December 2011 TFS Power Tools crashes Visual Studio 2010

Question

After installing the December 2011 TFS Power Tools Visual Studio 2010 crashes shortly after startup.  I believe it's related to the team explorer.  Multiple people seemed to have the issue if you look at the review page: http://visualstudiogallery.msdn.microsoft.com/c255a1e4-04ba-4f68-8f4e-cd473d6b971f/

This is what I see in the event viewer:

Application: devenv.exe
Framework Version: v4.0.30319
Description: The process was terminated due to an unhandled exception.
Exception Info: System.InvalidCastException
Stack:
   at Microsoft.TeamFoundation.Collaboration.Microsoft.CommunicatorProvider.get_MessengerReference()
   at Microsoft.TeamFoundation.Collaboration.Microsoft.MicrosoftProvider.Disconnect()
   at Microsoft.TeamFoundation.Collaboration.Microsoft.CommunicatorProvider.Disconnect()
   at Microsoft.TeamFoundation.Collaboration.Microsoft.MicrosoftProvider.Dispose(Boolean)
   at Microsoft.TeamFoundation.Collaboration.Microsoft.MicrosoftProvider.Finalize()

Fault bucket 2641945999, type 5
Event Name: CLR20r3
Response: Not available
Cab Id: 0

Problem signature:
P1: devenv.exe
P2: 10.0.40219.1
P3: 4d5f2a73
P4: Microsoft.TeamFoundation.Collaboration.Microsoft
P5: 10.0.0.0
P6: 4edeeb8c
P7: 49
P8: 0
P9: System.InvalidCastException
P10: 

Attached files:

These files may be available here:
C:\Users\crock\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\WER\ReportArchive\Critical_devenv.exe_9fb6792aafea1065352497d7434de9f6ca6d2642_0a9dd5a3

Analysis symbol: 
Rechecking for solution: 0
Report Id: 44479045-fe73-11e1-a6e2-64315026197d
Report Status: 0

Is there any way to get a previous version of the tools to try?  Is there a fix for this issue?

Regards,

Chris Rock

Answer 1

Hi Chris, 

Thanks for your post.

Please try the following steps:

1        Uninstall the TFS Power Tools 2011 on this client.

2        Repair your VS 2010, ensure no any issue during repairing.

3        After repaired successfully, upgrade your VS 2010 to VS 2010 SP1.(And I also suggest your upgrade your TFS 2010 to TFS 2010 SP1)

4        Then try to install the TFS Power Tools 2011 on this client again, then check VS 2010 work normally or not.

And you can try to install the TFS Power Tools 2011 on another client which installed VS 2010 too, then test if the same issue will occur on another client. 

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John Qiao [MSFT]
MSDN Community Support | Feedback to us

Answer 2

Sorry for the delay.  I tried what you posted above but I got the same behavior.  The only thing I can't do is upgrade TFS to 2010 SP1, it's not in my control.

I did get some information some someone else at the company that it might have something to do with us using Cisco Webex Connect and not Office Communicator.  I haven't gotten a chance to try the workaround suggested but will update when I can.

Regards,
Chris

Answer 3

Thanks for reporting this.

I  have reached out to the dev of the team members power tool and your solution is to remove the file "\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 11.0\Common7\IDE\Extensions\TeamCollaboration\Providers\Microsoft.TeamFoundation.Collaboration.Microsoft.dll".

We use MEF for these provider plug-ins, so deleting the dll and reloading VS should do the trick.

The root cause of the problem is likely that we included the old MSN API in this power tool for backwards compatibility, and if a running tool identifies itself as MSN Messenger to the API but then doesn’t fully support the API I can see where it might induce a crash.

Let me know if removing the dll solves your problem.

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Please remember to mark the replies as answers if they help.

Answer 4

Thanks, this was close.  It's Visual Studio 2010, so the directory was off.  I found that assembly at \Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 10.0\Common7\IDE\PublicAssemblies\CollaborationProviders\Microsoft.TeamFoundation.Collaboration.Microsoft.dll.  If I renamed that file the crashes stopped. 

FYI, the workaround I was provided by someone here is somewhat similiar, it was to do this in Team Explorer:
Team Members -> Personal Settings -> General Tab

In the Collaboration frame, change the provider from Microsoft Office Communicator to <None>.

Either one of those actions worked.

Thanks,
Chris