Visual Studio with ReSharper is freezing and/or crashing

Since ReSharper is integrating within Visual Studio deeply, there are some scenarios, some specific configurations, solutions or use cases, which may lead to freeze or crash of Visual Studio with ReSharper. This article guides through troubleshooting steps in order to fix or avoid the crash, or at least determine the cause of the issue.

There are several types of VS crashes:

  • Unhandled exception, like 'System.OutOfMemoryException'.
  • Microsoft Visual Studio has encountered a problem and needs to close.
  • Microsoft Visual Studio (Not Responding) 'white screen' freeze.
  • Silent crash. In case of silent crash, VS does not show any error messages, warning windows, etc.

Despite these three cases are different, here are some common steps to troubleshoot the crash:

  1. Hardware and OS Configuration.
    1. VS can crash because of the PC hardware and OS - for example, System.OutOfMemoryException is known to be present on Windows XP 32-bit environment with low RAM amount. In most cases it cannot be avoided, so please make sure that you're using a modern OS with 64-bit architecture - like Windows 7 x64 or Windows 8 x64.
  2. VS configuration
    1. ReSharper may conflict with the other Visual Studio addins and extensions, so it is a nice idea to launch Visual Studio in safe mode to turn off all installed extensions and temporary disable/uninstall them one-by-one. This will allow to check whether there's a conflict between different extensions, which makes VS to crash.
    2. If the crash occurs on VS startup with direct solution opening, try to launch VS itself (e.g., just click on the VS desktop shortcut to start the Visual Studio, not a *.sln file of the solution you're working with).
    3. Sometimes, Visual Studio and/or .NET Framework itself can be corrupted or damaged, so launching the 'Repair' action on Visual Studio installation (via 'Control Panel | Add/Remove Programs') can help in this case.
  3. Solution configuration.
    1. To make sure that the crash is solution-specific, please try to create new solution (like, C# Console Application) and check if the crash is still present.
    2. If the crash seems to be a solution-specific case, please try to remove ReSharper caches and *.suo file as described here and check if it helps to resolve the issue.
  4. ReSharper installation. Since we do our best in terms of fixing issues and bugs, it is a nice idea to check if you're using the latest ReSharper version available.
    1. Latest release version is always available here: http://www.jetbrains.com/resharper/download/index.html
    2. Latest Early Access Program (EAP) builds are available here: http://eap.jetbrains.com/resharper/
    3. If you're licensed to an older version, check that you're using the latest version in the corresponding major branch (for example, 6.1.1 is the latest version for the ReSharper 6.x): https://resharper-support.jetbrains.com/hc/en-us/articles/207242355
  5. Crash reproduction. If the steps above do not help, please try to narrow down the cause of the issue:
    1. Determining what exact action (f.e., 'Open Solution', 'Go To Type', 'Expanding Live Template', etc.) is making VS to crash.
    2. If this issue is solution-specific, please try to 'crop' the solution (e.g., remove files, references, etc.) to make the solution smaller in size, but still with this issue reproducible - in some cases, it might be even a single file, which is causing the issue.
    3. After acquiring as much information as possible, please contact JetBrains ReSharper Support Team using the 'Submit a request' form above and letting us know about the issue with detailed description. Our team will guide you and provide further steps to troubleshoot the issues.
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35 comments
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Permanently deleted user

Hi, 

When I build my solution it takes it 10 minutes(!) to start responding again. 

If i build while R# is disabled it runs without any issues. 

I am using R# 9.0

Got any idea what I can do to resolve this issue?

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We have the same problem Dsinger has.

I am using R#9

JetBrains ReSharper Platform 6 Build 6.0.20141219.120158 on 2014-12-19 12:56:02Z

JetBrains ReSharper 9.0 Update 1 Build 9.0.20141219.130142 on 2014-12-19 13:12:31Z

Application Packages:

EtherealCode ReSpeller build 4.0.0.0-alpha2 on 2015-02-11 09:53:00Z.

