title: Packages not loading after installing Visual Studio 2015 RTM
body: <h1>The problem</h1>
  
  <p>I had Visual Studio 2015 RC installed and installed Visual Studio 2015 RTM over it. I couldn't find anything on the Internet that said you couldn't do this. I don't know if this is relevant to the problem.</p>
  
  <p>Unfortunately, when I started up Visual&nbsp;Studio&nbsp;2015 RTM for the first time after restarting it popped up message boxes with:</p>
  
  <blockquote>
    <p>"The 'Microsoft.VisualStudio.Editor.Implementation.EditorPackage' package did not load correctly"</p>
  </blockquote>
  
  <p>Also:</p>
  
  <ul>
  <li>XamarinShellPackage</li>
  <li>TestWindowPackage</li>
  <li>NuGetPackage</li>
  <li>ErrorListPackage</li>
  </ul>
  
  <p>How can I resolve this error?</p>
  
  <h1>Logs</h1>
  
  <p>It said to look in the <strong>ActivityLog.xml</strong>. I couldn't find Microsoft.VisualStudio.Editor.Implementation.EditorPackage.</p>
  
  <p>But for <strong>XamarinShellPackage</strong> it said:</p>
  
  
  
  <pre class="lang-xml prettyprint-override"><code>&lt;entry&gt;
      &lt;record&gt;339&lt;/record&gt;
      &lt;time&gt;2015/07/21 13:01:54.011&lt;/time&gt;
      &lt;type&gt;Error&lt;/type&gt;
      &lt;source&gt;VisualStudio&lt;/source&gt;
      &lt;description&gt;SetSite failed for package [XamarinShellPackage]&lt;/description&gt;
      &lt;guid&gt;{2D510815-1C4E-4210-BD82-3D9D2C56C140}&lt;/guid&gt;
      &lt;hr&gt;80070057 - E_INVALIDARG&lt;/hr&gt;
      &lt;errorinfo&gt;'providers' cannot contain a null (Nothing in Visual Basic) element.
  Parameter name: providers&lt;/errorinfo&gt;
    &lt;/entry&gt;
    &lt;entry&gt;
      &lt;record&gt;340&lt;/record&gt;
      &lt;time&gt;2015/07/21 13:01:54.013&lt;/time&gt;
      &lt;type&gt;Error&lt;/type&gt;
      &lt;source&gt;VisualStudio&lt;/source&gt;
      &lt;description&gt;End package load [XamarinShellPackage]&lt;/description&gt;
      &lt;guid&gt;{2D510815-1C4E-4210-BD82-3D9D2C56C140}&lt;/guid&gt;
      &lt;hr&gt;80070057 - E_INVALIDARG&lt;/hr&gt;
      &lt;errorinfo&gt;'providers' cannot contain a null (Nothing in Visual Basic) element.
  Parameter name: providers&lt;/errorinfo&gt;
    &lt;/entry&gt;
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>For <strong>TestWindowPackage</strong>:</p>
  
  <pre class="lang-xml prettyprint-override"><code>&lt;entry&gt;
     &lt;record&gt;394&lt;/record&gt;
     &lt;time&gt;2015/07/21 13:02:02.751&lt;/time&gt;
     &lt;type&gt;Error&lt;/type&gt;
     &lt;source&gt;TestWindowPackage&lt;/source&gt;
     &lt;description&gt;TestWindowPackage.Initialize failed with exception:
  &amp;#x000D;&amp;#x000A;&amp;#x000D;&amp;#x000A;System.NullReferenceException:
  Object reference not set to an instance of an object.&amp;#x000D;&amp;#x000A;
  at Microsoft.VisualStudio.TestWindow.VsHost.TestWindowPackage.Initialize()
  &amp;#x000D;&amp;#x000A;&amp;#x000D;&amp;#x000A;PackageContainer loaded: False &amp;#x000D;&amp;#x000A;&lt;/description&gt;
  &lt;/entry&gt;
  &lt;entry&gt;
     &lt;record&gt;395&lt;/record&gt;
     &lt;time&gt;2015/07/21 13:02:02.752&lt;/time&gt;
     &lt;type&gt;Error&lt;/type&gt;
     &lt;source&gt;VisualStudio&lt;/source&gt;
     &lt;description&gt;SetSite failed for package [TestWindowPackage]&lt;/description&gt;
     &lt;guid&gt;{BFC24BF4-B994-4757-BCDC-1D5D2768BF29}&lt;/guid&gt;
     &lt;hr&gt;80004003 - E_POINTER&lt;/hr&gt;
     &lt;errorinfo&gt;Object reference not set to an instance of an object.&lt;/errorinfo&gt;
  &lt;/entry&gt;
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>For <strong>NuGetPackage</strong>:</p>
  
