Two bugs in recent updates to Microsoft Windows 10 cause Visual Studio to crash when certain extensions, including Visual Assist, are installed. Microsoft fixed one of the bugs, a broken hook mechanism, in its November 14, 2017, update.
All Windows 10 users with Visual Assist should install the November 14 update, available via Windows Update or via stand-alone packages. Download the stand-alone update from the Windows Update Catalog, accessed from the bottom of the description of the update for Windows 10 Version 1703 or update for Windows 10 Version 1709 Fall Creators Update.
Microsoft acknowledged that the second bug, which causes CreateWindowEx() to fail, exists in Windows 10 (64-bit) Fall Creators Update (Version 1709). The CreateWindowEx bug also causes Visual Studio to crash when Visual Assist is installed. The workaround recommended by Microsoft and by Whole Tomato is to rollback to the previous version of Windows 10. If you do rollback, defer installation of the Fall Creators Update and install the November 14th update.
If you run Windows 10 (64-bit) Fall Creators Update (Version 1709) and you cannot rollback, install Visual Assist build 2238 to mitigate the CreateWindowEx() failures. If Visual Studio continues to crash, disable Visual Assist and wait for another update from Microsoft, mid-December at earliest, before resuming normal use of Visual Assist.
Visit our discussion forums or contact us if you have questions or need technical support.
Thank you for your patience as we work around these Windows bugs.
Stay tuned for our next announcement.
