In MVC 5, why do I get the exception "Could not load file or assembly 'System.Web.Mvc, Version=4.0.0.0'"?

1
votes

I get this error while running my project:

Could not load file or assembly 'System.Web.Mvc, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35' or one of its dependencies. The located assembly's manifest definition does not match the assembly reference. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x80131040)

The reason why my question is different because, we are not referencing MVC 4.0 anywhere. Instead we keep getting that MVC 4.0 could not be loaded.

BTW - we are using MVC 5. All the libraries are referencing properly in NuGet.

I am also including the stack trace in YSOD:

[FileLoadException: Could not load file or assembly 'System.Web.Mvc, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35' or one of its dependencies. The located assembly's manifest definition does not match the assembly reference. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x80131040)]
   JLL.BTP.Host.Spider.App_Start.UnityWebActivator.Start() in C:\SourceCode\BrokerToolKit\Epic\Projects\JLL.BTP.Host.Spider\App_Start\UnityMvcActivator.cs:20

Guys below is my .csproj references:

<ItemGroup>
      <Reference Include="AutoMapper">
         <HintPath>..\..\_packages\AutoMapper.5.1.1\lib\net45\AutoMapper.dll</HintPath>
      </Reference>
      <Reference Include="EntityFramework, Version=6.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
         <HintPath>..\..\_packages\EntityFramework.6.1.3\lib\net45\EntityFramework.dll</HintPath>
         <Private>True</Private>
      </Reference>
      <Reference Include="EntityFramework.SqlServer, Version=6.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
         <HintPath>..\..\_packages\EntityFramework.6.1.3\lib\net45\EntityFramework.SqlServer.dll</HintPath>
         <Private>True</Private>
      </Reference>
      <Reference Include="log4net">
         <HintPath>..\..\_packages\log4net.2.0.0\lib\net40-full\log4net.dll</HintPath>
      </Reference>
      <Reference Include="Microsoft.ApplicationInsights">
         <HintPath>..\..\_packages\Microsoft.ApplicationInsights.0.17.0\lib\net45\Microsoft.ApplicationInsights.dll</HintPath>
      </Reference>
      <Reference Include="Microsoft.ApplicationInsights.Extensibility.PerfCollector">
         <HintPath>..\..\_packages\Microsoft.ApplicationInsights.PerfCounterCollector.0.17.0\lib\net45\Microsoft.ApplicationInsights.Extensibility.PerfCollector.dll</HintPath>
      </Reference>
      <Reference Include="Microsoft.ApplicationInsights.Extensibility.RuntimeTelemetry">
         <HintPath>..\..\_packages\Microsoft.ApplicationInsights.DependencyCollector.0.17.0\lib\net45\Microsoft.ApplicationInsights.Extensibility.RuntimeTelemetry.dll</HintPath>
      </Reference>
      <Reference Include="Microsoft.ApplicationInsights.Extensibility.Web">
         <HintPath>..\..\_packages\Microsoft.ApplicationInsights.Web.0.17.0\lib\net45\Microsoft.ApplicationInsights.Extensibility.Web.dll</HintPath>
      </Reference>
      <Reference Include="Microsoft.ApplicationInsights.Web.TelemetryChannel">
         <HintPath>..\..\_packages\Microsoft.ApplicationInsights.Web.TelemetryChannel.0.17.0\lib\net45\Microsoft.ApplicationInsights.Web.TelemetryChannel.dll</HintPath>
      </Reference>
      <Reference Include="Microsoft.CSharp" />
      <Reference Include="Microsoft.Diagnostics.Instrumentation.Extensions.Intercept, Version=0.17.0.194, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
         <HintPath>..\..\_packages\Microsoft.ApplicationInsights.Agent.Intercept.0.17.0\lib\net45\Microsoft.Diagnostics.Instrumentation.Extensions.Intercept.dll</HintPath>
         <Private>True</Private>
      </Reference>
      <Reference Include="Microsoft.IdentityModel, Version=3.5.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
         <Private>True</Private>
         <HintPath>..\..\_packages\Microsoft.IdentityModel.6.1.7600.16394\lib\net35\Microsoft.IdentityModel.dll</HintPath>
      </Reference>
      <Reference Include="Microsoft.IdentityModel.Logging, Version=1.1.3.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
