Downloads and extract the Visual C++ Redistributables.

fetch_vcdist.py

"""Downloads and extract the Visual C++ Redistributables.

This is useful when working with minidump files as the user may be running
with a new different version of the runtime. This script aims to maintain
a copy of the various versions.

Versions are normally added once I encounter them, in November 2022, I added
a rather large back catalogue of versions.

This requires dark.exe from Wix (http://wixtoolset.org/releases/) and
expand.exe (File Expansion Utility - this comes with Microsoft Windows).

For extracting version 9 (Visual C++ 2008) it requires 7zr and 7za from 7-zip.

Known Limitations:
- No extraction method for Visual C++ 6, 8, and 10 are implemented.
  Version 6 and 8 likely would require the ability to extract a MSI.
- Visual C++ 9, 11 and 12 don't extract with nicely named files. For example,
  a file is named F_CENTRAL_msvcr120_x64 rather than msvcr120.dll.
"""
from __future__ import print_function

import argparse
import os
import requests
import subprocess
import tempfile
import zipfile


def download_file(uri, dest):
    """Download the uri to dest."""
    if os.path.isfile(dest):
        # Skipping, already downloaded.
        return dest
    r = requests.get(uri, stream=True)
    with open(dest, 'wb') as f:
        for chunk in r.iter_content(chunk_size=1024):
            if chunk: # filter out keep-alive new chunks
                f.write(chunk)
    return dest

def fetch_runtimes(download_directory, include_old_versions):
    """Fetches the Visual C++ x64 Redistributable from Microsoft.

    download_directory: The directory to write the resulting files in.
    include_old_versions: If true versions older than 14 will be fetched.

