We’ve been hearing reports of this failure for several weeks, but we’ve not been able to get a good repro until a week ago. And it was the most “most reported bug” at TechEd — if there is such a category 
— but it looks like we have a solution after many hours of hard work.
(With my thanks to Fernando Delgado, our excellent setup dev for working up this solution)
(RTM build 10.5.1600.1) As a picture is worth a thousand words, here is the error:
This failure occurs when installing PowerPivot (either “existing farm” or “new server”) after a previous SSAS installation has been done on the machine.
Cause:
In SQL Server 2008 R2, the msmdsrv.exe process (which is the SSAS engine) includes a reference to the PowerPivot SharePoint integration dll (as do other components). Since the normal SSAS installation does not include the SharePoint integration dll, the registration marks the .NET assembly cache as failed. Later on, when you install PowerPivot, we copy the SharePoint integration dll to the right place, but the .NET assembly cache has already been marked failed from the previous SSAS installation and .NET does not attempt to load it (and you get the error message above).
Solution:
A. Best solution: If using “New Server” PowerPivot installation option then delay installing any instances besides SQL Server RDMBS until after you have PowerPivot installed and configured. That way you never hit this error condition. Doing a SQL Server RDBMS installation only for “existing farm” is OK – it is the installation of other non-RDBMS components that is the root cause of the issue.
B. If you have an RDBMS only instance(s) installed and are getting ready for a PowerPivot installation (“New Server” or “Existing Farm”): Save the following text to a file named setup100.exe.config (no .txt extension):
- Save the following text to a file named setup100.exe.config (no .txt extension):
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<configuration>
<runtime>
<disableCachingBindingFailures enabled="1" />
</runtime>
</configuration>- b. Copy the file to the folder: %ProgramFiles%\Microsoft SQL Server\100\Setup Bootstrap\SQLServer2008R2\x64\ and install PowerPivot for SharePoint.
C. You have already installed PowerPivot and gotten the “Could not load file or assembly” error above, then:
- Uninstall the PowerPivot instance of Analysis Services, this will also uninstall PowerPivot for SharePoint components.
- Reboot the machine
- Run scripts to re-enable PremiumSite feature. See http://powerpivotgeek.com/2010/06/14/uninstalling-powerpivot-does-what-arg/
- Reboot the machine
- Copy the setup100.exe.config file, as outlined in (B) above, to %ProgramFiles%\Microsoft SQL Server\100\Setup Bootstrap\SQLServer2008R2\x64
- Install PowerPivot for SharePoint.
I avoid the error by installing in this order:
1. Provision a new Windows 2008 SP2 server.
2. Add IIS role.
3. Make it a domain controller with dcpromo.
4. Install SharePoint 2010 prerequisites.
5. Install SharePoint 2010, do not check configure at the end.
6. Install PowerPivot instance (choose new server) from SQL Server 2008 R2 installation.
Then I can install another SQL Server 2008 R2 intance. Installing even just the database engine in an instance prior to installing PowerPivot gave me the subject error.
Thanks
This worked for me PERFECTLY I will have a Session on BI next Week, and this stumbling block was hard for me
Dave,
Did I read the above correctly, it sounds to me like A) and B) are the same.
A) “delay installing any instances besides SQL Server RDMBS” = Only install RDMBS instances and thus exactly what B) states. “If you have an RDBMS only instance(s) installed and are getting ready for a PowerPivot installation”
I’m asking because I have a machine that has SSAS/BIDS and other software related to the SQL Server bits already installed and I do not want to uninstall. Is this possible?
If I have not installed PowerPivot and have prior SQL Server 2008 R2 bits can I do step B) and continue with the PowerPivot install.
Hi Reeves:
Sorry for any confusion.
(A) means that you install PowerPivot before doing any other SQL Server installations. You don’t have to change or update anything. You just delay when you install your other SQL instance that will go on the box. This does not apply in your case.
(B) means that you can have others installed, but before you install PowerPivot, you create the config file telling the installation to disable the cache chect for failed assemblies.
Q: These other SQL instances on the machine. Are they SQL 2008 or earlier, or are they SQL 2008 R2 instances?
_-_-_ Dave
Thanks for the clarification, and they were SQL Server 2008 R2 instances. We started over without all of the other instances up front.
So is it possible to install with a prior instance of SQL Server 2008 R2 Analysis Services on the same machine prior to a PowerPivot install. I know all of this is moot as most real servers would never have this configuration, but the good old POC is always the first step
Thanks.
Reeves:
Yes, you can install an instance of SQL 2008 R2 on the machine, but you will get an error if you install PowerPivot afterwards. If that is what you’ve done, I recomment sequence (B). This tells the PowerPivot installation (actual .NET) that its cache of assembly status should be bypassed and always install new objects even if they’ve failed earlier. That is all you need to do.
_-_-_
Just uninstall, poerpivot, MS WEB APP and SharePoint 2010 and couple of restrat and Install, connect it to farm, it will fix you error. I have a smillar problem today and I managed to do it this way.
This solution worked for me. I installed the instance of analysis servics for adventure works. Once the config file is created as mentioned, the installation worked smoothly.
Many Thanks
worked for me, thanks!!
Many Thanks… The solution worked .
[...] http://powerpivotgeek.com/2010/06/14/installation-failure-could-not-load-file-or-assembly-microsoft-... [...]
[...] http://powerpivotgeek.com/2010/06/14/installation-failure-could-not-load-file-or-assembly-microsoft-... [...]
[...] http://powerpivotgeek.com/2010/06/14/installation-failure-could-not-load-file-or-assembly-microsoft-... [...]
[...] Installation failure: “Could not load file or assembly ‘Microsoft.AnalysisServices.SharePoint.In…: The key lesson learned here is that if you do a single server / new farm installation, ensure that you do not install SQL Server components prior to your PowerPivot for SharePoint installation. If you are doing a multi-server / existing farm installation, please make sure to click through the link to review the workarounds if you decide to install SQL Server components before you perform your PowerPivot for SharePoint installation. [...]
[...] Fix found here and my situation summary written out below [...]
[...] 1. http://powerpivotgeek.com/2010/06/14/installation-failure-could-not-load-file-or-assembly-microsoft-... [...]