Exception has been thrown by the target of an invocation when clicking run test in team suite mstest

Question

I'm using Visual Studio 2008 Team Suite and i was able to run tests
until a couple of weeks ago.

I run VS as myself in Vista as my user account which is non-admin and
UAC enabled. I get "Exception has been thrown by the target of an
invocation." OK message box when clicking run test in team suite mstest.

If I open the exact same solution in VS running as administrator the
test will run.

I watched process access in procmon and noticed that as non-admin the
MSTestHost.exe process is never even started, so it doesn't get that far.

I'm limp along running VS as admin, but I would really like to get back
to my old dev environment. Can anyone help?

--
Jay R. Wren

Answer 1

Seems like your installation got into a weird state... you might want to try running "devenv /resetuserdata" from a VS command prompt, and then trying to run your tests again.

 

Please let me know if this helps

 

Thanks,
David Gorena Elizondo

[MSFT] VSTT

Answer 2

I run it as my non-admin user "jrwren" account, which is the account having the problem and I get the message:

The operation could not be completed. The requested operation requires elevation.

So I run it again as admin and it spins for longer than I thought it would.

I started up visual studio and it is like it is the first time. I am prompted to choose my preferred keyboard bindings. I pick Visual C# and it says "Microsoft Visual Studio is configuring the Environment for first time use. This might take a few minutes."

And it does take more than just a few minutes.

AND IT WORKS!

1000X thank yous! You have made me very happy today.

Answer 3

 Running unittest from VS2008 received this error:
Exception has been thrown by the target invocation

Our projects have recently been upgraded from VS2005 to VS2008 along with Framework 3.5.
I have tried 'devenv /resetuserdata' from a VS command prompt, restarted VS and ran test, still got same error.

I would appreciate any help in resolving this!

Answer 4

Hi:
I'm having a problem running MSTest from command line - I get the error listed in this post. Test is simplified to Assert true and works from within the IDE. Would appreciate any ideas. I've tried devenv /resetuserdata but no success.
Thanks!

Answer 5

I am running into the same problems with MSTest. Can't run any tests anymore.

Additionally if I go to "Test" | "Windows" |"Test results" in a blank VS (no open solution) I get the exception as well.

.peter.gfader.

---

Peter Gfader

Answer 6

I ended up opening a MS support case on this issue. We did some troubleshooting using fuslogvw.exe that checks assembly bindings. Turned out that another product Gallio had changed the bindings for MSTest. I uninstalled Gallio and MSTest.exe started working again.

Hope this information helps someone!

Answer 7

I have the same problem and I have fixed it twice this week :-o First time with the red pill and second time with both the red and the blue pill...

My symptoms are
* Unit tests has worked on this machine for a couple of months, and all of a sudden it stops working (my prime suspects is that I get something from Windows Update that trashes my VS installation)
* Just as Peter, if I go to "Test" | "Windows" |"Test results" in a blank VS (no open solution) I get the exception
* If I run/debug a unit test from visual studio, I get the exception (probably because it tries to open the test results windows)
* I get the exception even when I run VS as admin
* It seems totally unrelated to the solution, more like som COM object registration in the VS install is messed up.
* If I run the tests from mstest at the command line, the tests gets executed

Three days ago it stoppped working. I read several posts where peple tried "devenv /resetuserdata" without success and I found a post where somebody solved the problem by repairing the TFS client install. I tried the latter and jubiii th eproble went away :-)

Yesterday I got seven updates from Windows update and rebooted. Later same day I noticed that VS test results view was broken again! Related? Maybe... None of the updates seem VS related (the updates mention outlook, word, excel, office system, utils from my printer vendor, and Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool). Smells a bit of dll-____...

This time it took more effort to fix:
1) Repair TFS client (no reboot required) - still doesn't work!
2) Run "devenv /resetuserdata" - still doesn't work!
3) Re-run repair TFS client and after a required reboot, the repair continues/finishes. Wupti now it works again :-) But for how long????

