error WIX0144: The extension 'C:\Users\%username%\Downloads\VSCode-1.115.0-x64.wxs' could not be loaded

[GTwilt]

Same as #1

C:\Users\GuusTwilt\Downloads>VSCode2Msi.exe --v
VSCode2Msi v2.0.1
Copyright (C) 2026 VSCode2Msi, licensed under LGPL 2.1

No archive specified, using "https://code.visualstudio.com/sha/download?build=stable&os=win32-x64-archive"
Checking if archive should be downloaded...
Downloading archive from "https://code.visualstudio.com/sha/download?build=stable&os=win32-x64-archive" to "C:\Users\GuusTwilt\AppData\Local\Temp\\VSCode2Msi-archive-a9ccbd25-8dcb-4e00-8d10-6e677a0e9b08.zip"...
Downloading... 100% (202223924/202223924) Done downloading.
Checking if archive exists...
Checking for existing extracted archive...
Removing old extracted archive...
Extracting archive... Done.
Archive extracted to "C:\Users\GuusTwilt\AppData\Local\Temp\\VSCode2Msi-extracted"
Removing unneeded archive...
Checking for vscode executable...
VSCode executable is at "C:\Users\GuusTwilt\AppData\Local\Temp\\VSCode2Msi-extracted\Code.exe"
Extracting icon from vscode executable...
Successfully extracted icon to "C:\Users\GuusTwilt\AppData\Local\Temp\\VSCode2Msi-vscode.ico"
Extracting attributes from vscode executable...
No output path specified, using "C:\Users\GuusTwilt\Downloads\VSCode-1.115.0-x64"
Configuring msi...
Found license file at "C:\Users\GuusTwilt\AppData\Local\Temp\VSCode2Msi-extracted\41dd792b5e\resources\app\LICENSE.rtf"
Building msi...
----------------------------------------------------------

Wix project file has been built: C:\Users\GuusTwilt\Downloads\VSCode-1.115.0-x64.wxs

Compiling VSCode-1.115.0-x64.wxs
Source base directory: C:\Users\GuusTwilt\Downloads
wix.exe : error WIX7015: You must accept the Open Source Maintenance Fee (OSMF) EULA to use WiX Toolset v7. For instructions, see https://wixtoolset.org/osmf/
Error: Cannot find WiX extension 'WixToolset.UI.wixext'. WixSharp attempted to install the extension but did not succeed. Please install the extension manually with: `wix.exe extension add -g WixToolset.UI.wixext`
wix.exe : error WIX0144: The extension 'C:\Users\GuusTwilt\Downloads\VSCode-1.115.0-x64.wxs' could not be loaded because of the following reason: Kan bestand of assembly file:///C:\Users\GuusTwilt\Downloads\VSCode-1.115.0-x64.wxs of een van de afhankelijkheden hiervan niet laden. Er wordt verwacht dat de module een assembly-manifest zou bevatten.
Successfully built MSI installer```

[Juff-Ma]

This is NOT the same issue as #1 but a breaking change with WiX 7.0.

When I looked into it it was still in RC a few days ago but it seems to have released.

WiX requires you to accept their EULA (because while they are FOSS, their binary packages are under a fee if you use them and have over $10,000 annual earnings. I think VSCode2Msi is exempt since you don't use wix directly but I am not a lawyer, see this).

There are 2 ways to fix this:

1. Downgrade to WiX v6 (note it still is covered by the WiX EULA, it just will be accepted by default)
2. Execute wix.exe eula accept wix7 once, it should work afterwards

[GTwilt]

@Juff-Ma the accept eula isnt the only issue, i did install the extensions its talking about:

C:\Users\GuusTwilt\Downloads>VSCode2Msi.exe --v
VSCode2Msi v2.0.1
Copyright (C) 2026 VSCode2Msi, licensed under LGPL 2.1

No archive specified, using "https://code.visualstudio.com/sha/download?build=stable&os=win32-x64-archive"
Checking if archive should be downloaded...
Downloading archive from "https://code.visualstudio.com/sha/download?build=stable&os=win32-x64-archive" to "C:\Users\GuusTwilt\AppData\Local\Temp\\VSCode2Msi-archive-3ce9e2af-b0c1-40a6-afe1-6aa0b7cc6b64.zip"...
Downloading... 100% (202223924/202223924) Done downloading.
Checking if archive exists...
Checking for existing extracted archive...
Removing old extracted archive...
Extracting archive... Done.
Archive extracted to "C:\Users\GuusTwilt\AppData\Local\Temp\\VSCode2Msi-extracted"
Removing unneeded archive...
Checking for vscode executable...
VSCode executable is at "C:\Users\GuusTwilt\AppData\Local\Temp\\VSCode2Msi-extracted\Code.exe"
Extracting icon from vscode executable...
Successfully extracted icon to "C:\Users\GuusTwilt\AppData\Local\Temp\\VSCode2Msi-vscode.ico"
Extracting attributes from vscode executable...
No output path specified, using "C:\Users\GuusTwilt\Downloads\VSCode-1.115.0-x64"
Configuring msi...
Found license file at "C:\Users\GuusTwilt\AppData\Local\Temp\VSCode2Msi-extracted\41dd792b5e\resources\app\LICENSE.rtf"
Building msi...
----------------------------------------------------------



