Install Visual Studio 2013 on Windows 7

Question

I would like to install Visual Studio 2013 on Windows 7 64-bit.

For some reason, the installer says "Setup Blocked" with an error "This version of Visual Studio requires a computer with a newer version of Windows".

This error is not exactly descriptive of what's wrong. The least I could do was verify that I have the following installed :

1. Windows 7 Professional (64-bit) with Service Pack 1
2. Internet Explorer 10
   • Version: 10.0.9200.16750
   • Update Versions: 10.0.12 (KB2898785)
3. All Windows Updates that were available for installing on 11th of Dec. 2013.

Executed the installer with the /log winexp.log argument and got the following : winexp.log.

Any ideas of what else could be the problem ?

Thanks.

Edit : by looking at this question there was a crack that allowed installing Windows Phone's SDK on Windows 7 - does anyone know a similar solution for VS 2013 ?

Diviner

It worked on mine. Not sure why people are downvoting others who say it works. The reason it's not working is because you don't have SP1 installed on Windows 7. After SP1 has been installed, VS2013 will install, even if you still have IE9. It gave a warning about IE9, but I was able to install on 2 laptops running Windows 7 with SP1. Unable to do so without SP1. – Terrel

@Andre Can you clarify what you're trying to install? Visual Studio 2013 Premium installs fine on Windows 7 x64 SP1 straight from the MSDN ISO, for example. – Sharie

@AndrewMedico I'm talking about Visual Studio for Windows (the one for Windows 8 and Windows Phone apps, not the "Desktop" one). – Legate

Answer 1

The minimum requirements are based on the Express edition you're attempting to install:

Express for Web (Web sites and HTML5 applications) - Windows 7 SP1 (With IE 10)
Express for Windows (Windows 8 Apps) - Windows 8.1
Express for Windows Desktop (Windows Programs) - Windows 7 SP1 (With IE 10)
Express for Windows Phone (Windows Phone Apps) - Windows 8

It sounds like you're trying to install the "Express 2013 for Windows" edition, which is for developing Windows 8 "Modern UI" apps, or the Windows Phone edition.

The similarly named version that is compatible with Windows 7 SP1 is "Express 2013 for Windows Desktop"

Source

Caudate

Aaah, thanks. Must've missed it somehow. Shall try the Desktop version. – Diviner

Yea, they basically added the Windows Desktop edition at the last minute during VS2012 development. – Silence

That is soooo stupid. And I really didn't notice on Visual Studio download page, so it's kinda hidden info. They should warn about it. – Aerification

I'm getting this error, when attempting to install this microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=44914 on windows 7 and it's suppose to be the desktop version you've described – Refraction

Answer 2

Visual Studio Express for Windows needs Windows 8.1. Having a look at the requirements page you might want to try the Web or Windows Desktop version which are able to run under Windows 7.

Volsci

Answer 3

Visual Studio 2013 System Requirements

Supported Operating Systems:

• Windows 8.1 (x86 and x64)
• Windows 8 (x86 and x64)
• Windows 7 SP1 (x86 and x64)
• Windows Server 2012 R2 (x64)
• Windows Server 2012 (x64)
• Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 (x64)

Hardware requirements:

• 1.6 GHz or faster processor
• 1 GB of RAM (1.5 GB if running on a virtual machine)
• 20 GB of available hard disk space
• 5400 RPM hard disk drive
• DirectX 9-capable video card that runs at 1024 x 768 or higher display resolution

Additional Requirements for the laptop:

• Internet Explorer 10
• KB2883200 (available through Windows Update) is required

And don't forget to reboot after updating your windows

Ex

Answer 4

Fake IE10 to install Visual Studio 2013

Visual Studio 2013 requires Internet Explorer 10. If you try to install it on Windows 7 with IE8 you get the following error This version of Visual Studio requires Internet Explorer 10”. The value that the VS 2013 installer checks is svcVersion in the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorerkey on 32-bit Windows and HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Internet Explorer on 64-bit Windows. Any value >= 10.0.0.0 makes the installer happy.

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer]
"svcVersion"="10.0.0.0"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Internet Explorer]
"svcVersion"="10.0.0.0"

Teller

Answer 5

your log files shows it is stopping on error "0x8004C000"

From MS Website (http://social.technet.microsoft.com/wiki/contents/articles/15716.visual-studio-2012-and-the-error-code-2147205120.aspx):

Setup Status
Block

Restart not required
0x80044000 [-2147205120]

Restart required
0x8004C000 [-2147172352]

Description
If the only block to be reported is “Reboot Pending,” the returned value is the Incomplete-Reboot Required value (0x80048bc7).

Darwindarwinian

The error in the log file is "Exit with 0x80044000 (Blocked)", which means installation is blocked and a restart is not required. A line in the log above that says installation is blocked due to the product needing a newer version of Windows. – Sharie