  <pre class="lang-xml prettyprint-override"><code> &lt;entry&gt;
      &lt;record&gt;405&lt;/record&gt;
      &lt;time&gt;2015/07/21 13:02:04.096&lt;/time&gt;
      &lt;type&gt;Error&lt;/type&gt;
      &lt;source&gt;VisualStudio&lt;/source&gt;
      &lt;description&gt;SetSite failed for package [NuGetPackage]&lt;/description&gt;
      &lt;guid&gt;{5FCC8577-4FEB-4D04-AD72-D6C629B083CC}&lt;/guid&gt;
      &lt;hr&gt;80004003 - E_POINTER&lt;/hr&gt;
      &lt;errorinfo&gt;Object reference not set to an instance of an object.&lt;/errorinfo&gt;
    &lt;/entry&gt;
    &lt;entry&gt;
      &lt;record&gt;406&lt;/record&gt;
      &lt;time&gt;2015/07/21 13:02:04.096&lt;/time&gt;
      &lt;type&gt;Error&lt;/type&gt;
      &lt;source&gt;VisualStudio&lt;/source&gt;
      &lt;description&gt;End package load [NuGetPackage]&lt;/description&gt;
      &lt;guid&gt;{5FCC8577-4FEB-4D04-AD72-D6C629B083CC}&lt;/guid&gt;
      &lt;hr&gt;80004003 - E_POINTER&lt;/hr&gt;
      &lt;errorinfo&gt;Object reference not set to an instance of an object.&lt;/errorinfo&gt;
    &lt;/entry&gt;
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>For <strong>ErrorListPackage</strong> it said:</p>
  
  <pre class="lang-xml prettyprint-override"><code>&lt;entry&gt;
      &lt;record&gt;409&lt;/record&gt;
      &lt;time&gt;2015/07/21 13:02:04.624&lt;/time&gt;
      &lt;type&gt;Information&lt;/type&gt;
      &lt;source&gt;VisualStudio&lt;/source&gt;
      &lt;description&gt;Begin package load [ErrorListPackage]&lt;/description&gt;
      &lt;guid&gt;{4A9B7E50-AA16-11D0-A8C5-00A0C921A4D2}&lt;/guid&gt;
    &lt;/entry&gt;
    &lt;entry&gt;
      &lt;record&gt;410&lt;/record&gt;
      &lt;time&gt;2015/07/21 13:02:04.629&lt;/time&gt;
      &lt;type&gt;Error&lt;/type&gt;
      &lt;source&gt;VisualStudio&lt;/source&gt;
      &lt;description&gt;SetSite failed for package [ErrorListPackage]&lt;/description&gt;
      &lt;guid&gt;{4A9B7E50-AA16-11D0-A8C5-00A0C921A4D2}&lt;/guid&gt;
      &lt;hr&gt;80004003 - E_POINTER&lt;/hr&gt;
      &lt;errorinfo&gt;Object reference not set to an instance of an object.&lt;/errorinfo&gt;
    &lt;/entry&gt;
  </code></pre>
  
  <h1>What I have tried so far</h1>
  
  <ul>
  <li>At Tools --> Extensions and Updates  I have tried to de-install and re-install the extensions. But when I click on the menu item "Extensions and Updates" I get the "Object reference not set" exception?? So I can't try this  option.
  
