How to fix Bootstrapper.exe error in Windows?

bootstrapper.exe is the small first stage of an installer: it checks the PC and then starts the real setup. A bootstrapper.exe error means that first stage failed, most often in Visual Studio setup, after an .msi was opened on its own, or in a game launcher. Start with a fresh setup file from the program's maker, run as administrator.

Facts checked on 15 October 2026. Steps written for Windows 11 (25H2 and 26H2) and Windows 10 22H2, with notes for Windows 7, read against Microsoft's Visual Studio documentation, Microsoft Q&A reports and installer documentation.

What a bootstrapper.exe error means

A bootstrapper is the small program you start first. It checks the PC, downloads or unpacks what is needed and then starts the real installer, often a Windows Installer package (.msi). Many installers call that first stage bootstrapper.exe, and Visual Studio calls it vs_setup_bootstrapper.exe.

So bootstrapper.exe is not one program. It is a role, and the error belongs to the program you were installing or starting. Three messages make up almost all searches for it:

• Visual Studio setup: a window from vs_setup_bootstrapper.exe says The procedure entry point nextafterf could not be located in the dynamic link library MSVCR120_CLR0400.dll. This is the case in the reader's question above.
• Any installer: This package can only be run from a bootstrapper. An .msi file refuses to run because it was started without its own setup .exe.
• A game or launcher: Windows cannot find bootstrapper.exe when you start the game, because the file is missing from the game folder.

People search it as bootstrapper.exe, bootstrapper exe, bootstrapper error and with typos such as boostrapper.exe or bootstraper.exe. The fix depends on the words in the window, not on the spelling.

What causes bootstrapper.exe errors, from the most common to the rare

No vendor publishes a ranking. The order below comes from what the messages themselves say and from the Microsoft Q&A thread about the Visual Studio error. It is an order of likelihood, not a statistic.

How to fix a bootstrapper.exe error in Windows

Fix 1 helps with every installer and costs five minutes. Fix 2 to Fix 5 each match one message, so pick by the words you see. Fix 6 to Fix 8 are for setups that still fail.

Fix 1. Download a fresh setup file and run it as administrator from a local folder

5 minutesLow riskEveryone, first. It helps with any installer that names bootstrapper.exe.

A bootstrapper reads files next to it and downloads the rest. A setup file that is old, half downloaded, run from inside a .zip or from a network drive often fails before its first screen.

1. Download the installer again from the program maker's own website. For Visual Studio that is the downloads page at visualstudio.microsoft.com/downloads.
2. Save it to a local folder, for example C:\Setup. If it came in a .zip file, right-click the .zip, select Extract All and use the extracted folder.
3. Right-click the setup file and select Properties. On the Compatibility tab, clear Run this program in compatibility mode for if it is ticked, then select OK.
4. Right-click the setup file again and select Run as administrator, then Yes.
5. Keep the PC online until setup finishes: Visual Studio setup downloads most of its files while it runs.

Step by step, with the compatibility troubleshooter as a last step: How to run a program as administrator or in compatibility mode.

Fix 2. Repair .NET Framework and the Visual C++ runtimes for the nextafterf error

20 minutesLow riskVisual Studio setup shows The procedure entry point nextafterf could not be located in the dynamic link library MSVCR120_CLR0400.dll.

The message says that a function setup needs is missing from a runtime .dll. On Microsoft Q&A, the advice for this exact message was to install the Visual Studio 2013 (VC++ 12.0) runtime and to check .NET Framework, so this fix does both.

1. Open Programs and Features. Type control panel in the search box on the taskbar and select Control Panel. Select Programs > Programs and Features.
2. Find the installed versions. Look for the entries that start with Microsoft Visual C++. Each one shows a year and an architecture, x64 or x86. Several entries side by side are normal: older versions stay installed next to newer ones.

   

3. Repair each Visual C++ entry. Right-click an entry and select Change, then select Repair in the window that opens. Do the same for every Microsoft Visual C++ entry.

   

4. Install the latest supported version. Download the latest Visual C++ v14 Redistributable from Microsoft: Visual C++ Redistributable latest supported downloads and run it. On a 64-bit PC install both X64 and X86, because 32-bit programs need the x86 package. On an ARM64 PC install ARM64. This one version serves programs built with Visual Studio 2017 to 2026.
5. Run the .NET Framework Repair Tool. Download the Microsoft .NET Framework Repair Tool and run NetFxRepairTool.exe. The wizard looks for setup problems, asks for your consent before it applies fixes, then repairs the installed .NET Framework versions. The tool is in English only.

These steps were written for Windows 11 25H2 and 26H2, Windows 10 22H2. The full page with the other versions and what each result means: How to repair Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable and .NET Framework

1. Open Microsoft's page Latest supported Visual C++ Redistributable downloads and scroll to Visual Studio 2013 (VC++ 12.0).
2. Download vcredist_x86.exe and, on 64-bit Windows, also vcredist_x64.exe.
3. Run each file and select Repair if it is already installed, or Install if it is not.
4. Restart the PC and run the Visual Studio setup file again as administrator.

