Redgate – The Add-in ‘SSMS Integration Pack Framework’ failed to load

/ By / Category: Code

I’ve been using Redgate SQL Source Control on an install of SQL Server Management Studio 2014 for a while now. It works well and integrates with our version control setup to give us a bit of reassurance when developing.

I upgraded to the latest version (7) after being prompted in SSMS. I immediately received the following message when restarting.

The Add-in ‘SSMS Integration Pack Framework’ failed to load or caused an exception

This is frustrating, it’s a bit like politics, nobody can be bothered to figure it out and there certainly isn’t the time available to deal with it. The online resolutions didn’t work, although they did point me in the right direction.

SSMS-integration-pack-framework-error

Here’s the tedious message, about as welcome as curvature of the spine.

I’m  lucky enough to have a development server at my disposal, this isn’t the sort of action I’d feel comfortable undertaking on a production box. A bit like buying the new Slayer album without listening to it first, it’ll probably be alright but it could be a disaster.

Here is my resolution:

  1. Uninstall SQL Source Control
  2. Locate the following directory C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\SQL Server Management Studio\12.0\Addins
  3. Remove the following file: RedGate.SIPFramework.AddIn
  4. Reboot
  5. Reinstall SQL Source Control – This will reinstall the SSMS Integration Pack Framework automatically
  6. Open SSMS and check for errors
  7. Note the name of the new SSMS Integration Pack file in C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\SQL Server Management Studio\12.0\Addins – RedGate.SIPFramework2.AddIn

There’s plenty online in the way of resolutions, especially from Redgate:

  1. https://forum.red-gate.com/discussion/82114/the-add-in-ssms-integration-pack-framework-failed-to-load-or-caused-an-exception/p1
  2. https://productsupport.red-gate.com/hc/en-us/articles/360018613394-Redgate-Plug-Ins-for-SSMS-missing-after-upgrading-to-SQL-Server-Management-Studio-2016-or-Higher
  3. https://productsupport.red-gate.com/hc/en-us/articles/360004214034?input_string=issue+with+ssms+integration+pack+framework+after+upgrade

This is the resolution I received from Redgate tech support:

  1. Close SSMS
  2. Delete the folder C:\ProgramData\Red Gate\SIPFw
  3. Also delete the file C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\SQL Server Management Studio\12.0\Addins\RedGate.SIPFramework.addin
    From Programs and Features
  4. Repair SQL Sour Control
If like me

If like me you can’t find your ProgramData directory, that’s because it can be a hidden file by default. That’ll save you a humiliating trip to IT.