"Failed to open descriptor file" & "Cannot find or open the PDB file"

Hey there,

I was originally having this issue with a game I’m working on, but now I can’t even build the provided “3rd person” example project without having this issue. All I am trying to do is create a “DebugGameEditor” build from within VS2013 Community, but every time I attempt a build I get these errors:

'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\Epic Games\4.8\Engine\Binaries\Win64\UE4Editor.exe'. Symbols loaded.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\ntdll.dll'. Cannot find or open the PDB file.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\kernel32.dll'. Cannot find or open the PDB file.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\KernelBase.dll'. Cannot find or open the PDB file.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\Epic Games\4.8\Engine\Binaries\Win64\UE4Editor-Core.dll'. Symbols loaded.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\Epic Games\4.8\Engine\Binaries\Win64\UE4Editor-CoreUObject.dll'. Symbols loaded.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\Epic Games\4.8\Engine\Binaries\Win64\UE4Editor-Engine.dll'. Symbols loaded.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\Epic Games\4.8\Engine\Binaries\Win64\UE4Editor-InputCore.dll'. Symbols loaded.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\Epic Games\4.8\Engine\Binaries\Win64\UE4Editor-MoviePlayer.dll'. Symbols loaded.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\Epic Games\4.8\Engine\Binaries\Win64\UE4Editor-Projects.dll'. Symbols loaded.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\Epic Games\4.8\Engine\Binaries\Win64\UE4Editor-RenderCore.dll'. Symbols loaded.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\Epic Games\4.8\Engine\Binaries\Win64\UE4Editor-RHI.dll'. Symbols loaded.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\Epic Games\4.8\Engine\Binaries\Win64\UE4Editor-ShaderCore.dll'. Symbols loaded.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\Epic Games\4.8\Engine\Binaries\Win64\UE4Editor-Slate.dll'. Symbols loaded.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\Epic Games\4.8\Engine\Binaries\Win64\UE4Editor-SlateCore.dll'. Symbols loaded.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\Epic Games\4.8\Engine\Binaries\Win64\UE4Editor-UnrealEd.dll'. Symbols loaded.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\msvcr120.dll'. Cannot find or open the PDB file.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\dbghelp.dll'. Cannot find or open the PDB file.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\winmm.dll'. Cannot find or open the PDB file.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\user32.dll'. Cannot find or open the PDB file.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\gdi32.dll'. Cannot find or open the PDB file.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\advapi32.dll'. Cannot find or open the PDB file.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\shell32.dll'. Cannot find or open the PDB file.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\ole32.dll'. Cannot find or open the PDB file.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\oleaut32.dll'. Cannot find or open the PDB file.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\netapi32.dll'. Cannot find or open the PDB file.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\IPHLPAPI.DLL'. Cannot find or open the PDB file.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\setupapi.dll'. Cannot find or open the PDB file.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\dwmapi.dll'. Cannot find or open the PDB file.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\imm32.dll'. Cannot find or open the PDB file.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\xinput1_3.dll'. Cannot find or open the PDB file.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\msvcp120.dll'. Cannot find or open the PDB file.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\wer.dll'. Cannot find or open the PDB file.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\version.dll'. Cannot find or open the PDB file.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\shlwapi.dll'. Cannot find or open the PDB file.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\psapi.dll'. Cannot find or open the PDB file.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\powrprof.dll'. Cannot find or open the PDB file.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\Epic Games\4.8\Engine\Binaries\Win64\UE4Editor-AppFramework.dll'. Symbols loaded.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\Epic Games\4.8\Engine\Binaries\Win64\UE4Editor-Landscape.dll'. Symbols loaded.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\Epic Games\4.8\Engine\Binaries\Win64\UE4Editor-UMG.dll'. Symbols loaded.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\Epic Games\4.8\Engine\Binaries\Win64\UE4Editor-Internationalization.dll'. Symbols loaded.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\Epic Games\4.8\Engine\Binaries\Win64\UE4Editor-ImageCore.dll'. Symbols loaded.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\Epic Games\4.8\Engine\Binaries\Win64\UE4Editor-RawMesh.dll'. Symbols loaded.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\Epic Games\4.8\Engine\Binaries\Win64\UE4Editor-Navmesh.dll'. Symbols loaded.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\Epic Games\4.8\Engine\Binaries\Win64\UE4Editor-Json.dll'. Symbols loaded.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\Epic Games\4.8\Engine\Binaries\Win64\UE4Editor-EngineMessages.dll'. Symbols loaded.