    Return the (version, runtime_file) for each known runtime.
    """
    # Some of these packages came from:
    # https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/jagbal/2017/09/04/where-can-i-download-the-old-visual-c-redistributables/
    # Others came from Chocolatey (https://chocolatey.org/)
    runtime_downloads = [
        (
            '6.0.2900.2180',  # Visual C++ 6.
            'https://download.microsoft.com/download/8/B/4/8B42259F-5D70-43F4-AC2E-4B208FD8D66A/vcredist_x64.EXE',
        ),
        (
            '8.0.50727.619501',  # Visual C++ 2005.
            'https://download.microsoft.com/download/8/B/4/8B42259F-5D70-43F4-AC2E-4B208FD8D66A/vcredist_x64.EXE',
        ),
        (
            '9.0.30729.4148',  # Visual C++ 2008.
            'https://download.microsoft.com/download/9/7/7/977B481A-7BA6-4E30-AC40-ED51EB2028F2/vcredist_x64.exe',
        ),
        (
            '10.0.40219.32503', # Visual C++ 2010.
            'https://download.microsoft.com/download/1/6/5/165255E7-1014-4D0A-B094-B6A430A6BFFC/vcredist_x64.exe',
        ),
        (
            '11.0.61030.0', # Visual C++ 2012.
            'http://download.microsoft.com/download/1/6/B/16B06F60-3B20-4FF2-B699-5E9B7962F9AE/VSU_4/vcredist_x64.exe',
        ),
        (
            '12.0.30501.0', # Visual C++ 2013.
            'http://download.microsoft.com/download/2/E/6/2E61CFA4-993B-4DD4-91DA-3737CD5CD6E3/vcredist_x64.exe',
        ),
        # Visual C++ 2015 to 2022.
        (
            '14.0.23026.0',
            'https://download.microsoft.com/download/9/3/F/93FCF1E7-E6A4-478B-96E7-D4B285925B00/vc_redist.x64.exe',
            # This next one seems to be the same version.
            #'https://download.microsoft.com/download/4/7/a/47a9d485-9e3a-4707-be1d-26011ff15f42/vc_redist.x64.exe',
        ),
        (
            '14.0.25325.0',
            'https://download.visualstudio.microsoft.com/download/pr/11100230/15ccb3f02745c7b206ad10373cbca89b/VC_redist.x64.exe',
        ),
        (
            '14.10.25017',
            'https://download.microsoft.com/download/3/b/f/3bf6e759-c555-4595-8973-86b7b4312927/vc_redist.x64.exe',
        ),
        (
            '14.10.25008.0',
            'https://download.microsoft.com/download/8/9/d/89d195e1-1901-4036-9a75-fbe46443fc5a/vc_redist.x64.exe',
        ),
        (
            '14.10.25017.0',
            'https://download.microsoft.com/download/3/b/f/3bf6e759-c555-4595-8973-86b7b4312927/vc_redist.x64.exe',
        ),
        (
            '14.11.25325.0',
            'https://download.visualstudio.microsoft.com/download/pr/11100230/15ccb3f02745c7b206ad10373cbca89b/VC_redist.x64.exe',
        ),
        (
            '14.12.25810',
            'https://download.visualstudio.microsoft.com/download/pr/100349091/2cd2dba5748dc95950a5c42c2d2d78e4/VC_redist.x64.exe',
        ),
        (
            '14.12.2581',
            'https://download.visualstudio.microsoft.com/download/pr/100349091/2cd2dba5748dc95950a5c42c2d2d78e4/VC_redist.x64.exe',
        ),
        (
            '14.15.26706',
            'https://download.visualstudio.microsoft.com/download/pr/20ef12bb-5283-41d7-90f7-eb3bb7355de7/8b58fd89f948b2430811db3da92299a6/vc_redist.x64.exe',
        ),
        (
            '14.16.27012',
            'https://download.visualstudio.microsoft.com/download/pr/9fbed7c7-7012-4cc0-a0a3-a541f51981b5/e7eec15278b4473e26d7e32cef53a34c/vc_redist.x64.exe',
        ),
        (
            '14.16.27024',
            'https://download.visualstudio.microsoft.com/download/pr/46db022e-06ea-4d11-a724-d26d33bc63f7/2b635c854654745078d5577a8ed0f80d/vc_redist.x64.exe',
        ),
        (
            '14.16.27027',
            'https://download.visualstudio.microsoft.com/download/pr/36c5faaf-bd8b-433f-b3d7-2af73bae10a8/212f41f2ccffee6d6dc27f901b7d77a1/vc_redist.x64.exe',
        ),
        (
            '14.16.27033',
            'https://download.visualstudio.microsoft.com/download/pr/4100b84d-1b4d-487d-9f89-1354a7138c8f/5B0CBB977F2F5253B1EBE5C9D30EDBDA35DBD68FB70DE7AF5FAAC6423DB575B5/VC_redist.x64.exe',
        ),
        (
            '14.20.27508',
            'https://download.visualstudio.microsoft.com/download/pr/21614507-28c5-47e3-973f-85e7f66545a4/f3a2caa13afd59dd0e57ea374dbe8855/vc_redist.x64.exe',
        ),
        (
            '14.21.27702',
            'https://download.visualstudio.microsoft.com/download/pr/9e04d214-5a9d-4515-9960-3d71398d98c3/1e1e62ab57bbb4bf5199e8ce88f040be/vc_redist.x64.exe',
        ),
        (
            '14.22.27821',
            'https://download.visualstudio.microsoft.com/download/pr/cc0046d4-e7b4-45a1-bd46-b1c079191224/9c4042a4c2e6d1f661f4c58cf4d129e9/vc_redist.x64.exe',
        ),
        (
            '14.23.27820',
            'https://download.visualstudio.microsoft.com/download/pr/9565895b-35a6-434b-a881-11a6f4beec76/EE84FED2552E018E854D4CD2496DF4DD516F30733A27901167B8A9882119E57C/VC_redist.x64.exe',
        ),
        (
            '14.24.28127',
            'https://download.visualstudio.microsoft.com/download/pr/3b070396-b7fb-4eee-aa8b-102a23c3e4f4/40EA2955391C9EAE3E35619C4C24B5AAF3D17AEAA6D09424EE9672AA9372AEED/VC_redist.x64.exe',
