Compilation Error - The compiler failed with error code 1

Question

I've been having issues deploying to our shared host recently. When deploying via Web Deploy from Visual Studio, 99% of the time I get this error on either the login page or the homepage after logging in. Sometimes I might get a couple of clicks into different sections then it will hit. It usually disappears after a couple of minutes through to maybe 90 minutes.

Webhost running Windows Server 2012 R2 Standard, IIS8, .NET 4.5.

The webhost has suggested I need to use the x86 build configuration from Visual Studio. I've tried a number of different configurations for Debug / Release in Any Cpu, x86, x64 and all yield the same result.

We've now tried three different servers at the host and I can successfully reproduce the error after publishing basically every time. We just tried a brand new environment and after three deploys, bam 'The compiler failed with error code 1'.

They've pushed back and says it's not their problem, no other clients are affected and it must be something to do with my configuration or settings. I've deployed the same site to my local IIS during development for the last year and never seen the problem. I even started an Azure account today and changed and deployed my site 20 times and couldn't replicate. Further to this, I created a brand new project in VS, made no changes and deployed to the host and managed to trip the exact same error in a completely vanilla / standard VS web project.

I don't know where to go from here - we've invested a lot with this host in terms of paying up front and now they are completely stone walling us on this issue.

Here's the error I get at runtime in the browser;

