Can't uninstall Visual Studio 2015 (The storage control blocks were destroyed)

Question

So I wanted to force an uninstallation of VS2015 Enterprise with \"vs_enterprise.exe /uninstall /force\", but I get an error message:

Update for Microsoft Windo         


        

Answer 1

When I tried to uninstall Visual Studio 2015 Community Edition I first when to the Control Panel > Programs and Features, tried to uninstall it that way.

Then found the following link: force uninstall a visual studio 2015 preview or release candidate

Then navigated to C:\ProgramData and typed:

dir /s vs_community.exe

It generated this useful path info:
C:\ProgramData\Package Cache\{50b32652-69d2-4b93-9316-edcd12067b8b}

Then used Windows Explorer to go to that folder, Shift + Right Click > Open command window here and ran:

vs_community.exe /uninstall /force

I then got this error screen after a LONG time...

Then saw the below question:
removing visual studio components left behind after an uninstall

So I tried to run:

vs_community.exe /repair

It ended up hanging and I force quit it after about a half hour. Then I ran:

vs_community.exe /uninstall /force

This time I checked the error log, and found the following line very near the bottom.
Applying execute package: Windows7_MSU_x64, action: Uninstall, path: 2999226, arguments: '"C:\windows\SysNative\wusa.exe" /uninstall /kb:2999226 /quiet /norestart'

Thought I had to install the KB2999226 update because of the error:
Update for Microsoft Windows (KB2999226) : The storage control blocks were destroyed.

So I installed it, but vs_community.exe still wouldn't force uninstall. I probably already had the update installed, but can't find out because my windowsupdate.log file only goes back a month or so? Anyhow, my installing of the update probably didn't change anything.

According to the following articles:
sysnative folder 64 bit windows
File System Redirector - MSDN

The Windows7_MSU_x64 was trying to get to the C:\Windows\System32 folder, but because I have a 64-bit version of Windows 7, it was trying to reach the C:\windows\SysNative folder, because it is an auto-redirect to the real System32 folder. For some reason I don't have a SysNative folder, so...

I then went to Windows Update and uninstalled the KB2999226 update and went back to:
C:\ProgramData\Package Cache\{50b32652-69d2-4b93-9316-edcd12067b8b}

Ran the following again:

vs_community.exe /uninstall /force

This time it worked and I got the screen:

Answer 2

The below steps fixed it for me.

First uninstall KB2999226:

wusa.exe /uninstall /kb:2999226 /quiet /norestart

Download and re-install KB2999226 (the one we just uninstalled above):

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=49093

Uninstall Visual Studio from admin shell (you can use the install exe you originally used for the install):

vs_community.exe /uninstall /force

Answer 3

I had the same issue (WINDOWS 7) and I solved by making sure the following KB's were installed:

KB3139923

KB3072630

Having one installed without the presence of the other was causing the issue.

Answer 4

In case anyone encounters this again, the following did the trick for me:

1. Download and install KB2999226 from

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=49093

2. Create a symbolic link from c:\Windowss\SysNative to c:\Windows\System32 using the following command line:

mklink /D c:\Windows\SysNative c:\Windows\System32

3. Running the following command from command prompt:

"C:\ProgramData\Package Cache\{68432bbb-c9a5-4a7b-bab3-ae5a49b28303}\vs_professional.exe" /uninstall /force

The {6844...} part might be different on different machines and the vs_professional.exe might be located at different location but I guess anyone should be able to search for it inside the "PackageCache" folder

Answer 5

I had just the same issue. But for me nothing here has worked.

The only way worked for me was the standard way through the Windows Uninstall panel. The only difference here you have to reboot and uninstall it again until the option disappeared from the panel.