diff --git a/tools/cpp/vc_path_not_found.bat b/tools/cpp/vc_installation_error.bat.tpl
similarity index 88%
rename from tools/cpp/vc_path_not_found.bat
rename to tools/cpp/vc_installation_error.bat.tpl
index 18e3581..cb44b14 100644
--- a/tools/cpp/vc_path_not_found.bat
+++ b/tools/cpp/vc_installation_error.bat.tpl
@@ -17,7 +17,8 @@
 
 echo. 1>&2
 echo The target you are compiling requires Visual C++ build tools. 1>&2
-echo Bazel couldn't find Visual C++ build tools on your machine. 1>&2
+echo Bazel couldn't find a valid Visual C++ build tools installation on your machine. 1>&2
+%{vc_error_message}
 echo Please check your installation following https://docs.bazel.build/versions/master/windows.html#using 1>&2
 echo. 1>&2
 
diff --git a/tools/cpp/windows_cc_configure.bzl b/tools/cpp/windows_cc_configure.bzl
index 7381c11..1a49b2c 100644
--- a/tools/cpp/windows_cc_configure.bzl
+++ b/tools/cpp/windows_cc_configure.bzl
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@
 
   # 2. Check if VS%VS_VERSION%COMNTOOLS is set, if true then try to find and use
   # vcvarsqueryregistry.bat to detect VC++.
-  auto_configure_warning("Looking for VS%VERSION%COMNTOOLS environment variables," +
+  auto_configure_warning("Looking for VS%VERSION%COMNTOOLS environment variables, " +
                          "eg. VS140COMNTOOLS")
   for vscommontools_env in ["VS140COMNTOOLS", "VS120COMNTOOLS",
                             "VS110COMNTOOLS", "VS100COMNTOOLS", "VS90COMNTOOLS"]:
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@
             vc_dir = line[line.find("REG_SZ") + len("REG_SZ"):].strip() + suffix
 
   if not vc_dir:
-    return "visual-studio-not-found"
+    return None
   auto_configure_warning("Visual C++ build tools found at %s" % vc_dir)
   return vc_dir
 
@@ -185,7 +185,8 @@
     vcvarsall = vc_path + "\\VCVARSALL.BAT"
 
   if not repository_ctx.path(vcvarsall).exists:
-    auto_configure_fail(vcvarsall + " doesn't exist, please check your VC++ installation")
+    return None
+
   return vcvarsall
 
 
@@ -214,7 +215,7 @@
     # C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2017\BuildTools\VC\Tools\MSVC\14.10.24930\bin\HostX64\x64
     dirs = repository_ctx.path(vc_path + "\\Tools\\MSVC").readdir()
     if len(dirs) < 1:
-      auto_configure_fail("VC++ build tools directory not found under " + vc_path + "\\Tools\\MSVC")
+      return None
     # Normally there should be only one child directory under %VC_PATH%\TOOLS\MSVC,
     # but iterate every directory to be more robust.
     for path in dirs:
@@ -227,9 +228,22 @@
     tool_path = vc_path + "\\bin\\amd64\\" + tool
 
   if not repository_ctx.path(tool_path).exists:
-    auto_configure_fail(tool_path + " not found, please check your VC++ installation.")
+    return None
+
   return tool_path
 
+def _find_missing_vc_tools(repository_ctx, vc_path):
+  """Check if any required tool is missing under given VC path."""
+  missing_tools = []
+  if not _find_vcvarsall_bat_script(repository_ctx, vc_path):
+    missing_tools.append("VCVARSALL.BAT")
+
+  for tool in ["cl.exe", "link.exe", "lib.exe", "ml64.exe"]:
+    if not find_msvc_tool(repository_ctx, vc_path, tool):
+      missing_tools.append(tool)
+
+  return missing_tools
+
 
 def _is_support_whole_archive(repository_ctx, vc_path):
   """Run MSVC linker alone to see if it supports /WHOLEARCHIVE."""
@@ -296,9 +310,23 @@
   repository_ctx.symlink(Label("@bazel_tools//tools/cpp:BUILD.static"), "BUILD")
 
   vc_path = find_vc_path(repository_ctx)
-  if vc_path == "visual-studio-not-found":
-    vc_path_error_script = "vc_path_not_found.bat"
-    repository_ctx.symlink(Label("@bazel_tools//tools/cpp:vc_path_not_found.bat"), vc_path_error_script)
+  missing_tools = None
+  vc_installation_error_script = "vc_installation_error.bat"
+  if not vc_path:
+    tpl(repository_ctx, vc_installation_error_script, {"%{vc_error_message}" : ""})
+  else:
+    missing_tools = _find_missing_vc_tools(repository_ctx, vc_path)
+    if missing_tools:
+      tpl(repository_ctx, vc_installation_error_script, {
+        "%{vc_error_message}" : "\r\n".join([
+          "echo. 1>&2",
+          "echo Visual C++ build tools seems to be installed at %s 1>&2" % vc_path,
+          "echo But Bazel can't find the following tools: 1>&2",
+          "echo     %s 1>&2" % ", ".join(missing_tools),
+          "echo. 1>&2",
+      ])})
+
+  if not vc_path or missing_tools:
     tpl(repository_ctx, "CROSSTOOL", {
         "%{cpu}": "x64_windows",
         "%{default_toolchain_name}": "msvc_x64",
@@ -307,14 +335,18 @@
         "%{msvc_env_path}": "",
         "%{msvc_env_include}": "",
         "%{msvc_env_lib}": "",
-        "%{msvc_cl_path}": vc_path_error_script,
-        "%{msvc_link_path}": vc_path_error_script,
-        "%{msvc_lib_path}": vc_path_error_script,
+        "%{msvc_cl_path}": vc_installation_error_script,
+        "%{msvc_ml_path}": vc_installation_error_script,
+        "%{msvc_link_path}": vc_installation_error_script,
+        "%{msvc_lib_path}": vc_installation_error_script,
+        "%{dbg_mode_debug}": "/DEBUG",
+        "%{fastbuild_mode_debug}": "/DEBUG",
         "%{compilation_mode_content}": "",
         "%{content}": _get_escaped_windows_msys_crosstool_content(repository_ctx),
         "%{msys_x64_mingw_content}": _get_escaped_windows_msys_crosstool_content(repository_ctx, use_mingw = True),
         "%{opt_content}": "",
         "%{dbg_content}": "",
+        "%{link_content}": "",
         "%{cxx_builtin_include_directory}": "",
         "%{coverage}": "",
     })