Error: The Side-by-Side configuration information in "BLAH.EXE" contains errors

Question

This is the error Dependency Walker gives me on an executable that I am building with VC++ 2005 Express Edition. When trying to run the .exe, I get:

This application has failed to start because the application configuration
is incorrect. Reinstalling the application may fix this problem.

(I am new to the manifest/SxS/etc. way of doing things post VC++ 2003.)

EDIT: I am running on the same machine I am building the .exe with. In Event Viewer, I have the unhelpful:

Faulting application blah.exe, version 0.0.0.0, faulting module blah.exe,
version 0.0.0.0, fault address 0x004239b0.

Answer 1

Open the properties sheet for your project, go to the Configuration Properties -> C/C++ -> Code Generation page, and change the Runtime Library selection to /MT or /MTd so that your project does not use the DLL runtime libraries.

The C/C++ DLL runtimes used by VS2003 and up are not automatically distributed with the latest version of the OS and are a real pain to install and get working without this kind of problem. statically link the c-runtime and just avoid the total mess that is manifests and version specific runtime dlls.

Answer 2

I've had this problem. The solution has two steps:
1. Compile your program in "Release" mode instead of "Debug" mode (there's usually a combo-box in the toolbar)
2. Download from Microsoft their Redistributable Package of runtime components. Make sure to download the x86 edition for 32-bit computers and the x64 edition for 64-bit computers/OSes. Install this package on the target computer, and your application should run fine

P.S. This is a SxS thing
P.P.S. Alternatively, use a different compiler (like GCC, for example with Dev-Cpp) to compile your program's source, and your headaches will disappear.