(SOLVED) Could not load file or assembly

[Lamont]

Windows 10

Duplicate Cleaner Pro 5.19.0

Error starting up Duplicate Cleaner:
Could not load file or assembly ‘System.Data, Version =4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089’ or one of its dependencies. The system cannot find the file specified.
DataPath=C:\Users\geotalk\AppData\Roaming\DigitalVolcano\DuplicateCleaner

I tried reinstalling Duplicate Cleaner, and I tried turning the .NET Framework features off and on. I had some problems today with two gdiplus.dll files disappearing and coming back a few hours later after I tried several different ways of repairing the system, with failure messages every time. My file explorer crashed yesterday. I don't know if any of that has anything to do with my problem or not.

[DigitalVolcano]

A .NET installation issue for sure -
Have you tried this yet?
.NET Repair tool
https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/downloa ... x?id=30135

[Lamont]

.NET repair tool:

Microsoft NET Framework Repair Tool
Recommended changes
The following changes to your computer may resolve the installation issues you have
encountered
• Reregister Windows Installer service
Unregisters and re-registers the Windows Installer service using MsiExec.exe. Applicable regardless of the diagnosis results.
• Restart Windows Installer service
Stops and restarts the Windows Installer service. Applicable regardless of the diagnosis results.
To apply these changes, choose Next.

Microsoft .NET Framework Repair Tool
Changes complete
The tool has made changes to your computer to address NET Framework installation problems.
Please try reinstalling the NET Framework or update that was failing. Keep this dialog box open so you can explore additional repair options it necessary.
If the reinstallation succeeded, choose Finish. If the reinstallation didn't fix the issue, choose Next to explore additional troubleshooting options.

Microsoft NET Framework Repair Tool
Submit additional information
The tool is unable to resolve the installation issue on your computer.
The following logs will be sent to Microsoft for further analysis.
C:\Windows\windowsupdate.log
C:\Windows\logs\cbs\cbs.log
C:\Users\geota\AppData\Local\Temp\FixDotNet.log
C:\Users\geota\AppData\Local\Temp\NetFxSetupEvents.txt
C:\Users\geota\AppData\Local\Temp\dd_NetFxRepairTool_decompression_log.txt
C:\Users\geota\AppData\Local\Temp\FixDotNet_HKCR_Installer.regdump
C:\Users\geota\AppData\Local\Temp\FixDotNet_HKLM_Installer.regdump


To close the tool, choose Finish.

[Lamont]

(edited to add a question)
I have the same version of Windows on two identical computers. Duplicate Cleaner 5 is working on one, and has the “could not load” error on the other. Is there any way that I can find out what’s missing from one, and copy it from the other? Would there be .NET Framework log entries for both of them, when they’re accessing or trying to access System.Data and/or its dependencies?
(end edit)

I tried version 4 and got the same error, but I can run version 3. When I search for this problem on the Internet, all the results are for developers, and I'm not a developer. I'm just someone trying to use Duplicate Cleaner. I've used it for years without any problem, and now suddenly I have this. I have two identical computers, and only one of them is having this problem. I ran CCleaner, and it repaired some .NET Framework errors, but I'm still getting the same error when I try to start Duplicate Cleaner 5.

Some more history, which may or may not be relevant: Two days ago my File Explorer crashed. Later I noticed that the menus and bars on the File Explorer windows were all different. Then Duplicate Cleaner and two other apps wouldn't start because of missing gdiplus dll's. I tried DISM and that didn't work. I tried returning to an earlier restore point, and that failed. I tried resetting the system, and that failed. Then I tried DISM again, and I thought it failed again, but later I saw that the File Explorer windows were back to normal, the gdiplus dll's were back in place, and two of the apps were able to start. Duplicate Cleaner still wouldn't start because of the "could not load file or assembly" error.

[Lamont]

I'm trying to use version 3 while I'm waiting for this to be resolved, but I don't have a license key for that version. I submitted a ticket, with my key for version 4 and requesting a key for version 3, and got an email confirmation, but when I clicked on the link to check the status, it went to a login page. It wouldn't accept my forum password, so I tried to register. Then I still couldn't log in, so I tried to register again, and it said the email address was already registered. Then I tried to reset my password, and it said "You are not authorised to access this portal. Kindly contact your helpdesk administrator."

Everything that comes up in a search about this is full of developer talk that might take dozens of hours for me to learn to understand.

[Lamont]

Can we narrow down the folders where Duplicate Cleaner looks for the file or assembly and/or its dependencies, so I can compare them on my two computers, and see what's on the one where it's working that isn't on the one where it isn't? I see developers talking about a bin folder and a GAC folder. Would those be the only folders where it's looking for the file or assembly or its dependencies, or could there be others? If it's only those two, and you could tell me how to find them on my computers, I could compare them on the two computers to see what's on one that's missing or different on the other.

[therube]

On my end, Win7, DC is using the gdiplus.dll from here:
E:\Windows\winsxs\amd64_microsoft.windows.gdiplus_6595b64144ccf1df_1.1.7601.24542_none_1459e0f08b91b367\GdiPlus.dll

Would seem there is a copy here (& they seemingly should be exactly the same):
E:\Windows\winsxs\Backup\amd64_microsoft.windows.gdiplus_6595b64144ccf1df_1.1.7601.24542_none_1459e0f08b91b367_gdiplus.dll_423f7010


I would not think that simply copying between systems would work?