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\Epic Games\4.8\Engine\Binaries\Win64\UE4Editor-EngineSettings.dll'. Symbols loaded.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\Epic Games\4.8\Engine\Binaries\Win64\UE4Editor-AIModule.dll'. Symbols loaded.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\Epic Games\4.8\Engine\Binaries\Win64\UE4Editor-Kismet.dll'. Symbols loaded.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\Epic Games\4.8\Engine\Binaries\Win64\libfbxsdk.dll'. Module was built without symbols.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\Epic Games\4.8\Engine\Binaries\Win64\UE4Editor-AnimGraph.dll'. Symbols loaded.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\Epic Games\4.8\Engine\Binaries\Win64\UE4Editor-BlueprintGraph.dll'. Symbols loaded.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\Epic Games\4.8\Engine\Binaries\Win64\UE4Editor-OnlineSubsystem.dll'. Symbols loaded.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\Epic Games\4.8\Engine\Binaries\Win64\UE4Editor-DesktopPlatform.dll'. Symbols loaded.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\Epic Games\4.8\Engine\Binaries\Win64\UE4Editor-EditorStyle.dll'. Symbols loaded.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\Epic Games\4.8\Engine\Binaries\Win64\UE4Editor-MaterialEditor.dll'. Symbols loaded.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\Epic Games\4.8\Engine\Binaries\Win64\UE4Editor-PakFile.dll'. Symbols loaded.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\Epic Games\4.8\Engine\Binaries\Win64\UE4Editor-PropertyEditor.dll'. Symbols loaded.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\Epic Games\4.8\Engine\Binaries\Win64\UE4Editor-SoundClassEditor.dll'. Symbols loaded.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\Epic Games\4.8\Engine\Binaries\Win64\UE4Editor-SoundCueEditor.dll'. Symbols loaded.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\Epic Games\4.8\Engine\Binaries\Win64\UE4Editor-StatsViewer.dll'. Symbols loaded.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\Epic Games\4.8\Engine\Binaries\Win64\UE4Editor-SwarmInterface.dll'. Symbols loaded.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\Epic Games\4.8\Engine\Binaries\Win64\UE4Editor-GraphEditor.dll'. Symbols loaded.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\Epic Games\4.8\Engine\Binaries\Win64\UE4Editor-Foliage.dll'. Symbols loaded.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\Epic Games\4.8\Engine\Binaries\Win64\UE4Editor-SandboxFile.dll'. Symbols loaded.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\Epic Games\4.8\Engine\Binaries\Win64\UE4Editor-SourceControl.dll'. Symbols loaded.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\Epic Games\4.8\Engine\Binaries\Win64\UE4Editor-UnrealEdMessages.dll'. Symbols loaded.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\Epic Games\4.8\Engine\Binaries\Win64\UE4Editor-HTTP.dll'. Symbols loaded.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\Epic Games\4.8\Engine\Binaries\Win64\UE4Editor-UnrealAudio.dll'. Symbols loaded.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\Epic Games\4.8\Engine\Binaries\Win64\UE4Editor-Niagara.dll'. Symbols loaded.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\msvcrt.dll'. Cannot find or open the PDB file.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\winmmbase.dll'. Cannot find or open the PDB file.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\sechost.dll'. Cannot find or open the PDB file.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\rpcrt4.dll'. Cannot find or open the PDB file.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\combase.dll'. Cannot find or open the PDB file.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\netutils.dll'. Cannot find or open the PDB file.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\srvcli.dll'. Cannot find or open the PDB file.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\wkscli.dll'. Cannot find or open the PDB file.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\nsi.dll'. Cannot find or open the PDB file.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\winnsi.dll'. Cannot find or open the PDB file.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\cfgmgr32.dll'. Cannot find or open the PDB file.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\msctf.dll'. Cannot find or open the PDB file.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\Epic Games\4.8\Engine\Binaries\Win64\UE4Editor-Renderer.dll'. Symbols loaded.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\Epic Games\4.8\Engine\Binaries\Win64\UE4Editor-MovieSceneCore.dll'. Symbols loaded.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\Epic Games\4.8\Engine\Binaries\Win64\UE4Editor-GameplayTags.dll'. Symbols loaded.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\Epic Games\4.8\Engine\Binaries\Win64\UE4Editor-KismetWidgets.dll'. Symbols loaded.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\Epic Games\4.8\Engine\Binaries\Win64\UE4Editor-JsonUtilities.dll'. Symbols loaded.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\Epic Games\4.8\Engine\Binaries\Win64\UE4Editor-KismetCompiler.dll'. Symbols loaded.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\Epic Games\4.8\Engine\Binaries\Win64\UE4Editor-Sockets.dll'. Symbols loaded.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\comdlg32.dll'. Cannot find or open the PDB file.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\Epic Games\4.8\Engine\Binaries\Win64\UE4Editor-EditorWidgets.dll'. Symbols loaded.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\Epic Games\4.8\Engine\Binaries\Win64\UE4Editor-ActorPickerMode.dll'. Symbols loaded.