Error 0x8007015e: Cannot Install VC++ Redist – Reboot Required

When you try to install Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable x64 or x86, the error 0x8007015e may appear.

Setup Failed

One or more issues caused the setup to fail. Please fix the issues and then retry setup. For more information see the log file.

0x8007015e - No action was taken as a system reboot is required.

If the VC++ redist is part of the game setup package (e.g., Battlefield from Origin), the following error may appear:

Error: The VC++ runtime redistributable package was not installed successfully. Setup cannot continue. (2147942750)

Note that 2147942750 is the decimal equivalent of the hex value 0x8007015e. Both errors mean one and the same. The error code’s description is “No action was taken as a system reboot is required”.

No matter how many times you reboot Windows, the same error may occur when attempting to install or repair the package. This happens even though the PendingFileRenameOperations registry value is empty.

Clicking on the “log file” link in the VC++ error message window opens the log file. However, the log shows no useful information about the error other than the following:

[226C:29CC][2022-09-03T17:18:59]: Burn v3.6.3542.0, Windows v6.3 (Build 9600: Service Pack 0), path: C:\ProgramData\Package Cache\{ca67548a-5ebe-413a-b50c-4b9ceb6d66c6}\vcredist_x64.exe, cmdline: '/modify'
[226C:29CC][2022-09-03T17:18:59]: Setting string variable 'WixBundleLog' to value 'C:\Users\Ramesh\AppData\Local\Temp\dd_vcredist_amd64_20220903171859.log'
[226C:29CC][2022-09-03T17:18:59]: Detect 2 packages
[226C:29CC][2022-09-03T17:18:59]: Detected package: vcRuntimeMinimum_x64, state: Present, cached: Complete
[226C:29CC][2022-09-03T17:18:59]: Detected package: vcRuntimeAdditional_x64, state: Present, cached: Complete
[226C:29CC][2022-09-03T17:18:59]: Condition 'VersionNT64 >= v6.0 OR (VersionNT64 = v5.2 AND ServicePackLevel >= 1)' evaluates to true.
[226C:29CC][2022-09-03T17:18:59]: Detect complete, result: 0x0
[226C:29CC][2022-09-03T17:19:00]: Plan 2 packages, action: Repair
[226C:29CC][2022-09-03T17:19:00]: Condition 'VersionNT64 AND (VersionNT > v6.2 OR (VersionNT = v6.2 AND (NTProductType = 1)) OR (VersionNT = v6.2 AND NOT (NTProductType = 1)) OR (VersionNT = v6.0 AND NOT (NTProductType = 1)) OR (VersionNT = v6.1 AND (NTProductType = 1)) OR (VersionNT = v6.1 AND NOT (NTProductType = 1)) OR (VersionNT = v6.0 AND (NTProductType = 1)) OR (VersionNT = v5.1) OR (VersionNT = v5.2 AND NOT (NTProductType = 1)) OR (VersionNT = v5.2 AND (NTProductType = 1)))' evaluates to true.
[226C:29CC][2022-09-03T17:19:00]: Setting string variable 'WixBundleLog_vcRuntimeMinimum_x64' to value 'C:\Users\Ramesh\AppData\Local\Temp\dd_vcredist_amd64_20220903171859_0_vcRuntimeMinimum_x64.log'
[226C:29CC][2022-09-03T17:19:00]: Condition 'VersionNT64 AND (VersionNT > v6.2 OR (VersionNT = v6.2 AND (NTProductType = 1)) OR (VersionNT = v6.2 AND NOT (NTProductType = 1)) OR (VersionNT = v6.0 AND NOT (NTProductType = 1)) OR (VersionNT = v6.1 AND (NTProductType = 1)) OR (VersionNT = v6.1 AND NOT (NTProductType = 1)) OR (VersionNT = v6.0 AND (NTProductType = 1)) OR (VersionNT = v5.1) OR (VersionNT = v5.2 AND NOT (NTProductType = 1)) OR (VersionNT = v5.2 AND (NTProductType = 1)))' evaluates to true.
[226C:29CC][2022-09-03T17:19:00]: Setting string variable 'WixBundleLog_vcRuntimeAdditional_x64' to value 'C:\Users\Ramesh\AppData\Local\Temp\dd_vcredist_amd64_20220903171859_1_vcRuntimeAdditional_x64.log'
[226C:29CC][2022-09-03T17:19:00]: Planned package: vcRuntimeMinimum_x64, state: Present, default requested: Repair, ba requested: Repair, execute: Repair, rollback: None, cache: No, uncache: No, dependency: Register
[226C:29CC][2022-09-03T17:19:00]: Planned package: vcRuntimeAdditional_x64, state: Present, default requested: Repair, ba requested: Repair, execute: Repair, rollback: None, cache: No, uncache: No, dependency: Register
[226C:29CC][2022-09-03T17:19:00]: Plan complete, result: 0x0
[226C:29CC][2022-09-03T17:19:00]: Apply begin
[226C:29CC][2022-09-03T17:19:00]: Apply complete, result: 0x8007015e, restart: Required, ba requested restart: No
[226C:29CC][2022-09-03T17:19:04]: Shutting down, exit code: 0x8007015e
[226C:29CC][2022-09-03T17:19:04]: Variable: NTProductType = 1
[226C:29CC][2022-09-03T17:19:04]: Variable: VersionNT = 6.3.0.0
[226C:29CC][2022-09-03T17:19:04]: Variable: VersionNT64 = 6.3.0.0
[226C:29CC][2022-09-03T17:19:04]: Variable: WixBundleAction = 6
[226C:29CC][2022-09-03T17:19:04]: Variable: WixBundleElevated = 0
[226C:29CC][2022-09-03T17:19:04]: Variable: WixBundleInstalled = 1
[226C:29CC][2022-09-03T17:19:04]: Variable: WixBundleLog = C:\Users\Ramesh\AppData\Local\Temp\dd_vcredist_amd64_20220903171859.log
[226C:29CC][2022-09-03T17:19:04]: Variable: WixBundleLog_vcRuntimeAdditional_x64 = C:\Users\Ramesh\AppData\Local\Temp\dd_vcredist_amd64_20220903171859_1_vcRuntimeAdditional_x64.log
[226C:29CC][2022-09-03T17:19:04]: Variable: WixBundleLog_vcRuntimeMinimum_x64 = C:\Users\Ramesh\AppData\Local\Temp\dd_vcredist_amd64_20220903171859_0_vcRuntimeMinimum_x64.log
[226C:29CC][2022-09-03T17:19:04]: Variable: WixBundleName = Microsoft Visual C++ 2012 Redistributable (x64) - 11.0.61030
[226C:29CC][2022-09-03T17:19:04]: Variable: WixBundleOriginalSource = c:\users\ramesh\appdata\local\temp\1d75a13\pspx9_en_64\setup\runtime\msvc2012_x64\vcredist_x64.exe
[226C:29CC][2022-09-03T17:19:04]: Variable: WixBundleProviderKey = {ca67548a-5ebe-413a-b50c-4b9ceb6d66c6}
[226C:29CC][2022-09-03T17:19:04]: Variable: WixBundleTag = 
[226C:29CC][2022-09-03T17:19:04]: Variable: WixBundleVersion = 11.0.61030.0
[226C:29CC][2022-09-03T17:19:04]: Exit code: 0x8007015e, restarting: No

