Could not load file or assembly 'System.Web.Mvc, Version=3.0.0.0, Elmah.MVC issue

Question

Locally - my MVC 4, asp.net, c# app runs fine on IIS 8 / Windows 8.

When deployed to Windows Server 2008, I get this error:

Could not load file or assembly 'System.Web.Mvc, Version=3.0.0.0, 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)

and

[FileLoadException: Could not load file or assembly 'System.Web.Mvc, Version=3.0.0.0, 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)]
   Elmah.Mvc.Bootstrap.Initialize() +0

[InvalidOperationException: The pre-application start initialization method Initialize on type Elmah.Mvc.Bootstrap threw an exception with the following error message: Could not load file or assembly 'System.Web.Mvc, Version=3.0.0.0, 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).]
   System.Web.Compilation.BuildManager.InvokePreStartInitMethodsCore(ICollection`1 methods, Func`1 setHostingEnvironmentCultures) [phone]
   System.Web.Compilation.BuildManager.InvokePreStartInitMethods(ICollection`1 methods) [phone]
   System.Web.Compilation.BuildManager.CallPreStartInitMethods(String preStartInitListPath) +240
   System.Web.Compilation.BuildManager.ExecutePreAppStart() +152
   System.Web.Hosting.HostingEnvironment.Initialize(ApplicationManager appManager, IApplicationHost appHost, IConfigMapPathFactory configMapPathFactory, HostingEnvironmentParameters hostingParameters, PolicyLevel policyLevel, Exception appDomainCreationException) +1151

[HttpException (0x80004005): The pre-application start initialization method Initialize on type Elmah.Mvc.Bootstrap threw an exception with the following error message: Could not load file or assembly 'System.Web.Mvc, Version=3.0.0.0, 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).]
   System.Web.HttpRuntime.FirstRequestInit(HttpContext context) [phone]
   System.Web.HttpRuntime.EnsureFirstRequestInit(HttpContext context) +159
   System.Web.HttpRuntime.ProcessRequestNotificationPrivate(IIS7WorkerRequest wr, HttpContext context) [phone]

This happens if I select 'Only files needed to run this application' from the 'Items to deploy' drop down in project properties/package/publish web.

If I select 'all files in this project' it works fine.

I guess Elmah is reliant on an older version of MVC or something - how can I fix this without having to upload all the files?

Whats the best way to problem solve situations like this?

Thanks.

Answer 1

I had this exact same issue using MVC4 with Ninject built for .Net 4.5

To fix this i had to add a binding redirect to my Web.config file: (at the end of the file, just before the </configuration> tag)

  <runtime>
    <assemblyBinding xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v1">
      <dependentAssembly>
        <assemblyIdentity name="System.Web.Helpers" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35"/>
        <bindingRedirect oldVersion="1.0.0.0-2.0.0.0" newVersion="2.0.0.0"/>
      </dependentAssembly>
      <dependentAssembly>
        <assemblyIdentity name="System.Web.Mvc" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35"/>
        <bindingRedirect oldVersion="1.0.0.0-4.0.0.0" newVersion="4.0.0.0"/>
      </dependentAssembly>
      <dependentAssembly>
        <assemblyIdentity name="System.Web.WebPages" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35"/>
        <bindingRedirect oldVersion="1.0.0.0-2.0.0.0" newVersion="2.0.0.0"/>
      </dependentAssembly>
  <dependentAssembly>
    <assemblyIdentity name="System.Web.WebPages.Razor" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35"/>
    <bindingRedirect oldVersion="1.0.0.0-2.0.0.0" newVersion="2.0.0.0"/>
  </dependentAssembly>
    </assemblyBinding>
  </runtime>

This forces the web server to use System.Web.Mvc 4.0.0.0 instead of an older version.