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Upgrading or Repairing the Visual C++ Redistributable on Windows (Script)

Description

This article describes how to use the attached FileWave Fileset to install or update the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable (VC++). The provided Fileset ensures that the appropriate version of VC++ is installed based on the processor architecture (AMD64, ARM64, or x86) of the device. The script included in the Fileset automatically downloads the correct VC++ installer from Microsoft, installs it, and then performs cleanup.

Ingredients

  • FileWave Admin: Required to import and deploy the Fileset to Windows devices.

  • VC++ Fileset: Download the Fileset using the link below.

Windows VC++ v17
FileWave Download.png

Directions

  1. Import the Fileset:

    • Download the Fileset from the link above.

    • Import the Fileset into the FileWave Admin console.

  2. Review the Script in the Fileset:

    • The Fileset contains the following PowerShell script that determines the system architecture, downloads the appropriate version of VC++, installs it, and cleans up the temporary files.

      echo $env:PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE
      
      # Determine processor architecture
      $Architecture = $env:PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE
      if ($Architecture -eq 'AMD64') {
          $InstallerUrl = 'https://aka.ms/vs/17/release/vc_redist.x64.exe'
      } elseif ($Architecture -eq 'ARM64') {
          $InstallerUrl = 'https://aka.ms/vs/17/release/vc_redist.arm64.exe'
      } else {
          $InstallerUrl = 'https://aka.ms/vs/17/release/vc_redist.x86.exe'
      }
      
      echo $InstallerUrl
      
      # Download installer
      $InstallerPath = "$env:TEMP\vc_redist.exe"
      Invoke-WebRequest -Uri $InstallerUrl -OutFile $InstallerPath
      
      # Install Visual C++ redistributable
      Start-Process -FilePath $InstallerPath -ArgumentList '/install', '/passive', '/norestart' -Wait
      
      # Clean up
      Remove-Item -Path $InstallerPath
  3. Associate the Fileset:

    • Assign the Fileset to the relevant Windows devices where VC++ needs to be installed or updated.

Notes

  • Customizations: If a newer version of VC++ is required, you can update the URLs in the script to point to the latest Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable version.

  • Architecture Detection: The script handles common architectures like AMD64, ARM64, and x86, which are automatically detected and used to download the appropriate version of VC++.

  • Silent Installation: The script installs VC++ in passive mode without user interaction and suppresses a reboot. If you need a different installation behavior, modify the argument list in the Start-Process command.