Also, attempting to install the update via Windows Update may cause the following error:

Update for Microsoft Visual C++ 2012 Update 4 Redistributable Package (KB3119142) - Error 0x80070643

Due to this issue, you may be unable to install and run some games due to missing VC++ runtimes — e.g., Apex Legends, Battlefield, etc.

Solution

To resolve the error 0x8007015e when installing Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable, delete the two remnant registry entries added during the earlier installation of Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributables.

1. Start the Registry Editor by running regedit.exe
2. Go to the following branch and expand the branch:

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall

3. Look for a subkey containing the string “.RebootRequired“. For example, it may be “{ca67548a-5ebe-413a-b50c-4b9ceb6d66c6}.RebootRequired“
4. Right-click on the .RebootRequired key and choose Delete.
   
5. Repeat the same for each key that contain the “.RebootRequired string.
6. Exit the Registry Editor.

If one of the above keys doesn’t exist, ignore it and proceed to the next step.

For your information

• {ca67548a-5ebe-413a-b50c-4b9ceb6d66c6} – GUID for Microsoft VC++ Redist 2012 x64
• {33d1fd90-4274-48a1-9bc1-97e33d9c2d6f} – GUID for Microsoft VC++ Redist 2012 x86

During installation, the Microsoft Visual C++ setup creates the above key(s). But the setup fails to clear the key after the reboot.

You should be able to install or repair VC++ Redist now.