As far as other "dependencies" (- things DC may use, & fwiw):

Code: Select all

Accessibility.ni.dll
AcoustID.dll
advapi32.dll
api-ms-win-core-synch-l1-2-0.dll
api-ms-win-core-xstate-l2-1-0.dll
apisetschema.dll
aticfx64.dll
atiu9p64.dll
atiumd64.dll
AudioSes.dll
avrt.dll
bcrypt.dll
cfgmgr32.dll
clbcatq.dll
clr.dll
clrjit.dll
credssp.dll
crypt32.dll
cryptbase.dll
cryptsp.dll
d3d8thk.dll
d3d9.dll
D3DCompiler_47.dll
devobj.dll
dhcpcsvc.dll
dhcpcsvc6.dll
dnsapi.dll
DotNetProjects.Wpf.Extended.Toolkit.dll
dui70.dll
duser.dll
dwmapi.dll
DWrite.dll
dxva2.dll
ExplorerFrame.dll
fastprox.dll
FWPUCLNT.DLL
gdi32.dll
GdiPlus.dll
igdumd64.dll
imm32.dll
IPHLPAPI.DLL
kernel32.dll
KernelBase.dll
KernelBase.dll.mui
locale.nls
lpk.dll
MediaDevices.dll
mfplat.dll
Microsoft.VisualBasic.ni.dll
MMDevAPI.dll
msasn1.dll
mscoree.dll
mscoreei.dll
mscorlib.ni.dll
mscorrc.dll
msctf.dll
msctf.dll.mui
msctfui.dll
msctfui.dll.mui
msvcp140_clr0400.dll
msvcrt.dll
mswsock.dll
nlssorting.dll
nsi.dll
ntdll.dll
ntdsapi.dll
ole32.dll
oleacc.dll
oleaccrc.dll
oleaut32.dll
PresentationCore.ni.dll
PresentationFramework-SystemData.ni.dll
PresentationFramework-SystemXml.ni.dll
PresentationFramework.Classic.ni.dll
PresentationFramework.ni.dll
PresentationNative_v0400.dll
profapi.dll
propsys.dll
psapi.dll
rasadhlp.dll
rasapi32.dll
rasman.dll
rpcrt4.dll
RpcRtRemote.dll
rsaenh.dll
rtutils.dll
schannel.dll
sechost.dll
secur32.dll
setupapi.dll
shell32.dll
shlwapi.dll
sortdefault.nlp
SortDefault.nls
SQLite.Interop.dll
sspicli.dll
sxs.dll
System.Configuration.ni.dll
System.Core.ni.dll
System.Data.dll
System.Data.ni.dll
System.Data.SQLite.dll
System.Drawing.ni.dll
System.EnterpriseServices.ni.dll
System.EnterpriseServices.Wrapper.dll
System.EnterpriseServices.Wrapper.dll
System.EnterpriseServices.Wrapper.dll
System.EnterpriseServices.Wrapper.dll
System.Management.ni.dll
System.ni.dll
System.Numerics.ni.dll
System.Transactions.dll
System.Transactions.ni.dll
System.Windows.Forms.ni.dll
System.Xaml.ni.dll
System.Xml.ni.dll
TagLibSharp.dll
ucrtbase_clr0400.dll
UIAutomationCore.dll
UIAutomationProvider.ni.dll
UIAutomationTypes.ni.dll
Unclassified.TxLib.dll
user32.dll
usp10.dll
uxtheme.dll
vcruntime140_clr0400.dll
version.dll
wbemcomn.dll
wbemprox.dll
wbemsvc.dll
webio.dll
WindowsBase.ni.dll
WindowsCodecs.dll
WindowsFormsIntegration.ni.dll
winhttp.dll
winmm.dll
winnsi.dll
winsta.dll
wintrust.dll
WMINet_Utils.dll
wmiutils.dll
wmp.dll
wmploc.DLL
wpfgfx_v0400.dll
ws2_32.dll
wship6.dll
WSHTCPIP.DLL
wtsapi32.dll
~FontCache-FontFace.dat
~FontCache-S-1-5-21-3703432720-2808369663-1770070930-1000.dat
~FontCache-System.dat

[Lamont]

therube, thank you. My gdiplus problem was resolved. I only mentioned it as an incident that preceded the problem I’m having now. The problem I’m having now is with System.Data or one of its dependencies not loading.

[Lamont]

I just discovered that the Duplicate Cleaner versions are different on my two computers, so it’s no use comparing them. I saw the difference when I compared the app folders in the Program Files folder. They have all the same files but the sizes of some of them are different. The one that’s working is version 5.17, and the one that isn’t is 5.19.

This is on Windows 10 Home 22H2 build 19045.2965 on an HP Envy m6 Notebook.

(later) I ran DISM again, and this time it ran successfully without any errors. Then I ran sfc, and it said that it repaired some corrupted files. Then I tried Duplicate Cleaner 5 again, and I still got the same error saying that it could not load System.Data or one of its dependencies. Before that I tried uninstalling Duplicate Cleaner, deleting its folder in my AppData\Roaming folder, and reinstalling, and still got the same error.

The gdiplus problem and the File Explorer bars and menus problem that I had a few days ago cleared up the same day, and since then I haven't had any other problems with the system or any other apps.

What other checking can I do on my computer? SQL? Registry? Cache folders or config files that I can delete? Maybe uninstall DC then search in the registry for any references to it? What else does DC use outside of its program files folder and app data folder? Are there runtimes that I can check? VS? C+? What runtimes does DC use outside of the folders that are installed with it? What are all the programs and files that it uses that are not installed by the installer, and where are they located?

[DigitalVolcano]

Outside of it's Program Files folder DC just uses the default .NET Framework installation. It installs nothing outside the Program folder. The target .NET Framework version is 4.7.2 - you can try re-installing that specific version.

It looks like it's a problem with System.Data, which is in the Global Assembly cache-
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotne ... omains/gac