        ),
        (
            '14.25.28508',
            'https://download.visualstudio.microsoft.com/download/pr/8c211be1-c537-4402-82e7-a8fb5ee05e8a/B6C82087A2C443DB859FDBEAAE7F46244D06C3F2A7F71C35E50358066253DE52/VC_redist.x64.exe',
        ),
        (
            '14.26.28720',
            'https://download.visualstudio.microsoft.com/download/pr/d60aa805-26e9-47df-b4e3-cd6fcc392333/7D7105C52FCD6766BEEE1AE162AA81E278686122C1E44890712326634D0B055E/VC_redist.x64.exe',
        ),
        (
            '14.27.29112',
            'https://download.visualstudio.microsoft.com/download/pr/48431a06-59c5-4b63-a102-20b66a521863/4B5890EB1AEFDF8DFA3234B5032147EB90F050C5758A80901B201AE969780107/VC_redist.x64.exe',
        ),
        (
            '14.28.29325',
            'https://download.visualstudio.microsoft.com/download/pr/89a3b9df-4a09-492e-8474-8f92c115c51d/B1A32C71A6B7D5978904FB223763263EA5A7EB23B2C44A0D60E90D234AD99178/VC_redist.x64.exe',
        ),
        (
            '14.28.29910',
            'https://download.visualstudio.microsoft.com/download/pr/cd3a705f-70b6-46f7-b8e2-63e6acc5bd05/F299953673DE262FEFAD9DD19BFBE6A5725A03AE733BEBFEC856F1306F79C9F7/VC_redist.x64.exe',
        ),
        (
            '14.28.29913',
            'https://download.visualstudio.microsoft.com/download/pr/366c0fb9-fe05-4b58-949a-5bc36e50e370/015EDD4E5D36E053B23A01ADB77A2B12444D3FB6ECCEFE23E3A8CD6388616A16/VC_redist.x64.exe',
        ),
        (
            '14.28.29914',
            'https://download.visualstudio.microsoft.com/download/pr/85d47aa9-69ae-4162-8300-e6b7e4bf3cf3/52B196BBE9016488C735E7B41805B651261FFA5D7AA86EB6A1D0095BE83687B2/VC_redist.x64.exe',
        ),
        (
            '14.29.30037',
            'https://download.visualstudio.microsoft.com/download/pr/f1998402-3cc0-466f-bd67-d9fb6cd2379b/A1592D3DA2B27230C087A3B069409C1E82C2664B0D4C3B511701624702B2E2A3/VC_redist.x64.exe',
        ),
        (
            '14.29.30040',
            'https://download.visualstudio.microsoft.com/download/pr/36e45907-8554-4390-ba70-9f6306924167/97CC5066EB3C7246CF89B735AE0F5A5304A7EE33DC087D65D9DFF3A1A73FE803/VC_redist.x64.exe',
        ),
        (
            '14.29.30133',
            'https://download.visualstudio.microsoft.com/download/pr/7239cdc3-bd73-4f27-9943-22de059a6267/003063723B2131DA23F40E2063FB79867BAE275F7B5C099DBD1792E25845872B/VC_redist.x64.exe',
        ),
        (
            '14.29.30135',
            'https://download.visualstudio.microsoft.com/download/pr/d3cbdace-2bb8-4dc5-a326-2c1c0f1ad5ae/9B9DD72C27AB1DB081DE56BB7B73BEE9A00F60D14ED8E6FDE45DAB3E619B5F04/VC_redist.x64.exe',
        ),
        (
            '14.29.30139',
            'https://download.visualstudio.microsoft.com/download/pr/b929b7fe-5c89-4553-9abe-6324631dcc3a/296F96CD102250636BCD23AB6E6CF70935337B1BBB3507FE8521D8D9CFAA932F/VC_redist.x64.exe',
        ),
        (
            '14.30.30704',
            'https://download.visualstudio.microsoft.com/download/pr/10a8d53a-c69e-4586-8c6b-c416bf85a0ae/A9F5D2EAF67BF0DB0178B6552A71C523C707DF0E2CC66C06BFBC08BDC53387E7/VC_redist.x64.exe',
        ),
        (
            '14.30.30708',
            'https://download.visualstudio.microsoft.com/download/pr/571ad766-28d1-4028-9063-0fa32401e78f/5D3D8C6779750F92F3726C70E92F0F8BF92D3AE2ABD43BA28C6306466DE8A144/VC_redist.x64.exe',
        ),
        (
            '14.31.31103',
            'https://download.visualstudio.microsoft.com/download/pr/d22ecb93-6eab-4ce1-89f3-97a816c55f04/37ED59A66699C0E5A7EBEEF7352D7C1C2ED5EDE7212950A1B0A8EE289AF4A95B/VC_redist.x64.exe',
        ),
        (
            '14.32.31326',
            'https://download.visualstudio.microsoft.com/download/pr/6b6923b0-3045-4379-a96f-ef5506a65d5b/426A34C6F10EA8F7DA58A8C976B586AD84DD4BAB42A0CFDBE941F1763B7755E5/VC_redist.x64.exe',
        ),
        (
            '14.32.31332',
            'https://download.visualstudio.microsoft.com/download/pr/ed95ef9e-da02-4735-9064-bd1f7f69b6ed/CE6593A1520591E7DEA2B93FD03116E3FC3B3821A0525322B0A430FAA6B3C0B4/VC_redist.x64.exe',
        ),
        (
            '14.34.31931',
            'https://download.visualstudio.microsoft.com/download/pr/bcb0cef1-f8cb-4311-8a5c-650a5b694eab/2257B3FBE3C7559DE8B31170155A433FAF5B83829E67C589D5674FF086B868B9/VC_redist.x64.exe',
        ),
        (
            '14.34.31938',
            'https://download.visualstudio.microsoft.com/download/pr/8b92f460-7e03-4c75-a139-e264a770758d/26C2C72FBA6438F5E29AF8EBC4826A1E424581B3C446F8C735361F1DB7BEFF72/VC_redist.x64.exe',
        ),
        (
            '14.36.32532',
            'https://download.visualstudio.microsoft.com/download/pr/eaab1f82-787d-4fd7-8c73-f782341a0c63/917C37D816488545B70AFFD77D6E486E4DD27E2ECE63F6BBAAF486B178B2B888/VC_redist.x64.exe',
        ),
        (
            '14.38.33130',
            'https://download.visualstudio.microsoft.com/download/pr/a061be25-c14a-489a-8c7c-bb72adfb3cab/4DFE83C91124CD542F4222FE2C396CABEAC617BB6F59BDCBDF89FD6F0DF0A32F/VC_redist.x64.exe',
        ),
    ]

