ClickOnce Applications Won't Install on Windows 7, Application Cannot Be Started, Contact the Application Vendor

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I am trying to install Github for Windows which is a ClickOnce application, however I am unable to start any ClickOnce application. I receive a pop up error saying "Application cannot be started, contact the application vendor".

I have seen that other users with this error have solved it by deleting the '2.0' folder in there 'users/USERNAME/AppData/Local/Apps/2.0' location. However, I do not have an 'Apps' folder in my 'AppData/Local' location and therefore unable to delete anything from it. I have tried creating an 'Apps' folder there and then trying to install the application but I receive the same error. When I run the following: '%UserProfile%\AppData\Local\Apps\2.0' it says that it refers to a location that is unavailable.

I have contacted Github support and they told me the same thing about deleting the '2.0' folder but alas I do not have the 'AppData/Local/Apps' location. They also told me to clear the cache by running this: rundll32 %SystemRoot%\system32\dfshim.dll CleanOnlineAppCache but that did not solve the problem either.

I do not have any anti-virus or firewall turned on either. I have also tried installing a different ClickOnce application and I received the same error. Is there some other folder I need to delete or some setting I need to change to get ClickOnce applications to start?

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windowsdeploymentgithubclickonce
I have seen errors like this when you don't have the correct version of the .NET Framework installed on your machine that the application wants. Do you have the latest .NET Framework (4.5.1) installed? - Scott Wylie

2 Answers

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By Changing to Net Framework 4.0 got me working, changing and delete 2.0 made no difference but deleted the other apps.

The other apps were reinstalled automatically so no biggy, will try install latest 4.51 later.

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I know this is a really old question. You should have a Apps folder at '%UserProfile%\AppData\Local\Apps\2.0'. You are probably unable to see the folder because you haven't enabled viewing of hidden folders in windows explorer. To resole this, launch windows explorer "windows key + e", hold down Alt and hit T (tools menu) then click folder options, click the "view" tab and then select: "show hidden files, folders, and drives" Uncheck: "Hide empty drives in the Computer folder" "Hide extensions for known file types" "Hide protected operating system files (recommended)"

Note, not all of these are required to see the hidden folder "apps", this is how I always configure my setup though.

After this you should be able to see the folder at : '%UserProfile%\AppData\Local\Apps\2.0'

Deleting the 2.0 folder usually works but you are also deleting any other click once applications that have been installed.