  <ul>
  <li>I have deinstalled Visual Studio 2015 and reinstalled it. No effect.</li>
  <li>I have done what is suggested in <a href="https://connect.microsoft.com/VisualStudio/feedback/details/1123745/setsite-failed-for-package-microsoft-visualstudio-editor-implementation-editorpackage" rel="noreferrer">https://connect.microsoft.com/VisualStudio/feedback/details/1123745/setsite-failed-for-package-microsoft-visualstudio-editor-implementation-editorpackage</a> at 13-2-2015 at 16:49. No effect. In fact, the entire exact same folder structure and files (at a quick glance) gets copied back after starting up Visual&nbsp;Studio&nbsp;2015 again.</li>
  </ul></li>
  </ul>
  
  <p>So... Any suggestions out there?</p>
  
  <h1>Updates to the question</h1>
  
  <h2>First update</h2>
  
  <p>I just tried to load a project and... Something is very wrong. It can't load a bunch of packages like: "CSharpPackage, IntegrationPackage, MigrationPackage, FileIndicatorPackage, etc..." and the Solution Explorer is completely blank! What is going on?</p>
  
  <h2>Second update</h2>
  
  <p>This is how my Programs and Features look like:</p>
  
  <p><img src="https://i.stack.imgur.com/gNCbA.png" alt="Screenshot of Programs and Features"></p>
  
  <h2>Third update</h2>
  
  <p>I have uninstalled and removed as much as I dared.</p>
  
  <ul>
  <li>Removed everything in AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\VisualStudio\14.0</li>
  <li>Removed everything in AppData\Local\VisualStudio\14.0</li>
  <li>Uninstalled Visual Studio 2015 via Programs and Features (above screenshot)</li>
  <li>Removed the Visual Studio Secondary Installer folder in the Program Files folder altogether</li>
  <li>Removed everything that has to do with Visual Studio 14.0 from Program Files</li>
  </ul>
  
  <p>I don't want to mess up my Visual Studio 2013 installation.
  <strong>Visual&nbsp;Studio&nbsp;2015 still can't load the packages above!</strong></p>
  
  <p>So if anyone has more information as to which programs exactly can be uninstalled from the above screenshot, I would be very happy.</p>
  
  <h2>Fourth update</h2>
  
  <p>Steps to be taken (updated from update 3)</p>
  
  <ul>
  <li>Removed everything in AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\VisualStudio\14.0</li>
  <li>Removed everything in AppData\Local\VisualStudio\14.0</li>
  <li><strong>Remove everything concerning Visual Studio 14.0 from ProgramData</strong></li>
  <li>Uninstalled Visual Studio 2015 via Programs and Features (above screenshot)</li>
  <li><strong>Did everything this article says:
  <a href="https://support.microsoft.com/nl-nl/kb/3016536" rel="noreferrer">https://support.microsoft.com/nl-nl/kb/3016536</a></strong></li>
  <li>Removed the Visual Studio Secondary Installer folder in the Program Files folder altogether</li>
  <li>Removed anything that has to do with Visual Studio 14.0 from Program Files basically. Anything left over from uninstalling in Programs And Features.</li>
  <li><strong>Uninstall Microsoft Visual C++ redistributable (x86) - 14.0.xxx also</strong></li>
  <li><strong>Uninstalled my Xamarin stuff also</strong></li>
  <li><strong>Hope I didn't forget anything, but bottom line is to totally get rid of anything Visual&nbsp;Studio&nbsp;2015 related.</strong></li>
  <li><strong>Reinstall Visual&nbsp;Studio&nbsp;2015 RTM and it should work now. I have to install some third-party stuff again, but at least it works!</strong></li>
  </ul>