Visual C++ Express 2010 for 64-bit Native Development

[Morris Maynard]

I have had problems getting Visual C++ 2010 Express installed with 64-bit tools enabled. Here is a procedure which has worked for me on two separate Windows 7 64-bit systems:

1. Install Visual C++ 2010 Express. This is available for download from the Microsoft website at:
   http://www.microsoft.com/express/downloads
2. Install the Windows SDK for Windows 7 and .Net Framework 4. This is necessary to enable the 64-bit support. Make sure that you select any options mentioning 64-bit capability. You can obtain this SDK from:
   Download Microsoft Windows SDK for Windows 7 and .NET Framework 4 from Official Microsoft Download Center
3. Install “Microsoft Visual C++ 2010 Service Pack 1 Compiler Update for the Windows SDK 7.1” (KB2519277). Without this update, subsequent updates, including the Service Pack 1 update listed next, are likely to fail. You can download this from:
   Download Microsoft Visual C++ 2010 Service Pack 1 Compiler Update for the Windows SDK 7.1 from Official Microsoft Download Center
4. Install “Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 Service Pack 1”. This service pack patches both Visual C++ 2010 Express and the Windows SDK. It is available for download at:
   http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=75568aa6-8107-475d-948a-ef22627e57a5
   
   ISO images of the Microsoft packages are also available for installation on computers not connected to a network.
   I hope that Microsoft will issue revised installers for Visual C++ 2010 Express and the Windows SDK so that steps 3 and 4 of this procedure become unnecessary. The ISO image for the Service Pack mentioned in step 4 is 1.5 Gb.

Software Developer

Continue reading...