blank window when installing visual studio on windows 10

Question

I have a Windows 10 64-bit PC (fresh install, not an upgrade). When I run the setup file (web or offline alike) in order to install Visual Studio (2013 or 2015, Community edition), all I get is a small black rectangle on the screen (which I later found out that this is actually the title of the setup popup window), without the actual window of the installation. I have tried it also after a reboot, and with various "versions" of the installation files (web, iso, standalone), but it's always the same situation. What can I do about it? VS is my main development tool and I really need it on this computer as soon as possible.

Answer 1

If you are using a laptop with an external monitor, try unplugging it and using your primary monitor to launch. This worked for me. Laptops often have dual graphics cards and I believe we're hitting some issue with the way the Installer for VS was written (likely WPF )

Once I launced it and started the installation, I could safely plug my monitor in and it kept working properly.

Answer 2

I'm using an AMD GPU, It was a blank white screen but when I hover the mouse over it, I can see the text events

By the way

I went to my AMD Radeon Settings and saw that vs_installershell.exe and vs_setup_bootstrapper.exe were added automatically to the Switchable Graphics list
they were with Not Assigned Option which usually is like High Performace Option
means It would run it with my ATI GPU.

• So I clicked on them
• Selected Power Saving Option (to work with my Intel GPU)

Which worked and I can see the window of visual studio installer back

after restarting visual studio installer for sure.
whether is your graphics card , just turn on power saving for it.

Answer 3

Had the same issue. Since this topic is not accept any answare, there is one from https://developercommunity.visualstudio.com/content/problem/150888/visual-studio-installer-shows-blank-screen.html

1. Try to open installer as Admin.
2. You will probably have blank screen. Do not close it!
3. Open installer once more.

Hope it help other people with same issue.

Answer 4

Similar problem here. Program install ok but display blank screen after launched.

Problem solved when I changed my Nvidia graphics's global 3D setting to integrated graphics.

1. Right click desktop
2. Select Nvidia Control Panel
3. Select Manage 3D Settings
4. Under preferred graphics processor, select integrated graphics.
5. Apply.

Answer 5

同样的事情发生在我身上，我没有做任何我只是等待它并开始显示它的状态，我建议你关闭其他正在运行的程序，以避免冲突和性能阻碍，并再次尝试。

Answer 6

I had the the same problem in my laptop. The work around is, in device management, remove the amd graphics or start the installer only with battery.

Answer 7

This seems like a very shoddy issue. I've run into this problem too, and I tested all solutions that I came across online. These all work:

• Running the installer as administrator, which is a blank screen. Leave it open and run a second instance of the installer, which will not be blank (doesn't need to be run as administrator the second time.
• Changing screen settings so that the laptop screen is not being used.
• Downloading the AMD Settings application, and setting vs_installershell.exe to run on powersaving mode. Restart the installer after saving the settings.
• Use a default graphics driver instead of the AMD one.

Answer 8

I had the the same problem in my laptop. The temporary solution is: start the installer only without the battery, if installer starts you can connect the cable, it works fine.

Answer 9

I had to run integrated graphics rather than my Nvdia. That solved it for me.

Remember to change it back when programming in OpenGL and DirectX otherwise you may get a list of messages staying that nothing works.