Game won't start: Microsoft Visual C++ 2015 Runtime popup

[patrick]

I've reinstalled Windows (8.1) recently and now Bloodstained won't start. I get this pop-up which prompts me to install UE4 prerequisites. After I install them, them game still won't start and prompts me repeatedly to install - even though the only option left is to uninstall them.

Please has anyone worked this out? I love this game :(

[DUCK]

Does your Computer support Windows 10? Just buy an OEM version of Windows 10 it's not that expensive, if you can... I think in the Microsoft Website theres a tool that can tell you if your old computer is compatible...

[DUCK]

If upgrading to Windows 10 is not an option, remember to get the latest software for your video graphics card. That can be a problem.

[lPaladinl]

Look for the redistributables folder in Steams apps folders and just run them all. When you reinstalled Windows, I assume you kept your games installed. However your redistributables were likely wiped with the reinstall.

Either in your Bloodstained install folder under Steam > Steamapps > Common > Bloodstained,

Or under Steam > Steamapps > Common > Steamworks Shared > _Commonredist

You're looking for vcredist (Visual C++ redistributable)

You could also look at Microsoft's support website for redistributables, but that's not guaranteed to fix all games.

Install them in order of release date, earliest to latest, they tend to overwrite each other and make it a pain to install older versions, but you'll want those older versions installed at least at some point.

Failing that, just try to reinstall the game, should fix it, but it'll take more time/data than just hunting down the redistributables.

There's no reason why you need to drop 8.1 just to install redistributables, I suggest ignoring Beefcake here. You'll be needing to follow the same steps even if you upgrade or downgrade Windows, because they don't come with redistributables.

[DUCK]

I was hoping you to avoid all that software hunt, but you can just jump all that if your computer supports Windows 10, but not All old computers do support it because of the old Bios and/or chipset... Good Luck... Happy Software Hunting.... oh and after the whole software hunt you do decide to buy Windows 10, compare in the option of just buying a more modern Computer... it may be cheaper to just get a Newer Computer System...

[patrick]

Hey folks,

Thanks so much for your kind help and advice. I tried hunting down the redistributables you specified but still no luck. I don't want to install Windows 10 because some of my other software isn't supported...

When I wiped my computer recently, I basically copied a heap of things I wanted to keep onto an external HD and just did a fresh install of Windows 8.1. I didn't keep my Steam games of folder - I'm working with a fresh download/install of Steam and Bloodstained here and it still won't work or download the appropriate dependencies :(

I'm trying some general Windows updating here to see if that helps.

[Rigoroso]

Hey guys, after 2 days of trying to get past this I've finally managed to make it work on my Windows 7.
First, in order for recent games to work in older Windows versions (pre 10), you need the Universal C++ Runtime, which is provided by default on Win10. You can install it with the windows KB2999226. Just choose your windows version.
This, however, was not an option for me because the KBs installer wasn't working. So, after some alternative windows updates options, I resorted to try to manually apply the KB. On the KB's description, there's a list of DLLs. I downloaded each of them (x64 and x86) from dll-files.com and pasted in the appropriate folders in my computer. Finally, I installed vc_redistx86 and vc_redistx64 from the folder that lPaladinl recommended and they worked fine (looks good).

After that, I started Bloodstained, it took a while but it didn't ask anymore to install anything and went straight into the game.