JetBrains Fake VisualStudio VsPackageAssembly build 12.0.0.0 on 2015-02-11 09:53:13Z.

JetBrains Platform Core Ide build 6.0.20141219.120158 on 2014-12-19 12:56:02Z.

JetBrains Platform Core Shell build 6.0.20141219.120162 on 2014-12-19 12:53:09Z.

JetBrains Platform Core Text build 6.0.20141219.120158 on 2014-12-19 12:56:02Z.

JetBrains Platform Installer build 6.0.20141219.120158 on 2014-12-19 12:56:02Z.

JetBrains Platform Symbols build 6.0.20141219.120158 on 2014-12-19 12:56:02Z.

JetBrains Platform VisualStudio build 6.0.20141219.120158 on 2014-12-19 12:56:02Z.

JetBrains Psi.Features ExternalAnnotations build 9.0.20141219.130140 on 2014-12-19 13:00:40Z.

JetBrains Psi.Features SolutionBuilder build 9.0.20141219.130140 on 2014-12-19 13:00:40Z.

JetBrains Psi.Features src build 9.0.20141219.130140 on 2014-12-19 13:00:40Z.

JetBrains Psi.Features Tasks build 6.0.20141219.130140 on 2014-12-19 13:00:40Z.

JetBrains Psi.Features VisualStudio build 9.0.20141219.130140 on 2014-12-19 13:00:40Z.

JetBrains ReSharper src build 9.0.20141219.130142 on 2014-12-19 13:12:31Z.

Visual Studio 12.0.31101.0.

We use 2 solutions, 1 for client and one for server and use WCF.

Our client doesn't have any problems building, but our when we build the server the first time it freezes visual studio for +10 minutes.

The next build on the server works fine.

IF I however changes anything in web.config, then resharper does the same thing. It builds fine, waits a little while, then freezes visual studio for 10+ minutes. It works fine with R# turned off. I don't understand why resharper should do anything that freezes visual studio and makes it not responding, why not just make the work in the background - whatever it is?

Have you heard about this before and do you have any work arrounds? What could be likely culprits in R#, I can turn off? As it is right now we can't use R#9.

I didn't have this problem in vs2010 with R#6.

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I tried turning Enable code analysis off, but the problem is still there. Solution wide analysis is also turned off.

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I just tried installing R# 8.2.3. Instead of freezing 10+ minutes after change of web.config and rebuild, this version only freezes 15 seconds.

I can reccommend everyone uninstalling R#9 and using R# 8.2.3 until this issue is fixed.

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Having a similar issue, well a number of my colleagues are, with R#9.

We have a large solution (152 projects ... don't ask, it's not my fault!!) and basically, build actions often cause a white screen death of Visual Studio. Most notably when building the entire solution but it also hangs offtimes if we're attached to an IIS process.

If we temporarily suspect R# then this stops.

When it's hanging, I've used Process explorer and the thread that's locked is maxing out a core, and appears to always be stock on a MutexLock.

My manager is urging us to go back to R#8 but I love the new features and only want to do this as a last resort.

Please help us!

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Hi Rclarke, 

I downgraded to the previous version of R# as suggested above, but if you want to still use R# 9 you can download an EAP version.

Heres a link: 

https://confluence.jetbrains.com/display/ReSharper/ReSharper+9.1+EAP

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Everyone experiencing freezes during build process  please try ReSharper 9.1 EAP builds  as @Dsinger suggested in previous message.

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Thanks, I'll give this a try.

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I too have problems with crashing VS2013 with R# 9.  Just starting makes it crash. even without openning any sln files

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I unable to debug after I installed resharper on my home computer. I remove it and still have the problem. 

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I have a same problem, I have a project with visual studio 2013, before installing R#9 it work well, but after that VS 2013 is crashed. I canot do any more. 

