error msb4014: the build stopped unexpectedly because of an internal failure. Restarting VisualStudio doesn't work

Question

Every project I try to compile fails with the error below:

1>------ Build started: Project: ConsoleMenu, Configuration: Debug Any CPU ------
1>C:\\User         


        

Answer 1

I've seen this exception trace back a few times. Easy to google, just query for "msbuild System.Text.EncoderFallbackException". This blog post is considered the canonical answer afaik.

It is an environmental problem, caused by machines with a corrupt PATH environment variable. Which happens entirely too often, it is a nasty global variable that gets mangled too often by a broken installer.

You fix it with Control Panel > System > Advanced > Environment Variables > System variables > Path. Click Edit and copy the content of the intentionally small text box into a text editor. Clean it up, deleting obviously wrong paths and bad characters. Some paralysis at the usual mess is expected, take no prisoners. Paste it back into the text box. Logoff + Logon to ensure the new value is in effect for all processes.