Why can't Windows 7 load the assembly PresentationFramework.Aero2?

Question

I recently finished my first WPF application I have been developing using Windows 8. It has worked fine on my machine. A friend of mine ran it in visual studio on his Windows 8 machine as well, and that worked. I install the program using click once on my machine, and it installs fine and runs.

I installed Windows 7 on virtual box and attempted to install it using the click once. It fetched .NET 4.5 and SQL Server Compact, the install process seemed flawless. When Windows 7 tried to run the application, nothing useful happened. I installed Visual Studio in virtualbox and was able to get this stack trace.

I looked up the PresentationFramework.Aero2 on Google and came across 3 SO questions and one MSDN question. The MSDN question gave me a hint of what I think it might be. If I go to C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\4.0\WPF there is no PresentationFramework.Aero2.dll file, whereas on Windows 8 there is... so I copied and pasted it into the windows 7 equivalent place hoping to achieve something, but nothing came of it.

Here is the Stack Trace:

System.Windows.Markup.XamlParseException was unhandled
  HResult=-2146233087
  Message='Add value to collection of type 'System.Collections.ObjectModel.ObservableCollection(System.Windows.Controls.DataGridColumn)' threw an exception.' Line number '35' and line position '71'.
  Source=PresentationFramework
  LineNumber=35
  LinePosition=71
  StackTrace:
       at System.Windows.Markup.WpfXamlLoader.Load(XamlReader xamlReader, IXamlObjectWriterFactory writerFactory, Boolean skipJournaledProperties, Object rootObject, XamlObjectWriterSettings settings, Uri baseUri)
       at System.Windows.Markup.WpfXamlLoader.LoadBaml(XamlReader xamlReader, Boolean skipJournaledProperties, Object rootObject, XamlAccessLevel accessLevel, Uri baseUri)
       at System.Windows.Markup.XamlReader.LoadBaml(Stream stream, ParserContext parserContext, Object parent, Boolean closeStream)
       at System.Windows.Application.LoadBamlStreamWithSyncInfo(Stream stream, ParserContext pc)
       at System.Windows.Application.LoadComponent(Uri resourceLocator, Boolean bSkipJournaledProperties)
       at System.Windows.Application.DoStartup()
       at System.Windows.Application.<.ctor>b__1(Object unused)
       at System.Windows.Threading.ExceptionWrapper.InternalRealCall(Delegate callback, Object args, Int32 numArgs)
       at MS.Internal.Threading.ExceptionFilterHelper.TryCatchWhen(Object source, Delegate method, Object args, Int32 numArgs, Delegate catchHandler)
       at System.Windows.Threading.DispatcherOperation.InvokeImpl()
       at System.Windows.Threading.DispatcherOperation.InvokeInSecurityContext(Object state)
       at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.RunInternal(ExecutionContext executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state, Boolean preserveSyncCtx)
       at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run(ExecutionContext executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state, Boolean preserveSyncCtx)
       at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run(ExecutionContext executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state)
       at System.Windows.Threading.DispatcherOperation.Invoke()
       at System.Windows.Threading.Dispatcher.ProcessQueue()
       at System.Windows.Threading.Dispatcher.WndProcHook(IntPtr hwnd, Int32 msg, IntPtr wParam, IntPtr lParam, Boolean& handled)
       at MS.Win32.HwndWrapper.WndProc(IntPtr hwnd, Int32 msg, IntPtr wParam, IntPtr lParam, Boolean& handled)
       at MS.Win32.HwndSubclass.DispatcherCallbackOperation(Object o)
       at System.Windows.Threading.ExceptionWrapper.InternalRealCall(Delegate callback, Object args, Int32 numArgs)
       at MS.Internal.Threading.ExceptionFilterHelper.TryCatchWhen(Object source, Delegate method, Object args, Int32 numArgs, Delegate catchHandler)
       at System.Windows.Threading.Dispatcher.LegacyInvokeImpl(DispatcherPriority priority, TimeSpan timeout, Delegate method, Object args, Int32 numArgs)
       at MS.Win32.HwndSubclass.SubclassWndProc(IntPtr hwnd, Int32 msg, IntPtr wParam, IntPtr lParam)
       at MS.Win32.UnsafeNativeMethods.DispatchMessage(MSG& msg)
       at System.Windows.Threading.Dispatcher.PushFrameImpl(DispatcherFrame frame)
       at System.Windows.Threading.Dispatcher.PushFrame(DispatcherFrame frame)
       at System.Windows.Threading.Dispatcher.Run()
       at System.Windows.Application.RunDispatcher(Object ignore)
       at System.Windows.Application.RunInternal(Window window)
       at System.Windows.Application.Run(Window window)
       at System.Windows.Application.Run()
       at PremierAutoDataExtractor.App.Main()
  InnerException: System.IO.FileNotFoundException
       HResult=-2147024894
       Message=Could not load file or assembly 'PresentationFramework.Aero2, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35' or one of its dependencies. The system cannot find the file specified.
       Source=mscorlib
       FileName=PresentationFramework.Aero2, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35
       FusionLog=WRN: Assembly binding logging is turned OFF.
To enable assembly bind failure logging, set the registry value [HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Fusion!EnableLog] (DWORD) to 1.
Note: There is some performance penalty associated with assembly bind failure logging.
To turn this feature off, remove the registry value [HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Fusion!EnableLog].