Please help me. :|

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I have the problem that Resharper hangs Visual Studio when opening the Extensions Manager. It also sometimes interferes with the NuGet package manager. I was unable to update packages with Resharper running. It worked OK after I disabled Resharper. Version is 9.1.1 on Visual Studio 2013

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I have the problem that Resharper hangs Visual Studio when opening the Extensions Manager. It also sometimes interferes with the NuGet package manager. I was unable to update packages with Resharper running. It worked OK after I disabled Resharper. Version is 9.1.1 on Visual Studio 2013

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Hello, I have requested my team to evaluate the ReSharper C++ (10.0.2) on Viausl Studio 2015 Proffesional and my team is reporting constant crashing of VS. Our code base is not big, about 10 projects in single solution file. I even consider it small as it is maintained by couple of developers. I am currently puzzeled if to continue with the purchase of several licenses as this issue is blocking the work. Our workstations use SSD and 12 GB RAM, so memory should not be of a problem. Please consider this feedback! It is blocking issue.
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I am having the same problem as Mladen Mileve. I have a solution with about 26 c++ project. When resharper is enabled, it crashed visual studio (tried using both VS2012 and VS2015). While R# updating Source File progressed about half way, visual studio crashed. Reinstalled VS2012 and R# 10.0,2 didn't help. Downgrade to R# 9.2 fixed the problem. No more crash. 

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This has been going on for a while now. R# has always been a dog but it's hard to live without it. Up until the end of last year I only had a couple of crashes a week. Since around December its a couple a day all due to R#. If I clear caches it runs for a few hours without falling over. If I suspend R# everything is fine. I was on R# 2016.3.1, yesterday I installed 2016.3.2 hoping the problem would finally be fixed. It wasn't if anything it's worse now. I also uninstalled and reinstalled VS 2015 and since doing that I've not installed any other extensions, this is a clean VS 2015 install so don't talk to me about a conflict with other extensions. This problem is effecting everyone on my team, it's gotten to the point that it's so disruptive and counter productive that people are suspending or uninstalling R#. With VS 2017 coming out I would if I were you concentrate on fixing this issue.

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I had this problem as well, in my solution which has both C# and F# projects.

Microsoft Visual Studio Community 2015
Version 14.0.25431.01 Update 3
Microsoft .NET Framework
Version 4.6.01586

JetBrains ReSharper Ultimate 2017.1    Build 108.0.20170402.75312
JetBrains ReSharper Ultimate package for Microsoft Visual Studio. For more information about ReSharper Ultimate, visit http://www.jetbrains.com/resharper. Copyright © 2017 JetBrains, Inc.

The fix so far has been to disable R# for the F# project folder, and also for the *.fs files.
It seems to work well when working on both the C# and the F# project.

Ref:
http://stgaup.blogspot.no/2017/04/visual-studio-2015-freezes-when.html

 

Edited by Permanently deleted user
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Why the F do we give you money for this kind of pain and unreliability?

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I started experiencing crash (entire Visual Studio UI went black) after ReSharper 2016.x with both Visual Studio 2015 update 3 and the latest Visual Studio 2017.

The situation is getting worse recently (at least one crash a day) so I uninstalled ReSharper 2017.1.2 from VS 2015 update 3 couple days ago in order to isolate the problem. Crash stopped!

Indeed, it was ReSharper causing the crashes. ReSharper was like a drug to me and I am detoxing now lol Feeling good...

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I'm not sure whats going on with R# but its been unusable for me for the last 5 weeks or so.  This is in VS2015 and even more so in VS2017.  

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R# C++ 2017.1.3 is cousing VS2013 C++ hangs after switching solution configuration from Release to Debug (while updating source files). Task Manager is showing that Devenv.exe (VS process) has reached the limit of 3GB of memory use. When I quickly Suspend R# after switching solution configuration and then Resume, everything looks OK.

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After previously complaining of R# + VS 2015 I just installed a trial of Rider, have to say so far it's a night and day comparison. I can turn on full solution analysis again and it's still using half the memory of VS. I think the biggest reason R# and VS don't work so well together with big projects is that VS is still a 32 bit process. VS and R# just end up competing with each other for memory and for R# to work at all it has to cache and spends most of it's time paging to and from disk. Anyway, just my two cents for those in a similar boat.

