Release build fails with "The specified module could not be found" when using "Generate serialization assembly" set to "Auto" or "On".

Question

Environment:

• Visual Studio 2008
• Release build
• Generate serialization assembly "Auto" or "On"

It fails with

Error   1 The specified module could not be found. 
(Exception from HRESULT: 0x8007007E)    C:\Path\Projects\Project\Project\ SGEN

if I either use Debug build or set the serialization assembly to "Off" in the Release build this doesn't happen.

All assemblies are binded okay (checked the fusion log)

What could be the cause for this? I really have no use for the serialization assembly, but it makes me wonder what's the cause and how to solve it.

Answer 1

We had the same problem. The reason was in a third party assembly xxdotnetclient.dll - it depends on msvcp71.dll, which was absent at the build server.