         <HintPath>..\..\_packages\Microsoft.IdentityModel.Logging.1.1.3\lib\net451\Microsoft.IdentityModel.Logging.dll</HintPath>
         <Private>True</Private>
      </Reference>
      <Reference Include="Microsoft.IdentityModel.Tokens, Version=5.1.3.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
         <HintPath>..\..\_packages\Microsoft.IdentityModel.Tokens.5.1.3\lib\net451\Microsoft.IdentityModel.Tokens.dll</HintPath>
         <Private>True</Private>
      </Reference>
      <Reference Include="Microsoft.Practices.ServiceLocation">
         <HintPath>..\..\_packages\CommonServiceLocator.1.3\lib\portable-net4+sl5+netcore45+wpa81+wp8\Microsoft.Practices.ServiceLocation.dll</HintPath>
      </Reference>
      <Reference Include="Microsoft.Practices.Unity, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=6d32ff45e0ccc69f, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
         <HintPath>..\..\_packages\Unity.4.0.1\lib\net45\Microsoft.Practices.Unity.dll</HintPath>
         <Private>True</Private>
      </Reference>
      <Reference Include="Microsoft.Practices.Unity.Configuration, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=6d32ff45e0ccc69f, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
         <HintPath>..\..\_packages\Unity.4.0.1\lib\net45\Microsoft.Practices.Unity.Configuration.dll</HintPath>
         <Private>True</Private>
      </Reference>
      <Reference Include="Microsoft.Practices.Unity.Mvc, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=6d32ff45e0ccc69f, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
         <HintPath>..\..\_packages\Unity.Mvc.4.0.1\lib\net45\Microsoft.Practices.Unity.Mvc.dll</HintPath>
         <Private>True</Private>
      </Reference>
      <Reference Include="Microsoft.Practices.Unity.RegistrationByConvention, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=6d32ff45e0ccc69f, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
         <HintPath>..\..\_packages\Unity.4.0.1\lib\net45\Microsoft.Practices.Unity.RegistrationByConvention.dll</HintPath>
         <Private>True</Private>
      </Reference>
      <Reference Include="Newtonsoft.Json, Version=9.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=30ad4fe6b2a6aeed, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
         <HintPath>..\..\_packages\Newtonsoft.Json.9.0.1\lib\net45\Newtonsoft.Json.dll</HintPath>
         <Private>True</Private>
      </Reference>
      <Reference Include="System" />
      <Reference Include="System.Data" />
      <Reference Include="System.Data.DataSetExtensions" />
      <Reference Include="System.Drawing" />
      <Reference Include="System.IdentityModel" />
      <Reference Include="System.identitymodel.services" />
      <Reference Include="System.IdentityModel.Tokens.Jwt, Version=5.1.3.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
         <HintPath>..\..\_packages\System.IdentityModel.Tokens.Jwt.5.1.3\lib\net451\System.IdentityModel.Tokens.Jwt.dll</HintPath>
         <Private>True</Private>
      </Reference>
      <Reference Include="System.Net.Http.Formatting, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
         <SpecificVersion>False</SpecificVersion>
         <HintPath>..\..\_packages\Microsoft.AspNet.WebApi.Client.5.2.3\lib\net45\System.Net.Http.Formatting.dll</HintPath>
      </Reference>
      <Reference Include="System.Runtime.Serialization" />
      <Reference Include="System.ServiceModel" />
      <Reference Include="System.Web.DynamicData" />
      <Reference Include="System.Web.Entity" />
      <Reference Include="System.Web.ApplicationServices" />
      <Reference Include="System.ComponentModel.DataAnnotations" />
      <Reference Include="System.Web.Extensions" />
      <Reference Include="System.Web.Helpers, Version=3.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
         <SpecificVersion>False</SpecificVersion>
         <HintPath>..\..\_packages\Microsoft.AspNet.WebPages.3.2.3\lib\net45\System.Web.Helpers.dll</HintPath>
      </Reference>