C:\Windows\SysWOW64\inetsrv> "C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\csc.exe" /t:library /utf8output /R:"C:\Windows\Microsoft.Net\assembly\GAC_MSIL\System.ServiceModel\v4.0_4.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089\System.ServiceModel.dll" /R:"C:\Windows\Microsoft.Net\assembly\GAC_32\System.Data\v4.0_4.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089\System.Data.dll" /R:"C:\Windows\Microsoft.Net\assembly\GAC_MSIL\Microsoft.Web.Infrastructure\v4.0_1.0.0.0__31bf3856ad364e35\Microsoft.Web.Infrastructure.dll" /R:"C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\Temporary ASP.NET Files\root\b101b654\d371881d\App_global.asax.0fxbfjfx.dll" /R:"C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\Temporary ASP.NET Files\root\b101b654\d371881d\assembly\dl3\592e2a3b\29b1fed4_a9a7d001\Newtonsoft.Json.dll" /R:"C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\Temporary ASP.NET Files\root\b101b654\d371881d\assembly\dl3\566cae42\db53a6d1_a9a7d001\DotNetOpenAuth.OpenId.dll" /R:"C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\Temporary ASP.NET Files\root\b101b654\d371881d\assembly\dl3\21e1b328\b7f2d4d1_a9a7d001\Elmah.Mvc.dll" /R:"C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\Temporary ASP.NET Files\root\b101b654\d371881d\assembly\dl3\a19ebce4\b3bb1b1a_4bb0d001\AuthProviders.dll" /R:"C:\Windows\Microsoft.Net\assembly\GAC_MSIL\System.Xml\v4.0_4.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089\System.Xml.dll" /R:"C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\Temporary ASP.NET Files\root\b101b654\d371881d\assembly\dl3\14784cab\ac3152d1_a9a7d001\DotNetOpenAuth.Core.dll" /R:"C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\Temporary ASP.NET Files\root\b101b654\d371881d\assembly\dl3\6c4b1e36\af6893f2_24b0d001\Antlr3.Runtime.dll" /R:"C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\Temporary ASP.NET Files\root\b101b654\d371881d\assembly\dl3\55a46179\d9526fd2_a9a7d001\Hangfire.SqlServer.dll" /R:"C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\Temporary ASP.NET Files\root\b101b654\d371881d\assembly\dl3\98ce0055\5bcefc1a_4bb0d001\ResearchAdmin.dll" /R:"C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\Temporary ASP.NET Files\root\b101b654\d371881d\assembly\dl3\bd297971\a10a43d2_a9a7d001\EntityFramework.dll" /R:"C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\Temporary ASP.NET Files\root\b101b654\d371881d\assembly\dl3\409fa562\f13f12d3_a9a7d001\System.Web.Mvc.dll" /R:"C:\Windows\Microsoft.Net\assembly\GAC_32\System.EnterpriseServices\v4.0_4.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a\System.EnterpriseServices.dll" /R:"C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\Temporary ASP.NET Files\root\b101b654\d371881d\assembly\dl3\fbaa1837\26a344d3_a9a7d001\System.Web.Helpers.dll" /R:"C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\Temporary ASP.NET Files\root\b101b654\d371881d\assembly\dl3\963201db\699517d5_a9a7d001\Owin.dll" /R:"C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\Temporary ASP.NET Files\root\b101b654\d371881d\assembly\dl3\099eba28\818699d5_a9a7d001\StructureMap.Net4.dll" /R:"C:\Windows\Microsoft.Net\assembly\GAC_MSIL\System.Runtime.Serialization\v4.0_4.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089\System.Runtime.Serialization.dll" /R:"C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\Temporary ASP.NET Files\root\b101b654\d371881d\assembly\dl3\7dc6fd96\007f4b16_be7cce01\Microsoft.Web.WebPages.OAuth.dll" /R:"C:\Windows\Microsoft.Net\assembly\GAC_MSIL\System.Web.WebPages.Deployment\v4.0_2.0.0.0__31bf3856ad364e35\System.Web.WebPages.Deployment.dll" /R:"C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\Temporary ASP.NET Files\root\b101b654\d371881d\assembly\dl3\5b5c7757\1d9b01d3_a9a7d001\Microsoft.AspNet.Identity.EntityFramework.dll" /R:"C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\Temporary ASP.NET Files\root\b101b654\d371881d\assembly\dl3\036a8b7a\d72127d1_a9a7d001\DDay.iCal.dll" /R:"C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\Temporary ASP.NET Files\root\b101b654\d371881d\assembly\dl3\cbef3179\f9acd5f3_24b0d001\System.Web.Optimization.dll" /R:"C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\Temporary ASP.NET Files\root\b101b654\d371881d\assembly\dl3\abc23773\e9e056d4_a9a7d001\System.Net.Http.Primitives.dll" /R:"C:\Windows\Microsoft.Net\assembly\GAC_MSIL\System.ComponentModel.DataAnnotations\v4.0_4.0.0.0__31bf3856ad364e35\System.ComponentModel.DataAnnotations.dll" /R:"C:\Windows\Microsoft.Net\assembly\GAC_MSIL\System.IdentityModel\v4.0_4.