Visual Studio 2015 WPF XAML Editor cannot open XAM

Question

I have recently updated from Visual Studio 2015 to Visual Studio 2015 Update 2 (Professional). Everything works fine except the fact that I can't open XAML files - after clicking on any XAML file I get:

Visual Studio has encountered an unexpected error.

It looks that XamlDesignerPackage hasn't been installed. XamlEditor entry doesn't exist under HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\VisualStudio\14.0\ and it exists under HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\VisualStudio\12.0\ which may suggest that XAML Designer is not installed for this visual studio 2015.

I have tried everything:

• 4 reinstalls
• cleaning caches
• removing ComponentDataCache
• resetting settings.

In Visual Studio 2013 everything works fine. Is there a way to use XAMLEditor from VS2013? Do you have any ideas what I can do? I would be glad for any help since it prevents me from working. This is an error from ActivityLog.xml:

507 2016/04/04 13:15:58.450 Error VisualStudio SetSite failed for package [XamlDesignerPackage][Method failed with unexpected error code 50.]:{ at System.Security.AccessControl.NativeObjectSecurity.CreateInternal(ResourceType resourceType, Boolean isContainer, String name, SafeHandle handle, AccessControlSections includeSections, Boolean createByName, ExceptionFromErrorCode exceptionFromErrorCode, Object exceptionContext) at System.Security.AccessControl.FileSystemSecurity..ctor(Boolean isContainer, String name, AccessControlSections includeSections, Boolean isDirectory) at System.Security.AccessControl.FileSecurity..ctor(String fileName, AccessControlSections includeSections) at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.Utility.IO.AccessHelper.IsAccessibleByAllApplicationPackages(String path) at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.HostUtility.Utils.HostAppPackageAclService.CheckAclsOnDirectory(String directory) at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.HostUtility.Utils.HostAppPackageAclService.ValidateOrUpdateDirectoryAcls(String directory) at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.HostUtility.Utils.HostAppPackageAclService.ValidateOrUpdateAclsNoPrompt(IEnumerable`1 paths) at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.DesignerContract.IsolatedDesignerService.Initialize() at MS.Internal.Package.XamlDesignerPackage.Initialize()
at Microsoft.VisualStudio.Shell.Package.Microsoft.VisualStudio.Shell.Interop.IVsPackage.SetSite(IServiceProvider sp)} {512BE089-83EC-4CC6-8483-CF16565AE209}

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80131509 Method failed with unexpected error code 50.

Edit:

I have found that above guid exists in HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\VisualStudio\12.0_Config\ under Editors entry. It looks like designer hasn't been installed because it exists in vs 2013. There must be a conflict.

Edit: I have removed both 2013 and 2015 and installed 2015 and getting the following message when running Visual Studio 2015:

Answer 1

Fixed with Visual Studio Update 3

Answer 2

From the ActivityLog.xml there is a clear indication that you have file access/permission issues. Those always manage to creep into providing us devs with un-needed issues. What I suggest you do is make sure you install VS as an administrator and also run it as Administrator.

I'm sure that will sort your issue out. Good luck.