---

m_

Answer 8

The proposed solution does not work for me.
I have the same problem on all machines (Windows 7 Ultimate x64 ENU) after installing Team Explorer 2008 + SP1 + Team Explorer 2008 Forward Compatibility Update (GDR)

Here is the error found in application event log:
_____

Log Name:      Application
Source:        Team Test Error Reporting
Date:          16/11/2009 14:00:08
Event ID:      5000
Task Category: None
Level:         Information
Keywords:      Classic
User:          N/A
Computer:      masked
Description:
The description for Event ID 5000 from source Team Test Error Reporting cannot be found. Either the component that raises this event is not installed on your local computer or the installation is corrupted. You can install or repair the component on the local computer.

If the event originated on another computer, the display information had to be saved with the event.

The following information was included with the event:

VSTEExecutionFrameworkUE
Test Publicize Build Task
v2.0.50727
9.0.0.0
Unknown
TypeLoadException
F330731
A5B66209

_____

Removing Team Explorer from the system resolved the problem.
Note that removing the Team Explorer 2008 Forward Compatibility Update does not solve the problem, so this is probably not tied to this specific component.

Any help appreciated.

TIA.
Olivier.

Answer 9

Hum... I'm the author of the previous post, and obviously something went wrong while posting.
I post it again to be notified of the replies.
Thanks for that.

The proposed solution does not work for me.
I have the same problem on all machines (Windows 7 Ultimate x64 ENU) after installing Team Explorer 2008 + SP1 + Team Explorer 2008 Forward Compatibility Update (GDR)

Here is the error found in application event log:
_____

Log Name:      Application
Source:        Team Test Error Reporting
Date:          16/11/2009 14:00:08
Event ID:      5000
Task Category: None
Level:         Information
Keywords:      Classic
User:          N/A
Computer:      masked
Description:
The description for Event ID 5000 from source Team Test Error Reporting cannot be found. Either the component that raises this event is not installed on your local computer or the installation is corrupted. You can install or repair the component on the local computer.

If the event originated on another computer, the display information had to be saved with the event.

The following information was included with the event:

VSTEExecutionFrameworkUE
Test Publicize Build Task
v2.0.50727
9.0.0.0
Unknown
TypeLoadException
F330731
A5B66209

_____

Removing Team Explorer from the system resolved the problem.
Note that removing the Team Explorer 2008 Forward Compatibility Update does not solve the problem, so this is probably not tied to this specific component.

Any help appreciated.

TIA.
Olivier.

Answer 10

I took a memory dump of the process after getting the exception in the IDE. Folowing is an analysis start :

