Service running on one server but not on another ~ The type name or alias xxx could not be resolved - service

Question

I have an issue with a service. I am installing the service via an Advanced Installer installation file, and after installing it, it runs just fine on the development server.
However, when trying to install the service using the same installation file on a different server, the service crashes during startup with the following error message:
Description: The process was terminated due to an unhandled exception.
Exception Info: System.InvalidOperationException
at Microsoft.Practices.Unity.Configuration.ConfigurationHelpers.TypeResolverImpl.ResolveType(System.String, Boolean)
at Microsoft.Practices.Unity.Configuration.RegisterElement.GetRegisteringType()
at Microsoft.Practices.Unity.Configuration.RegisterElement.ConfigureContainer(Microsoft.Practices.Unity.IUnityContainer)
at Microsoft.Practices.Unity.Configuration.ContainerElement+<>c__DisplayClass1.<ConfigureContainer>b__0(Microsoft.Practices.Unity.Configuration.ContainerConfiguringElement)
at Microsoft.Practices.ObjectBuilder2.EnumerableExtensions.ForEach[[System.__Canon, mscorlib, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089]](System.Collections.Generic.IEnumerable`1<System.__Canon>, System.Action`1<System.__Canon>)
at Microsoft.Practices.Unity.Configuration.ContainerElement.ConfigureContainer(Microsoft.Practices.Unity.IUnityContainer)
at Microsoft.Practices.Unity.Configuration.UnityConfigurationSection.Configure(Microsoft.Practices.Unity.IUnityContainer, System.String)
at Microsoft.Practices.Unity.Configuration.UnityContainerExtensions.LoadConfiguration(Microsoft.Practices.Unity.IUnityContainer, Microsoft.Practices.Unity.Configuration.UnityConfigurationSection, System.String)
at Microsoft.Practices.Unity.Configuration.UnityContainerExtensions.LoadConfiguration(Microsoft.Practices.Unity.IUnityContainer, Microsoft.Practices.Unity.Configuration.UnityConfigurationSection)
at NFCommonImplementation.Factory.NfUnityContainer..ctor()
at NFCommonImplementation.Factory.NfUnityContainer.get_Instance()
at NFObjectFactory.CommonObjectFactory..ctor()
at NFObjectFactory.CommonObjectFactory.<.cctor>b__0()
at System.Lazy`1[[System.__Canon, mscorlib, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089]].CreateValue()
at System.Lazy`1[[System.__Canon, mscorlib, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089]].LazyInitValue()
at System.Lazy`1[[System.__Canon, mscorlib, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089]].get_Value()
at NFDataImporter.ImportService.<Start>b__2()
at System.Threading.ThreadHelper.ThreadStart_Context(System.Object)
at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.RunInternal(System.Threading.ExecutionContext, System.Threading.ContextCallback, System.Object, Boolean)
at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run(System.Threading.ExecutionContext, System.Threading.ContextCallback, System.Object, Boolean)
at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run(System.Threading.ExecutionContext, System.Threading.ContextCallback, System.Object)
at System.Threading.ThreadHelper.ThreadStart()
Using the console to manually start the service file (which uses topshelf), specifies the error as follows:
Topshelf.Hosts.ConsoleRunHost Critical: 0 : The service threw an unhandled exception, System.InvalidOperationException: The type name or alias INetReportDao could not be resolved. Please check your configuration file and verify this type name.
I've already checked the unity configuration file, which reads:
[...]
<typeAlias alias="INetReportDao"
type="NFCommonInterfaces.Database.DAO.INetReportDao, NFCommonInterfaces, Version=6.0.0.1, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=c98e951d4a9d1d0a" />
[...]
<typeAlias alias="NetReportDao"
type="NFCommonImplementation.Database.DAO.NetReportDao, NFCommonImplementation, Version=6.0.0.1, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=c98e951d4a9d1d0a" />
[...]
<register type="INetReportDao" mapTo="NetReportDao">
</register>
[...]
I've also checked that the NFCommonImplementation.dll and NFCommonInterfaces.dll are located right next to the service executable.
Now I'm at my wit's end. Theoretically, it should work since the installer installs the exact same version of the service on both servers. However, for some reason it works on one server, and not on another.
Could it be that I'm missing dependencies? The installer already automatically recognizes a dependency on Visual C++ Redistributable for Visual Studio 2012 and installs it. Could there be other dependencies required for this that might be installed on the development server and not the test server which could cause this problem?

Answer 1

Okay, after some investigation, I figured out how to fix the issue, and after some more investigation, I found out what had caused it:
The Fix:
The missing .dlls have to be installed into the GAC. The easiest way to do so is using the followinh PowerShell script:
Set-location "[dll file location]"
[System.Reflection.Assembly]::Load("System.EnterpriseServices, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a")
$publish = New-Object System.EnterpriseServices.Internal.Publish
$publish.GacInstall("[dll file name]")
The Cause:
On the development server, the build process installed the .dlls in question into a custom assembly cache which the service was able to access if run on that server. However, it naturally was not able to find those files on any other server.
I hope this helps others who are experiencing similar difficulties.