Windows error 14004 (ERROR_SXS_MANIFEST_FORMAT

Status / error code:		Category:

Constant name:
Source:		Operating System:
Description: The SxS manifest has an invalid initial XML or manifest format.

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ERROR_SXS_ASSEMBLY_NOT_FOUND	ERROR_SXS_MANIFEST_PARSE_ERROR

ERROR_SXS_MANIFEST_FORMAT_ERROR

ERROR_SXS_MANIFEST_FORMAT_ERROR means that Windows rejected the beginning or basic format of a manifest before normal dependency resolution started. Typical causes include leading non-XML data, an invalid XML declaration, wrong text encoding, or a file that is not the intended manifest at all.

What to check

Inspect the first bytes of the exact manifest identified by the trace and check for accidental banner text, merge markers, or binary content.
Confirm that the XML declaration and encoding agree with the actual file encoding.
Verify that packaging preserved the manifest resource or external manifest rather than substituting a template or generated log file.

Fix the manifest at its source and rebuild the package so every deployed copy has the same valid content.

Microsoft: assembly manifests

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