0:000> ~* e !dumpstack
OS Thread Id: 0xdb0 (0)
Current frame: USER32!NtUserWaitMessage+0x15
ChildEBP RetAddr  Caller,Callee
003fec94 75a32674 USER32!DialogBox2+0x222, calling USER32!NtUserWaitMessage
003fecd0 75a3288a USER32!InternalDialogBox+0xe5, calling USER32!DialogBox2
003fecfc 75a6f8d0 USER32!SoftModalMessageBox+0x757, calling USER32!InternalDialogBox
003fed3c 6eb61996 mscorwks!Thread::ReverseLeaveRuntime+0x95, calling mscorwks!_EH_epilog3
003fedb0 75a6fbac USER32!MessageBoxWorker+0x269, calling USER32!SoftModalMessageBox
003fede0 6ea559c3 mscorwks!SetupThreadNoThrow+0x19a, calling mscorwks!_EH_epilog3_catch_GS
003fee24 6eb61d8a mscorwks!HasIllegalReentrancy+0xac, calling mscorwks!_EH_epilog3
003fee30 6ea89796 mscorwks!SimpleComCallWrapper::Release+0x2e, calling mscorwks!CompareExchangeMP
003fee38 6ea0da05 mscorwks!CLRException::HandlerState::CleanupTry+0x16, calling mscorwks!GetCurrentSEHRecord
003fee44 6ea0c9c0 mscorwks!Thread::EnablePreemptiveGC+0xf, calling mscorwks!Thread::CatchAtSafePoint
003fee4c 6ea8a241 mscorwks!Unknown_Release_Internal+0x24d, calling mscorwks!GCHolder<1,0,0>::Pop
003fee50 6ea0c86c mscorwks!_EH_epilog3_catch_GS+0xa, calling mscorwks!__security_check_cookie
003fee54 6ea8a24c mscorwks!Unknown_Release_Internal+0x258, calling mscorwks!_EH_epilog3_catch_GS
003fee7c 75a16941 USER32!UserCallWinProcCheckWow+0x13d, calling ntdll!RtlDeactivateActivationContextUnsafeFast
003feed8 7082119e msenv!ATL::CComCritSecLock<ATL::CComCriticalSection>::Lock+0xd, calling ntdll!RtlEnterCriticalSection
003fef08 75a6fe5b USER32!MessageBoxIndirectW+0x2e, calling USER32!MessageBoxWorker
003fef7c 70a1e367 msenv!MessageBoxPVoidW+0xda
003fefd4 70a1db60 msenv!VBDialogCover2+0x11b
003ff01c 70a1e4c0 msenv!VBMessageBox2W+0xf0, calling msenv!VBDialogCover2
003ff044 7087246b msenv!main_GetAppNameW+0xa, calling msenv!GetAppNameInternal
003ff04c 70a1e4f2 msenv!VBMessageBox3W+0x1c, calling msenv!VBMessageBox2W
003ff064 70a1d6d7 msenv!_IdMsgShow+0x362, calling msenv!VBMessageBox3W
003ff0cc 70951841 msenv!TaskDialogCallback+0x7e0, calling msenv!_IdMsgShow
003ff118 6eb20da4 mscorwks!Unknown_QueryInterface+0x230, calling mscorwks!_EH_epilog3_catch_GS
003ff14c 6eb20c43 mscorwks!Unknown_QueryInterface_Internal+0x3d8, calling mscorwks!_EH_epilog3_catch_GS
003ff168 02006ec4 02006ec4, calling 0247a1e8
003ff16c 6ea0c86c mscorwks!_EH_epilog3_catch_GS+0xa, calling mscorwks!__security_check_cookie
003ff198 6eb20562 mscorwks!COMToCLRWorker+0xb34, calling mscorwks!_EH_epilog3_catch_GS
003ff19c 0247a235 0247a235, calling mscorwks!COMToCLRWorker
003ff1c4 7083249f msenv!CVSCommandTarget::ExecCmd+0x937
003ff1e4 7086d5c8 msenv!VsReportErrorInfo+0x11, calling msenv!TaskDialogCallback+0xd8
003ff1f8 7093e65b msenv!CVSCommandTarget::ExecCmd+0x945, calling msenv!VsReportErrorInfo
003ff25c 7081f53a msenv!ATL::CComPtr<IVsLanguageInfo>::~CComPtr<IVsLanguageInfo>+0x24, calling msenv!_EH_epilog3
003ff260 70b18d72 msenv!LogCommand+0x4c, calling msenv!ATL::CComPtr<IVsCodePageSelection>::~CComPtr<IVsCodePageSelection>
003ff264 70b18d77 msenv!LogCommand+0x51, calling msenv!_EH_epilog3
003ff280 70a4fd0e msenv!CMsoButtonUser::FClick+0x1d1, calling msenv!CVSCommandTarget::ExecCmd
003ff2f4 70823a87 msenv!CTLSITE::QueryInterface+0x16
003ff31c 70cb7d4d msenv!TBCB::FNotifyFocus+0x204
003ff35c 70ce5fda msenv!TB::NotifyControl+0x101
003ff3bc 709910f6 msenv!TB::FRequestFocus+0x4ed, calling msenv!TB::NotifyControl
003ff414 708254ba msenv!CMsoButtonUser::FEnabled+0x3d, calling msenv!GetQueryStatusFlags
003ff428 7086222a msenv!TBC::FAutoEnabled+0x24
003ff43c 7098e1eb msenv!TB::LProcessInputMsg+0xdb4
