Activation of the Windows Store app ... failed with error 'The app didn't start'

Question

ISSUE

Unable to start any UWP app (blank app, UWP samples) in Release/x86.

However, Debug/x86, Debug/x64, Release/x64 are OK.

RELATED

1. Build -> Configuration Manager
2. New...
3. Copy Settings from Debug
4. Same error

ERROR

Visual Studio Output

Symbols for ntdll.dll could not be downloaded from the Microsoft Symbol Servers. Exception settings and call stacks may not work correctly.  Make sure you have a network connection and try again.'App1.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Windows\SysWOW64\ntdll.dll'. Cannot find or open the PDB file.

The thread 0x2e74 has exited with code -1073741792 (0xc0000020).
The thread 0x780 has exited with code -1073741792 (0xc0000020).
The thread 0x1930 has exited with code -1073741792 (0xc0000020).
The thread 0x1b24 has exited with code -1073741792 (0xc0000020).
The program '[13492] App1.exe' has exited with code -1073741792 (0xc0000020).
Activation of the Windows Store app '451e4789-01f8-4e4e-b28d-fbfa813a4513_v5p8rpnswjrxg!App' failed with error 'The app didn't start'.

Event Viewer #1

Activation via contract helper of the app 451e4789-01f8-4e4e-b28d-fbfa813a4513_v5p8rpnswjrxg!App for the Windows.Launch contract failed with Server execution failed.

Event Viewer #2

Activation of the app 451e4789-01f8-4e4e-b28d-fbfa813a4513_v5p8rpnswjrxg!App for the Windows.Launch contract failed with error: The app didn't start..

Event Viewer #3

ActivateApplicationForContractByAppIdAsUserWithHost of the app 451e4789-01f8-4e4e-b28d-fbfa813a4513_v5p8rpnswjrxg!App for the Windows.Launch contract failed with The app didn't start..

TO REPRODUCE

New Project -> Visual C# / Blank App (Universal Windows)

ENVIRONMENT

• Visual Studio 2015 Community Edition Update 1

• Windows 10 Pro 64bit Version 1511 10586.122

TRIED

• Repair Visual Studio

• Everything in Unable to activate windows store app the app didn't start

• Rebuild, Clean, Manually delete bin, obj folders

• Uninstall app

• Checked permissions https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/2798317

• Project is in C:\ Unable to activate Windows Store app (Visual Studio 2015, Windows 10 Version 1511)

• There is no file 'app.config'

• sfc /scannow

I have wasted couple of days on this. Please help.

Messaging and Weather Apps also same error.

Answer 1

To get the C# UWP to run in debug I went to Properties->Build and checked Compile with .NET Native tool chain. This allowed me to debug.