The Wix project file has been built: C:\Users\GuusTwilt\Downloads\VSCode-1.115.0-x64.wxs

Compiling VSCode-1.115.0-x64.wxs
Source base directory: C:\Users\GuusTwilt\Downloads
Error: Cannot find WiX extension ‘WixToolset.UI.wixext’. WixSharp attempted to install the extension but did not succeed. Please install the extension manually with: `wix.exe extension add -g WixToolset.UI.wixext`
wix.exe : error WIX0144: The extension ‘C:\Users\GuusTwilt\Downloads\VSCode-1.115.0-x64.wxs’ could not be loaded because of the following reason: Unable to load file or assembly file:///C:\Users\GuusTwilt\Downloads\VSCode-1.115.0-x64.wxs or one of its dependencies. The module is expected to contain an assembly manifest.
Successfully built MSI installer

[Juff-Ma]

Now that is the same issue as #1

Try manually installing the extension using wix.exe extension add -g WixToolset.UI.wixext

If this still doesn't work I'll need to triage. I once had this step in the README but it seemed to work without it starting v2. Maybe that was only for me though

[GTwilt]

Now that is the same issue as #1

Try manually installing the extension using wix.exe extension add -g WixToolset.UI.wixext

If this still doesn't work I'll need to triage. I once had this step in the README but it seemed to work without it starting v2. Maybe that was only for me though

That doesnt solve the issue.

[Juff-Ma]

Did you install WiX through dotnet or via the official MSI package?

[GTwilt]

Did you install WiX through dotnet or via the official MSI package?

Via ur guide:

Install the WiX command line: https://github.com/wixtoolset/wix/releases/latest

[Juff-Ma]

Ok, you should have a .wix directory in your user folder which in turn should contain an extensions directory. If that is the case, what are its contents?

[GTwilt]

Ok, you should have a .wix directory in your user folder which in turn should contain an extensions directory. If that is the case, what are its contents?

There is no extensions directory?

[Juff-Ma]

Ok that is the issue. WiX should create the extensions directory there and install it automatically. At the least it should have done so when you manually ran wix.exe extension add -g WixToolset.UI.wixext

If you run wix.exe extension add WixToolset.UI.wixext (note the removed -g) it should download the extension into the local folder. Can you try doing that and copying it into your User .wix folder?

Then try running VSCode2Msi again.

Note: If this works, it is only a hack. It seems there was a bug in WixSharp that is creating this issue. If it persists I will upgrade WixSharp and we'll see if that fixes things.

[GTwilt]

It doesn't download anything at all, not even to the local folder

[Juff-Ma]

What??

Ok now that is really weird. Can you try to actively specify the version:
wix.exe extension add WixToolset.UI.wixext/7.0.0

And then the output of:
wix.exe extension list
and
wix.exe extension list --global

[GTwilt]

What??

Ok now that is really weird. Can you try to actively specify the version: wix.exe extension add WixToolset.UI.wixext/7.0.0

And then the output of: wix.exe extension list and wix.exe extension list --global

