Could not load file or assembly 'Microsoft.Data.Service' or one of its dependencies. The system cannot find the file specified

Question

I just switched my computer and one of my project is no longer running properly and throws the error in title. (you may also find complete error message below) It is clearly looking for wrong place but at this point I'm not sure what to change. Please advise.

Some facts to keep in mind

• I did not change no line of code in source
• It is working fine on new production server which gets deployed by VSTS
• I'm using IISExpress to run it
• I'm using Visual Studio 2015 v14.0.25431.01 Update 3
• One of the main difference from my last computer, this one has Visual Studio 2017 RC in it. (I don't think that's causing anything but who knows)

Programs and Features

Following application exist

• WCF Data Services 5.6.3 Tools

Bin directory

Following files exist

• Microsoft.Data.Edm.dll
• Microsoft.Data.OData.dll
• Microsoft.Data.Services.Client.dll
• Microsoft.Data.Services.dll

DataService.svc (complete)

<%@ ServiceHost Language="C#" Factory="System.Data.Services.DataServiceHostFactory, Microsoft.Data.Services, Version=5.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35" Service="Company.Project.Services.DataService" %>

Web.Config (partial)

<runtime>
  <assemblyBinding xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v1">
    <dependentAssembly>
      <assemblyIdentity name="System.Net.Http.Primitives" publicKeyToken="b03f5f7f11d50a3a" culture="neutral" />
      <bindingRedirect oldVersion="0.0.0.0-4.2.29.0" newVersion="4.2.29.0" />
    </dependentAssembly>
    <dependentAssembly>
      <assemblyIdentity name="Microsoft.Data.OData" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" culture="neutral" />
      <bindingRedirect oldVersion="0.0.0.0-5.7.0.0" newVersion="5.7.0.0" />
    </dependentAssembly>
    <dependentAssembly>
      <assemblyIdentity name="Microsoft.Data.Edm" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" culture="neutral" />
      <bindingRedirect oldVersion="0.0.0.0-5.7.0.0" newVersion="5.7.0.0" />
    </dependentAssembly>
    <dependentAssembly>
      <assemblyIdentity name="Microsoft.Data.Services" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" culture="neutral" />
      <bindingRedirect oldVersion="0.0.0.0-5.7.0.0" newVersion="5.7.0.0" />
    </dependentAssembly>
  </assemblyBinding>
</runtime>

Error Page

Server Error in '/' Application.

Could not load file or assembly 'Microsoft.Data.Services, Version=5.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35' or one of its dependencies. The system cannot find the file specified.

Description: An unhandled exception occurred during the execution of the current web request. Please review the stack trace for more information about the error and where it originated in the code.

Exception Details: System.IO.FileNotFoundException: Could not load file or assembly 'Microsoft.Data.Services, Version=5.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35' or one of its dependencies. The system cannot find the file specified.

Source Error:

An unhandled exception was generated during the execution of the current web request. Information regarding the origin and location of the exception can be identified using the exception stack trace below.

Assembly Load Trace: The following information can be helpful to determine why the assembly 'Microsoft.Data.Services, Version=5.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35' could not be loaded.

=== Pre-bind state information ===
LOG: DisplayName = Microsoft.Data.Services, Version=5.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35
 (Fully-specified)
LOG: Appbase = file:///C:/Source/github/company/repository/project/HubServices/
LOG: Initial PrivatePath = C:\Source\github\company\repository\project\HubServices\bin
Calling assembly : (Unknown).
===
LOG: This bind starts in default load context.
LOG: Using application configuration file: C:\Source\github\company\repository\project\HubServices\web.config
LOG: Using host configuration file: C:\Users\user\Documents\IISExpress\config\aspnet.config
LOG: Using machine configuration file from C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\config\machine.config.
LOG: Redirect found in application configuration file: 5.0.0.0 redirected to 5.7.0.0.
LOG: Post-policy reference: Microsoft.Data.Services, Version=5.7.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35
LOG: The same bind was seen before, and was failed with hr = 0x80070002.

Stack Trace:

[FileNotFoundException: Could not load file or assembly 'Microsoft.Data.Services, Version=5.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35' or one of its dependencies. The system cannot find the file specified.]

