Is there a fix for the 'App Didn't Start' error in Visual Studio

This error appears when you try to deploy the project to the Local Machine (x64). There are no errors during build or deploy stages. However, when you try to run the machine you come up with this message after the App shows up momentarily and disappears immediately.

Trying to deploy to an emulator such as Mobile Emulator 10.0.14393.0 WVGA 4 Inch 512MB comes with the following errors. The emulator is running:

Severity Code Description Project File Line Suppression State
Error  DEP0001: Unexpected Error: SmartDeviceException - The system cannot find the file specified. [0x80131500] RMD   

However when you deploy it to a device (in this case Lumia 925) the app gets deployed with no errors.

In order to proceed to package it for uploading to the Windows Store I am not sure just deploying it to the device is good enough.

Is there a fix?

Yes. This was my fix.

https://hodentekhelp.blogspot.com/2018/09/what-is-right-target-version-that-works.html

What is the right Target version that works for UWP project?

I faced quite a bit of downtime due to the wrong choice of the target version working with UWP Projects. Web search to find a cure sent me searching for answers I could not find.

I am using Microsoft Visual Studio Community 2017 Version 15.8.1. The Dell Laptop is running Evaluation copy of Build 17733.rs5_release(18083-1525). [This OS has a problem in that when you shutdown and restart the OS, it will reinstall the OS afresh wiping out some of the folders; saved passwords; saved items in Microsoft Edge. Visual Studio also gets reset.].

Now coming back to the right Target version for working with UWP projects, there are three options for the Target version shown in this image.

RightTargetVersion_0

Of the three options only one of them allows the Design editor in Visual Studio come up without this error - The app did'nt start(HRESULT:0x8027025B). This is the only one that works:

Windows 10 Creators Update (10.0; Build 15063).

Regarding the choices for the Min Version, Build 15086 and Build 15063 works without any changes, just the Solution refreshes.

RightTargetVersion_2

However, if you were to choose Build 14393.0 you need to install the required SDK.

RightTargetVersion_1

These findings are summarized in the next image.

RightTargetVersion_3