Building on Windows "Failed to find a suitable Visual Studio installation"

[aaroncool9]

VS 2019 was already installed with Boxstarter, as described in BUILDING.md#windows
I used the Developer Command Prompt for VS2019 on Windows Server 2019.
It says Failed to find suitable Visual Studio installation while I tried building for the first time.

C:\nodejs\build15\node>vcbuild.bat
Looking for Python
Python found in C:\Python310\\python.exe
Looking for NASM
Looking for Visual Studio 2019
Failed to find a suitable Visual Studio installation.
Try to run in a "Developer Command Prompt" or consult
https://github.com/nodejs/node/blob/master/BUILDING.md#windows

[pd4d10]

#38500 may help

[MrJithil]

@aaroncool9 Have you installed C++ Build Tools? If not, that's necessary to build the repository.

If you already installed it, you might need to install it first. Then after a restart, you can install it again. It will solve the issue. I prefer to use the Visual Studio Installer to perform the above rather than other possible ways.

[Ayase-252]

Hi,
I saw that #38500 has landed. Has the issue been resolved?

[aaroncool9]

Hi,

I just cloned the latest repository and tried to build it. As far as I know, it still shows Failed to find Visual Studio installation. I tried explicitly installing C++ Build Tools and also restarting the machine.

Visual C++ Build Tools
Downloaded from https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/downloads/#build-tools-for-visual-studio-2019 as described in BUILDING.md#windows

Is there some bug in the vsbuild script?

[MrJithil]

@aaroncool9 could you please uninstall your visual studio completely. Then, after a restart you have to install the same with the visual studio installer.

You must, select the "C++ Build Tools" during VS installation.

I faced the same issues before, and followed path above and its solved.

In my case, the build tools were partially installed or corrupted. So, after the complete uninstallation of visual studio and components, its solved.

Please let me know of it's not working for you.

[aaroncool9]

This is what Visual Studio 2019 Build Tools show when I tried to reinstall.

[MrJithil]

Okay. You said reinstall. Is that included a complete uninstall and install again after restart?

Or you just tried the repair? Or Modify?

[aaroncool9]

Ok, I have completely uninstall and install it again after restart.
It has successfully installed.

Important note: Need to select MSVC component to be included in the install, it is not selected by default.

[MrJithil]

The component MSVC will be selected while we select the C++ Build Tools. Need to check the latest release. Thanks for the info.

BTW, Now the issue resolved?

[aaroncool9]

Yes. Thank you so much.