title: Why do I get the error C1033: cannot open program database in VS 2010
body: <p>After a long break from C++, I am trying to compile a very simple C++ project in VS2010. I created a Win32 C++ console empty project, I selected No precompiled headers and no other MS libraries. I added the following main.cpp file:</p>
  
  <pre><code>#include &lt;iostream&gt;
  #include &lt;string&gt;
  
  using namespace std;
  
  class A
  {
  public:
    string name;
  };
  
  int main(int argc, char** argv)
  {
    return 0;
  }
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>When I compile I get the infamous error:</p>
  
  <pre><code>1&gt;------ Build started: Project: TestGetline, Configuration: Debug Win32 ------
  1&gt;  main.cpp
  1&gt;main.cpp : fatal error C1033: cannot open program database ''
  ========== Build: 0 succeeded, 1 failed, 0 up-to-date, 0 skipped ==========
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>Here are a some facts:</p>
  
  <ul>
  <li><p>I am running Windows 7 64 bit as VM with Desktop Parallels: Version  6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 Build 7601. The VM has the Shared Profile checked, which means that the Documents, Downloads etc. folders are shared between OSX &amp; Windows 7.</p></li>
  <li><p>VS 2010 version: Microsoft Visual Studio 2010, Version 10.0.40219.1 SP1Rel, Microsoft .NET Framework Version 4.0.30319 SP1Rel</p></li>
  <li><p>The link that I am using to launch VS 2010 has the Run this program in compatibility mode for Windows XP (Service Pack 3) checked. The Run this program as an administrator is not checked.</p></li>
  <li><p>I tried a few things suggested in other posts and none of them worked. I tried, for instance, to kill the mspdbsrv.exe (VS 2010 was closed), remove the debug directories by hand, and then recompile the project.  I tried to change the Debug Information Format to C7 compatible but then I get another error (main.cpp : fatal error C1074: 'IDB' is illegal extension for PDB file:). I tried to run VS 2010 as administrator but the error is as stubborn as a bedbug. And yes, there was antivirus running while trying all this.</p></li>
  </ul>
  
  <p>Any other ideas? One cannot help to wonder if there is anyone at all doing C++ development in VS 2010. Upgrading to VS 2012 or 2013 is not an option at this time.</p>
  
  <p>Thanks</p>
  
  <p>Just an update, here is the output of the build task that fails from the compilation log file:</p>
  
  <pre><code> 1&gt;Target "ClCompile" in file "C:\Program Files (x86)\MSBuild\Microsoft.Cpp\v4.0\Platforms\Win32\Microsoft.Cpp.Win32.Targets" from project "C:\projects\cpp\TestGetLine\TestGetline\TestGetline.vcxproj" (target "_ClCompile" depends on it):
     Using "Delete" task from assembly "Microsoft.Build.Tasks.v4.0, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a".
     Task "Delete"
     Done executing task "Delete".
     Task "CL" skipped, due to false condition; ('%(ClCompile.PrecompiledHeader)' == 'Create' and '%(ClCompile.ExcludedFromBuild)'!='true') was evaluated as ('' == 'Create' and ''!='true').
     Using "CL" task from assembly "Microsoft.Build.CppTasks.Win32, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a".
     Task "CL"
       Forcing recompile of all source files due to missing PDB "Debug\vc100.pdb".
       Environment Variables passed to tool:
         VS_UNICODE_OUTPUT=1328
       c:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 10.0\VC\bin\CL.exe /c /Zi /nologo /W3 /WX- /Od /Oy- /D WIN32 /D _DEBUG /D _CONSOLE /D _UNICODE /D UNICODE /Gm /EHsc /RTC1 /MDd /GS /fp:precise /Zc:wchar_t /Zc:forScope /Fo"Debug\\" /Fd"Debug\vc100.pdb" /Gd /TP /analyze- /errorReport:prompt main.cpp
       Tracking command:
       C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SDKs\Windows\v7.0A\bin\NETFX 4.0 Tools\Tracker.exe /d C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\FileTracker.dll /i C:\projects\cpp\TestGetLine\TestGetline\Debug /r C:\PROJECTS\CPP\TESTGETLINE\TESTGETLINE\MAIN.CPP /b MSBuildConsole_CancelEvent7f4b09d9e64d472facf5c417755b2cdd  /c "c:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 10.0\VC\bin\CL.exe"  /c /Zi /nologo /W3 /WX- /Od /Oy- /D WIN32 /D _DEBUG /D _CONSOLE /D _UNICODE /D UNICODE /Gm /EHsc /RTC1 /MDd /GS /fp:precise /Zc:wchar_t /Zc:forScope /Fo"Debug\\" /Fd"Debug\vc100.pdb" /Gd /TP /analyze- /errorReport:prompt main.cpp
       main.cpp
   1&gt;main.cpp : fatal error C1033: cannot open program database ''
       The command exited with code 2.
     Done executing task "CL" -- FAILED.
   1&gt;Done building target "ClCompile" in project "TestGetline.vcxproj" -- FAILED.
   1&gt;Done Building Project "C:\projects\cpp\TestGetLine\TestGetline\TestGetline.vcxproj" (build target(s)) -- FAILED.
  </code></pre>