Platform: Windows Applies to: COMSOL Multiphysics® Versions: 5.6, 5.5

Problem Description

After installing COMSOL Multiphysics, I receive an unexpected error when launching it. Looking in the log file, it points to an issue with cstextrenderer_wpf as per below

2020-01-08T13:52:42.170+01:00 Could not load file or assembly 'cstextrenderer_wpf, Version=0.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=null' or one of its dependencies. The specified module could not be found.  
2020-01-08T13:52:42.170+01:00    at ComsolDesktop.TextRenderer.CsTextRenderer.Init(String distrDir)  
at ComsolDesktop.DesktopApplication..ctor()
at ComsolDesktop.App.OnStartup(StartupEventArgs e)
at System.Windows.Application.<.ctor>b__1_0(Object unused)
at System.Windows.Threading.ExceptionWrapper.InternalRealCall(Delegate callback, Object args, Int32 numArgs)
at System.Windows.Threading.ExceptionWrapper.TryCatchWhen(Object source, Delegate callback, Object args, Int32 numArgs, Delegate catchHandler)

Solution

The solution to this issue is to manually run the installers for the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable Packages found in the ext directory on the COMSOL DVD image.

Do the following:

  1. Download the COMSOL Multiphysics DVD image from the Product Download page
  2. Go to the ext directory.
  3. Run the file called vcredist_vc141_x64.exe
  4. Start COMSOL Multiphysics again.