Fix 3. Run the setup .exe when the message says This package can only be run from a bootstrapper

5 minutesLow riskWindows Installer shows This package can only be run from a bootstrapper after you open an .msi file.

Some .msi packages check that their own setup .exe started them, and stop otherwise. This happens when the .msi was taken out of the setup file with an archive tool, or found in a temporary folder such as %temp% or %programdata%\Package Cache.

1. Close the message. Do not run the .msi again.
2. Find the setup .exe that came with the same download, usually called setup.exe or named after the program.
3. Right-click it and select Run as administrator.
4. If you only have the .msi, download the full installer again from the program's maker and run its .exe.
5. To remove or change the program, use Settings > Apps > Installed apps instead of the .msi.

For administrators who must install the .msi silently: a package made with InstallShield accepts the property ISSETUPDRIVEN=1, according to the installer maker Advanced Installer. For other packages, a verbose log shows which check stops it.

In an elevated Command Prompt: the InstallShield property, then a verbose log

msiexec /i "C:\Setup\YourPackage.msi" ISSETUPDRIVEN=1
msiexec /i "C:\Setup\YourPackage.msi" /l*v "C:\Setup\setup.log"

Fix 4. Reset the Visual Studio Installer folder and run the bootstrapper again

10 minutesLow riskThe Visual Studio Installer opens, but an install or update fails, or the Installer itself will not start.

Microsoft's troubleshooting page says that deleting the Installer folder and running the bootstrapper again reinstalls the Installer files and resets the installation metadata. Your installed Visual Studio stays in place.

1. Check Microsoft's known issues for your version first: the release notes of Visual Studio 2026, 2022 or 2019 list them.
2. Close the Visual Studio Installer.
3. Open File Explorer and go to C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio.
4. Delete the Installer folder and select Continue when Windows asks for permission.
5. Run the setup file again: VisualStudioSetup.exe for Visual Studio 2022 and later, or vs_<edition>.exe for 2019 and earlier. It is often in your Downloads folder.
6. Install or update Visual Studio again.

If the Installer starts, also try More > Repair on your Visual Studio entry. Microsoft lists a repair as the first thing to try for update problems.

Fix 5. Restore a missing bootstrapper.exe of a game by verifying its files

10 to 30 minutesLow riskA game, for example Call of Duty, says Windows cannot find bootstrapper.exe or will not start from its launcher.

A game's bootstrapper.exe is part of the game's files. The launcher's file check compares every file with the original and downloads the missing one, which is the safe way to get it back.

1. Open Windows Security and select Virus & threat protection > Protection history.
2. If bootstrapper.exe from the game folder is listed as quarantined, read the details. Restore it only if the file is from the game you installed from its official store.
3. Open the game's launcher, such as Steam or Battle.net, and run its file check. The steps for each launcher: How to verify game files in Steam, Epic Games, Xbox app, EA app, Battle.net and GOG Galaxy.
4. Start the game from the launcher, not from an old desktop shortcut.

Fix 6. Remove all Visual Studio setup files with InstallCleanup.exe and install again

30 to 40 minutesRead the warningFix 1, Fix 2 and Fix 4 did not help and Visual Studio setup keeps failing.

Microsoft calls this the last resort: it removes all Visual Studio installation files and product information, so the next setup starts from nothing.

1. Open Microsoft's page Uninstall Visual Studio and go to the section on removing all files with InstallCleanup.exe.
2. Run InstallCleanup.exe from an elevated Command Prompt as that page describes.
3. Restart the PC.
4. Download a new VisualStudioSetup.exe from visualstudio.microsoft.com/downloads and run it as administrator.
5. Select your workloads again and install.

Fix 7. Repair Windows system files with DISM and SFC

20 minutesLow riskSeveral installers fail, or the runtime errors return after Fix 2.

Installers load Windows files as well as their own. DISM and SFC replace damaged Windows files, so the bootstrapper does not fail on a broken system file.

1. Open an elevated command window. Right-click Start and select Terminal (Admin), or type cmd in the search box, right-click Command Prompt and select Run as administrator. Select Yes when Windows asks for permission.

   

2. Run DISM first. Type the command below and press Enter. DISM downloads clean copies of damaged components from Windows Update, so it can take several minutes. Wait until it says The operation completed successfully.

   DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

   

3. Run System File Checker. In the same window, type the command below and press Enter. Do not close the window until the verification reaches 100%.

   sfc /scannow

   

4. Read the result and restart. Compare the last message with the table below this guide, then restart the PC so that repaired files are loaded.

   

These steps were written for Windows 11 24H2 and 25H2. The full page with the other versions and what each result means: Run DISM and SFC to repair Windows system files

Fix 8. Run setup in a clean boot to rule out background programs

15 minutesLow riskSetup still fails and a third-party security, tuning or download tool runs on the PC.

A bootstrapper downloads and starts other files, which security and tuning programs watch closely. A clean boot starts Windows without other companies' services, so nothing can block that step.

