fatal error LNK1104: cannot open file 'kernel32.lib'

Question

I've been getting this error ever since I installed the .NET Framework SDK for 64-bit programming on my Visual C++ 2010 Express compiler. I can't compile even a simple program at all because of this single error I'm getting. My platform is x86. Here is a snap shot if it helps:

I don't know what more to say. I just downloaded this compiler yesterday and it was working fine. I wanted to upgrade from 32-bit programming to 64-bit so I could work with Assembly, so I downloaded this SDK. I searched on Google and even here on Stackoverflow. Google didn't help much, but I found a post here that seemed similar to mine but the answers didn't do much justice. Does anyone know why this error is occurring and how I can get rid of it?

Answer 1

Check the VC++ directories, in VS 2010 these can be found in your project properties. Check whether $(WindowsSdkDir)\lib is included in the directories list, if not, manually add it. If you're building for X64 platform, you should select X64 from the “Platform” ComboBox, and make sure that $(WindowsSdkDir)\lib\x64 is included in the directories list.

Answer 2

Change the platform toolset to: "Windows7.1SDK" under project properties->configuration properties->general

Answer 3

Make sure you have in VC++ directories (Right click project, Click Property Page),

• Include Directories: $(IncludePath)
• List item Library Directories: $(LibraryPath)

Answer 4

For command line (i.e. - makefile) users only:

1. When you install VC++ Express, it is 32-bit only. So, things go into C:\Program Files (x86).
2. Then, you decide to upgrade to 64-bit capabillities. So, you install the SDK. But it is 64-bit capable. So, things go into C:\Program Files.

You (like me) probably "tuned" your makefile to #1, above, via something like this:

MS_SDK_BASE_DOS := C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SDKs\Windows\v7.0A
ENV_SET         := LIB="$(MS_SDK_BASE_DOS)\Lib\x64"

But, now, you need to change that tuning to #2, above, like this:

MS_SDK_BASE_DOS := C:\Program Files\Microsoft SDKs\Windows\v7.1

(Don't miss the "v7.0A" to "v7.1" change, as well.)

Answer 5

Add lib path of WindowsSdks in project->properties->Configuration Properties->VC++ Directories -> Library directories.

I added following path and error goes::

C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SDKs\Windows\v7.1A\Lib;

My system is Win-7, 64bit, VS 2013, .net framework 4.5

Answer 6

I got a similar error, the problem stopped when I checked my "Linker -> Input -> Additional Dependencies" list in the project properties. I was missing a semi colon ";" just before "%(AdditionalDependencies)". I also had the same entry in twice. You should edit this list separately for Debug and Release.

Answer 7

I had a differnt problem on Windows 10 with Visual Studio 2017 but with the same effects. I think my problems came down to VS being installed onto a drive other than "C:\". I solved the problem by Reinstalling Windows 10 SDK

First I had to uninstall the Windows SDK (there were two versions installed). Then ran the executable. Once installed, ran visual studio and it worked fine.

Answer 8

gero's solution worked for me.
In Visual Studios 2012, take the following steps.
- Go to Solution Explorer
- Right click on your project
- Go to Properties
- Configuration Properties -> General
- Platform Toolset -> change to Windows7.1SDK

Answer 9

If the above solution doesn't work, check to see if you have $(LibraryPath) in Properties->VC++ Directories->Library Directories. If you are missing it, try adding it.

Answer 10

OS : Win10, Visual Studio 2015

Solution : Go to control panel ---> uninstall program ---MSvisual studio ----> change ---->organize = repair

and repair it. Note that you must connect to internet until repairing finish.

Good luck.

Answer 11

Today in Visual Studio 2017 I had the same problem.

The cause in my case turned out to be a bad environment setting in NETFXSDKDir (NETFXSDKDir=C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\NETFXSDK\4.6.1). It needs to be instead NETFXSDKDir=C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Lib\10.0.10240.0\um\x86. Specifically, as set in this batch file (my directory actually has 4 different files) for the Command Prompt for VS2017:

%comspec% /k "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2017\Enterprise\VC\Auxiliary\Build\vcvars32.bat"

as I am reluctant to change one of the "as installed" batch files… even more as that batch file calls another yet another:

@call "%~dp0vcvarsall.bat" x86 %*

...instead for my specific C++ command-line app, I simply added the explicit path text: ;C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Lib\10.0.10240.0\um\x86 for a total string in "Library Directories" like this: $(VC_LibraryPath_x86);$(WindowsSDK_LibraryPath_x86);$(NETFXKitsDir)Lib\um\x86;C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Lib\10.0.10240.0\um\x86. (Right click on project, Properties → Configuration Properties → VC++ Directories → Library Directories.) That resolved my "fatal error LNK1104: cannot open file 'kernel32.lib'" error. I found that hint in this GitHub issue.

Note this is reproducible in Visual Studio 2017 Enterprise 2017 Version 15.1 (26403.0) even after successful "repair" install… when creating a new Visual C++ Win32 Console Application and attempting to compile.

In fact, unless a blank application is created, the default template also includes reference to <SDKDDKVer.h> and with that I get this additional error: Error (active) E1696 cannot open source file "SDKDDKVer.h". So I created an empty C++ project.

Answer 12

In Visual Studio 2017, I went to Project Properties -> Configuration Properties -> General, Selected All Platforms (1), then chose the dropdown (2) under Windows SDK Version and updated from 10.0.14393.0 to one that was installed (3). For me, that was 10.0.15063.0.

Additional details: This corrected the error in my case because Windows SDK Version helps VS select the correct paths. VC++ Directories -> Library Directories -> Edit -> Macros -> shows that macro $(WindowsSDK_LibraryPath_x86) has a path with the version number selected above.

Answer 13

I just met and solved this problem by myself. My problem is a little different. I'm using visual studio on Windows 10. When I create the project, the Target Platform Version was automatically set to 10.0.15063.0. But there is no kernel32.lib for this version of SDK, neither are other necessary header files and lib files. So I modified the Target Platform Version to 8.1. And it worked.

Environment:

• Windows 10
• Visual Studio 2015
• Visual C++

Solution:

1. Open the project's Property Page;
2. Navigate to General page;
3. Modify Target Platform Version to the desired target platform (e.g. 8.1).