# Can't run any .exe files (side by side config error)



## Ali3n0id

Hi all,

I've booted my computer today and now I am unable to run any program at all, I have read some threads that installing the C++ redistributables can fix this problem but of course I am unable to run those as well, also tried a registry tweak but no change:

"Error: The application has failed to start because the side by side configuration is incorrect"

I've ran 'sfc /scannow' and it's found errors, the logs reads:


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## Panther063

Hi, the log failed to be attached.
Could you try again please.
Open Notepad, save the log to it, then save on your desktop, as it may be quite long use these brackets around it [ code] [ /code] then copy and paste into a reply.
Hopefully that should do the trick.
(remove spaces from inside brackets)


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## Ali3n0id

Oops, sorry I tried to put it in a comment/text file but it exceeds the limit so I zipped it up - it's quite long!

I was thinking of doing windows 8 'refresh' but it complains it needs more hard drive space - any idea how much it needs? I have 5 GB free on the SSD


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## Go The Power

Hello Ali3n0id

You have a few corrupt files there. Lets get them fixed up. First lets run SFCFix:

*Download and Run SFCFix*

Please download and run SFCFix from >*Here*<


It will take about 15 minutes to process. Once the scan has completed a notepad file will launch with the results. Please copy and paste the entire contents of the results and post them back into this thread. Please put [CODE][/CODE] tags around the log to break up the text.


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## Ali3n0id

Thanks Go, I downloaded it and transferred it via a remote session but the problem applies the that file as well, pretty much all executables are not able to run.

"C:\SFCFix.exe 

The application has failed to start because its side-by-side configuration is incorrect. Please see the application event log or use the command-line sxstrace.exe tool for more detail."


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## Ali3n0id

Also I have tried uninstall C++ redistriubutables but they say they are unable to uninstall as Window installer is not installed


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## Go The Power

Ah I was hoping that it would of worked running form an older version of C++ redistributes .



> I was thinking of doing windows 8 'refresh' but it complains it needs more hard drive space - any idea how much it needs? I have 5 GB free on the SSD


This would be the fastest option to fix these issues. What would be ever better would be to do a full reinstall.

If you don't want to go down that path we can have a look at a few things. But it looks like a lot of core dependency are missing from your computer which might be very hard to recover from. There is no way to tell 100% if this will be able to be fixed. Personally, I would back up everything and reinstall. But we can take a further look into things if you please.

I am not sure what reg fix you are referring to in your first post, but please follow the steps Here for EXE files.



> Also I have tried uninstall C++ redistriubutables but they say they are unable to uninstall as Window installer is not installed


Windows Installer is a service that is on the computer it cant be uninstalled as such, it can become corrupt. This error is most likely indicated due to missing\corrupt system files and the fact that EXE are not working.

Another thing that you should really be asking is what caused the system to become like this? Have you had any power outages? was the machine not shut down properly?


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## Rich-M

Most of these situations are cause by Malware. I would be posting the logs necessary in the Malware Removal Forum. However there is a Microsoft fixit for this problem here:
Can't open .EXE files in Windows 7 or Windows Vista


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## Vortken

hey guys dont mean to ride on someone else's thread but the same thing happened to my mom's pc today as usual did all the looking around and so far ive tried to uninstall redistrebutable but it gives me an error saying that the computer cant uninstall it possibly because the computer is in safe mode, now i cant open up anything no installers and some or most exe's i have been able to play call of duty on it though but attempts to open any thing else gives a side by side configuration error and attempts to uninstall c++ and for a matter of fact microsoft office and google chrome all give off a "this file may have been deleted do you want to remove from programs list?" it might also help to say that the computer had been having some crashes due to some updates it did apparently i solved those the only way i could at the time by doing a system restore and the computer did work after that system restore and the updates were then applied successfully.


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## Vortken

hey umm the microsoft fix it tool dosnt work due to compatability problems...and i tried modifying the data myself but that dosnt work and i probably inputted it wrong....would really like some help


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## Rich-M

Time for you to read below and post in thew Malware Forum

http://www.techsupportforum.com/for...-posting-for-malware-removal-help-305963.html


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## sorawee

My friend has the very same issue that Ali3n0id has (Windows 8.1, cannot run most of exe files, solution in Message: The application has failed to start because its side-by-side configuration is incorrect. | Chief Architect Knowledge Base doesn't work).

I found a solution to this problem! Follow an instruction in Fix Windows corruption errors by using the DISM or System Update Readiness tool. That is, try to run `DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth` in the terminal.

Hope that this will help!


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