003ff458 6bec1c49 (MethodDesc 0x6bcd7f54 +0x89 System.Windows.Forms.Form.DefWndProc(System.Windows.Forms.Message ByRef)), calling 6be3b738
003ff50c 70823ab0 msenv!FPtbFromSite+0x16
003ff520 70991c43 msenv!TB::PtbParent+0x25, calling msenv!FPtbFromSite
003ff52c 708dda49 msenv!TBWndProc+0x2da
003ff588 0203d770 0203d770, calling 0247a1e8
003ff598 70822a70 msenv!CPaneFrame::Release+0x118, calling msenv!_EH_epilog3
003ff5b0 75a16238 USER32!InternalCallWinProc+0x23
003ff5dc 75a168ea USER32!UserCallWinProcCheckWow+0x109, calling USER32!InternalCallWinProc
003ff620 75a16899 USER32!UserCallWinProcCheckWow+0x6a, calling ntdll!RtlActivateActivationContextUnsafeFast
003ff654 75a17d31 USER32!DispatchMessageWorker+0x3bc, calling USER32!UserCallWinProcCheckWow
003ff688 70847f2b msenv!CMsoComponent::FPreTranslateMessage+0x72, calling msenv!MainFTranslateMessage
003ff6b4 75a17dfa USER32!DispatchMessageW+0xf, calling USER32!DispatchMessageWorker
003ff6c4 70831553 msenv!EnvironmentMsgLoop+0x1ea, calling USER32!DispatchMessageW
003ff6f8 708eb9bd msenv!CMsoCMHandler::FPushMessageLoop+0x86, calling msenv!EnvironmentMsgLoop
003ff724 708eb94d msenv!SCM::FPushMessageLoop+0xb7
003ff74c 708eb8e9 msenv!SCM_MsoCompMgr::FPushMessageLoop+0x28, calling msenv!SCM::FPushMessageLoop
003ff768 708eb8b8 msenv!CMsoComponent::PushMsgLoop+0x28
003ff788 708ebe4e msenv!VStudioMainLogged+0x482, calling msenv!CMsoComponent::PushMsgLoop
003ff7ac 70882afe msenv!CVsActivityLogSingleton::Instance+0xdf, calling msenv!_EH_epilog3
003ff7d8 70882afe msenv!CVsActivityLogSingleton::Instance+0xdf, calling msenv!_EH_epilog3
003ff7dc 707e4e31 msenv!VActivityLogStartupEntries+0x42
003ff7f4 7081f63b msenv!ATL::CComPtr<IClassFactory>::~CComPtr<IClassFactory>+0x24, calling msenv!_EH_epilog3
003ff7f8 708b250f msenv!ATL::CComQIPtr<IUnknown,&IID_IUnknown>::~CComQIPtr<IUnknown,&IID_IUnknown>+0x1d, calling msenv!_EH_epilog3
003ff820 708e7561 msenv!VStudioMain+0xc1, calling msenv!VStudioMainLogged
003ff84c 2f32aabc devenv!util_CallVsMain+0xff
003ff878 2f3278f2 devenv!CDevEnvAppId::Run+0x11fd, calling devenv!util_CallVsMain
003ff97c 77533b23 ntdll!RtlpAllocateHeap+0xe73, calling ntdll!_SEH_epilog4
003ff9f0 77536cd7 ntdll!RtlpLowFragHeapAllocFromContext+0x882, calling ntdll!RtlpSubSegmentInitialize
003ffa10 7753609f ntdll!RtlNtStatusToDosError+0x3b, calling ntdll!RtlNtStatusToDosErrorNoTeb
003ffa14 775360a4 ntdll!RtlNtStatusToDosError+0x40, calling ntdll!_SEH_epilog4
003ffa40 775360a4 ntdll!RtlNtStatusToDosError+0x40, calling ntdll!_SEH_epilog4
003ffa44 75bd2736 kernel32!LocalBaseRegOpenKey+0x159, calling ntdll!RtlNtStatusToDosError
003ffa48 75bd2762 kernel32!LocalBaseRegOpenKey+0x22a, calling kernel32!_SEH_epilog4
003ffac4 75bd2762 kernel32!LocalBaseRegOpenKey+0x22a, calling kernel32!_SEH_epilog4
003ffac8 75bd28c9 kernel32!RegOpenKeyExInternalW+0x130, calling kernel32!LocalBaseRegOpenKey
003ffad8 75bd28de kernel32!RegOpenKeyExInternalW+0x211
003ffae0 75bd28e5 kernel32!RegOpenKeyExInternalW+0x21d, calling kernel32!_SEH_epilog4
003ffb04 6f282e2b MSVCR90!_unlock+0x15, calling ntdll!RtlLeaveCriticalSection
003ffb14 75bd2642 kernel32!BaseRegCloseKeyInternal+0x41, calling ntdll!NtClose
003ffb28 75bd25d0 kernel32!RegCloseKey+0xd4, calling kernel32!_SEH_epilog4
003ffb5c 75bd25d0 kernel32!RegCloseKey+0xd4, calling kernel32!_SEH_epilog4
003ffb60 2f321ea4 devenv!DwInitSyncObjects+0x340
003ffb90 2f327bf4 devenv!WinMain+0x74, calling devenv!CDevEnvAppId::Run
003ffbac 2f327c68 devenv!License::GetPID+0x258, calling devenv!WinMain
003ffc3c 75bd3677 kernel32!BaseThreadInitThunk+0xe
003ffc48 77539d72 ntdll!__RtlUserThreadStart+0x70
003ffc88 77539d45 ntdll!_RtlUserThreadStart+0x1b, calling ntdll!__RtlUserThreadStart