      <Reference Include="System.Web.Http, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
         <SpecificVersion>False</SpecificVersion>
         <HintPath>..\..\_packages\Microsoft.AspNet.WebApi.Core.5.2.3\lib\net45\System.Web.Http.dll</HintPath>
      </Reference>
      <Reference Include="System.Web.Http.WebHost, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
         <SpecificVersion>False</SpecificVersion>
         <HintPath>..\..\_packages\Microsoft.AspNet.WebApi.WebHost.5.2.3\lib\net45\System.Web.Http.WebHost.dll</HintPath>
      </Reference>
      <Reference Include="System.Web.Mvc, Version=5.2.3.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
         <SpecificVersion>False</SpecificVersion>
         <HintPath>..\..\_packages\Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.5.2.3\lib\net45\System.Web.Mvc.dll</HintPath>
      </Reference>
      <Reference Include="System.Web.Optimization, Version=1.1.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
         <HintPath>..\..\_packages\Microsoft.AspNet.Web.Optimization.1.1.3\lib\net40\System.Web.Optimization.dll</HintPath>
         <Private>True</Private>
      </Reference>
      <Reference Include="System.Web.Razor, Version=3.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
         <SpecificVersion>False</SpecificVersion>
         <HintPath>..\..\_packages\Microsoft.AspNet.Razor.3.2.3\lib\net45\System.Web.Razor.dll</HintPath>
      </Reference>
      <Reference Include="System.Web.WebPages, Version=3.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
         <SpecificVersion>False</SpecificVersion>
         <HintPath>..\..\_packages\Microsoft.AspNet.WebPages.3.2.3\lib\net45\System.Web.WebPages.dll</HintPath>
      </Reference>
      <Reference Include="System.Web.WebPages.Deployment, Version=3.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
         <SpecificVersion>False</SpecificVersion>
         <HintPath>..\..\_packages\Microsoft.AspNet.WebPages.3.2.3\lib\net45\System.Web.WebPages.Deployment.dll</HintPath>
      </Reference>
      <Reference Include="System.Web.WebPages.Razor, Version=3.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
         <SpecificVersion>False</SpecificVersion>
         <HintPath>..\..\_packages\Microsoft.AspNet.WebPages.3.2.3\lib\net45\System.Web.WebPages.Razor.dll</HintPath>
      </Reference>
      <Reference Include="System.Web" />
      <Reference Include="System.Web.Abstractions" />
      <Reference Include="System.Web.Routing" />
      <Reference Include="System.Xml" />
      <Reference Include="System.Configuration">
         <Private>True</Private>
      </Reference>
      <Reference Include="System.Transactions" />
      <Reference Include="System.Web.Services" />
      <Reference Include="System.EnterpriseServices" />
      <Reference Include="Microsoft.Web.Infrastructure, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
         <Private>True</Private>
         <HintPath>..\..\_packages\Microsoft.Web.Infrastructure.1.0.0.0\lib\net40\Microsoft.Web.Infrastructure.dll</HintPath>
      </Reference>
      <Reference Include="System.Net.Http" />
      <Reference Include="System.Net.Http.WebRequest" />
      <Reference Include="System.Xml.Linq" />
      <Reference Include="Unity.WebApi, Version=5.2.3.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=43da31bc42a85347, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
         <HintPath>..\..\_packages\Unity.WebAPI.5.2.3\lib\net45\Unity.WebApi.dll</HintPath>
         <Private>True</Private>
      </Reference>
      <Reference Include="WebActivatorEx, Version=2.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=7b26dc2a43f6a0d4, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
         <HintPath>..\..\_packages\WebActivatorEx.2.0\lib\net40\WebActivatorEx.dll</HintPath>
         <Private>True</Private>
      </Reference>
      <Reference Include="WebGrease, Version=1.5.2.14234, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
         <HintPath>..\..\_packages\WebGrease.1.5.2\lib\WebGrease.dll</HintPath>
         <Private>True</Private>
      </Reference>
   </ItemGroup>

