Failed to load receiver assembly - FileNotFoundException

Question

Struggling with this, project builds and deploys when I don't have EventReceivers in my Features, and fails when I do. I'm not entirely sure which file the FileNotFoundException is referring to

Error given in visual studio

Error   1   Error occurred in deployment step 'Activate Features': Failed to load receiver assembly "Decisions.Features, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=8d09acb153961cfd" for feature "Decisions.Features_DeployDecisionCommittee" (ID: 779492d8-f053-45ce-8340-5fa6d7f87a90).: System.IO.FileNotFoundException: Could not load file or assembly 'Decisions.Features, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=8d09acb153961cfd' or one of its dependencies. The system cannot find thefile specified.
File name: 'Decisions.Features, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=8d09acb153961cfd'
at System.Reflection.RuntimeAssembly._nLoad(AssemblyName fileName, String codeBase, Evidence assemblySecurity, RuntimeAssembly locationHint, StackCrawlMark& stackMark, IntPtr pPrivHostBinder, Boolean throwOnFileNotFound, Boolean forIntrospection, Boolean suppressSecurityChecks)
at System.Reflection.RuntimeAssembly.InternalLoadAssemblyName(AssemblyName assemblyRef, Evidence assemblySecurity, RuntimeAssembly reqAssembly, StackCrawlMark& stackMark, IntPtr pPrivHostBinder, Boolean throwOnFileNotFound, Boolean forIntrospection, Boolean suppressSecurityChecks)
at System.Reflection.RuntimeAssembly.InternalLoad(String assemblyString, Evidence assemblySecurity, StackCrawlMark& stackMark, IntPtr pPrivHostBinder, Boolean forIntrospection)
at System.Reflection.RuntimeAssembly.InternalLoad(String assemblyString, Evidence assemblySecurity, StackCrawlMark& stackMark, Boolean forIntrospection)
at System.Reflection.Assembly.Load(String assemblyString)
at Microsoft.SharePoint.Administration.SPFeatureDefinition.get_ReceiverObject()

=== Pre-bind state information ===
LOG: DisplayName = Decisions.Features, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=8d09acb153961cfd
(Fully-specified)
LOG: Appbase = file:///C:/Program Files (x86)/Microsoft Visual Studio 11.0/Common7/IDE/Extensions/Microsoft/SharePoint/
LOG: Initial PrivatePath = C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 11.0\Common7\IDE\Extensions\Microsoft\SharePoint\VstspCache7880
Calling assembly : (Unknown).
===
LOG: This bind starts in default load context.
LOG: Using application configuration file: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 11.0\Common7\IDE\Extensions\Microsoft\SharePoint\vssphost5.exe.Config
LOG: Using host configuration file: 
LOG: Using machine configuration file from C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework64\v4.0.30319\config\machine.config.
LOG: Post-policy reference: Decisions.Features, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=8d09acb153961cfd
LOG: The same bind was seen before, and was failed with hr = 0x80070002.

    0   0   Decisions.Features

Assembly Binging Log Viewer

* Assembly Binder Log Entry  (25/04/2014 @ 11:11:41) *

The operation failed.
Bind result: hr = 0x80070002. The system cannot find the file specified.

Assembly manager loaded from:  C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework64\v4.0.30319\clr.dll
Running under executable  C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 11.0\Common7\IDE\Extensions\Microsoft\SharePoint\vssphost5.exe
--- A detailed error log follows. 

=== Pre-bind state information ===
LOG: DisplayName = Decisions.Features, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=8d09acb153961cfd
 (Fully-specified)
LOG: Appbase = file:///C:/Program Files (x86)/Microsoft Visual Studio 11.0/Common7/IDE/Extensions/Microsoft/SharePoint/
LOG: Initial PrivatePath = C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 11.0\Common7\IDE\Extensions\Microsoft\SharePoint\VstspCache7880
LOG: Dynamic Base = NULL
LOG: Cache Base = NULL
LOG: AppName = vssphost5.exe

Calling assembly : (Unknown).

