InvalidCastException is thrown after installing ASP.NET MVC 4 Beta

Question

I get the following exception after installing ASP.NET MVC 4 Beta on a machine with ASP.NET MVC 3.

System.InvalidCastException was unhandled by user code Message=[A]System.Web.WebPages.Razor.Configuration.HostSection cannot be cast to [B]System.Web.WebPages.Razor.Configuration.HostSection. Type A originates from 'System.Web.WebPages.Razor, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35' in the context 'Default' at location 'C:\Windows\Microsoft.Net\assembly\GAC_MSIL\System.Web.WebPages.Razor\v4.0_1.0.0.0__31bf3856ad364e35\System.Web.WebPages.Razor.dll'. Type B originates from 'System.Web.WebPages.Razor, Version=2.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35' in the context 'Default' at location 'C:\Windows\Microsoft.Net\assembly\GAC_MSIL\System.Web.WebPages.Razor\v4.0_2.0.0.0__31bf3856ad364e35\System.Web.WebPages.Razor.dll'. Source=System.Web.WebPages.Razor

StackTrace:

at System.Web.WebPages.Razor.WebRazorHostFactory.GetRazorSection(String virtualPath) at System.Web.WebPages.Razor.WebRazorHostFactory.CreateHostFromConfig(String virtualPath, String physicalPath) at System.Web.WebPages.Razor.RazorBuildProvider.GetHostFromConfig() at System.Web.WebPages.Razor.RazorBuildProvider.CreateHost() at System.Web.WebPages.Razor.RazorBuildProvider.EnsureGeneratedCode() at System.Web.WebPages.Razor.RazorBuildProvider.get_CodeCompilerType() at System.Web.Compilation.BuildProvider.GetCompilerTypeFromBuildProvider(BuildProvider buildProvider) at System.Web.Compilation.BuildProvidersCompiler.ProcessBuildProviders() at System.Web.Compilation.BuildProvidersCompiler.PerformBuild() at System.Web.Compilation.BuildManager.CompileWebFile(VirtualPath virtualPath) at System.Web.Compilation.BuildManager.GetVPathBuildResultInternal(VirtualPath virtualPath, Boolean noBuild, Boolean allowCrossApp, Boolean allowBuildInPrecompile, Boolean throwIfNotFound, Boolean ensureIsUpToDate) at System.Web.Compilation.BuildManager.GetVPathBuildResultWithNoAssert(HttpContext context, VirtualPath virtualPath, Boolean noBuild, Boolean allowCrossApp, Boolean allowBuildInPrecompile, Boolean throwIfNotFound, Boolean ensureIsUpToDate) at System.Web.Compilation.BuildManager.GetVirtualPathObjectFactory(VirtualPath virtualPath, HttpContext context, Boolean allowCrossApp, Boolean throwIfNotFound) at System.Web.Mvc.BuildManagerWrapper.System.Web.Mvc.IBuildManager.FileExists(String virtualPath) at System.Web.Mvc.BuildManagerViewEngine.FileExists(ControllerContext controllerContext, String virtualPath) at System.Web.Mvc.VirtualPathProviderViewEngine.GetPathFromGeneralName(ControllerContext controllerContext, List`1 locations, String name, String controllerName, String areaName, String cacheKey, String[]& searchedLocations) at System.Web.Mvc.VirtualPathProviderViewEngine.GetPath(ControllerContext controllerContext, String[] locations, String[] areaLocations, String locationsPropertyName, String name, String controllerName, String cacheKeyPrefix, Boolean useCache, String[]& searchedLocations) at System.Web.Mvc.VirtualPathProviderViewEngine.FindView(ControllerContext controllerContext, String viewName, String masterName, Boolean useCache) at System.Web.Mvc.ViewEngineCollection.<>c__DisplayClassc.b__b(IViewEngine e) at System.Web.Mvc.ViewEngineCollection.Find(Func`2 lookup, Boolean trackSearchedPaths) at System.Web.Mvc.ViewEngineCollection.FindView(ControllerContext controllerContext, String viewName, String masterName) at System.Web.Mvc.ViewResult.FindView(ControllerContext context) at System.Web.Mvc.ViewResultBase.ExecuteResult(ControllerContext context) at System.Web.Mvc.ControllerActionInvoker.InvokeActionResult(ControllerContext controllerContext, ActionResult actionResult) at System.Web.Mvc.ControllerActionInvoker.<>c__DisplayClass1c.b__19() at System.Web.Mvc.ControllerActionInvoker.InvokeActionResultFilter(IResultFilter filter, ResultExecutingContext preContext, Func`1 continuation) at System.Web.Mvc.ControllerActionInvoker.<>c__DisplayClass1c.<>c__DisplayClass1e.b__1b() at System.Web.Mvc.ControllerActionInvoker.InvokeActionResultWithFilters(ControllerContext controllerContext, IList`1 filters, ActionResult actionResult) at System.Web.Mvc.ControllerActionInvoker.InvokeAction(ControllerContext controllerContext, String actionName) at System.Web.Mvc.Controller.ExecuteCore() at [project_namespace].Controllers.GlobalizationController.ExecuteCore() in [file_path] at System.Web.Mvc.ControllerBase.Execute(RequestContext requestContext) at System.Web.Mvc.ControllerBase.System.Web.Mvc.IController.Execute(RequestContext requestContext) at System.Web.Mvc.MvcHandler.<>c__DisplayClass6.<>c__DisplayClassb.b__5() at System.Web.Mvc.Async.AsyncResultWrapper.<>c__DisplayClass1.b__0() at System.Web.Mvc.Async.AsyncResultWrapper.<>c__DisplayClass8`1.b__7(IAsyncResult _) at System.Web.Mvc.Async.AsyncResultWrapper.WrappedAsyncResult`1.End() at System.Web.Mvc.MvcHandler.<>c__DisplayClasse.b__d() at System.Web.Mvc.SecurityUtil.b__0(Action f) at System.Web.Mvc.SecurityUtil.ProcessInApplicationTrust(Action action) at System.Web.Mvc.MvcHandler.EndProcessRequest(IAsyncResult asyncResult) at System.Web.Mvc.MvcHandler.System.Web.IHttpAsyncHandler.EndProcessRequest(IAsyncResult result) at System.Web.HttpApplication.CallHandlerExecutionStep.System.Web.HttpApplication.IExecutionStep.Execute() at System.Web.HttpApplication.ExecuteStep(IExecutionStep step, Boolean& completedSynchronously)

This blocks me completely and while I would like to keep the beta, I might need to remove it completely in order to get rid of the exception.

Answer 1

I had the same problem, but when migrating ASP.NET MVC 3 to ASP.NET MVC 4. This way I got on this topic. I have found a solution to the problem, but its source is different, it is not from WebPages version.

I have followed the official guide (so to say) Upgrading an ASP.NET MVC 3 Project to ASP.NET MVC 4.

To resolve the problem, you have to add in Web.Config (probably around previously added ones):

<runtime><!-- Should be there by default, near end -->
    <assemblyBinding xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v1"><!-- Should be there by default -->
    <dependentAssembly>..</dependentAssembly><!-- Should be there by default -->
        ... some other dependecy redirects ...

    <dependentAssembly>
        <assemblyIdentity name="System.Web.WebPages.Razor"
            publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" />
        <bindingRedirect oldVersion="1.0.0.0" newVersion="2.0.0.0"/>
    </dependentAssembly>

        ... some other dependency redirects ...
    </assemblyBinding>
</runtime>

Also in the notes is not mentioned to change the Reference of System.Web.Helpers from 1.0.0.0 to 2.0.0.0 (delete and add the new one).