SQL Server Management Studio 18 setup fails after splash screen

Question

I'm trying to install the latest SMSS version on Win 10.

I also had Visual Studio 2017 and Visual Studio 2019 Community, and all .Net runtimes and the DevExpress Framework which came also with some versions of .Net.

The setup shows the splash screen then does nothing.

I uninstalled DevExpress, all Visual Studios, all older .net runtimes, reinstalled .Net 4.8 (from Turn Windows features on and off), nothing changes.

.Net 4.8 is installed and reported in registry.

In application log I get 2 related errors:

First one, a .Net error:

Application: SSMS-Setup-ENU.exe
Framework Version: v4.0.30319
Description: The process was terminated due to an unhandled exception.
Exception Info: System.NullReferenceException
at Microsoft.Sql.DataTools.ManagedBootstrapperApp.ManagedBootstrapperApp+<>c_DisplayClassb.<LogUserEnvironmentInfoInBackground>b_a(System.Object)
at System.Threading.QueueUserWorkItemCallback.WaitCallback_Context(System.Object)
at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.RunInternal(System.Threading.ExecutionContext, System.Threading.ContextCallback, System.Object, Boolean)
at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run(System.Threading.ExecutionContext, System.Threading.ContextCallback, System.Object, Boolean)
at System.Threading.QueueUserWorkItemCallback.System.Threading.IThreadPoolWorkItem.ExecuteWorkItem()
at System.Threading.ThreadPoolWorkQueue.Dispatch()
at System.Threading._ThreadPoolWaitCallback.PerformWaitCallback()

Second one:

Faulting application name: SSMS-Setup-ENU.exe, version: 15.0.18384.0, time stamp: 0x52974fc4
Faulting module name: unknown, version: 0.0.0.0, time stamp: 0x00000000
Exception code: 0xc0000005
Fault offset: 0x04032007
Faulting process ID: 0x1358
Faulting application start time: 0x01d76a096318e069
Faulting application path: C:\Users\geo\Downloads\SSMS-Setup-ENU.exe
Faulting module path: unknown
Report ID: 7c90bf4e-9c0f-436a-9216-618c3308529f
Faulting package full name:
Faulting package-relative application ID:

The installer is ok. The errors are about SSMS-Setup-ENU(3).exe, as I have downloaded it three times now.

Any ideas?

Answer 1

Type: certmgr in windows search bar.

Go to Manage User Certificates

Then remove any untrusted Microsoft certification in the Untrusted Certificates section .

It works for me after hours of searching.

Answer 2

Your problem is raised by the Error Code 0x80070490.

The error might be trigged by:

• Your antivirus not recognizing SSMS (slightly uncommon)
• Your Windows OS not being updated
• Your user not having Administrator privileges
• A certificate was explicitly revoked by its issuer

I suggest you to do in the order:

1. Check for Windows updates and update everything to latest version
2. Right click on the .exe file and execute as Administrator
3. Contact your IT department

And later tell us what was the fix.

A few links you might find interesting:

• https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/341783/an-error-occurred-during-the-installation-of-micro.html
• https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/security/en-US/9fad8d58-09fc-4143-95ee-0538a9373818/ssms-install-error-code-a-certificate-was-explicitly-revoked-by-its-issuer-0x800b010c?forum=sqltools