Application cannot find DLL file

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I have a Windows Form project in VS2015. It uses System.Data.SqlClient to access a local database file - MyDB.mdf. I have SQL Server 2014 installed, including "Express LocalDB". Targeting .Net Framework 4.0.

The application uses four DLL files to support Backup and Restore functions:

Microsoft.SqlServer.ConnectionInfo.dll
Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Sdk.Sfc.dll
Microsoft.SqlServer.Smo.dll
Microsoft.SqlServer.SmoExtended.dll

These DLLs are included in the project References.

All works properly on my development PC (Windows 10), but when I install the application on my Windows 10 laptop, there is a problem  - When I do backup or restore, an exception is thrown - 

"Could not load file or assembly 'Microsoft.SqlServer.Smo,
Version=11.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=89845dcd8080cc19'
or one of its dependencies. The system cannot find the file specified."

What I have tried:

I have tried including all the DLL files in the application folder, and also in a sub-folder "lib", but for some reason the DLL file cannot be found.     Note: SQL Server 2016 Express is installed on the laptop.

Question: How do I get the application to find the DLL file(s)?

7/28 Update - I installed SQL Server 2016 Express on my development PC, and then updated the references section in the VS2015 project to the appropriate DLL instances. I verified these DLL instances were present on the laptop target PC (same date and time). Now when I build the application on the development PC, and install it on the laptop, everything works.
Note: I'm using Inno Setup to make the setup.exe file.
Question: Is there a way to package the DLL files in my setup so when it is installed on another machine, those DLLs are used?

Posted 27-Jul-19 4:03am

Member 11298827

Updated 28-Jul-19 5:22am

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[no name] 27-Jul-19 10:06am

I think google will help here: Error: "Could not load file or assembly 'Microsoft.SqlServer.ConnectionInfo..." – TimeXtender[^]

2 solutions

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Member 11481920 · Answer 1 · 2019-07-27T04:26:00

Solution 1

Please check this link problem might difference in version sql server in laptop and PC
Backward Compatibility in SMO - SQL Server | Microsoft Docs[^][^]

Posted 27-Jul-19 4:26am

Member 11481920

Updated 27-Jul-19 4:31am

Member 11481920 · Answer 2 · 2019-07-27T04:29:00

Solution 2

You can get the dll by installing the SMO nuget Packages
Please check this link problem might difference in version sql server in laptop and PC
Backward Compatibility in SMO - SQL Server | Microsoft Docs[^][^]

Posted 27-Jul-19 4:29am

Member 11481920

Comments

Member 11298827 27-Jul-19 12:26pm

Thanks for your reply - I don't have any experience with Nuget - so after reading about it, I found that it is built into VS2015. I used it to look at the various packages but did not see "microsoft.sqlserver.sqlmanagementobjects" (as seen on Nuget site).
I did see "Bundle.Microsoft.SqlServer.SMO". It is version 12.0.2000, updated 9 months ago. Is that the one I should use?

BillWoodruff 27-Jul-19 15:27pm

Please do not post two solutions: edit the first solution.

Member 11298827 27-Jul-19 15:54pm

Update - I tried using "Bundle.Microsoft.SqlServer.SMO" from Nuget, but it made matters even worse - When I install the app on the development PC and try to restore, an exception is thrown - Method not found: 'Void Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Smo.BackupDeviceItem...
So it would seem the Backup and Restore methods are not in the newer DLL?

One more question - can SQL Server 2016 Express be safely installed over previous versions? I don't want to start uninstalling older versions if I can avoid it.