    for version, download_uri in runtime_downloads:
        if not include_old_versions and int(version.partition('.')[0]) < 14:
            # Don't include versions older than version 14.
            continue

        filename = version + '_' + os.path.basename(download_uri)
        destination = download_file(download_uri, os.path.join(download_directory, filename))
        yield version, destination


def fetch_7zip(download_directory):
    """Downloads the 7-zip console executable.

    This is used to extract versions of runtime packages prior to the use of
    WiX Burn.
    """
    # First, download the console executable which can extract a 7z file.
    # Next, it downloads a 7z and extracts that which contains a more fully
    # fledged console executable that can extract the CAB files in the old
    # executables.
    exe_path = os.path.join(download_directory, '__7zr.exe')
    if not os.path.isfile(exe_path):
        download_file('https://7-zip.org/a/7zr.exe', exe_path)

    tool_archive = os.path.join(download_directory, '7z2301-extra.7z')
    if not os.path.isfile(tool_archive):
        download_file('https://7-zip.org/a/7z2301-extra.7z', tool_archive)

    # Extract the 7z file.
    tools_path = os.path.join(download_directory, '_7z')
    if not os.path.isdir(tools_path):
        subprocess.call(
            [exe_path, "x", tool_archive, '-o' + tools_path, '-aoa'])
    return os.path.join(tools_path, '7za.exe')


def extract_old_installer(seven_zip_exe, self_extracting_archive):
    """Extracts the older self-extracting archives.

    seven_zip_exe: The path to 7-zip console executable.
    self_extracting_archive: The executable to extract.
    """
    output_directory = tempfile.mkdtemp()
    subprocess.call(
        [seven_zip_exe, "x", '-o' + output_directory, self_extracting_archive,
         '-i!*.cab'])

    if not os.listdir(output_directory):
        raise ValueError('Failed to extract any cabinet file from ' +
                         self_extracting_archive + '.')

    return output_directory


def fetch_wix(download_directory):
    """Downloads the WiX toolset.

    This is used to extract the runtime packages.
    """
    zip_path = os.path.join(download_directory, '__wix.zip')
    if not os.path.isfile(zip_path):
        wix = 'https://github.com/wixtoolset/wix3/releases/download/' + \
            'wix3111rtm/wix311-binaries.zip'
        download_file(wix, zip_path)

    with zipfile.ZipFile(zip_path, 'r') as zip_file:
        zip_file.extractall(os.path.join(download_directory, '__wix'))

    return os.path.join(download_directory, '__wix')


def extract_burn_bundle(wix_tool_location, bundle_exe):
    """Extracts a burn bundle to a temporary directory.

