Haskell-Stack: Access violation error during build

Question

I've been trying to build my Haskell project for the last couple days using stack and I'm getting an access violation error. From what I understand I have the latest stack version and GHC.

This was all originally working until I added a library to my cabal file. I've now removed it but the error still occurs. I've also reverted back to when my code was definitely working so I'm sure this is something caused by stack.

I've tried uninstalling stack, deleting .stack-work and reinstalling. Then doing a stack setup. I've tried many variations of commands but no results.

I've now also tried creating a new project with Stack and building it and I get the same issue.

stack build

Building all executables for `haskell-project' once. After a successful build of all of them, only specified executables will be rebuilt.
haskell-project-0.1.0.0: configure (exe)
Access violation in generated code when reading 000000000e58391a

--  While building custom Setup.hs for package haskell-project-0.1.0.0 using:
      C:\sr\setup-exe-cache\x86_64-windows\Cabal-simple_Z6RU0evB_2.0.1.0_ghc-8.2.2.exe --builddir=.stack-work\dist\5c8418a7 configure --with-ghc=C:\Users\Michael\AppData\Local\Programs\stack\x86_64-windows\ghc-8.2.2\bin\ghc.EXE --with-ghc-pkg=C:\Users\Michael\AppData\Local\Programs\stack\x86_64-windows\ghc-8.2.2\bin\ghc-pkg.EXE --user --package-db=clear --package-db=global --package-db=C:\sr\snapshots\13cecb13\pkgdb --package-db=C:\Users\Michael\Desktop\haskell-project\.stack-work\install\ccbce92a\pkgdb --libdir=C:\Users\Michael\Desktop\haskell-project\.stack-work\install\ccbce92a\lib --bindir=C:\Users\Michael\Desktop\haskell-project\.stack-work\install\ccbce92a\bin --datadir=C:\Users\Michael\Desktop\haskell-project\.stack-work\install\ccbce92a\share --libexecdir=C:\Users\Michael\Desktop\haskell-project\.stack-work\install\ccbce92a\libexec --sysconfdir=C:\Users\Michael\Desktop\haskell-project\.stack-work\install\ccbce92a\etc --docdir=C:\Users\Michael\Desktop\haskell-project\.stack-work\install\ccbce92a\doc\haskell-project-0.1.0.0 --htmldir=C:\Users\Michael\Desktop\haskell-project\.stack-work\install\ccbce92a\doc\haskell-project-0.1.0.0 --haddockdir=C:\Users\Michael\Desktop\haskell-project\.stack-work\install\ccbce92a\doc\haskell-project-0.1.0.0 --dependency=base=base-4.10.1.0 --dependency=containers=containers-0.5.10.2 --dependency=mtl=mtl-2.2.1-DscMMmDQUE6GBfOSl4qMUH --dependency=parsec=parsec-3.1.11-3BgBURmbRiVF8fgoxhAiBa --dependency=pretty-simple=pretty-simple-2.0.1.0-J3QTM6x6LHL5fhqavYvVhJ --dependency=text=text-1.2.2.2-9VTsh6V7U7hpagw2HDvpZ --extra-include-dirs=C:\Users\Michael\AppData\Local\Programs\stack\x86_64-windows\msys2-20150512\mingw64\include --extra-lib-dirs=C:\Users\Michael\AppData\Local\Programs\stack\x86_64-windows\msys2-20150512\mingw64\bin --extra-lib-dirs=C:\Users\Michael\AppData\Local\Programs\stack\x86_64-windows\msys2-20150512\mingw64\lib --enable-tests --enable-benchmarks
    Process exited with code: ExitFailure 1

What would be the steps to fix this or likely causes?

Answer 1

I managed to find a temporary solution for anybody who is having the same issue.

I downgraded cabal to version 1.24.0.2 and changed the resolver to using GHC version 8.0.1 (resolver: ghc-8.0.1).

After then running stack solver I'm now able to build.

Answer 2

The issue #3765 on the stack tracker has some workarounds for this, in addition to Michael's answer.

The best solution, it seems, is to unset __COMPAT_LAYER, which when set to INSTALLER can reproduce the bug.

C:\>set __COMPAT_LAYER=

The cause might be a bug in some versions of GHC, which is catching exceptions it ought to propagate to the user. If this is the case, there is an underlying problem, and this bug is hiding it.

Do please add a comment on the aforementioned issue, as it will help the maintainers track the prevalence of this problem.