ERROR: Could not load file or assembly 'Microsoft.Identity.Client' (ExchangeOnlineManagement + PS 7.2.6)

[robertcaretta]

Prerequisites

• I have written a descriptive issue title.
• I have searched all open and closed issues to ensure it has not already been reported.
• I have read the troubleshooting guide.
• I am sure this issue is with the extension itself and does not reproduce in a standalone PowerShell instance.
• I have verified that I am using the latest version of Visual Studio Code and the PowerShell extension.
• If this is a security issue, I have read the security issue reporting guidance.

Summary

When using this extension I get the error below. However if I run the same commands in a regular powershell 7.2 window (not VS Code) the code below runs fine.

---

ERROR:
OperationStopped: Could not load file or assembly 'Microsoft.Identity.Client, Version=4.41.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=xxxxxxxxxxxxxx'.

PowerShell Version

Name                           Value
----                           -----
PSVersion                      7.2.6
PSEdition                      Core
GitCommitId                    7.2.6
OS                             Microsoft Windows 10.0.19042
Platform                       Win32NT
PSCompatibleVersions           {1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0…}       
PSRemotingProtocolVersion      2.3
SerializationVersion           1.1.0.1
WSManStackVersion              3.0

Visual Studio Code Version

1.71.2
74b1f979648cc44d385a2286793c226e611f59e7
x64

Extension Version

[email protected]

Steps to Reproduce

Could you please test out this combination of tools?

1. VS Code 1.71.2
2. PowerShell Extension v2022.8.5
3. Powershell 7.2.6
4. ExchangeOnlineManagement 3.0.0

Then try running these commands:
Import-Module ExchangeOnlineManagement
Connect-ExchangeOnline -InlineCredential
Connect-ExchangeOnline -CertificateThumbprint 'YOURTHUMB' -AppID 'YOURAPP' -Organization 'YOURORG'

---

ERROR:
OperationStopped: Could not load file or assembly 'Microsoft.Identity.Client, Version=4.41.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=xxxxxxxxxxxxxx'.

Visuals

No response

Logs

No response

[mhokanson]

Bump

[Paxxi]

I ran into this as well yesterday and today I ran into it in a plain powershell terminal window as well.

In my case you cannot run Connect-ExchangeOnline after you have imported the MicrosoftTeams module, if you run it before importing the teams module everything works fine.

[andyleejordan]

@robertcaretta does @Paxxi's findings explain your original issue?

[robertcaretta]

I don't recall testing this with Teams. To be honest, I run into all kinds of oddities with modules that still seem to require 5.1.
I guess my question would be has anyone else been able to reproduce the issue with just the items I listed?

[andyleejordan]

Yeah, unfortunately PowerShell 5.1 is restricted to using the GAC (Global Assembly Cache) on Windows, which is an old-fashioned way of loading DLLs and causes loads of issues, since only one DLL of a name can be in the cache at a time. So modules can real easily have dependency collisions. PowerShell 7 uses an ALC (Assembly Load Context) that allows modules (such as PowerShell Editor Services, etc.) to isolate their dependencies from other modules.

[seanboltman]

I ran into this as well yesterday and today I ran into it in a plain powershell terminal window as well.

In my case you cannot run Connect-ExchangeOnline after you have imported the MicrosoftTeams module, if you run it before importing the teams module everything works fine.

So I am getting this error as well, but I DO NOT have MicrosoftTeams module installed. Get-InstalledModule reports:
3.0.0 ExchangeOnlineManagement and 1.11.0 PnP.PowerShell. Nothing else is installed. Running Powershell 7.2.6. This env was set up against latest VCCode yesterday.

I get the same exact error as the poster on this line of code:

Connect-ExchangeOnline -UserPrincipalName [email protected] -Credential $cred

OperationStopped: Could not load file or assembly 'Microsoft.Identity.Client, Version=4.41.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=0a613f4dd989e8ae'.

Same exact code was functioning fine in Powershell 5.1. which also has earlier version of ExchangeOnline powershell module 1.0.1.

So knowing I only have Powershell 7.2.6, ExchangeOnlineManagement 3.0.0, and PnP.PowerShell 1.11.0, what is the issue with this error?

PS: I have to use Powershell 7. If I could stay on 5.1 I would.

[andyleejordan]

Yeah, unfortunately PnP.PowerShell also causes issues for PowerShell 5.1, #3510.

[ghost]

This issue was closed automatically as author feedback was indicated as needed, but there has been no activity in over a week. Please feel free to reopen with any available information!

[ghost]

Thank you for your comment, but please note that this issue has been closed for over a week. For better visibility, consider opening a new issue with a link to this instead.

[robertcaretta]

I'm still having issues with this using VS Code and PS 7.3. Seems like when both ExchangeOnlineManagement and PnP powershell modules are loaded there is a conflict of some kind which prevents Connect-ExchangeOnline from working correctly.

[andyleejordan]

That sounds likely, the authors of those modules unfortunately need to implement proper AssemblyLoadContext classes and resolvers to isolate their dependencies from each other. From the last time I looked, at least one of those modules had a bug that was isolating only a single dependency.

[andyleejordan]

Found it: #3510

The AssemblyLoadContext as implemented in PnP.PowerShell is only isolating Microsoft.ApplicationInsights, and PnP.PowerShell has a lot more dependencies (namely Microsoft.Identity.Client) that conflict and need to be isolated in the same manner.

[ghost]

This issue has been marked as duplicate and has not had any activity in a day. It has been closed for housekeeping purposes.

[Stuipidsw3ltrd]

I ran into this as well yesterday and today I ran into it in a plain powershell terminal window as well.

In my case you cannot run Connect-ExchangeOnline after you have imported the MicrosoftTeams module, if you run it before importing the teams module everything works fine.

Paxxi's answer saves my day