Ok, another bug I managed to finally get around. I've been using Visual Studio Express for a long time... first 2005 and then 2008. However, my responsibilities expanded and I needed access to features only available in the full version.
So I installed it and...wtf....no option to create a new project or open an existing one. Tried different versions of VS2008 (first the tester edition, then the developer edition) with no luck. After installing it at one point, I couldn't even uninstall it... it kept bombing out. So, here's how I fixed the problems.
Uninstall Issues
1. To remove it, I went to the registry under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/Software/Microsoft/Windows/Current Version/Uninstall and went down the list of GUIDs until I found the one for Visual Studio 2008. Deleted the key.
2. Manually deleted all the Visual Studio files (multiple folders under program files).
3. Download CC cleaner and use its tools to uninstall all the stuff that has to do with Visual Studio. There were like 8 different items. BTW, uninstalling the Microsoft Office Developer tools breaks Microsoft Office on the box.
At that point I was able to install VS 2008 again. Of course, that didn't fix my actual issue. As part of hte troubleshooting, we eventually tried logging a different user into my box... and VS2008 was fine for them, so it had to be something with the user level settings.
Can't Create or Open Projects
So, to fix it not allow me to create or open projects..
1. Go to the registry under HKEY_CURRENT_USER/SOFTWARE/Microsoft
2. Delete absolutely everything that has anything to do with Visual Studio
3. Reopen Visual Studio
It reconfigures its settings again as if it had just been installed, and then boom, everything worked as normal.
I spent about 6 hours total uninstalling and reinstalling this goddamned app trying to fix this issue. Pain in my ass. And I couldn't find any references to its cause online.
I think what happened is I had VS 2005 Team Server installed for bug and feature tracking. I think having the team server plugin installed screwed up the settings for VS 2008, even though it wasn't supposed to, and even when I uninstalled the Team Server stuff it didn't remove those settings. At least, that's my guess, though I couldn't be sure without trying to duplicate it.
At this point I need the team server crap to be reinstalled so I can get access to bug reports and requirements, but at least I have a fully functional development environment.