now — just grab the latest all-in-one installer.
- Don't delete the installer files. Keep them on a USB stick or in a "runtimes" folder. You'll need them again when you reinstall Windows.
- Use Windows Update regularly. Microsoft sometimes ships runtime updates through it.
I keep a script that installs all runtimes silently. It's saved me hours over the years.