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Enable NuGet package restore on the build server

When trying to build a project on our TFS build server, it failed with the following error message:

c:\b\1\AppName\.nuget\nuget.targets (88): Package restore is disabled by default. To give consent, open the Visual Studio Options dialog, click on Package Manager node and check 'Allow NuGet to download missing packages during build.' You can also give consent by setting the environment variable 'EnableNuGetPackageRestore' to 'true'.

For licensing reasons you have to give consent at least once when using NuGet. The exception message already points us to the solution: we need to add an environment variable.

To do this, log into the build server and execute the following steps:

  1. Click Start and right-click on Computer.
  2. Choose Properties from the context menu
  3. Choose Advanced System Settings from the System window.
  4. Choose the Advanced tab in the System Properties window and click the Environment Variables button.
  5. In the System Variables section, click the "New..." button.
  6. Enter "EnableNuGetPackageRestore" for the "Variable name" field
  7. Enter "true" for the "Variable value" field and click the OK button.
  8. Restart the TFS build service(or server) and retry your build

The error should be gone…

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