LOG: This bind starts in default load context.
LOG: Using application configuration file: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 11.0\Common7\IDE\Extensions\Microsoft\SharePoint\vssphost5.exe.Config
LOG: Using host configuration file: 
LOG: Using machine configuration file from C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework64\v4.0.30319\config\machine.config.
LOG: Post-policy reference: Decisions.Features, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=8d09acb153961cfd
LOG: GAC Lookup was unsuccessful.
LOG: Attempting download of new URL file:///C:/Program Files (x86)/Microsoft Visual Studio 11.0/Common7/IDE/Extensions/Microsoft/SharePoint/Decisions.Features.DLL.
LOG: Attempting download of new URL file:///C:/Program Files (x86)/Microsoft Visual Studio 11.0/Common7/IDE/Extensions/Microsoft/SharePoint/Decisions.Features/Decisions.Features.DLL.
LOG: Attempting download of new URL file:///C:/Program Files (x86)/Microsoft Visual Studio 11.0/Common7/IDE/Extensions/Microsoft/SharePoint/VstspCache7880/Decisions.Features.DLL.
LOG: Attempting download of new URL file:///C:/Program Files (x86)/Microsoft Visual Studio 11.0/Common7/IDE/Extensions/Microsoft/SharePoint/VstspCache7880/Decisions.Features/Decisions.Features.DLL.
LOG: Attempting download of new URL file:///C:/Program Files (x86)/Microsoft Visual Studio 11.0/Common7/IDE/Extensions/Microsoft/SharePoint/PublicAssemblies/Decisions.Features.DLL.
LOG: Attempting download of new URL file:///C:/Program Files (x86)/Microsoft Visual Studio 11.0/Common7/IDE/Extensions/Microsoft/SharePoint/PublicAssemblies/Decisions.Features/Decisions.Features.DLL.
LOG: Attempting download of new URL file:///C:/Program Files (x86)/Microsoft Visual Studio 11.0/Common7/IDE/Extensions/Microsoft/SharePoint/Decisions.Features.EXE.
LOG: Attempting download of new URL file:///C:/Program Files (x86)/Microsoft Visual Studio 11.0/Common7/IDE/Extensions/Microsoft/SharePoint/Decisions.Features/Decisions.Features.EXE.
LOG: Attempting download of new URL file:///C:/Program Files (x86)/Microsoft Visual Studio 11.0/Common7/IDE/Extensions/Microsoft/SharePoint/VstspCache7880/Decisions.Features.EXE.
LOG: Attempting download of new URL file:///C:/Program Files (x86)/Microsoft Visual Studio 11.0/Common7/IDE/Extensions/Microsoft/SharePoint/VstspCache7880/Decisions.Features/Decisions.Features.EXE.
LOG: Attempting download of new URL file:///C:/Program Files (x86)/Microsoft Visual Studio 11.0/Common7/IDE/Extensions/Microsoft/SharePoint/PublicAssemblies/Decisions.Features.EXE.
LOG: Attempting download of new URL file:///C:/Program Files (x86)/Microsoft Visual Studio 11.0/Common7/IDE/Extensions/Microsoft/SharePoint/PublicAssemblies/Decisions.Features/Decisions.Features.EXE.
LOG: All probing URLs attempted and failed.

Help

Answer 1

This is what worked for me,

First resolution:
·          Retract the Solution/WSP in VS.
·          Close VS.
·          Reopen VS and deploy the Project.

Second resolution:
If closing VS after retraction doesn't solve the problem then a larger workaround is:
·          Redeploy the project -> This will show an error during feature activation.
·          Go to SharePoint UI and Activate and then Deactivate the deployed feature that was showing activation error in VS.
·          Retract the Solution/WSP in VS.
·          Close VS.
·          Reopen VS and deploy the Project.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2022443

Answer 2

This works for me.

Right click on the project and select properties. In the properties menu, choose signing. While in the signing tab, under choose a strong name key file select new and key in a key name. Then select no password needed. After all is done rebuild the file and you can start deploying.

Answer 3

This worked for me: Change the version of your VS project in assembly information. For example, i changed the assembly and file version to 1.1.0.0 instead of 1.0.0.0.

Deployed and no problems.

Afterwards i could just set it back to 1.0.0.0 and continue on deploying without errors or problems...