C:\Users\GuusTwilt\Downloads>wix.exe extension list --global
WixToolset.BootstrapperApplications.wixext : warning WIX6101: Could not find expected package root folder wixext7. Ensure WixToolset.BootstrapperApplications.wixext/6.0.2 is compatible with WiX v7.
WixToolset.ComPlus.wixext : warning WIX6101: Could not find expected package root folder wixext7. Ensure WixToolset.ComPlus.wixext/6.0.2 is compatible with WiX v7.
WixToolset.Dependency.wixext : warning WIX6101: Could not find expected package root folder wixext7. Ensure WixToolset.Dependency.wixext/6.0.2 is compatible with WiX v7.
WixToolset.DirectX.wixext : warning WIX6101: Could not find expected package root folder wixext7. Ensure WixToolset.DirectX.wixext/6.0.2 is compatible with WiX v7.
WixToolset.Firewall.wixext : warning WIX6101: Could not find expected package root folder wixext7. Ensure WixToolset.Firewall.wixext/6.0.2 is compatible with WiX v7.
WixToolset.Http.wixext : warning WIX6101: Could not find expected package root folder wixext7. Ensure WixToolset.Http.wixext/6.0.2 is compatible with WiX v7.
WixToolset.Iis.wixext : warning WIX6101: Could not find expected package root folder wixext7. Ensure WixToolset.Iis.wixext/6.0.2 is compatible with WiX v7.
WixToolset.Msmq.wixext : warning WIX6101: Could not find expected package root folder wixext7. Ensure WixToolset.Msmq.wixext/6.0.2 is compatible with WiX v7.
WixToolset.NetFx.wixext : warning WIX6101: Could not find expected package root folder wixext7. Ensure WixToolset.NetFx.wixext/6.0.2 is compatible with WiX v7.
WixToolset.PowerShell.wixext : warning WIX6101: Could not find expected package root folder wixext7. Ensure WixToolset.PowerShell.wixext/6.0.2 is compatible with WiX v7.
WixToolset.Sql.wixext : warning WIX6101: Could not find expected package root folder wixext7. Ensure WixToolset.Sql.wixext/6.0.2 is compatible with WiX v7.
WixToolset.UI.wixext : warning WIX6101: Could not find expected package root folder wixext7. Ensure WixToolset.UI.wixext/6.0.2 is compatible with WiX v7.
WixToolset.Util.wixext : warning WIX6101: Could not find expected package root folder wixext7. Ensure WixToolset.Util.wixext/6.0.2 is compatible with WiX v7.
WixToolset.VisualStudio.wixext : warning WIX6101: Could not find expected package root folder wixext7. Ensure WixToolset.VisualStudio.wixext/6.0.2 is compatible with WiX v7.
WixToolset.BootstrapperApplications.wixext 6.0.2 (damaged)
WixToolset.BootstrapperApplications.wixext 7.0.0
WixToolset.ComPlus.wixext 6.0.2 (damaged)
WixToolset.ComPlus.wixext 7.0.0
WixToolset.Dependency.wixext 6.0.2 (damaged)
WixToolset.Dependency.wixext 7.0.0
WixToolset.DirectX.wixext 6.0.2 (damaged)
WixToolset.DirectX.wixext 7.0.0
WixToolset.Firewall.wixext 6.0.2 (damaged)
WixToolset.Firewall.wixext 7.0.0
WixToolset.Http.wixext 6.0.2 (damaged)
WixToolset.Http.wixext 7.0.0
WixToolset.Iis.wixext 6.0.2 (damaged)
WixToolset.Iis.wixext 7.0.0
WixToolset.Msmq.wixext 6.0.2 (damaged)
WixToolset.Msmq.wixext 7.0.0
WixToolset.NetFx.wixext 6.0.2 (damaged)
WixToolset.NetFx.wixext 7.0.0
WixToolset.PowerShell.wixext 6.0.2 (damaged)
WixToolset.PowerShell.wixext 7.0.0
WixToolset.Sql.wixext 6.0.2 (damaged)
WixToolset.Sql.wixext 7.0.0
WixToolset.UI.wixext 6.0.2 (damaged)
WixToolset.UI.wixext 7.0.0
WixToolset.Util.wixext 6.0.2 (damaged)
WixToolset.Util.wixext 7.0.0
WixToolset.VisualStudio.wixext 6.0.2 (damaged)
WixToolset.VisualStudio.wixext 7.0.0

[Juff-Ma]

Ok... that looks like a broken WiX installation. Did you previously have WiX installed?
Also, did the command with the actively specified version now download anything?

[GTwilt]

I didn’t previously. It didnt download anything even with a specified version.

…

________________________________ Van: Julian Roßbach ***@***.***> Verzonden: Thursday, April 9, 2026 2:08:49 PM Aan: Juff-Ma/VSCode2Msi ***@***.***> CC: Guus Twilt ***@***.***>; Author ***@***.***> Onderwerp: Re: [Juff-Ma/VSCode2Msi] error WIX0144: The extension 'C:\Users\%username%\Downloads\VSCode-1.115.0-x64.wxs' could not be loaded (Issue #3) [https://avatars.githubusercontent.com/u/79043232?s=20&v=4]Juff-Ma left a comment (Juff-Ma/VSCode2Msi#3)<#3 (comment)> Ok... that looks like a broken WiX installation. Did you previously have WiX installed? Also, did the command with the actively specified version now download anything? — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub<#3 (comment)>, or unsubscribe<https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/BGJMHFCKO73E57ALNB5MWJT4U6HFDAVCNFSM6AAAAACXSMKHDCVHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43OSLTON2WKQ3PNVWWK3TUHM2DEMJUGA4DEOBYGI>. You are receiving this because you authored the thread.Message ID: ***@***.***>