I've installed Visual C# 2005 Express Edition as well as the SP1 patch and the XNA stuff on my home computer and it was successful and easy. Afterwards, I have tried to do the same on my computer at work and I have run into a problem. After the same installation procedure I did at home, I try to run VSC#2005EE and I get 5 consistent errors that have the exact same description in the pop up window.

"Package Load Failure

Package 'Visual Studio Common IDE Package' has failed to load properly ( GUID = {6E87CFAD-6C05-4ADF-9CD7-3B7943875B7C} ). Please contact package vendor for assistance. Application restart is recommended, due to a possible environment corruption. Would you like to disable loading this package in the future? You may use 'VCSExpress /resetskippkgs' to re-enable package loading."

If I ignore these errors and try to create a new XNA project (such as Windows Game, XBox360 Game, or Spacewar Windows Starter Kit) I get the following error in a pop up window:

"The project file 'C:\Documents and Settings\<login name>\Local Settings\Temp\iaef5qe3.tp0\Temp\MySpaceWarWin3.csproj' cannot be opened. The project type is not supported by this installation."

I'm pretty confident that the first error has to do with the second. I figured I just couldn't create an XNA project so I tried to download Catapult from the Mini game section of this site. When I tried to load this project I get the same "The Project type is not supported by this installation" error mentioned right above this paragraph.

I've been trying to get this up and running for a couple of months. I've search high and low on the web for these problems and have tried many of the fixes that were suggested, but none have worked for me. Just for the record, I installed VSC#2005EE from scratch off of the link provided here in the "Getting Started" section. I did not have it installed ever before on this machine. Also, I've tried uninstalling and reinstalling everything 2 times already. So 3 tries of installing this software has gotten me the same results. Another bit of information for the record, I can create "Windows Application", "Console Application", and "Empty Project" projects without problems so I believe it's an XNA thing. My VSC#2005EE version number is 8.0.50727.762 (SP.050727-7600) and Microsoft XNA Game Studio Express version 1.0. I have an ATI FireGL V3100 video card which after research I found is an acceptable video card.

Either the c# express download is being corrupted or its not installing properly for some reason.

Does your office have any strange network configurations such as restricted permissions or programs installing to a network drive?

Seems like its a c# installation issue though so you could try their official forums http://forums.microsoft.com/MSDN/ShowForum.aspx?ForumID=160&SiteID=1

I'm sorry, I just reread your question and yes I agree it looks like its the XNA package that didn't install properly...

There have been a few reports of bad downloads... try using a download manager or a different browser to get and reinstall the XNA stuff.

You can also run the installer with the logging option and let us know the results (please don't paste the whole log file here - put it on a pastebin and link)

Thanks for the quick response. I have done as you suggested and downloaded XNA Refresh with Download Accelerator Pro Manager. I also installed with the logging option and have pasted the result here: http://pastebin.com/m37d8214d. I looked through it myself and noticed two errors on line 60 of the file that mention an error installing a certain package. I'm not sure what the line itself means, but I don't 'think' this is the problem. Other than that I didn't see anything that stood out, but I can't make sense of half of it anyway. Let me know what you think.

P.S. - Thanks for your time. :)

I would tend to agree... usually failed installs are much more spectacular. Though I'm not sure what that package is... hopefully one of the MS guys will visit the thread.

I'm not sure what else to suggest... hopefully you are running as an administrator (though you should get lots of other errors), are you installing to a strange location? You also didn't mention if your workplace has any special restrictions on the computers (but again I would expect to see errors)

But otherwise I think you have pretty much covered everything yourself now... all I can suggest is a call to MS tech support or (and I hate it when people tell you do do this) a clean OS install. Hey now I'm qualified to work on a tech support hot line "Have you tried turning it on and off again?"

If the Common IDE package is failing to load, it's not XNA GSE that failed to install. This package is responsible for things like the Help menu, help service (used by F1), search, help favorites, start page, and a few other things.

You should repair or reinstall VC# 2005 Express Edition.

Ultrahead, that suggestion won't help in this case. It is my advice that you linked to from your blog, and that was to solve a different problem. Re-registering projectaggregator.dll won't help for this problem.

NoSkillz504:

... You may use 'VCSExpress /resetskippkgs' to re-enable package loading."

Ultrahead:

NoSkillz504:

... You may use 'VCSExpress /resetskippkgs' to re-enable package loading."

NoSkillz504: did you try using that advice?

That isn't actually advice to solve the problem. You have to read the sentence before it for proper context.

"Would you like to disable loading this package in the future? You may use 'VCSExpress /resetskippkgs' to re-enable package loading."

The error dialog has buttons, "Yes" and "No". These correspond to the question, which is asking if you want to disable the problem-causing package. The last sentence says that if you press "Yes", then you can re-enable that package by running the given command.