The builds tools for v120 (Platform Toolset = 'v120') cannot be found

Question

Using visual studio 2012 on windows 8 x64 aparantly this is caused by msbuild being moved into .net but I havn\'t seen how to fix it yet.

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Answer 1

if you are using visual 2012 right-click on project name -> properties -> configuration properties -> general -> platform toolset -> Visual Studio 2012 (v110)

Answer 2

Download and setup Microsoft Build Tools 2013 from http://www.microsoft.com/en-US/download/details.aspx?id=40760

Answer 3

In VS2013 to set up all projects to correct build tools, you can do a right click on the solution in solution explorer and choose "Retarget solution". It will change all progects (all you check with the checkbox in opened dialog), so the error will be gone.

Answer 4

In my case, I have double-clicked a Visual 2013 sln file and Visual 2012 opened (instead of Visual 2013). Trying to compile with Visual 2012, a project that has the Platform Toolset set to "v120" showed the error above mentioned. However, reopening the sln with Visual 2013, the Platform Toolset was set to "Visual Studio 2013 (v120)" - please note the complete name this time -, actually did the job for me. The project compiles well now.

Answer 5

I was getting the same error with building USBView project in VS2015. I removed this error by selecting 'Platform Toolset' settings to to "Visual Studio 2015 (v140)" and than right click on solution (in VS2015) and select 'Retarget Solution' and selected 10.0.10240.0 on that dialog.

It seems like there is also ProjectUpgradeTool from microsoft which is suppose to convert older projects to upgrade to post VS2012 VS but I couldn't locate that tool on my machine.

I still have to fix some new linker error with help of this.

Answer 6

i had a similar problem when i removed VS 2013 community Update 5 and switched over to VS 2015 community edition

and the problem acquired in windows phone 8.1 projects where it complained about not having the right msbuild toolset and about the emulators not installed even if they are.

i know that the source of the problem was the VS 2013 community settings that has been left by that last uninstall which messed everything for me even though the uninstall process went smooth with no problems from the control panel.

i did my best to remove any files left but there was always some thing left.

and what only fixed it for me is a fresh windows 10 x64 installation then after it i installed VS 2015 community edition and that's it!! no more errors for me and the wp8.1 emulator worked fine too!!

in my case now am completely sure that the previous visual studio install settings has messed everything for me and because there wasn't any way i found and tried to completely erase VS 2013 community files and settings i had to pay the price for it and reinstall my OS.

you might be able to avoid OS reinstall if you can find a way to completely erase last visual studio install files.

P.S:only attempt this solution(OS reinstall) after you tried every possible way first then if nothing works and only then ... make this solution as a last resort.