1. Start Windows in a clean boot: How to perform a clean boot in Windows.
2. Run the setup file as administrator from the local folder.
3. Undo the clean boot as the procedure describes and restart.

If setup works only in the clean boot, turn the services back on in small groups to find the one that blocks it, and ask its maker. Do not uninstall your protection as a fix.

If the bootstrapper.exe error is still there: where the real cause is written

The error window rarely gives the reason. Setup logs do, and support will ask for them.

1. Visual Studio: download Microsoft's Visual Studio and .NET Framework log collection tool (aka.ms/vscollect).
2. Open an elevated Command Prompt in the folder where you saved it and run Collect.exe. Use the same Windows account that ran the failed setup.
3. Find vslogs.zip in %TEMP%. Open the Visual Studio Installer, select Report a problem and attach it.
4. An .msi package: make a verbose log with msiexec /i package.msi /l*v setup.log and search it for return value 3.
5. Any other program: send the exact message, the setup file name and your Windows version to the program's maker.

How to avoid bootstrapper.exe errors next time

Most bootstrapper errors start with the wrong file or an old one. These habits avoid them.

Frequently asked questions

What is bootstrapper.exe?

bootstrapper.exe is the first stage of an installer or launcher. It checks the PC, gets the files that are needed and then starts the real setup, often an .msi package. Many programs use this name, so the file belongs to whichever program you were installing or starting. It is not a part of Windows itself. If you are unsure which program it belongs to, right-click the file, select Properties and look at the Details and Digital Signatures tabs.

What is vs_setup_bootstrapper.exe?

It is the bootstrapper of the Visual Studio Installer. The setup file you download, VisualStudioSetup.exe for Visual Studio 2022 and later or vs_<edition>.exe for older versions, unpacks it and starts it. It then installs the Visual Studio Installer, which installs Visual Studio. An error that names vs_setup_bootstrapper.exe is a Visual Studio setup problem: start with Fix 1, then Fix 2 for the nextafterf message or Fix 4 when the Installer itself fails.

What is bootstrapper in Windows 10 or Windows 11?

Windows has no program called bootstrapper that you need to manage. The word is used by installers on Windows 10 and Windows 11 alike for their first stage, and by some game launchers. If you see bootstrapper.exe in Task Manager, it belongs to a setup or launcher that is running. Right-click it and select Open file location to see which program's folder it is in. When setup ends, the bootstrapper usually closes too.

Is bootstrapper.exe a virus?

Usually not, but the name is easy to copy. A real bootstrapper.exe sits in the folder of a program you installed or in a temporary folder while setup runs, and carries a valid digital signature from that program's maker. Check it with Properties > Digital Signatures. A file with no signature that starts on its own, sits in a random folder or keeps using the CPU deserves a full scan with Microsoft Defender. Steps: How to scan for malware with Microsoft Defender.

Where can I download bootstrapper.exe, for example for Call of Duty?

Do not download bootstrapper.exe on its own. There is no single file that fits every program, and a copy on a download site may be altered or malware. For a game such as Call of Duty, the file comes with the game: verify the game files in its launcher, as Fix 5 shows, or reinstall the game from its official store. For any other program, download its full installer again from the maker.

Windows cannot find bootstrapper.exe when I start Call of Duty. What do I do?

The file the game shortcut points to is missing. Check Windows Security > Protection history first, because security software may have quarantined it. Then run the file check in the launcher the game came from and start the game from the launcher, not from an old shortcut. We could not confirm a Call of Duty specific cause from its maker, so if verifying does not help, reinstall the game and contact the game's support.

What does This package can only be run from a bootstrapper mean?

It means you opened an .msi file directly, while the program's maker wants its setup .exe to start it. The .msi checks for that and stops. The fix is to run the setup .exe from the same download, or to download the full installer again, as Fix 3 describes. The same answer covers every wording people search, such as this program can only be run from a bootstrapper or the package can only be run from a bootstrapper.

Lỗi this package can only be run from a bootstrapper: is the fix different on a Vietnamese Windows?

No. The message comes from the installer, not from Windows, so it often stays in English on a Vietnamese Windows. The cause and the fix are the same everywhere: start the program's setup .exe instead of the .msi file, or download the full installer again from the program's maker. Fix 3 gives the steps, and administrators can use the InstallShield property shown there.

Can I delete bootstrapper.exe?

You can, but it rarely helps. A bootstrapper left in a temporary folder after setup is safe to remove with Disk Cleanup or by emptying %temp%. A bootstrapper.exe in a game or program folder is part of that program, and deleting it breaks it until you verify or reinstall the files. If you want the program gone, uninstall it from Settings > Apps > Installed apps instead of deleting single files.

Is this the same as Microsoft Setup Bootstrapper has stopped working?

No. Microsoft Setup Bootstrapper has stopped working is a crash of the setup program of older Office versions, mostly Office 2010 and 2013, and it has other fixes, such as clearing compatibility data. If that is your message, use our guide Microsoft Setup Bootstrapper has stopped working. This page covers Visual Studio setup, .msi packages and game launchers.