Fix 0xC0150016: SXS Invalid Identity Attribute Value

Quick answer for advanced users

Run sfc /scannow and DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth in an admin command prompt, then reinstall the app that shows the error. If that doesn't fix it, check the Event Viewer for the exact assembly file path and delete/re-register it.

What is this error really about?

0xC0150016 means the Windows Side-by-Side (SxS) assembly loader found a value in an assembly manifest that doesn't match what it expects. Think of it as a mismatch between a DLL's version string and what the manifest says it should be. This usually happens when:

• A Windows system file got corrupted (common after a failed update)
• You installed an app that modified the WinSxS folder
• A third-party app (like antivirus) blocked part of an installation
• You migrated from an old Windows build and the assemblies didn't copy right

I've seen this most often on Windows 10 22H2 and Windows 11 23H2 after a botched .NET Framework update. The app that crashes could be anything — Office, Visual Studio, or even a game launcher.

Step-by-step fix (do these in order)

Step 1: Run System File Checker (SFC)

Open Command Prompt as admin (right-click Start, pick Command Prompt (Admin) or Terminal (Admin)). Type:

sfc /scannow

This checks and replaces corrupted system files. Takes 10-15 minutes. Let it finish. If it says it found corrupt files but couldn't fix all, move to Step 2.

Step 2: Run DISM to fix the system image

Still in the admin command prompt, run:

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

This fixes the component store that SFC depends on. Takes another 10-15 minutes. After it's done, run sfc /scannow again to catch anything it missed.

Step 3: Reinstall the app that crashes

After SFC and DISM clean things up, uninstall the app that gives you error 0xC0150016. Then restart Windows and install the app fresh. This forces Windows to rebuild the assembly references from scratch.

Step 4: Check Event Viewer for the exact file

If the error still shows up, open Event Viewer (type it in Start). Go to Windows Logs > System. Look for entries from source "SideBySide" with event ID 33 or 35. Double-click one. The error details will show a file path like C:\Windows\WinSxS\...\some.dll. Copy that path.

Now, open an admin command prompt and run:

cd /d "C:\Windows\WinSxS\...\"

(replace the path with the one from Event Viewer). Then run:

regsvr32 /u thefile.dll

Then:

regsvr32 thefile.dll

This re-registers the DLL. If it fails, the file is probably hosed and you need to replace it with a fresh copy from a working Windows install.

Alternative fixes if the main ones don't work

Reset the Windows Update components

I've seen a corrupted Windows Update cache cause this. Run these commands in an admin command prompt:

net stop wuauserv
net stop cryptSvc
net stop bits
net stop msiserver
ren C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old
ren C:\Windows\System32\catroot2 catroot2.old
net start wuauserv
net start cryptSvc
net start bits
net start msiserver

Then run Windows Update again and reinstall the app.

Check for third-party antivirus interference

If you use McAfee, Norton, or Avast, disable them temporarily. Some virus scanners quarantine or block SxS assembly files. Reinstall the app with antivirus turned off.

Use System Restore

If the error started recently and you have a restore point from before it happened, roll back to that. Open System Restore from Start, pick a restore point, and let it do its thing.

Prevention tip

Stop installing apps that modify the WinSxS folder directly. I'm looking at you, old versions of Java installers and some Visual Studio extensions. Also, keep Windows Update running — those cumulative updates fix assembly corruption before it becomes a problem. And if you're on a tight deadline, snapshot the system drive before big app installs.