VS2015 SP3 remote debug illegal characters in path

Question

After upgrading Visual Studio 2015 to Update 3 the remote debugging stops working. While trying to debug the error occurs:

Severity Code Description Project File Line Suppression State Error DEP4300 : Could not generate the root folder for app package xxx|VS.Debug_x86.xxx|CN=xx|xxxxxx.Debug_x86.xxx with base layout folder of C:\Users\xxxx. Illegal characters in path.

Answer 1

The remote device should have a Visual Studio 2015 Remote Debugger tool uploaded to allow remote debugging. This tool differs between Visual Studio versions. So after Visual Studio upgrade it is needed to also update Remote Debugger tool on remote device. The tool is located usually in directory: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 14.0\Common7\IDE\Remote Debugger

Answer 2

1. Upgrade VS2015 to update 3 like raV720 said.

2. Go to https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/subscriptions/downloads/#searchTerm=remote%20tools&MyProducts=true

   • Login with your MSDN data.
   • Go to 'Subscriber Downloads'.
   • Search 'remote debugger'.
   • Download 'Remote Tools for Visual Studio 2015 Update 3' - 64mb

If you do step 2 on your Windows tablet you avoid downloading lots of unnecessary GB of data on your remote device.

Then go to 'Remote Debugger' -> 'About', it should indicate: 14.0.25420.1 built by: D14REL which runs with VS2015 update 3.

Answer 3

I couldn't find the Remote Tool Update 3 on MSDN (@wblanks - it would have been nice to post a link, although I suspect that even if you did, that link may not be available anymore, as I searched MSDN for this update and could find it).

However, I had Visual Studio 2015 Update 3 installed on my development machine.

In the C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 14.0\Common7\IDE\Remote Debugger folder I found the msvsmon.exe version 14.0.25420. I copied the entire content of the Remote Debugger folder over the Remote Debugger folder on my tablet, where I had initially installed the Remote Tools for VS 2015, Update 1. After that, I restarted the Remote Debugger app on the tablet and when I tried to deploy my app remotely from Visual Studio 2015 running on my development machine, I no longer got the DEP4300 error.