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Using 2019.1.1 with vs.net 2019.  It is freezing Visual Studio a lot.  I believe today and it is only 943am it has crashed my VS 4 times.  

It appears to be happening when it is accessing intellisense options.  I am not explicitly using any R# features.

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First of all this used to never happen like 2 years ago.

I have noticed that the larger the code base, the more generics I use, with abstract classes in C# the slower my visual studio gets, and then Visual Studio 2019 prompts up that ReShaper by jet brains is doing this, and if I would like to disable the extensions. Being that I paying for a license I use daily I stick to no, SO FAR.

When this is almost guaranteed to happen is when I have to refactor code such that:

I have to change the signature of a method in an abstract class and then class by class changing it. I can never get through without a crash.

VS suspends the thread while the good ol' Dr. Watson starts writing out the report. I ain't got time for that. 

Is there a way for ReSharper to slow itself down to not start checking syntax right away. Say give it 2 seconds as I type or copy and paste the new signatures per class?

Edited by Permanently deleted user
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Same as Michael. Over the last year or so, things went from bad to worst.

I used to have Visual Studio and Resharper working well but those days are gone !

I originally blamed my PC and upgraded it to be overkill (24 thread CPU, 32Go Ram, 4Go/s SSD on read/write) but I still have the same laggy experience with lots of VS freezing.

Resharper team, please fix it !

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I must be crazy. I'm doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results. I keep paying JetBrains for Resharper Ultimate thinking, "Maybe they'll resolve the slowness issues, and VS freezing issues, and VS crashing, and everything." But it never happens. I bought ReSharper because, supposedly, it's going to save me a lot of time (and hence, money--more time and money than the subscription costs). But really, I don't think Resharper has saved me ANY time, and therefore, has actually cost me more--Subscription price + my time WAITING for Visual Studio to do ANYTHING useful.

I've about had it with Resharper. You guys have had too many excuses for too long for the poor performance this extension causes to Visual Studio.

Edited by Permanently deleted user
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I noticed a pattern and this might help you guys. Whenever either Microsoft releases a big VS patch or ReSharper releases a newer version this happens. Once I update either one, things kind of calm down. Last time my ReSharper menu texts disappeared and I had to use the search box to "guess" what to pick. After I updated to the newer release of ReShaper it came back to normal. Which means indirectly you have to keep subscribed. Why cant Microsoft and JetBrains just play nice.

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I keep up to date with both Visual Studio and Resharper. Visual Studio because they add more features and/or fix some bugs. Resharper, because I keep HOPING that FINALLY this'll be THE RELEASE that solves the perf problems. Alas, it's as elusive as the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

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I'm working on a large solution with around 60 projects, in the latest version of Visual Studio 2019 with ReSharper Ultimate. It's painfully slow and unstable - extract an interface and everything freezes, then I may or may not be able to save the file before Visual Studio vanishes from the screen then restarts. Generate a derived class and the same thing - freeze, wait, crash, restart. Type a bit, wait to see whether the IDE will accept what I've typed, or freeze and restart again, or pop up some big intrusive intellisense list that I have to clear before I can continue. Visual Studio constantly shows performance warnings about ReSharper at the top of the screen, and about every 15 minutes the whole IDE crashes. I have followed all the performance tips, disabled background solution analysis and so on, and still this is the most unstable I can remember VS+ReSharper ever being in more than 10 years of using them together. It's like this on 3 machines I use. I may have to disable ReSharper altogether and get by without it, because there's no point in a time-saving tool that wastes so much time.

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Although not directly reproducible I've found that undertaking an extensive refactor (using R# own features ironically) is a sure fire way to destabilise things. After an hour or so VS will start pausing for half a second every few key presses then it progresses to VS will just pausing for many seconds, showing the wait cursor. After a few of those VS will silently crash.

It's as predictable as sunrise and has been that way for a couple of years now. As I've said elsewhere the benefits of R# still outweigh the (many) disadvantages but the gap is closing.

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