Microsoft Visual Studio 2012 Pre Clean Tool Download Upd May 2026
While "Pre-Clean Tool" isn't the official name, it perfectly describes the function of the Visual Studio Uninstall Utility. If you are stuck in installation limbo with VS 2012, downloading and running this utility is the best way to wipe the slate clean and get your development environment back up and running.
Keywords: Visual Studio 2012, Pre Clean Tool, Uninstall Utility, Download, Setup Cleanup, VS2012 Update. microsoft visual studio 2012 pre clean tool download upd
| Command | Description |
|---------|-------------|
| vs_preclean.exe /clean | Deletes all temp/cache files (most common) |
| vs_preclean.exe /verify | Checks for corruption without deleting |
| vs_preclean.exe /log | Creates a detailed log at %TEMP%\vsprecn.log |
| vs_preclean.exe /force | Forces removal even if files are locked | While "Pre-Clean Tool" isn't the official name, it
vs_preclean.exe /clean /force /log
After execution, you will see:
"Pre-clean completed successfully. Reboot recommended." | Update Level | Release Date | Key
No official update exists, but running the Update 5 version in Windows 8 compatibility mode works reliably.
| Update Level | Release Date | Key Improvements | |--------------|--------------|------------------| | RTM (no update) | Aug 2012 | Basic cleanup for core VS2012 files | | Update 1 | Nov 2012 | Fixed registry key removal errors | | Update 2 | Jan 2013 | Added support for Windows 8.1 SDK cleanup | | Update 3 | June 2013 | Improved MEF cache reset | | Update 4 | Nov 2013 | Resolved false positives on build servers | | Update 5 (latest) | Aug 2015 | Full compatibility with Windows 10; final version |
Recommendation: Always download the Update 5 (upd5) version of the Pre-Clean Tool, as it contains fixes for all known issues.