Below is my root web.config:

  <runtime>
    <assemblyBinding xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v1">
      <dependentAssembly>
        <assemblyIdentity name="System.Web.Helpers" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" />
        <bindingRedirect oldVersion="0.0.0.0-3.0.0.0" newVersion="3.0.0.0" />
      </dependentAssembly>
      <dependentAssembly>
        <assemblyIdentity name="System.Web.WebPages" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" />
        <bindingRedirect oldVersion="0.0.0.0-3.0.0.0" newVersion="3.0.0.0" />
      </dependentAssembly>
      <dependentAssembly>
        <assemblyIdentity name="System.Web.WebPages.Razor" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" culture="neutral" />
        <bindingRedirect oldVersion="0.0.0.0-3.0.0.0" newVersion="3.0.0.0" />
      </dependentAssembly>
      <dependentAssembly>
        <assemblyIdentity name="AutoMapper" publicKeyToken="be96cd2c38ef1005" culture="neutral" />
        <bindingRedirect oldVersion="0.0.0.0-5.1.1.0" newVersion="5.1.1.0" />
      </dependentAssembly>
      <dependentAssembly>
        <assemblyIdentity name="WebGrease" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" culture="neutral" />
        <bindingRedirect oldVersion="0.0.0.0-1.5.2.14234" newVersion="1.5.2.14234" />
      </dependentAssembly>
      <dependentAssembly>
        <assemblyIdentity name="DotNetOpenAuth.AspNet" publicKeyToken="2780ccd10d57b246" culture="neutral" />
        <bindingRedirect oldVersion="0.0.0.0-4.1.0.0" newVersion="4.1.0.0" />
      </dependentAssembly>
      <dependentAssembly>
        <assemblyIdentity name="DotNetOpenAuth.Core" publicKeyToken="2780ccd10d57b246" culture="neutral" />
        <bindingRedirect oldVersion="0.0.0.0-4.1.0.0" newVersion="4.1.0.0" />
      </dependentAssembly>
      <dependentAssembly>
        <assemblyIdentity name="StructureMap" publicKeyToken="e60ad81abae3c223" culture="neutral" />
        <bindingRedirect oldVersion="0.0.0.0-2.6.4.0" newVersion="2.6.4.0" />
      </dependentAssembly>
      <dependentAssembly>
        <assemblyIdentity name="MiniProfiler" publicKeyToken="b44f9351044011a3" culture="neutral" />
        <bindingRedirect oldVersion="0.0.0.0-3.1.1.140" newVersion="3.1.1.140" />
      </dependentAssembly>
      <dependentAssembly>
        <assemblyIdentity name="System.Web.Mvc" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" />
        <bindingRedirect oldVersion="0.0.0.0-5.2.3.0" newVersion="5.2.3.0" />
      </dependentAssembly>
      <dependentAssembly>
        <assemblyIdentity name="Newtonsoft.Json" publicKeyToken="30ad4fe6b2a6aeed" culture="neutral" />
        <bindingRedirect oldVersion="0.0.0.0-9.0.0.0" newVersion="9.0.0.0" />
      </dependentAssembly>
      <dependentAssembly>
        <assemblyIdentity name="System.Web.Http" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" culture="neutral" />
        <bindingRedirect oldVersion="0.0.0.0-5.2.3.0" newVersion="5.2.3.0" />
      </dependentAssembly>
      <dependentAssembly>
        <assemblyIdentity name="Microsoft.Xrm.Sdk" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" culture="neutral" />
        <bindingRedirect oldVersion="0.0.0.0-8.0.0.0" newVersion="8.0.0.0" />
      </dependentAssembly>
      <dependentAssembly>
        <assemblyIdentity name="Microsoft.Crm.Sdk.Proxy" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" culture="neutral" />
        <bindingRedirect oldVersion="0.0.0.0-8.0.0.0" newVersion="8.0.0.0" />
      </dependentAssembly>

      <dependentAssembly>
        <assemblyIdentity name="System.Configuration" publicKeyToken="b03f5f7f11d50a3a" culture="neutral" />
        <bindingRedirect oldVersion="0.0.0.0-4.0.0.0" newVersion="4.0.0.0" />
      </dependentAssembly>
    </assemblyBinding>
  </runtime>

