Forum Discussion
Method not found: 'Void Newtonsoft.Json.JsonSerializerSettings..ctor(Newtonsoft.Json.JsonSerializer"
Advocate INot terribly useful being told to revert to a prior version. Like others our software is automatically published/updated. We have no control over the version. Can you please advise when a fixed version will be available?
MichaelGilmoreMicrosoft Employee
I don't think there will be a "fixed" version released. As from the Microsoft perspective the design of Power BI Desktop is correct. PBI Desktop like 99% of .NET Apps reads from the systems local folder for dependencies first, rather than the libraries its bundled with as this allows windows update to update these libraries in one central organisation controllable location rather than requiring each and every program that depends on these libraries to be updated manually.
Unfortunately your organisation will need to either remove or update the Newtonsoft library from this path across all affected machines.
C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\assembly\GAC_MSIL\Newtonsoft.Json
I’m not sure that explanation fully holds up here. In this case, Power BI is calling methods that don’t exist in the version of Newtonsoft.Json being resolved from the GAC. Since Power BI already ships with its own copy of this dependency, it seems more appropriate for the application to explicitly bind to the version it was built and tested against, rather than relying on a shared, system‑wide assembly.
Asking customers to remove or modify a GAC‑installed DLL is risky in enterprise environments, as that DLL may be required by other supported software. Modifying the GAC as a workaround doesn’t feel like a viable long‑term solution.
Also, Windows Update should not be updating third‑party assemblies installed in the GAC by other applications, as those are outside the Windows servicing model.