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089\System.IdentityModel.dll" /R:"C:\Windows\Microsoft.Net\assembly\GAC_MSIL\System.ServiceModel.Activation\v4.0_4.0.0.0__31bf3856ad364e35\System.ServiceModel.Activation.dll" /R:"C:\Windows\Microsoft.Net\assembly\GAC_MSIL\System.Configuration\v4.0_4.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a\System.Configuration.dll" /R:"C:\Windows\Microsoft.Net\assembly\GAC_MSIL\System.Core\v4.0_4.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089\System.Core.dll" /R:"C:\Windows\Microsoft.Net\assembly\GAC_MSIL\System.Web.WebPages.Deployment\v4.0_1.0.0.0__31bf3856ad364e35\System.Web.WebPages.Deployment.dll" /R:"C:\Windows\Microsoft.Net\assembly\GAC_MSIL\System.Xml.Linq\v4.0_4.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089\System.Xml.Linq.dll" /R:"C:\Windows\Microsoft.Net\assembly\GAC_MSIL\System.ServiceModel.Activities\v4.0_4.0.0.0__31bf3856ad364e35\System.ServiceModel.Activities.dll" /R:"C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\Temporary ASP.NET Files\root\b101b654\d371881d\assembly\dl3\dd2023f8\097a25d5_a9a7d001\Postal.dll" /R:"C:\Windows\Microsoft.Net\assembly\GAC_MSIL\System.Data.DataSetExtensions\v4.0_4.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089\System.Data.DataSetExtensions.dll" /R:"C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\Temporary ASP.NET Files\root\b101b654\d371881d\assembly\dl3\ae279640\e33e65d2_a9a7d001\Hangfire.Core.dll" /R:"C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\Temporary ASP.NET Files\root\b101b654\d371881d\assembly\dl3\2891a974\ff0961d3_a9a7d001\WebMatrix.WebData.dll" /R:"C:\Windows\Microsoft.Net\assembly\GAC_MSIL\System\v4.0_4.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089\System.dll" /R:"C:\Windows\Microsoft.Net\assembly\GAC_MSIL\System.Web.Extensions\v4.0_4.0.0.0__31bf3856ad364e35\System.Web.Extensions.dll" /R:"C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\Temporary ASP.NET Files\root\b101b654\d371881d\assembly\dl3\d3e20003\2b39f7d2_a9a7d001\Microsoft.AspNet.Identity.Core.dll" /R:"C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\Temporary ASP.NET Files\root\b101b654\d371881d\assembly\dl3\47d1ca6b\05e37ed4_a9a7d001\Microsoft.Owin.dll" /R:"C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\Temporary ASP.NET Files\root\b101b654\d371881d\assembly\dl3\a09629f2\d1be4ad3_a9a7d001\System.Web.WebPages.Razor.dll" /R:"C:\Windows\Microsoft.Net\assembly\GAC_MSIL\System.Web.Services\v4.0_4.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a\System.Web.Services.dll" /R:"C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\Temporary ASP.NET Files\root\b101b654\d371881d\assembly\dl3\41ee05b3\b8e332d1_a9a7d001\DotNetOpenAuth.AspNet.dll" /R:"C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\Temporary ASP.NET Files\root\b101b654\d371881d\assembly\dl3\c4b2bc24\b20645d2_a9a7d001\EntityFramework.SqlServer.dll" /R:"C:\Windows\Microsoft.Net\assembly\GAC_32\System.Web\v4.0_4.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a\System.Web.dll" /R:"C:\Windows\Microsoft.Net\assembly\GAC_MSIL\Microsoft.CSharp\v4.0_4.