VS2015 WPF Designer Failed to load FileLoadException HRESULT: 0x80131040

Question

I am creating a WPF project in VS2015, every thing works, even app compiles and runs successfully, but I couldn't load the designer. I am getting the following Exception:

System.IO.FileLoadException Could not load file or assembly 'Microsoft.Windows.Design.Interaction, Version=4.3.0.0, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a' or one of its dependencies. The located assembly's manifest definition does not match the assembly reference. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x80131040) at System.Reflection.RuntimeAssembly._nLoad(AssemblyName fileName, String codeBase, Evidence assemblySecurity, RuntimeAssembly locationHint, StackCrawlMark& stackMark, IntPtr pPrivHostBinder, Boolean throwOnFileNotFound, Boolean forIntrospection, Boolean suppressSecurityChecks) at System.Reflection.RuntimeAssembly.nLoad(AssemblyName fileName, String codeBase, Evidence assemblySecurity, RuntimeAssembly locationHint, StackCrawlMark& stackMark, IntPtr pPrivHostBinder, Boolean throwOnFileNotFound, Boolean forIntrospection, Boolean suppressSecurityChecks) at System.Reflection.RuntimeAssembly.InternalLoadAssemblyName(AssemblyName assemblyRef, Evidence assemblySecurity, RuntimeAssembly reqAssembly, StackCrawlMark& stackMark, IntPtr pPrivHostBinder, Boolean throwOnFileNotFound, Boolean forIntrospection, Boolean suppressSecurityChecks) at System.Reflection.Assembly.Load(AssemblyName assemblyRef) at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.DesignerContract.Isolation.Primitives.AppDomainFactory.AddBindingRedirectForAssembly(String assemblyName, String publicKeyToken, String oldVersion, String newVersion) at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.DesignerContract.Isolation.Primitives.AppDomainFactory.ConfigureMandatoryAssemblies() at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.DesignerContract.Isolation.Primitives.AppDomainFactory.ConfigureAppDomain() at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.DesignerContract.Isolation.Primitives.AppDomainFactory.CreateAppDomainInfo() at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.DesignerContract.Isolation.Primitives.ProcessDomainFactory.CreateIsolationDomain(IIsolationBoundary boundary) at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.DesignerContract.Isolation.Primitives.IsolationBoundary.Initialize() at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.DesignerContract.Isolation.Primitives.IsolationBoundary.CreateInstance[T](Type type) at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.DesignerContract.Isolation.IsolatedObjectFactory.Initialize() at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.DesignerHost.Services.VSIsolationService.CreateObjectFactory(IIsolationTarget isolationTarget, IObjectCatalog catalog) at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.DesignerContract.Isolation.IsolationService.CreateLease(IIsolationTarget isolationTarget) at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.DesignerContract.IsolatedDesignerService.CreateLease(IIsolationTarget isolationTarget, CancellationToken cancelToken, DesignerServiceEntry& entry, IServiceProvider serviceOverrides) at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.DesignerContract.IsolatedDesignerService.IsolatedDesignerView.CreateDesignerViewInfo(CancellationToken cancelToken) at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.DesignerContract.Isolation.IsolatedTaskScheduler.InvokeWithCulture[T](CultureInfo culture, Func2 func, CancellationToken cancelToken) at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.DesignerContract.Isolation.IsolatedTaskScheduler.<>c__DisplayClass10_01.b__0() at System.Threading.Tasks.Task`1.InnerInvoke() at System.Threading.Tasks.Task.Execute()

Anything else is working fine, just the designer isn't loading up.

It is a VS assembly, stored in the common7\ide\publicassemblies directory. This shouldn't go wrong of course. Check if the drive is still healthy and do the repair/reinstall dance. — Hans Passant
May be this will help: social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/sqlserver/en-US/… — Isma

Hashir Baig Hashir Baig · Accepted Answer · 2017-10-29T11:03:17

Ok So Re-installing VS2015 with Standard Settings did the job for me. Everything is working fine now.

Cause of issue: I had previously installed VS with custom options and only Web tools selected. That's why few packages were missing. So re-installing with Standard settings did the work.

VS2015 WPF Designer Failed to load FileLoadException HRESULT: 0x80131040

1 Answers