What does Windows error code 14013 (ERROR_SXS_UNKNOWN_ENCODING) mean?

 
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ERROR_SXS_UNKNOWN_ENCODING_GROUP ERROR_SXS_INVALID_XML_NAMESPACE_URI

ERROR_SXS_UNKNOWN_ENCODING

ERROR_SXS_UNKNOWN_ENCODING means that the SxS loader encountered a text encoding it does not recognize while reading manifest data. This can occur when the XML declaration, byte-order mark, and actual file bytes disagree or when an unsupported encoding was introduced by a tool.

What to check

  • Check the XML declaration, byte-order mark, and actual encoding of the exact deployed manifest.
  • Regenerate the manifest with a supported encoding instead of converting it manually in an editor that changes metadata.
  • Verify that installers and signing or packaging steps preserve the manifest bytes.

The issue is about how the manifest is encoded, not about the version of the assembly it names.

Microsoft: assembly manifests

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