How to detect VC++ 2008 redistributable?

Question

Is there a Registry setting that I can look for to determine whether or not the Visual C++ redistributable is installed, whether standalone or as part of Visual Studio 2008?

Answer 1

Found registry entry for VC2008 redistributable. Here is my solution:

BOOL IsVC2008RedistInstalled(LPCTSTR pLogFile)
{
    TCHAR szLogEntry[256];
    memset(szLogEntry, '0', sizeof(szLogEntry));
    HKEY hKey;
    LONG lErr;

    TCHAR csid[256];
    _stprintf( csid, _T("SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Uninstall\\{9A25302D-30C0-39D9-BD6F-21E6EC160475}"));
    lErr = RegOpenKeyEx(HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, csid, 0, KEY_QUERY_VALUE, &hKey);
    if (lErr == ERROR_SUCCESS)
    {
    _stprintf(szLogEntry, _T("VC2008 Redistributable was installed before.\n"));
    toFile(pLogFile, szLogEntry);
    return TRUE;
    }
    else
    {
    _stprintf(szLogEntry, _T("VC2008 Redistributable was not installed before. %ld\n"), lErr);
    toFile(pLogFile, szLogEntry);
    return FALSE;
    }
}

Answer 2

looks like there is another solution proposed by a Microsoft-Developer, using MsiQueryProductState API, alas also relying on the GUIDs.

Update: The code went live yesterday and seems to be working fine. Here is what is beeing done: It is checked for the latest-known-to-me GUID AND the path² to-where-it-is-supposed-to-be-installed. If both fails, it is installed. This seems to work fine.

Additionally, it is installed with the command line arguments "/qb" which means "unattended but not invisible". See this other blog post about those params.

FWIW, GUIDs for Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 / VC90 SP1 Redistributable - x86 9.0.30729

• 64bit 30729.17: 8220EEFE-38CD-377E-8595-13398D740ACE
• 32bit 30729.17: 9A25302D-30C0-39D9-BD6F-21E6EC160475
• 32bit 30729.01: 6AFCA4E1-9B78-3640-8F72-A7BF33448200

² The path: $WINDIR\WinSxS\x86_Microsoft.VC90.CRT_1fc8b3b9a1e18e3b_9.0.30729*

Answer 3

Check the registry:

VC++2008 (sp1): HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\{3C3D696B-0DB7-3C6D-A356-3DB8CE541918}

or

VC++2008 (original): HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\{FF66E9F6-83E7-3A3E-AF14-8DE9A809A6A4}

Answer 4

Quick and dirty:

if (LoadLibrary(L"msvcrt80.dll")!=NULL)
{
  // it is installed
}

Loadlibrary will handle searching the paths for you.

Answer 5

Latest one for VC2005:

Visual C++ 2005 Service Pack 1 Redistributable Package MFC Security Update

* VC 8.0 SP1 MFCLOC Patch (x86) - {710F4C1C-CC18-4C49-8CBF-51240C89A1A2}
* VC 8.0 SP1 MFCLOC Patch (x64) - {AD8A2FA1-06E7-4B0D-927D-6E54B3D31028}
* VC 8.0 SP1 MFCLOC Patch (ia64) - {C2F60BDA-462A-4A72-8E4D-CA431A56E9EA}

8.0.50727.6195

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=AE2E1A40-7B45-4FE9-A20F-2ED2923ACA62

Answer 6

Product code for "Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 Service Pack 1 Redistributable Package MFC Security Update (x86)" is {9BE518E6-ECC6-35A9-88E4-87755C07200F}