How can I install VS 2008 team suite sp1 without the original installation media (vs_Setup.msi)?

Question

I am trying to re-install VS2008 SP1. Why?

I installed the VS2008 Forward Compatibility Update (KB974558) , in order to be able to access TFS 2010 from VS2008. Everything went fine; there were no error messages. When I start VS2008 and click Help..About, I can see that KB794558 is installed.

But even though the FCU is installed, I still cannot add a TFS 2010 server path into Visual Studio 2008, without getting the error TF30335 . The server in question is a codeplex server; I understand that codeplex upgraded to TFS 2010 in July.

Some websites have suggested re-installing VS2008 SP1 in order to correct this TF30335 error. But when I try doing that , the install asks for the original installation media for VS 2008 Team Suite (vs_setup.msi), which I no longer have.

Other websites, like this one , suggest manually tweaking the registry to add a TFS 2010 URL. When I restart VS2008 after doing this, I get the TF253022 error, which says, You must update your client with the Forward Compatibility Update. As I said, I've already installed that.

1. Is there a way to (re-)install VS2008 sp1 without access to the original VS2008 installation media?

2. Failing that, is there a way to avoid the TF30335 error, after installing the FCU (KB974558)?

3. Is there a way to make the Forward Compatibility Update, uhm.... really work ?

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Edit : Related :
Unable to connect to TFS 2010 from VS2005 even though Forward Compat Update is installed.

Answer 1

I made this steps to check out what can break the install.

Installed:

1. Microsoft® Visual Studio® Team System 2008

   At this step I could use the original DVD or ISO image to repair the instalation or to Add/Remove features.

2. Microsoft® VS9 Service Pack 1

At this step I could not use the DVD or ISO image to repair or Add/Remove features. But I could still use the upgraded Setup files from $ VS9/Microsoft Visual Studio Team System 2008 Team Suite - ENU local subfolder.

I guess an upgraded DVD/ISO image of Microsoft® Visual Studio® Team System 2008 with SP1 may help to repair or Add/Remove features in no time.

Answer 2

In order to connect from from VS 2008 to TFS 2010 you have to install the following software in the same order:

1. Visual Studio 2008
2. Visual Studio Team System 2008 Team Explorer
3. Microsoft® Visual Studio® 2008 Service Pack 1
4. Visual Studio Team Explorer 2008 forward compatibility update to support TFS 2010

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Try reinstalling VS2008 Forward Compatibility Update (KB974558)

Check these links:

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=979258

http://codeplex.codeplex.com/wikipage?title=Connect%20to%20TFS%20with%20Team%20Explorer%202008%20or%202005&referringTitle=Using%20TFS%20and%20Team%20Explorer%20with%20CodePlex

Wael

Answer 3

Answering my own question...

I was able to re-install VS2008 sp1, by providing an image of the VS2008 90-day trial product . The installation of SP1 requested vs_setup.msi, and the 90-day trial ISO satisfied that requirement.

Once I did that, I was able to re-install the Forward Compatibility Update for TFS2010; at that point, I was able to connect to a TFS 2010 instance (Codeplex.com) from VS2008.

Also, to re-iterate, the installation order I used to get the Forward Compatibility Update to install, was the same as has been suggested elsewhere on this question, and also elsewhere on the internet:

1. VS2008
2. Team Explorer 2008
3. VS2008 SP1
4. Forward Compatibility Update.

In my case, VS2008 was already at SP1 level, and already had Team Explorer installed. No matter. I re-installed Team Explorer, then SP1, then FCU. I did not re-install the original VS2008 (because I don't have the original media!)

One note - the first time I tried this, it didn't work. I installed each of #2, 3, and 4 twice , before VS2008 was able to connect correctly to TFS2010.

I hope this helps someone else.