error msb4014: the build stopped unexpectedly because of an internal failure. Restarting VisualStudio doesn't work

Question

Every project I try to compile fails with the error below:

1>------ Build started: Project: ConsoleMenu, Configuration: Debug Any CPU ------
1>C:\Users\Slench\documents\visual studio 2013\Projects\ConsoleMenu\ConsoleMenu\ConsoleMenu.csproj : error MSB4014: The build stopped unexpectedly because of an internal failure.
1>C:\Users\Slench\documents\visual studio 2013\Projects\ConsoleMenu\ConsoleMenu\ConsoleMenu.csproj : error MSB4014: System.Text.EncoderFallbackException: Unable to translate Unicode character \uDF04 at index 1343 to specified code page.
1>C:\Users\Slench\documents\visual studio 2013\Projects\ConsoleMenu\ConsoleMenu\ConsoleMenu.csproj : error MSB4014:    at System.Text.EncoderExceptionFallbackBuffer.Fallback(Char charUnknown, Int32 index)
1>C:\Users\Slench\documents\visual studio 2013\Projects\ConsoleMenu\ConsoleMenu\ConsoleMenu.csproj : error MSB4014:    at System.Text.EncoderFallbackBuffer.InternalFallback(Char ch, Char*& chars)
1>C:\Users\Slench\documents\visual studio 2013\Projects\ConsoleMenu\ConsoleMenu\ConsoleMenu.csproj : error MSB4014:    at System.Text.UTF8Encoding.GetByteCount(Char* chars, Int32 count, EncoderNLS baseEncoder)
1>C:\Users\Slench\documents\visual studio 2013\Projects\ConsoleMenu\ConsoleMenu\ConsoleMenu.csproj : error MSB4014:    at System.Text.UTF8Encoding.GetByteCount(String chars)
1>C:\Users\Slench\documents\visual studio 2013\Projects\ConsoleMenu\ConsoleMenu\ConsoleMenu.csproj : error MSB4014:    at System.IO.BinaryWriter.Write(String value)
1>C:\Users\Slench\documents\visual studio 2013\Projects\ConsoleMenu\ConsoleMenu\ConsoleMenu.csproj : error MSB4014:    at Microsoft.Build.BackEnd.NodePacketTranslator.NodePacketWriteTranslator.TranslateDictionary(Dictionary`2& dictionary, IEqualityComparer`1 comparer)
1>C:\Users\Slench\documents\visual studio 2013\Projects\ConsoleMenu\ConsoleMenu\ConsoleMenu.csproj : error MSB4014:    at Microsoft.Build.Execution.BuildParameters.Microsoft.Build.BackEnd.INodePacketTranslatable.Translate(INodePacketTranslator translator)
1>C:\Users\Slench\documents\visual studio 2013\Projects\ConsoleMenu\ConsoleMenu\ConsoleMenu.csproj : error MSB4014:    at Microsoft.Build.BackEnd.NodePacketTranslator.NodePacketWriteTranslator.Translate[T](T& value, NodePacketValueFactory`1 factory)
1>C:\Users\Slench\documents\visual studio 2013\Projects\ConsoleMenu\ConsoleMenu\ConsoleMenu.csproj : error MSB4014:    at Microsoft.Build.BackEnd.NodeConfiguration.Translate(INodePacketTranslator translator)
1>C:\Users\Slench\documents\visual studio 2013\Projects\ConsoleMenu\ConsoleMenu\ConsoleMenu.csproj : error MSB4014:    at Microsoft.Build.BackEnd.NodeProviderOutOfProcBase.NodeContext.SendData(INodePacket packet)
1>C:\Users\Slench\documents\visual studio 2013\Projects\ConsoleMenu\ConsoleMenu\ConsoleMenu.csproj : error MSB4014:    at Microsoft.Build.BackEnd.NodeProviderOutOfProc.CreateNode(Int32 nodeId, INodePacketFactory factory, NodeConfiguration configuration)
1>C:\Users\Slench\documents\visual studio 2013\Projects\ConsoleMenu\ConsoleMenu\ConsoleMenu.csproj : error MSB4014:    at Microsoft.Build.BackEnd.NodeManager.AttemptCreateNode(INodeProvider nodeProvider, NodeConfiguration nodeConfiguration)
1>C:\Users\Slench\documents\visual studio 2013\Projects\ConsoleMenu\ConsoleMenu\ConsoleMenu.csproj : error MSB4014:    at Microsoft.Build.BackEnd.NodeManager.CreateNode(NodeConfiguration configuration, NodeAffinity nodeAffinity)
1>C:\Users\Slench\documents\visual studio 2013\Projects\ConsoleMenu\ConsoleMenu\ConsoleMenu.csproj : error MSB4014:    at Microsoft.Build.Execution.BuildManager.PerformSchedulingActions(IEnumerable`1 responses)
1>C:\Users\Slench\documents\visual studio 2013\Projects\ConsoleMenu\ConsoleMenu\ConsoleMenu.csproj : error MSB4014:    at Microsoft.Build.Execution.BuildManager.HandleNewRequest(Int32 node, BuildRequestBlocker blocker)
1>C:\Users\Slench\documents\visual studio 2013\Projects\ConsoleMenu\ConsoleMenu\ConsoleMenu.csproj : error MSB4014:    at Microsoft.Build.Execution.BuildManager.IssueRequestToScheduler(BuildSubmission submission, Boolean allowMainThreadBuild, BuildRequestBlocker blocker)
========== Build: 0 succeeded, 1 failed, 0 up-to-date, 0 skipped ==========

I've looked several places, and they all mostly suggest that I restart VisualStudio. This however, does not work; the error persists.

How do I solve this problem?

I'm using VS 2013 Community Edition, running Windows 8.1

Answer 1

I've seen this exception trace back a few times. Easy to google, just query for "msbuild System.Text.EncoderFallbackException". This blog post is considered the canonical answer afaik.

It is an environmental problem, caused by machines with a corrupt PATH environment variable. Which happens entirely too often, it is a nasty global variable that gets mangled too often by a broken installer.

You fix it with Control Panel > System > Advanced > Environment Variables > System variables > Path. Click Edit and copy the content of the intentionally small text box into a text editor. Clean it up, deleting obviously wrong paths and bad characters. Some paralysis at the usual mess is expected, take no prisoners. Paste it back into the text box. Logoff + Logon to ensure the new value is in effect for all processes.