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.

Archerfish

is the device unlocked as development PC (in settings app)? – Luciferous

Yes, it is in developer mode. I have been actively submitting to windows store. – Archerfish

If your code works fine in debug mode, but not in release mode, it is possible the problem with your code, UWP apps use CoreCLR for Debug and .NET Native for Release. – Lignin

As mentioned, release mode x64 is OK. Also its a blank app / uwp samples app – Archerfish

I have a similar issue - but for debug x86. The only solution is reboot. – Softfinned

Any chance you solved the problem? – Transformism

Have you found a solution yet? :) – Compulsion

My developer workstation upgraded to Windows 10 Creator's Update. Now -- every single x64 Debug app exhibits this same failure signature. x64 Release is OK. Happens with a vanilla blank UWP app. MS #FAIL – Brachyuran

Restarting visual studio solves the problem temporarily. After a while, it will have the same problem again. – Hakim

I have the same problem, several months passed, no solution is found. – Medius

Answer 1

Solution is the following...

1. Open Weather App
2. Error will popup, click Store link
3. Reinstall Weather app (ignore install error)

Archerfish

Answer 2

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.

Rosefish

That didn't solve the problem for me. Still can't debug, app launches but closes immediately. – Hakim

I am facing the exact same problem, however it runs if I uncheck "Compile with .NET Native tool chain" – Bowler