The application has failed to start because its side-by-side configuration is incorrect. Please see the application event log or use the command-line sxstrace.exe tool for more detail.

[dandv]

I get this error after reinstalling Windows and running youtube-dl.exe. The only possible cause that comes to mind is lacking an Internet Explorer installation.

[dandv]

SxsTrace output:

=================
Begin Activation Context Generation.
Input Parameter:
    Flags = 0
    ProcessorArchitecture = Wow32
    CultureFallBacks = en-US;en
    ManifestPath = c:\utils\youtube-dl.exe
    AssemblyDirectory = c:\utils\
    Application Config File = 
-----------------
INFO: Parsing Manifest File c:\utils\youtube-dl.exe.
    INFO: Manifest Definition Identity is (null).
    INFO: Reference: Microsoft.VC90.CRT,processorArchitecture="x86",publicKeyToken="1fc8b3b9a1e18e3b",type="win32",version="9.0.21022.8"
INFO: Resolving reference Microsoft.VC90.CRT,processorArchitecture="x86",publicKeyToken="1fc8b3b9a1e18e3b",type="win32",version="9.0.21022.8".
    INFO: Resolving reference for ProcessorArchitecture WOW64.
        INFO: Resolving reference for culture Neutral.
            INFO: Applying Binding Policy.
                INFO: No publisher policy found.
                INFO: No binding policy redirect found.
            INFO: Begin assembly probing.
                INFO: Did not find the assembly in WinSxS.
                INFO: Attempt to probe manifest at C:\Windows\assembly\GAC_32\Microsoft.VC90.CRT\9.0.21022.8__1fc8b3b9a1e18e3b\Microsoft.VC90.CRT.DLL.
                INFO: Did not find manifest for culture Neutral.
            INFO: End assembly probing.
    INFO: Resolving reference for ProcessorArchitecture x86.
        INFO: Resolving reference for culture Neutral.
            INFO: Applying Binding Policy.
                INFO: No publisher policy found.
                INFO: No binding policy redirect found.
            INFO: Begin assembly probing.
                INFO: Did not find the assembly in WinSxS.
                INFO: Attempt to probe manifest at C:\Windows\assembly\GAC_32\Microsoft.VC90.CRT\9.0.21022.8__1fc8b3b9a1e18e3b\Microsoft.VC90.CRT.DLL.
                INFO: Attempt to probe manifest at c:\utils\Microsoft.VC90.CRT.DLL.
                INFO: Attempt to probe manifest at c:\utils\Microsoft.VC90.CRT.MANIFEST.
                INFO: Attempt to probe manifest at c:\utils\Microsoft.VC90.CRT\Microsoft.VC90.CRT.DLL.
                INFO: Attempt to probe manifest at c:\utils\Microsoft.VC90.CRT\Microsoft.VC90.CRT.MANIFEST.
                INFO: Did not find manifest for culture Neutral.
            INFO: End assembly probing.
    ERROR: Cannot resolve reference Microsoft.VC90.CRT,processorArchitecture="x86",publicKeyToken="1fc8b3b9a1e18e3b",type="win32",version="9.0.21022.8".
ERROR: Activation Context generation failed.
End Activation Context Generation.

[dstftw]

Install Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 Redistributable Package (x86).

[dandv]

Thanks, it worked.

[ghost]

Is there a chance to make it work in future without installing Redist packages on XP and Vista?

[yan12125]

There are at least two options:

1. Building a custom version of Python without Visual C++ redistributables dependency. This requires lots of efforts.
2. Write a wrapper to download and install Visual C++ redistributables. It requires fewer efforts but not trivial, either, because this wrapper can't be written in Python.