Troubleshoot VDP Files
Common Problems Opening VDP Files
Microsoft Visual Studio Removed
You attempt to load your VDP file and get an error such as "%%os%% Can't Open The VDP File Extension". Usually, this is because you do not have Microsoft Visual Studio for %%os%% installed. The typical path of opening your VDP with a double-click won't work because %%os%% cannot make the program connection.
Tip: If you know of another program that can open your VDP file, you can try opening it by selecting the application from the programs listed.
Outdated Microsoft Visual Studio
It is possible that your version of Microsoft Visual Studio isn't able to open your Visual Studio Deployment Project file due to incompatibility. If you've got the wrong version of Microsoft Visual Studio installed, you'll need to install the correct version. The primary cause of this problem is that your Visual Studio Deployment Project file was created by a different (newer) version of Microsoft Visual Studio than what's installed.
Tip: Investigate your VDP file by right-clicking and selecting "Properties" to find clues on what version you need.
Ultimately, most of the difficulties opening VDP files are due to having the wrong version of Microsoft Visual Studio installed.
Other VDP File Issues
Assuming you have the right Microsoft Visual Studio version installed, other problems can prevent you from opening VDP files. If you're still experiencing problems opening VDP files, there could be other computer problems. Problems unrelated to software:
- Windows Registry VDP file paths that are incorrect
- Accidental deletion of the description of the VDP file in the Windows registry
- Defective install of a VDP program, such as Microsoft Visual Studio
- Something has caused file corruption of your VDP
- Malware-tainted VDP file can't be opened
- Hardware associated with VDP has outdated drivers
- Your PC doesn’t have enough available resources to open the Visual Studio Deployment Project file
Poll: How many different computer files (eg. documents, videos, audio) do you typically view or edit on a daily basis?