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a\Microsoft.CSharp.dll" /R:"C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\mscorlib.dll" /R:"C:\Windows\Microsoft.Net\assembly\GAC_MSIL\System.WorkflowServices\v4.0_4.0.0.0__31bf3856ad364e35\System.WorkflowServices.dll" /R:"C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\Temporary ASP.NET Files\root\b101b654\d371881d\assembly\dl3\af441148\1a1547d3_a9a7d001\System.Web.WebPages.Deployment.dll" /R:"C:\Windows\Microsoft.Net\assembly\GAC_MSIL\System.Web.ApplicationServices\v4.0_4.0.0.0__31bf3856ad364e35\System.Web.ApplicationServices.dll" /R:"C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\Temporary ASP.NET Files\root\b101b654\d371881d\assembly\dl3\45fcd364\26f073d1_a9a7d001\DotNetOpenAuth.OAuth.dll" /R:"C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\Temporary ASP.NET Files\root\b101b654\d371881d\assembly\dl3\9489863a\4d62a9d1_a9a7d001\Mono.Math.dll" /R:"C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\Temporary ASP.NET Files\root\b101b654\d371881d\assembly\dl3\51030571\a80fabd1_a9a7d001\Org.Mentalis.Security.Cryptography.dll" /R:"C:\Windows\Microsoft.Net\assembly\GAC_MSIL\System.Drawing\v4.0_4.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a\System.Drawing.dll" /R:"C:\Windows\Microsoft.Net\assembly\GAC_MSIL\System.Activities\v4.0_4.0.0.0__31bf3856ad364e35\System.Activities.dll" /R:"C:\Windows\Microsoft.Net\assembly\GAC_MSIL\System.Web.DynamicData\v4.0_4.0.0.0__31bf3856ad364e35\System.Web.DynamicData.dll" /R:"C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\Temporary ASP.NET Files\root\b101b654\d371881d\assembly\dl3\2ffb59b1\f28421d3_a9a7d001\System.Web.Razor.dll" /R:"C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\Temporary ASP.NET Files\root\b101b654\d371881d\assembly\dl3\224a3832\a10539d5_a9a7d001\RazorEngine.dll" /R:"C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\Temporary ASP.NET Files\root\b101b654\d371881d\assembly\dl3\c5bf8794\519dacd5_a9a7d001\WebActivatorEx.dll" /R:"C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\Temporary ASP.NET Files\root\b101b654\d371881d\assembly\dl3\e20826ff\441149d3_a9a7d001\System.Web.WebPages.dll" /R:"C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\Temporary ASP.NET Files\root\b101b654\d371881d\assembly\dl3\2f66de0b\ed3255d4_a9a7d001\System.Net.Http.Extensions.dll" /R:"C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\Temporary ASP.NET Files\root\b101b654\d371881d\assembly\dl3\606d1e4b\3bd978d5_a9a7d001\RestSharp.dll" /R:"C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\Temporary ASP.NET Files\root\b101b654\d371881d\assembly\dl3\b6635993\e5678bd4_a9a7d001\Microsoft.Owin.Host.SystemWeb.dll" /R:"C:\Windows\Microsoft.Net\assembly\GAC_MSIL\System.ServiceModel.Web\v4.0_4.0.0.0__31bf3856ad364e35\System.ServiceModel.Web.dll" /R:"C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\Temporary ASP.NET Files\root\b101b654\d371881d\assembly\dl3\2252966f\d059441a_4bb0d001\AuthProviders.EF.dll" /R:"C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\Temporary ASP.NET Files\root\b101b654\d371881d\assembly\dl3\420b90fc\c16062d1_a9a7d001\DotNetOpenAuth.OAuth.Consumer.dll" /R:"C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\Temporary ASP.NET Files\root\b101b654\d371881d\assembly\dl3\a4d97c70\53fbbfd1_a9a7d001\DotNetOpenAuth.OpenId.RelyingParty.dll" /R:"C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\Temporary ASP.NET Files\root\b101b654\d371881d\assembly\dl3\7a7ef0a7\bc13ced1_a9a7d001\Elmah.dll" /R:"C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\Temporary ASP.NET Files\root\b101b654\d371881d\assembly\dl3\1d666353\4f3899d5_a9a7d001\StructureMap.dll" /R:"C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\Temporary ASP.NET Files\root\b101b654\d371881d\assembly\dl3\4132b786\56e455d3_a9a7d001\WebMatrix.Data.dll" /R:"C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\Temporary ASP.NET Files\root\b101b654\d371881d\assembly\dl3\8eaf4a45\6877f1f3_24b0d001\WebGrease.dll" /out:"C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\Temporary ASP.NET Files\root\b101b654\d371881d\App_Web_indexvendor.cshtml.a8d08dba.w0o4an61.dll" /D:DEBUG /debug+ /optimize- /w:4 /nowarn:1659;1699;1701;612;618 /warnaserror- "C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\Temporary ASP.NET Files\root\b101b654\d371881d\App_Web_indexvendor.cshtml.a8d08dba.w0o4an61.0.cs" "C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\Temporary ASP.NET Files\root\b101b654\d371881d\App_Web_indexvendor.cshtml.a8d08dba.w0o4an61.1.cs"

