Issue launching Report Builder after download

[abeardsChem]

Hello all.

I have been unable to launch PBI Report Builder since downloading it. I click it to launch the program, I get a spinning circle next to my curser, and no program starts. I want to test this application for use in my company alongside Power BI reports, using embedded paginated reports.

I have uninstalled and redownloaded the program several times, both regularly and as an administrator. I have removed the temporary config file. A later version of .NET 4.7.2 is installed, and though I attempted to download the exact framework specified, I receive a message stating that I already have a more recent .NET installed. I've scanned and repaired my files through system file checker. My user profile doesn't appear to be corrupted, and to test this theory I'd have to go bug IT due to my limited access. This is the only application I am having this error with.

The event viewer has errors for the KERNALBASE execution and .NET runtime. I will post the messages below.

Faulting application name: PowerBIReportBuilder.exe, version: 15.7.1814.616, time stamp: 0xe0ff85d8
Faulting module name: KERNELBASE.dll, version: 10.0.22621.5037, time stamp: 0xa29a3610
Exception code: 0xe0434352
Fault offset: 0x000000000005ffbc
Faulting process id: 0x0x759C

Application: PowerBIReportBuilder.exe
Framework Version: v4.0.30319
Description: The process was terminated due to an unhandled exception.
Exception Info: System.MissingMethodException
   at Microsoft.ReportBuilder.Logging.LoggingService.ConfigureNLog()
   at Microsoft.ReportBuilder.Logging.LoggingService..ctor(Microsoft.ReportBuilder.Logging.Interfaces.ILoggingServiceConfiguration)
   at Microsoft.ReportDesigner.ReportDesigner..ctor()
   at Microsoft.ReportDesigner.ReportDesigner..ctor(Microsoft.ReportDesigner.AppArguments)
   at Microsoft.ReportDesigner.Program.Main(System.String[])

Seems like similar issues with no resolution have happened with this application as well.

https://community.fabric.microsoft.com/t5/Desktop/Power-BI-Report-Builder-Won-t-Open/td-p/2844543 

[bradsy · Accepted solution]

It is possible that you have NLog registered the Global Assembly Cache on your machine. If so, then that file will take precedence over the one that is meant to be used with PBIRB. I would suggest remove that file from the GAC, updating the file in the GAC or add a binding redirect to the exact version that PBIRB is using. 

https://github.com/NLog/NLog/issues/4208 

You can google how to do those options. The binding redirect would go into the PowerBIReportBuilder.exe.config file looks something like this:

<assemblyBinding xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v1">
<dependentAssembly>
<assemblyIdentity name="Azure.Core" publicKeyToken="92742159e12e44c8" culture="neutral" />
<bindingRedirect oldVersion="0.0.0.0-1.38.0.0" newVersion="1.38.0.0" />
</dependentAssembly>

[abeardsChem]

Thanks, this led me to the solution! An application I was testing installed an NLog file on the Global Assembly Cache and this was interfering with Report Builder. Used the install date on the NLog file to determine what application it was.  Uninstalled application and report builder opens fine now.