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\mscoree.dll'. Cannot find or open the PDB file.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\wininet.dll'. Cannot find or open the PDB file.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\ws2_32.dll'. Cannot find or open the PDB file.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\Wldap32.dll'. Cannot find or open the PDB file.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\normaliz.dll'. Cannot find or open the PDB file.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\Epic Games\4.8\Engine\Binaries\Win64\UE4Editor-VectorVM.dll'. Symbols loaded.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\devobj.dll'. Cannot find or open the PDB file.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\Epic Games\4.8\Engine\Binaries\Win64\UE4Editor-UtilityShaders.dll'. Symbols loaded.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\Epic Games\4.8\Engine\Binaries\Win64\UE4Editor-MovieSceneTools.dll'. Symbols loaded.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Windows\WinSxS\amd64_microsoft.windows.common-controls_6595b64144ccf1df_6.0.9600.17810_none_6240b9c7ecbd0bda\comctl32.dll'. Cannot find or open the PDB file.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\iertutil.dll'. Cannot find or open the PDB file.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\userenv.dll'. Cannot find or open the PDB file.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\Epic Games\4.8\Engine\Binaries\Win64\UE4Editor-MovieSceneCoreTypes.dll'. Symbols loaded.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\profapi.dll'. Cannot find or open the PDB file.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\SHCore.dll'. Cannot find or open the PDB file.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\cryptbase.dll'. Cannot find or open the PDB file.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\bcryptprimitives.dll'. Cannot find or open the PDB file.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\VSPerf120.dll'. Cannot find or open the PDB file.
First-chance exception at 0x00007FFBD7F08B9C in UE4Editor.exe: Microsoft C++ exception: xSharedMemoryException at memory location 0x00000016BCA1E7A0.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\Epic Games\4.8\Engine\Binaries\Win64\UE4Editor-StreamingFile.dll'. Symbols loaded.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\Epic Games\4.8\Engine\Binaries\Win64\UE4Editor-NetworkFile.dll'. Symbols loaded.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\Epic Games\4.8\Engine\Binaries\ThirdParty\ICU\icu4c-53_1\Win64\VS2013\icudt53.dll'. Module was built without symbols.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\Epic Games\4.8\Engine\Binaries\ThirdParty\ICU\icu4c-53_1\Win64\VS2013\icuuc53.dll'. Module was built without symbols.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\Epic Games\4.8\Engine\Binaries\ThirdParty\ICU\icu4c-53_1\Win64\VS2013\icuin53.dll'. Module was built without symbols.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\Epic Games\4.8\Engine\Binaries\ThirdParty\ICU\icu4c-53_1\Win64\VS2013\icule53.dll'. Module was built without symbols.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\Epic Games\4.8\Engine\Binaries\ThirdParty\ICU\icu4c-53_1\Win64\VS2013\iculx53.dll'. Module was built without symbols.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\Epic Games\4.8\Engine\Binaries\ThirdParty\ICU\icu4c-53_1\Win64\VS2013\icuio53.dll'. Module was built without symbols.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\uxtheme.dll'. Cannot find or open the PDB file.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\Common Files\microsoft shared\ink\tiptsf.dll'. Cannot find or open the PDB file.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\kernel.appcore.dll'. Cannot find or open the PDB file.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\oleacc.dll'. Cannot find or open the PDB file.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Windows\System32\clbcatq.dll'. Cannot find or open the PDB file.
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Unloaded 'C:\Program Files\Epic Games\4.8\Engine\Binaries\ThirdParty\ICU\icu4c-53_1\Win64\VS2013\icule53.dll'
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Unloaded 'C:\Program Files\Epic Games\4.8\Engine\Binaries\ThirdParty\ICU\icu4c-53_1\Win64\VS2013\iculx53.dll'
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Unloaded 'C:\Program Files\Epic Games\4.8\Engine\Binaries\ThirdParty\ICU\icu4c-53_1\Win64\VS2013\icuin53.dll'
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Unloaded 'C:\Program Files\Epic Games\4.8\Engine\Binaries\ThirdParty\ICU\icu4c-53_1\Win64\VS2013\icuio53.dll'
'UE4Editor.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework64\v4.0.30319\mscoreei.dll'. Cannot find or open the PDB file.
The program '[6684] UE4Editor.exe' has exited with code 1 (0x1).

and then this error pops up:

51518-error.jpg

I’ve tried rebuilding the project and deleting the intermediate folder, etc… but like I said, I’m having this issue with an empty “3rd person” example project.

I’m going to go ahead and reinstall UE4 and VS now I guess?

I never had any issues up until today, so I don’t know what changed? Is this related to the 4.8.2 update?

Many thanks in advance!

I did a fresh install of 4.8.2 and the problem still persists…

Well my problem went away, but only after the following actions.

  • Rebooted approximately 4x10^23 times
  • Recreated the vanilla “Third Person” example project approximately 3x10^11 times
  • Reinstalled UE4.8.2
  • Reinstalled VS 2013 v4.5.51641

TL;DR; I’m fairly confident the update from 4.8.1 to 4.8.2 caused my problem.