The exeption of interest :

0:000> !pe -nested
Exception object: 050aae9c
Exception type: System.Reflection.TargetInvocationException
Message: Exception has been thrown by the target of an invocation.
InnerException: System.NullReferenceException, use !PrintException 050aac64 to see more
StackTrace (generated):
    SP       IP       Function
    003FEC2C 6D2700F7 mscorlib_ni!System.RuntimeType.CreateInstanceSlow(Boolean, Boolean)+0x57
    003FEC5C 6D270067 mscorlib_ni!System.RuntimeType.CreateInstanceImpl(Boolean, Boolean, Boolean)+0xe7
    003FEC94 6D270264 mscorlib_ni!System.Activator.CreateInstance(System.Type, Boolean)+0x44
    003FECA4 6AD02DAF Microsoft_VisualStudio_Shell_9_0_ni!Microsoft.VisualStudio.Shell.Package.CreateToolWindow(System.Type, Int32, Microsoft.VisualStudio.Shell.ProvideToolWindowAttribute)+0x67
    003FED30 6AD0311B Microsoft_VisualStudio_Shell_9_0_ni!Microsoft.VisualStudio.Shell.Package.CreateToolWindow(System.Type, Int32)+0xb7
    003FED58 6AD02D12 Microsoft_VisualStudio_Shell_9_0_ni!Microsoft.VisualStudio.Shell.Package.FindToolWindow(System.Type, Int32, Boolean, Microsoft.VisualStudio.Shell.ProvideToolWindowAttribute)+0x7a
    003FED88 6AD02D39 Microsoft_VisualStudio_Shell_9_0_ni!Microsoft.VisualStudio.Shell.Package.FindToolWindow(System.Type, Int32, Boolean)+0x11
    003FED94 02585E30 Microsoft_VisualStudio_QualityTools_TestCaseManagement!Microsoft.VisualStudio.TestTools.TestCaseManagement.QualityToolsPackage.InitToolWindowVariable[[System.__Canon, mscorlib]](System.__Canon ByRef, System.String, Boolean)+0x58
    003FEDD0 02585DBE Microsoft_VisualStudio_QualityTools_TestCaseManagement!Microsoft.VisualStudio.TestTools.TestCaseManagement.QualityToolsPackage.InitToolWindowVariable[[System.__Canon, mscorlib]](System.__Canon ByRef, System.String)+0x36
    003FEDE4 02585D32 Microsoft_VisualStudio_QualityTools_TestCaseManagement!Microsoft.VisualStudio.TestTools.TestCaseManagement.QualityToolsPackage.ShowToolWindow[[System.__Canon, mscorlib]](System.__Canon ByRef, System.String, Boolean)+0x3a
    003FEE00 02585AB4 Microsoft_VisualStudio_QualityTools_TestCaseManagement!Microsoft.VisualStudio.TestTools.TestCaseManagement.QualityToolsPackage.OpenTestResultsToolWindow()+0x2c
    003FEE10 02585A6E Microsoft_VisualStudio_QualityTools_TestCaseManagement!Microsoft.VisualStudio.TestTools.TestCaseManagement.QualityToolsPackage.OnMenuViewTestResults(System.Object, System.EventArgs)+0x6
    003FEE18 6CD4F993 System_ni!System.ComponentModel.Design.MenuCommand.Invoke()+0x43
    003FEE40 6CD4F9D4 System_ni!System.ComponentModel.Design.MenuCommand.Invoke(System.Object)+0x8
    003FEE48 6AD000FA Microsoft_VisualStudio_Shell_9_0_ni!Microsoft.VisualStudio.Shell.OleMenuCommandService.Microsoft.VisualStudio.OLE.Interop.IOleCommandTarget.Exec(System.Guid ByRef, UInt32, UInt32, IntPtr, IntPtr)+0x11a
    003FEEA0 6AD03FB8 Microsoft_VisualStudio_Shell_9_0_ni!Microsoft.VisualStudio.Shell.Package.Microsoft.VisualStudio.OLE.Interop.IOleCommandTarget.Exec(System.Guid ByRef, UInt32, UInt32, IntPtr, IntPtr)+0x44