[FileNotFoundException: Could not load file or assembly 'Microsoft.Data.Services, Version=5.7.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35' or one of its dependencies. The system cannot find the file specified.]
   System.RuntimeTypeHandle.GetTypeByName(String name, Boolean throwOnError, Boolean ignoreCase, Boolean reflectionOnly, StackCrawlMarkHandle stackMark, IntPtr pPrivHostBinder, Boolean loadTypeFromPartialName, ObjectHandleOnStack type) +0
   System.RuntimeTypeHandle.GetTypeByName(String name, Boolean throwOnError, Boolean ignoreCase, Boolean reflectionOnly, StackCrawlMark& stackMark, IntPtr pPrivHostBinder, Boolean loadTypeFromPartialName) +70
   System.RuntimeType.GetType(String typeName, Boolean throwOnError, Boolean ignoreCase, Boolean reflectionOnly, StackCrawlMark& stackMark) +40
   System.Type.GetType(String typeName, Boolean throwOnError) +34
   System.ServiceModel.Activation.ServiceParser.GetType(String typeName) +55
   System.ServiceModel.Activation.ServiceParser.GetCompiledType(Assembly compiledAssembly) +76
   System.ServiceModel.Activation.ServiceParser.CreateParseString(Assembly compiledAssembly) +38
   System.ServiceModel.Activation.ServiceBuildProvider.GetCustomString(CompilerResults results) +33
   System.Web.Compilation.BuildProvider.CreateBuildResult(CompilerResults results) +182
   System.Web.Compilation.BuildProvider.GetBuildResult(CompilerResults results) +16
   System.Web.Compilation.BuildManager.CompileWebFile(VirtualPath virtualPath) +10098689
   System.Web.Compilation.BuildManager.GetVPathBuildResultInternal(VirtualPath virtualPath, Boolean noBuild, Boolean allowCrossApp, Boolean allowBuildInPrecompile, Boolean throwIfNotFound, Boolean ensureIsUpToDate) +294
   System.Web.Compilation.BuildManager.GetVPathBuildResultWithNoAssert(HttpContext context, VirtualPath virtualPath, Boolean noBuild, Boolean allowCrossApp, Boolean allowBuildInPrecompile, Boolean throwIfNotFound, Boolean ensureIsUpToDate) +103
   System.Web.Compilation.BuildManager.GetVPathBuildResult(HttpContext context, VirtualPath virtualPath, Boolean noBuild, Boolean allowCrossApp, Boolean allowBuildInPrecompile, Boolean ensureIsUpToDate) +82
   System.Web.Compilation.BuildManager.GetCompiledCustomString(String virtualPath) +31
   System.ServiceModel.HostingManager.GetCompiledCustomString(String normalizedVirtualPath) +163
   System.ServiceModel.HostingManager.CreateService(String normalizedVirtualPath, EventTraceActivity eventTraceActivity) +201
   System.ServiceModel.HostingManager.ActivateService(ServiceActivationInfo serviceActivationInfo, EventTraceActivity eventTraceActivity) +52
   System.ServiceModel.HostingManager.EnsureServiceAvailable(String normalizedVirtualPath, EventTraceActivity eventTraceActivity) +641

[ServiceActivationException: The service '/DataService.svc' cannot be activated due to an exception during compilation.  The exception message is: Could not load file or assembly 'Microsoft.Data.Services, Version=5.7.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35' or one of its dependencies. The system cannot find the file specified..]
   System.Runtime.AsyncResult.End(IAsyncResult result) +481507
   System.ServiceModel.Activation.HostedHttpRequestAsyncResult.End(IAsyncResult result) +174
   System.ServiceModel.Activation.ServiceHttpHandler.EndProcessRequest(IAsyncResult result) +11
   System.Web.CallHandlerExecutionStep.OnAsyncHandlerCompletion(IAsyncResult ar) +129

Answer 1

I had to re-open that project, realized assembly is not in the loaded Modules. I checked the output directory which was set for bin\{Configuration} changing it to bin solved the issue.