Implementing ASP.NET / SQL Compact 4.0 to Windows Server 2012 problem

See more:

ASP.NET

Hi Folks

I asked this question in the server discussion area yesterday but I'm no further forward. Hoping for more success here.

I currently have a .NET 4.0 website successfully running on Windows Server 2008 using a private deployment of SQL Compact 4.0. The database dlls reside in the application's bin folder.

I am moving to a new web host company and I want to test this on Windows 2012, ultimately with a view to moving to .NET 4.5 and, later, SQL Server. I am using a brand new server installation.

My starting point was to move across all of my website folders, including a test database and SQLCE dlls and test the site - a straight copy of the existing folders and contents.

Unfortunately I get the following error message when loading the home page for the first time. "Unable to find the requested .Net Framework Data Provider. It may not be installed. "

The first part of the trace states:

[ArgumentException: Unable to find the requested .Net Framework Data Provider. It may not be installed.]
System.Data.Common.DbProviderFactories.GetFactory(String providerInvariantName) +1480919
System.Data.EntityClient.EntityConnection.GetFactory(String providerString) +26

[ArgumentException: The specified store provider cannot be found in the configuration, or is not valid.]
System.Data.EntityClient.EntityConnection.GetFactory(String providerString) +91
System.Data.EntityClient.EntityConnection.ChangeConnectionString(String newConnectionString) +246
System.Data.EntityClient.EntityConnection..ctor(String connectionString) +43
System.Data.Objects.ObjectContext.CreateEntityConnection(String connectionString) +85

etc

I am still learning .NET and server environment so please be kind. I have researched for answers today also but it seems to raise more questions than answers for me.

This link doesn't seem to indicate I am doing anything wrong with my private deployment of SQL Compact, though clearly something isn't right.

Given my setup and the errors shown is there a best place to look/check first?

Any ideas?

Cheers

Paul ...