“Invalid License Data” after VS 11 Beta to VS 2012 RC Upgrade

clip_image001We’ve been seeing reports of some users hitting an “Invalid License Data” error on VS startup after upgrading from VS 11 Beta to VS 2012 RC. This could be due to upgrading from a “higher” Beta SKU (e.g. Ultimate) to a “lower” RC SKU (e.g. Professional).

Fortunately, the fix is simple. Go to the Windows Programs and Features control panel and uninstall the Visual Studio 11 Beta.