StackTraceString: <none>
HResult: 80131604
0:000> !PrintException 050aac64
Exception object: 050aac64
Exception type: System.NullReferenceException
Message: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
InnerException: <none>
StackTrace (generated):
    SP       IP       Function
    003FE660 078E60BE Microsoft_VisualStudio_TeamSystem_Integration!Microsoft.VisualStudio.TeamSystem.Integration.TcmResultsPublishManager..ctor(Microsoft.VisualStudio.TeamSystem.Integration.ResultsPublishManager)+0xc6
    003FE674 078E5C91 Microsoft_VisualStudio_TeamSystem_Integration!Microsoft.VisualStudio.TeamSystem.Integration.ResultsPublishManager..ctor(Microsoft.VisualStudio.TeamSystem.Integration.TeamFoundationHostHelper)+0x59
    003FE684 078E2FA0 Microsoft_VisualStudio_TeamSystem_Integration!Microsoft.VisualStudio.TeamSystem.Integration.VsetServerHelper..ctor(System.IServiceProvider)+0x50
    003FE6A4 078E2E90 Microsoft_VisualStudio_TeamSystem_Common!Microsoft.VisualStudio.TeamSystem.Integration.Client.VsetHelper.InitializeThrow(System.IServiceProvider)+0x20
    003FE6B8 078E2E2A Microsoft_VisualStudio_TeamSystem_Common!Microsoft.VisualStudio.TeamSystem.Integration.Client.VsetHelper.InitializeHelper(System.IServiceProvider)+0x22
    003FE6E0 078E2DEC Microsoft_VisualStudio_TeamSystem_Common!Microsoft.VisualStudio.TeamSystem.Integration.Client.VsetHelper.CreateVsetHelper(System.IServiceProvider)+0x1c
    003FE6F0 078E2DAC Microsoft_VisualStudio_QualityTools_TestCaseManagement!Microsoft.VisualStudio.TestTools.TestCaseManagement.QualityToolsPackage.get_VsetHelper()+0x14
    003FE6F8 02586BBE Microsoft_VisualStudio_QualityTools_TestCaseManagement!Microsoft.VisualStudio.TestTools.TestCaseManagement.ResultsToolWindow..ctor()+0x9f6
    003FE798 02585F8A Microsoft_VisualStudio_QualityTools_TestCaseManagement!Microsoft.VisualStudio.TestTools.TestCaseManagement.ResultToolWindowHost..ctor()+0x1a

StackTraceString: <none>
HResult: 80004003

I'm sure that someone will comment on this. Any Help Appreciated.

Answer 11

Here we go again :-( Visual Studio worked for almost 2 weeks and now the test results windows is broken again! Same problem. This time it was enough to repair the TFS client - no reboot required.

I dont' have any events from "Team Test Error Reporting" in my application lo, so Olivier may have same symptoms but probably a different cause... That's probably why my fix doesn't work for him.

I didn't update anything in Visual Studio and looking at Windows update it has only updated Office and Windows defender.

---

m_