So I did it again, I broke my SQL Server. Well, sort of. I have a Hyper-V VM of Windows Server 2012R2 I use for development. On it I had SQL Server 2012 Developer Edition with all the latest service packs. I recently needed to do some work with 2014 as well, so installed SQL Server 2014 Developer Edition side by side. Everything seemed happy, until I opened up the SQL Server 2012 Report Manager webpage. It looked OK at first, but when I started clicking on things I started getting this error:

System.Configuration.ConfigurationErrorsException: Could not load file or assembly ‘Microsoft.ReportingServices.SharePoint.ObjectModel’ or one of its dependencies. The located assembly’s manifest definition does not match the assembly reference

Icky. So a web search turned up one hit, a connect item filed by Brian Judge:

https://connect.microsoft.com/SQLServer/feedback/details/1088671/sql-server-2012-reporting-services-errors-after-installing-sql-server-2014

At the bottom, Brian gives the clue on how to fix the issue when he says:

If I change the redirect to stay on 11.0.0.0 for the following policies then the problem appears to be resolved:

C:\Windows\assembly\GAC_MSIL\Policy.11.0.Microsoft.ReportingServices.SharePoint.ObjectModel

C:\Windows\assembly\GAC_MSIL\Policy.11.0.Microsoft.ReportingServices.SharePoint.Server

C:\Windows\assembly\GAC_MSIL\Policy.11.0.Microsoft.ReportingServices.SharePoint12.Server

C:\Windows\assembly\GAC_MSIL\Policy.11.0.Microsoft.ReportingServices.SharePoint14.Server

Alas, there are no specific instructions on just how to change the redirect. For those not familiar with the way these things work, I wanted to amplify his fix.

First, open a command window in administrator mode. I used the one that came with Visual Studio (the Developer Command Prompt for VS2012).

Next, change directory by using the “cd” command to the first item in the list above. (Click on the pic for a bigger image, should you have poor eyesight).

Using the DIR command, we can see one directory with a version number followed by what appears to be a hash value of some type. Issue another CD into that folder.

Using the DIR command again you will find two files in that folder:

Use notepad to edit the one with the .config extenstion.

When it appears, you will see something like:

Simply change the number in the newVersion from 12, to 11.

Repeat the steps for all four of the folders in the list above.

Next, and this is important kids, you need to stop and restart your SQL Server 2012 Reporting Services service, or simply reboot the computer. After that, your SSRS 2012 Report Manager should start to behave normally again. I’ve also tested the 2014 Report Manager, and it seems to work fine after the changes were applied. (In theory it shouldn’t have been affected, but you can never be too careful).

If you found this post useful, do us a favor. Go to the Microsoft Connect article linked at the top and give it an up vote, so Microsoft will begin to take notice. Also thanks again to Brian Judge (whom I do not know but hope to meet) for filing the original bug and giving the clue to fixing it.