Unable to start process dotnet.exe

Question

I am attempting to setup a new work space and transfer all of my projects from my old computer to the new one. However, I am getting this error when I try to run IIS Express:

Unable to start process C:\Program Files\dotnet\dotnet.exe. The web server request failed with status code 500.

I am working in Visual Studio 2015, update 3 and I am using .NET Core RC2. Does anyone have any idea how to fix this and get my old projects running on this new machine?

Answer 1

Just close VS delete the project.lock.json file, open VS the file will be restored and you shouldn't have problems anymore.

Answer 2

I found the solution by reinstalling .NET CORE SDK

Answer 3

It is caused by a wrong Path in applicationhost.config file, this file you can find inside your project folder. Go to your project folder. There you will find a .vs named folder, if you can not find it then in folder open You have to Uncheck Hidden folder. Once you have found it navigate to config folder there you find applicationhost.config. Open this file in notepad and provide your project location like that:-

<virtualDirectory path="/" physicalPath="c:\users\*****\documents\visual studio 2015\Projects\<ProjectFolderName>\<Projectname>" />

Hope this will help you.

Answer 4

I was able to fix the error by removing $(solutionDir).vs\config\applicationhost.config. After restart VS 2017 recreated the file.
The file became invalid after I moved the solution from one location to another.

Thanks to https://elanderson.net/2016/09/unable-to-start-process-dotnet-exe/ for the idea.

Answer 5

In my case I have a few projects in one solution and none of them has been set up as startup project.

So, just right-click on project (not solution!) as choose Set as StartUp Project.

Answer 6

I had this and it turns out I was in Release build. Changed to Debug build and it worked.