    bundle_exe: The bundle executable to extract.
    """
    dark_exe = os.path.join(wix_tool_location, 'dark.exe')
    output_directory = tempfile.mkdtemp()
    subprocess.call([dark_exe, "-nologo", "-x", output_directory, bundle_exe])
    return output_directory


def find_cabs(directory):
    base_path = os.path.join(directory, 'AttachedContainer', 'packages')
    for name in os.listdir(base_path):
        if name.endswith('_amd64'):
            yield os.path.join(base_path, name, 'cab1.cab')


def extract_cab(cab_source, destination):
    subprocess.call(['expand.exe', "-F:*", cab_source, destination])


def fetch_all(base_directory, include_old_versions):
    download_directory = os.path.join(base_directory, 'Downloads')

    if not os.path.isdir(download_directory):
        raise SystemError('The download directory does not exist: %s' %
                          download_directory)

    wix_tool_location = fetch_wix(download_directory)
    for ver, installer in fetch_runtimes(download_directory,
                                         include_old_versions):
        output_directory = os.path.join(base_directory, 'vcruntime_' + ver)

        if not os.path.isdir(output_directory):
            os.makedirs(output_directory)

        major_version = int(ver.partition('.')[0])

        if os.listdir(output_directory):
            print('Already have ' + ver)
            continue

        if major_version == 10:
            # The CAB is located located .\.\.\.\vc_red.cab which
            # extract_old_installer() can't cope with.
            print('Cannot extract Visual C++ 2010 runtime. Skipping.')
            continue

        if  major_version < 11:
            # Older versions of the do not use WiX and do not contain a
            # .wixburn data section.
            cab_directory = extract_old_installer(
                fetch_7zip(download_directory), installer)
            for cab in os.listdir(cab_directory):
                extract_cab(os.path.join(cab_directory, cab), output_directory)

            continue

        for cab in find_cabs(extract_burn_bundle(wix_tool_location, installer)):
            extract_cab(cab, output_directory)


if __name__ == '__main__':
    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(
        description='Fetch Visual C++ redistributables and extract them.')
    parser.add_argument(
        '--destination',
        help='The destination directory where to download and extract the '
              'files to.',
        default=r'd:\Microsoft\Runtimes')
    parser.add_argument(
        '--include-old-versions',
        action='store_true',
        help='Include older versions of the runtime prior to version 14. The '
             'first version 14 is 2015.')

    arguments = parser.parse_args()
    fetch_all(arguments.destination, arguments.include_old_versions)

Latest Supported Visual C++ Downloads can be found at https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/cpp/windows/latest-supported-vc-redist.

Also, good idea to mention that directory d:\Microsoft\Runtimes\Downloads needs to be created before running script.

how to make this script download Microsoft Visual C++ 2005,
Microsoft Visual C++ 2008
Microsoft Visual C 6 and extract them

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=26347
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=11895

Hi @insinfo, I've added a new option that can download them and a few other older versions but I haven't implemented all the necessary extraction logic for 6 or 2005. if I get a chance I might revisit that and look at publishing that as a second script to keep fetch_vcredist as 14 only, which can extract them.

how to make this script download Microsoft Visual C++ 2005, Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 Microsoft Visual C 6 and extract them
I've updated the script to include 6, 8 (2005), 9 (2008), 10 (2010), 11 (2012) and 12 (2013).

Those versions are hidden behind a --include-old-versions argument, where by the script will download them but can only extract 9, 11 and 12. I had considered at least always downloading those versions but not extracting them.

Versions prior to 11, don't use WiX Burn so so the approach of using dark to extract their contents doesn't. Instead the script uses 7-zip to extract the CAB files from the self-extracting archive. This only worked for the 2008 runtimes as 2010 is a strange layout and version 6 and 8 don't have the DLLs within the cabinet file but the MSI.

While version 11 and 12 use WiX Burn, they don't extract with nice DLL names like version 14.

Just made use of this script. Thank you for writing it! I needed to add the following entry to runtime_downloads which you may want to include:

        (
            '14.38.33130',
            'https://download.visualstudio.microsoft.com/download/pr/a061be25-c14a-489a-8c7c-bb72adfb3cab/4DFE83C91124CD542F4222FE2C396CABEAC617BB6F59BDCBDF89FD6F0DF0A32F/VC_redist.x64.exe',
        )

Thanks, it looks like that is most likely associated with the recently released Visual Studio 2022 17.8.0.

That's right. I updated VS after the dotnet 8 release. And an error occurred in the installer that left me with a mess of missing msi files from my \ProgramData\Package Cache. Internet results were mostly red herrings until I found your script which helped me sort it out.