At the same time ELMAH is recording an error along these lines and I believe the two are related;

System.Web.HttpCompileException (0x80004005): External component has thrown an exception. at System.Web.Compilation.AssemblyBuilder.Compile() at System.Web.Compilation.BuildProvidersCompiler.PerformBuild() at System.Web.Compilation.BuildManager.CompileWebFile(VirtualPath virtualPath) at System.Web.Compilation.BuildManager.GetVPathBuildResultInternal(VirtualPath virtualPath, Boolean noBuild, Boolean allowCrossApp, Boolean allowBuildInPrecompile, Boolean throwIfNotFound, Boolean ensureIsUpToDate) at System.Web.Compilation.BuildManager.GetVPathBuildResultWithNoAssert(HttpContext context, VirtualPath virtualPath, Boolean noBuild, Boolean allowCrossApp, Boolean allowBuildInPrecompile, Boolean throwIfNotFound, Boolean ensureIsUpToDate) at System.Web.Compilation.BuildManager.GetVirtualPathObjectFactory(VirtualPath virtualPath, HttpContext context, Boolean allowCrossApp, Boolean throwIfNotFound) at System.Web.Compilation.BuildManager.GetCompiledType(VirtualPath virtualPath) at System.Web.Compilation.BuildManager.GetCompiledType(String virtualPath) at System.Web.Mvc.BuildManagerWrapper.System.Web.Mvc.IBuildManager.GetCompiledType(String virtualPath) at System.Web.Mvc.BuildManagerCompiledView.Render(ViewContext viewContext, TextWriter writer) at System.Web.Mvc.ViewResultBase.ExecuteResult(ControllerContext context) at System.Web.Mvc.ControllerActionInvoker.InvokeActionResult(ControllerContext controllerContext, ActionResult actionResult) at System.Web.Mvc.ControllerActionInvoker.InvokeActionResultFilterRecursive(IList1 filters, Int32 filterIndex, ResultExecutingContext preContext, ControllerContext controllerContext, ActionResult actionResult) at System.Web.Mvc.ControllerActionInvoker.InvokeActionResultFilterRecursive(IList1 filters, Int32 filterIndex, ResultExecutingContext preContext, ControllerContext controllerContext, ActionResult actionResult) at System.Web.Mvc.ControllerActionInvoker.InvokeActionResultWithFilters(ControllerContext controllerContext, IList1 filters, ActionResult actionResult) at System.Web.Mvc.Async.AsyncControllerActionInvoker.<>c__DisplayClass21.<>c__DisplayClass2b.<BeginInvokeAction>b__1c() at System.Web.Mvc.Async.AsyncControllerActionInvoker.<>c__DisplayClass21.<BeginInvokeAction>b__1e(IAsyncResult asyncResult) at System.Web.Mvc.Async.AsyncResultWrapper.WrappedAsyncResult1.CallEndDelegate(IAsyncResult asyncResult) at System.Web.Mvc.Async.AsyncResultWrapper.WrappedAsyncResultBase1.End() at System.Web.Mvc.Async.AsyncControllerActionInvoker.EndInvokeAction(IAsyncResult asyncResult) at System.Web.Mvc.Controller.<BeginExecuteCore>b__1d(IAsyncResult asyncResult, ExecuteCoreState innerState) at System.Web.Mvc.Async.AsyncResultWrapper.WrappedAsyncVoid1.CallEndDelegate(IAsyncResult asyncResult) at System.Web.Mvc.Async.AsyncResultWrapper.WrappedAsyncResultBase1.End() at System.Web.Mvc.Controller.EndExecuteCore(IAsyncResult asyncResult) at System.Web.Mvc.Controller.<BeginExecute>b__15(IAsyncResult asyncResult, Controller controller) at System.Web.Mvc.Async.AsyncResultWrapper.WrappedAsyncVoid1.CallEndDelegate(IAsyncResult asyncResult) at System.Web.Mvc.Async.AsyncResultWrapper.WrappedAsyncResultBase1.End() at System.Web.Mvc.Controller.EndExecute(IAsyncResult asyncResult)
at System.Web.Mvc.Controller.System.Web.Mvc.Async.IAsyncController.EndExecute(IAsyncResult asyncResult) at System.Web.Mvc.MvcHandler.<BeginProcessRequest>b__5(IAsyncResult asyncResult, ProcessRequestState innerState) at System.Web.Mvc.Async.AsyncResultWrapper.WrappedAsyncVoid1.CallEndDelegate(IAsyncResult asyncResult) at System.Web.Mvc.Async.AsyncResultWrapper.WrappedAsyncResultBase`1.End() at System.Web.Mvc.MvcHandler.EndProcessRequest(IAsyncResult asyncResult) at System.Web.Mvc.MvcHandler.System.Web.IHttpAsyncHandler.EndProcessRequest(IAsyncResult result) at System.Web.HttpApplication.CallHandlerExecutionStep.System.Web.HttpApplication.IExecutionStep.Execute() at System.Web.HttpApplication.ExecuteStep(IExecutionStep step, Boolean& completedSynchronously)

Solution 1

Recycling and then stop & start application pool saved my day.

Solution 2

I also get the same error when I am deploying my changes in the application under IIS. After refreshing the application pool this hasn't got solved. I also delete the temporary files under .Netframework. This got solved only by rebooting the server.