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While installing games via Steam, you should see Steam installing a lot of things and Microsoft VC Redist Package is one of the common items. Usually, “Installing: Microsoft VC Redist Package” is a short process in the installation of games and it’s going to conclude in mere moments. Nonetheless, reports about Steam installing Microsoft VC Redist Package stuck still appear on occasions. Read to the end if you keep getting stuck at the Microsoft VC Redist Package as you install Steam games.
Microsoft VC Redist Package Won’t Install: Overview
Similar to many other game distribution platforms, Steam installs not only games but also tools that the games need to run. During the installation of games, a number of files may fail to install properly due to internal glitches and lead to all sorts of troubles. One of the consequences is Steam installing Microsoft VC Redist Package stuck. On the bright side, it’s possible to get Microsoft VC Redist Package to install if you know what must be done.
How To Install Microsoft VC Redist Package
Solution One: Delete File
As the name suggests, Microsoft VC Redist Package is related to the redist folder. Thus, the error can go away if you locate the redist folder and delete the file that is giving you a hard time from the game directory.
Step 1
The first step is to look for the disk where your PC installs Steam games. If your hard disk is partitioned, you may want to check out the different partitions to locate the Program Files folder. Usually, Program Files can be found in the C: drive
Step 2
When you see Program Files, open it and navigate to the Steam folder. Double-click the Steam folder then proceed to search for the Steam apps folder. In Steam apps, look for a sub-folder called common then open it. From there, navigate to the game folder. You will see a list of all the Steam games you currently have installed on your PC.
Step 3
Steam installing Microsoft Redist Package stuck is an error that affects quite a few games. For instance, let’s say that Darksider 2 is the game that experiences issues with Microsoft Redist Package installation. Open the Darksider 2 folder, look for the subfolder _common redist and open it. (hitechgazette) There should be a subfolder named VC redist and that is the one you need.
Step 4
In the VC redist folder, look for a file named Install script. That is the problematic file that was stored during the game installation process. Delete that file, and you won’t experience the issue during game launch anymore. If you do not want to delete the file, renaming it or simply changing its extension work too. Now you can install your game with relative ease.
Solution Two: Clear the Download Cache
Some players have been able to overcome the error by clearing their cache. To do so, you need to open Steam app, navigate to settings, locate the download option and clear the download cache.
Solution Three: Rename _CommonRedist Folder
Another solution that may resolve the installation hiccups is to rename the _CommonRedist folder. Follow the sequence in the first solution to make your way to _CommonRedist folder then rename the folder to something else.
What To Do When The Error Returns
For most of the time, if you manage to address the installation error, it won’t show up again. However, if you experience the same error in the future, you may have no choice but to redo all of the above. Feel free to make use of the Registry Editor to speed up the process.
What Is Microsoft VC Redist?
Everything that you install on your PC will require some sort of application to function. Microsoft VC Redist (Microsoft Visual Classic Redistributable) are support files that let applications work properly after installation and eliminate the need to download additional files. Normally, no application will need the entire developer suites available in Microsoft Visual studio. Thus, redistributable files that only contain the library of tools required by the particular software are created by Visual Studio and often bundled into the app installer.
Why Do I Have So Many Versions Of Microsoft VC Redist?
If you scan your Program Files folder, you will come across multiple Microsoft VC redist files. The difference between these files is usually in their version and year, which can be seen in their name.
Why? Well, the Microsoft VC redist files were compiled by the various versions of Microsoft visual studio that have at one time or the other been installed on your computer. Like PC apps, the visual studio gets updated online regularly, which means its version changes frequently. However, the newer version libraries do not necessarily have a link with the older ones.
When a new application is installed, it checks through the library to see if the redist file it needs to function has already been installed. If it hasn’t, a new one will be installed. Every redist file you see on your PC was needed by one app or another.
Can I Delete A Microsoft VC Redist Version?
Yes, the Microsoft VC redist files are deletable. However, it would be best to think about the apps that require the redist files to work. If you delete redist files at whim, the performance of the apps on your PC is going to suffer. It is often difficult to determine the app that each VC redist works with, therefore, it is helpful to consult with a professional before deleting anything.
Chris started playing PC games in the 1980s, started writing about them in the early 2000s, and (finally) started getting paid to write about them in the late 2000s.
Following a few years as a regular freelancer, PC Gamer hired him in 2014, probably so he’d stop emailing them asking for more work. Since 2019, he started providing game reviews & tips for Grateful Dead Game. Chris has a love-hate relationship with survival games and an unhealthy fascination with the inner lives of NPCs. He’s also a fan of offbeat simulation games, mods, and ignoring storylines in RPGs so he can make up his own.