       StackTrace:
            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.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.Assembly.Load(AssemblyName assemblyRef)
            at System.Windows.Baml2006.Baml2006SchemaContext.ResolveAssembly(BamlAssembly bamlAssembly)
            at System.Windows.Baml2006.Baml2006SchemaContext.ResolveBamlTypeToType(BamlType bamlType)
            at System.Windows.Baml2006.Baml2006SchemaContext.ResolveBamlType(BamlType bamlType, Int16 typeId)
            at System.Windows.Baml2006.Baml2006SchemaContext.GetXamlType(Int16 typeId)
            at System.Windows.Baml2006.Baml2006Reader.Process_ElementStart()
            at System.Windows.Baml2006.Baml2006Reader.Process_OneBamlRecord()
            at System.Windows.Baml2006.Baml2006Reader.ReadObject(KeyRecord record)
            at System.Windows.ResourceDictionary.CreateObject(KeyRecord key)
            at System.Windows.ResourceDictionary.OnGettingValue(Object key, Object& value, Boolean& canCache)
            at System.Windows.ResourceDictionary.OnGettingValuePrivate(Object key, Object& value, Boolean& canCache)
            at System.Windows.ResourceDictionary.GetValueWithoutLock(Object key, Boolean& canCache)
            at System.Windows.ResourceDictionary.GetValue(Object key, Boolean& canCache)
            at System.Windows.DeferredResourceReference.GetValue(BaseValueSourceInternal valueSource)
            at System.Windows.DeferredAppResourceReference.GetValue(BaseValueSourceInternal valueSource)
            at System.Windows.DependencyObject.GetEffectiveValue(EntryIndex entryIndex, DependencyProperty dp, RequestFlags requests)
            at System.Windows.DependencyObject.GetValueEntry(EntryIndex entryIndex, DependencyProperty dp, PropertyMetadata metadata, RequestFlags requests)
            at System.Windows.DependencyObject.GetValue(DependencyProperty dp)
            at System.Windows.Controls.DataGridHelper.GetCoercedTransferPropertyValue(DependencyObject baseObject, Object baseValue, DependencyProperty baseProperty, DependencyObject parentObject, DependencyProperty parentProperty, DependencyObject grandParentObject, DependencyProperty grandParentProperty)
            at System.Windows.Controls.DataGridColumn.OnCoerceHeaderStyle(DependencyObject d, Object baseValue)
            at System.Windows.DependencyObject.ProcessCoerceValue(DependencyProperty dp, PropertyMetadata metadata, EntryIndex& entryIndex, Int32& targetIndex, EffectiveValueEntry& newEntry, EffectiveValueEntry& oldEntry, Object& oldValue, Object baseValue, Object controlValue, CoerceValueCallback coerceValueCallback, Boolean coerceWithDeferredReference, Boolean coerceWithCurrentValue, Boolean skipBaseValueChecks)
            at System.Windows.DependencyObject.UpdateEffectiveValue(EntryIndex entryIndex, DependencyProperty dp, PropertyMetadata metadata, EffectiveValueEntry oldEntry, EffectiveValueEntry& newEntry, Boolean coerceWithDeferredReference, Boolean coerceWithCurrentValue, OperationType operationType)
            at System.Windows.DependencyObject.CoerceValue(DependencyProperty dp)
            at System.Windows.Controls.DataGridHelper.TransferProperty(DependencyObject d, DependencyProperty p)
            at System.Windows.Controls.DataGridColumn.SyncProperties()
            at System.Windows.Controls.DataGrid.UpdateColumnSizeConstraints(IList list)
            at System.Windows.Controls.DataGrid.OnColumnsChanged(Object sender, NotifyCollectionChangedEventArgs e)
            at System.Collections.ObjectModel.ObservableCollection`1.OnCollectionChanged(NotifyCollectionChangedEventArgs e)
            at System.Windows.Controls.DataGridColumnCollection.OnCollectionChanged(NotifyCollectionChangedEventArgs e)
            at System.Collections.ObjectModel.ObservableCollection`1.InsertItem(Int32 index, T item)
            at System.Windows.Controls.DataGridColumnCollection.InsertItem(Int32 index, DataGridColumn item)
            at System.Collections.ObjectModel.Collection`1.Add(T item)
            at System.Collections.ObjectModel.Collection`1.System.Collections.IList.Add(Object value)
            at System.Xaml.Schema.XamlTypeInvoker.AddToCollection(Object instance, Object item)
            at MS.Internal.Xaml.Runtime.ClrObjectRuntime.Add(Object collection, XamlType collectionType, Object value, XamlType valueXamlType)
       InnerException: 

Answer 1

I ran into a similar issue. Context: Developing WPF app on Windows 8 using Visual Studio 2012, Blend for 2012, .NET 4.5. APP.XAML referenced the PresentationFramework.Aero2 for themes. Distributing App using ClickOnce.

On Windows 8, no problems. On Windows XP/Vista/7, application would crash on part way into execution (on the first sub-page that referenced Aero2) with the aforementioned "Could not load assembly" exception recorded.

Attempted fixes: Flag Aero2 to copy local in project (did not help), attempted to include in ClickOnce Installer (did not appear in list of available assemblies), copied to WPF folder on target Windows7 machine under c:\windows\microsoft.net\framework\v4.xx\wpf (did not help).

Resolution:

Replace reference in project from PresentationFramework.Aero2 to PresentationFramework.Aero and then modified XAML references to match. Could readily push to non-Windows 8 machines and have it run. Development works properly. Only difference found was the default appearance of progress bars was glossy / 3d.

Answer 2

On a developer machine there are two versions of the presentation framework assemblies. Visual Studio references the "metadata only" version. When you deploy the assembly of the C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\WPF folder it should work (see Problem with assembly PresentationFramework.Aero2)