[RESOLVED] Cannot open or create forms : "External component has thrown an exception"

I have been using VS 2005 for several months now with no problems. I am not aware of changing anything on my machine, but now whenever I try to open an existing project or create a new Windows application project, I get a message that says "External component has thrown an exception". I have included the details from just trying to create a new project from scratch. I can view the code just fine, but the Design side is showing the errors.

What has happened to my .NET environment to start causing this? Please help!

-Ed.

External component has thrown an exception.
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at System.Utf8String.GetUtf8StringByteLength(Void* pUtf8String)
at System.Utf8String..ctor(Void* pStringHeap)
at System.RuntimeMethodHandle.GetUtf8Name()
at System.RuntimeType.RuntimeTypeCache.MemberInfoCache`1.PopulateConstructors(Filter filter)
at System.RuntimeType.RuntimeTypeCache.MemberInfoCache`1.Populate(String name, MemberListType listType, CacheType cacheType)
at System.RuntimeType.RuntimeTypeCache.MemberInfoCache`1.GetMemberList(MemberListType listType, String name, CacheType cacheType)
at System.RuntimeType.GetConstructorCandidates(String name, BindingFlags bindingAttr, CallingConventions callConv, Type[] types, Boolean allowPrefixLookup)
at System.RuntimeType.GetConstructorImpl(BindingFlags bindingAttr, Binder binder, CallingConventions callConvention, Type[] types, ParameterModifier[] modifiers)
at System.Type.GetConstructor(BindingFlags bindingAttr, Binder binder, Type[] types, ParameterModifier[] modifiers)
at Microsoft.VisualStudio.Shell.Package.GetDialogPage(Type dialogPageType)
at Microsoft.VisualStudio.Shell.Package.GetAutomationObject(String name)
at Microsoft.VisualStudio.Shell.Package.Microsoft.VisualStudio.Shell.Interop.IVsPackage.GetAutomationOb ject(String propName, Object& auto)
at Microsoft.VisualStudio.Design.VSDesignerOptionService.PopulateOptionCollection(DesignerOptionCollect ion options)
at System.ComponentModel.Design.DesignerOptionService.DesignerOptionCollection.EnsurePopulated()
at System.ComponentModel.Design.DesignerOptionService.DesignerOptionCollection.get_Properties()
at System.ComponentModel.Design.DesignerOptionService.DesignerOptionCollection.get_Properties()
at System.Windows.Forms.Design.DesignerUtils.UseSnapLines(IServiceProvider provider)
at System.Windows.Forms.Design.ParentControlDesigner.get_DefaultUseSnapLines()
at System.Windows.Forms.Design.ParentControlDesigner.PreFilterProperties(IDictionary properties)
at System.Windows.Forms.Design.DocumentDesigner.PreFilterProperties(IDictionary properties)
at System.Windows.Forms.Design.FormDocumentDesigner.PreFilterProperties(IDictionary properties)
at System.ComponentModel.Design.ComponentDesigner.System.ComponentModel.Design.IDesignerFilter.PreFilte rProperties(IDictionary properties)
at System.ComponentModel.Design.TypeDescriptorFilterService.System.ComponentModel.Design.ITypeDescripto rFilterService.FilterProperties(IComponent component, IDictionary properties)
at System.ComponentModel.TypeDescriptor.PipelineFilter(Int32 pipelineType, ICollection members, Object instance, IDictionary cache)
at System.ComponentModel.TypeDescriptor.GetPropertiesImpl(Object component, Attribute[] attributes, Boolean noCustomTypeDesc, Boolean noAttributes)
at System.ComponentModel.TypeDescriptor.GetProperties(Object component)
at System.ComponentModel.Design.ComponentDesigner.InitializeInheritedProperties(Boolean rootComponent)
at System.ComponentModel.Design.ComponentDesigner.Initialize(IComponent component)
at System.Windows.Forms.Design.ControlDesigner.Initialize(IComponent component)
at System.Windows.Forms.Design.ParentControlDesigner.Initialize(IComponent component)
at System.Windows.Forms.Design.DocumentDesigner.Initialize(IComponent component)
at System.Windows.Forms.Design.FormDocumentDesigner.Initialize(IComponent component)
at System.ComponentModel.Design.DesignerHost.AddToContainerPostProcess(IComponent component, String name, IContainer containerToAddTo)
at System.ComponentModel.Design.DesignerHost.Add(IComponent component, String name)
at System.ComponentModel.Design.DesignerHost.System.ComponentModel.Design.IDesignerHost.CreateComponent (Type componentType, String name)
at System.ComponentModel.Design.Serialization.DesignerSerializationManager.CreateInstance(Type type, ICollection arguments, String name, Boolean addToContainer)
at System.ComponentModel.Design.Serialization.DesignerSerializationManager.System.ComponentModel.Design .Serialization.IDesignerSerializationManager.CreateInstance(Type type, ICollection arguments, String name, Boolean addToContainer)
at System.ComponentModel.Design.Serialization.TypeCodeDomSerializer.Deserialize(IDesignerSerializationM anager manager, CodeTypeDeclaration declaration)
at System.ComponentModel.Design.Serialization.CodeDomDesignerLoader.PerformLoad(IDesignerSerializationM anager manager)
at Microsoft.VisualStudio.Design.Serialization.CodeDom.VSCodeDomDesignerLoader.PerformLoad(IDesignerSer ializationManager serializationManager)
at Microsoft.VisualStudio.Design.Serialization.CodeDom.VSCodeDomDesignerLoader.DeferredLoadHandler.Micr osoft.VisualStudio.TextManager.Interop.IVsTextBufferDataEvents.OnLoadCompleted(Int32 fReload)