VS vstest debugging error

Question

Hi this is driving me insane.

I've recently installed VS2008. The project I'm working on uses vstest and I have a maddening issue. When I choose to run/debug my tests/a test I frequently get the following error (accompanied by an exclamation mark against the test - test error):

Warning: Test Run deployment issue: The assembly or module 'Cassini' directly or indirectly referenced by the test container '' was not found. Failed to queue test run 'pendi@UK00329 2008-09-19 14:37:39': Unable to start program 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio 9.0\Common7\IDE\vstesthost.exe'.

A Visual Studio DLL, coloader80.dll, is not correctly installed. Please repair your Visual Studio installation via 'Add or Remove Programs' in Control Panel.

If the problem persists, you can manually register coloader80.dll from the command prompt with 'regsvr32 "%CommonProgramFiles%\Microsoft Shared\VS7Debug\coloader80.dll"'.

Now it's an ASP.Net site and has some web services etc. All rather odd as resgistering the dll NEVER works. Sometimes a clean + run works. Sometimes a Run (rather than a debug) sometimes a Debug (rather than the prior run).

Maddening. Google tells me to register the following dlls:

This works, again sporadically. I've also tried the VS Repair install option.

Please let me know if someone has cracked this / knows the problem

Thanks ian

Answer 1

from Microsoft... those missing dlls. I find the solution is (also) sporadic. Any other ideas ??

1. Replace the following files with their equivalents from the Visual Studio .NET installation media:

Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\VS7Debug\coloader.dll Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\VS7Debug\csm.dll Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\VS7Debug\msdbg2.dll Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\VS7Debug\pdm.dll Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\VS7Debug\vs7jit.exe Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\VS7Debug\mdm.exe

1. Register each DLL above with regsvr32.EXE, e.g:

regsvr32 "ProgramFiles\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\VS7Debug\coloader.dll"

Answer 2

Anyone else have an answer .... at all ?? This is an hourly pain on my system that shows no signs of being solved.

ProcessExplorer informs me the dll is in the DevEnv process when the error is reported... rather odd indeed.

Answer 3

btw - I found the answer. Or an answer.

using Process Explorer, I traced coloader80.dll. This was used by VS (undetandable enough as it's used by debugging) but also SSMS.

So... it seems SqlServerManagementStudio had a hook to the VS debuggging dll, thus creating the lock. For now I'm just opening one at a time, but I'm quite stunned by that.... hope a fix is forthcoming.

Answer 4

Check these links:

http://connect.microsoft.com/VisualStudio/feedback/ViewFeedback.aspx?FeedbackID=106898

http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/vsdebug/thread/d5ae3b4d-c6e8-4eca-8701-0bd68af09343/