TFSBuild / Release Manager: The directory name is invalid

Question

I have a continuous integration build that used to run fine, but began giving me the following exception:

This exception is from the build agent,

Process each ConfigurationsToRelease

Release the build

Run the Release Management build Process for the current configuration: Exception:

Exception Message: The directory name is invalid (type Win32Exception)
Exception Stack Trace:
Server stack trace: 
at System.Diagnostics.Process.StartWithCreateProcess(ProcessStartInfo startInfo)
at Microsoft.TeamFoundation.Build.Workflow.Activities.InvokeProcess.ProcessWrapper.Start()
at Microsoft.TeamFoundation.Build.Workflow.Activities.InvokeProcess.InvokeProcessInternal.RunCommand (AsyncState state)
at System.Runtime.Remoting.Messaging.StackBuilderSink._PrivateProcessMessage(IntPtr md, Object[] 
args, Object server, Object[]& outArgs
at System.Runtime.Remoting.Messaging.StackBuilderSink.AsyncProcessMessage(IMessage msg, 
IMessageSink replySink)
Exception rethrown at [0]: 
at System.Runtime.Remoting.Proxies.RealProxy.EndInvokeHelper(Message reqMsg, Boolean bProxyCase)
at System.Runtime.Remoting.Proxies.RemotingProxy.Invoke(Object NotUsed, MessageData& msgData)
at System.Func`2.EndInvoke(IAsyncResult result)
at System.Activities.AsyncCodeActivity`1.System.Activities.IAsyncCodeActivity.FinishExecution
(AsyncCodeActivityContext context, IAsyncResult result)
at 
System.Activities.AsyncCodeActivity.CompleteAsyncCodeActivityData.CompleteAsyncCodeActivityWorkItem.Execute(ActivityExecutor executor, BookmarkManager bookmarkManager)

This is using the default build template and it seemed to have started randomly. The release never actually hits the Release Management and never throws an exception or Roll Back there. It seems to die as it should be hitting Release Management.

I've checked the drop folder and everything is there as it should be. Permissions are still correct. I don't know what folder it's looking for.

Has anyone had any experience with this or any ideas of where to begin looking?

Answer 1

Install the RM Client on the build server.

Somehow, the RM Client had gotten removed from the build server in between releases. Going to have a talk with IT about that.

Thank you @Daniel Mann for catching that.

Update: After upgrading to Release Management 2015, I received the same error. The ReleaseTfvcTemplate.12.xaml was updated. Make sure to copy the new template to your BuildProcessTemplates (or update your custom templates) from "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 14.0\Release Management\Client\bin"