2012 Update 5 Preparation.exe ((link)) - Visual Studio
Visual Studio 2012 Update 5 Preparation Getting Ready for the Final Refresh 🛠️ If you’re still rocking Visual Studio 2012
vs2012.5_preparation.exe /quiet /norestart
Note: This executable is not a complete update. It is a setup bootstrapper or preparation tool. You still need the main Update 5 installation package to apply the actual update to Visual Studio 2012. visual studio 2012 update 5 preparation.exe
- You already have Update 5 installed (check via Help → About Microsoft Visual Studio – version should be
11.0.61030.00). - You have a newer Visual Studio version (2013, 2015, 2017, etc.) – the update is only for VS2012.
- Your OS is missing a required servicing stack update (e.g., KB2919355 for Windows 8.1).
The Alternative: Visual Studio 2012 Update 5 Offline ISO
Instead of running the preparation tool separately, Microsoft offered an offline ISO named VS2012.5.iso. This ISO includes the preparation logic within its redist folder. If you mount the ISO and run vs_ultimate.exe (or your edition), the preparation step is automatically invoked. Only download the standalone visual studio 2012 update 5 preparation.exe if you already have the ISO mounted and the installer fails. Visual Studio 2012 Update 5 Preparation Getting Ready
Log locations and useful entries to look for
- %TEMP%\dd_vs_*.log or vslogs.zip contents
- %ProgramData%\Microsoft\VisualStudio\Packages\ or %ProgramData%\Package Cache\
- Search logs for keywords: ERROR, FAILED, HRESULT, 0x800XXXX codes, “reboot required”, or “permission denied”.
Q2: Why does the preparation.exe download additional files?
A: If you run only the small preparation executable without the full ISO, it acts as a web bootstrapper and downloads the required packages from Microsoft’s CDN. Since Microsoft has decommissioned many legacy CDNs, this may fail. Always use the full offline installer (ISO or self-extracting archive). Note: This executable is not a complete update
Modern Alternatives: If you are not tied to a legacy project, Microsoft recommends upgrading to Visual Studio 2022 for modern security and feature support. Visual Studio 2012 Update 5 - Microsoft Support