'Master Page cannot be loaded' Error

Question

Hi, I suddenly started developing some near-fatal errors with my Sharepoint site. I found that it was somehow difficult to edit the home page for the site collection, so I decided to create another 'default.aspx' and replace it as the hompage. Problem is,  the new home page was still using the original master page and looked funny, so I copied and replaced the old master page, keeping it as a copy just case. When the new home page still looked funny, I deided to change everything back, but then the following error occured:


'The Master Page cannot be loaded. "File Name"
Please attach a different Master Page or go to Code View to resolve the error'.

The link to attach a different master page doesn't do anything, and the 'go to Code View' link doesn't show the error. Strangely the file name of the master page it can't load is not the default master page, and more annoyingly, the file exists!!! I don't know what to do. In Internet Explorer, the home page only shows this erroe: 'File Not Found'.

Help me, what did I do wrong?

Answer 1

Make sure the master page is published and approved.

Answer 2

 

Go to http://[yoursite]/_Layouts/ChangeSiteMasterPage.aspx and ensure that the masterpage that you are trying to load is valid.

If not, select an existing masterpage from the drop-down list.

Answer 3

i am also facing the problem with visual studio 2008 with my web application. while every thing is fine with the project on other machine with similar environment, on my machine the Design view is in problem as it says the masterpagefile can't be loaded. the same project is working fine on other pc.

I reinstalled the vs-2008 but to no help. also have installed the sp1 but could not solve the problem .. please suggest.

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.net software developer

Answer 4

Onyeka,

               Please right click on the masterpage in sharepoint  and select "Set as Default Master Page" this will solve the problem.

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- Gopi Ramaya

Answer 5

Weird, I get exactly the same error in Expression Web 3, when trying to open a "view" in an asp.net mvc project.
The code view loads just fine, but when I try to switch to the Design View, I get this same error. 
All fine in Visual Studio (2008, Team Ed)