If while running Windows Live Messenger, you get the error message “Description: The application has failed to start because its side-by-side configuration is incorrect. Please see the application event log for more detail”, your Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 Redistributable Package may have got corrupted. This article tells you how you can try to fix this kind of error.
Step 1:
Uninstall Windows Live Messenger from the Programs and Features.
Step 2:
Uninstall Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 Redistributable Package from the Programs and Features.
Step 3:
Run SFC /SCANNOW to make sure all the system files are intact. Once the scan is complete go ahead and reboot the system. It’s also advisable to run CCleaner to clear the Temp and Prefetch.
Step 4:
Download the Visual C++ 2008 redistributable and the Visual C++ 2008 Redistributable Service Pack and install it. Once we install it then download the Windows Live package and install the Messenger and launch the application.
Now see if this works!
In case the above mentioned steps do not work then instead of removing Windows Live Messenger from Control Panel, follow the manual removal method for troubleshooting and removing Messenger.
If multiple programs are crashing with this “Side-by-side configuration is incorrect” error and the above steps do not help, then it is quite possible that your operating system may have got corrupted. In this caes trying to Repair Windows 7 may be a good idea.
If you have liked this post, you might want to check out some more, on topics like Messenger.