Below is Views\web.config:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<configuration>
   <configSections>
      <sectionGroup name="system.web.webPages.razor" type="System.Web.WebPages.Razor.Configuration.RazorWebSectionGroup, System.Web.WebPages.Razor, Version=3.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31BF3856AD364E35">
         <section name="host" type="System.Web.WebPages.Razor.Configuration.HostSection, System.Web.WebPages.Razor, Version=3.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31BF3856AD364E35" requirePermission="false" />
         <section name="pages" type="System.Web.WebPages.Razor.Configuration.RazorPagesSection, System.Web.WebPages.Razor, Version=3.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31BF3856AD364E35" requirePermission="false" />
      </sectionGroup>
   </configSections>
   <system.web.webPages.razor>
      <host factoryType="System.Web.Mvc.MvcWebRazorHostFactory, System.Web.Mvc, Version=5.2.3.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31BF3856AD364E35" />
      <pages pageBaseType="System.Web.Mvc.WebViewPage">
         <namespaces>
            <add namespace="System.Web.Mvc" />
            <add namespace="System.Web.Helpers" />
            <add namespace="System.Web.Mvc.Ajax" />
            <add namespace="System.Web.Mvc.Html" />
            <add namespace="System.Web.Optimization" />
            <add namespace="System.Web.Routing" />
         </namespaces>
      </pages>
   </system.web.webPages.razor>
   <appSettings>
      <add key="webpages:Enabled" value="false" />
   </appSettings>
   <system.web>
      <httpHandlers>
         <add path="*" verb="*" type="System.Web.HttpNotFoundHandler" />
      </httpHandlers>
      <!--
        Enabling request validation in view pages would cause validation to occur
        after the input has already been processed by the controller. By default
        MVC performs request validation before a controller processes the input.
        To change this behavior apply the ValidateInputAttribute to a
        controller or action.
    -->
      <pages validateRequest="false" pageParserFilterType="System.Web.Mvc.ViewTypeParserFilter, System.Web.Mvc, Version=5.2.3.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31BF3856AD364E35" pageBaseType="System.Web.Mvc.ViewPage, System.Web.Mvc, Version=5.2.3.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31BF3856AD364E35" userControlBaseType="System.Web.Mvc.ViewUserControl, System.Web.Mvc, Version=5.2.3.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31BF3856AD364E35">
         <controls>
            <add assembly="System.Web.Mvc, Version=5.2.3.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31BF3856AD364E35" namespace="System.Web.Mvc" tagPrefix="mvc" />
         </controls>
      </pages>
   </system.web>
   <system.webServer>
      <validation validateIntegratedModeConfiguration="false" />
      <handlers>
         <remove name="BlockViewHandler" />
         <add name="BlockViewHandler" path="*" verb="*" preCondition="integratedMode" type="System.Web.HttpNotFoundHandler" />
      </handlers>
   </system.webServer>
</configuration>

Why am I getting this error?

1
asp.net-mvcasp.net-mvc-5
Possible duplicate of Could not load file or assembly 'System.Web.Mvc' – devlin carnate
Check the web.config in both the root of your site, and the views folder. – Erik Funkenbusch
we are not referencing MVC 4.0 anywhere - Are you sure? See Weird Error Upgrading ASP.NET MVC from 4 to 5. – NightOwl888
@NightOwl888 - I pasted cs Proj and web config. I have added as much details as I could. – SaiBand
Are you getting this error running locally or from another environment? – David Vogel

1 Answers

0
votes

Because you are referencing Unity 4.0.1, which has a reference to MVC 4, but the rest of your project is configured to use MVC 5.

You will need to either upgrade Unity, or add binding redirects so the old version of Unity can utilize MVC 5 along with the rest of your project:

<dependentAssembly>
    <assemblyIdentity name="System.Web.Mvc" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" />
    <bindingRedirect oldVersion="0.0.0.0-5.0.0.0" newVersion="5.0.0.0" />
</dependentAssembly>

That said, this might not be the only reason for the error. You need to be vigilant about the dependencies in all of the .csproj files and DLL files (such as NuGet references) that your MVC 5 project depends on, plus any .config files you may have in the pipeline. See See Weird Error Upgrading ASP.NET MVC from 4 to 5.