How to extract an assembly from the GAC

Question

There is a package I have to deal with which installs assemblies straight into the GAC  e g  somewhere deep in  windows  assembly      How do I exorcise the actual assembly  the DLL  from the GAC into the normal file system   Thanks

User · Accepted Answer

I used the advice from this article to get an assembly from the GAC.

Get DLL Out of The GAC

DLLs once deployed in GAC (normally located at c:\windows\assembly) can’t be viewed or used as a normal DLL file. They can’t be directly referenced from VS project. Developers usually keep a copy of the original DLL file and refer to it in the project at development (design) time, which uses the assembly from GAC during run-time of the project.

During execution (run-time) if the assembly is found to be signed and deployed in GAC the CLR automatically picks up the assembly from the GAC instead of the DLL referenced during design time in VS. In case the developer has deleted the original DLL or don't have it for some reason, there is a way to get the DLL file from GAC. Follow the following steps to copy DLL from GAC

Run regsvr32 /u C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50727\shfusion.dll

shfusion.dll is an explorer extension DLL that gives a distinct look to the GAC folder. Unregistering this file will remove the assembly cache viewer and the GAC folder will be then visible as any normal folder in explorer.

Open “%windir%\assembly\GAC_MSIL”.

Browse to your DLL folder into the deep to find your DLL.

Copy the DLL somewhere on your hard disk and refer it from there in your project

Run "regsvr32 %windir%\Microsoft.NET\Framework\<.NET version directory> \shfusion.dll" to re-register the shfusion.dll file and regain the original distinct view of the GAC.

User · Answer

just navigate to C  Windows find the  assembly  folder right click and select add to archive  wait a little  vola you have an archive file containing all the assemblies in your GAC

User · Answer

Think I figured out a way to look inside the GAC without modifying the registry or using the command line  powershell  or any other programs   Create a new shortcut  to anywhere   Then modify the shortcut to have the target be    windir  assembly GAC MSIL System   Opening this shortcut takes you to the System folder inside the GAC  which everyone should have  and has the wonderful side effect of letting you switch to a higher directory and then browsing into any other folder you want  and see the dll files  etc   I tested this on windows 7 and windows server 2012   Note  It will not let you use that target when creating the shortcut but it will let you edit it   Enjoy

User · Answer

The method described here is very easy   http   andreasglaser net post 2008 08 05 Extract-assembly-from-Global-Assembly-Cache- GAC -with-network-drive-mapping aspx  Summary from Article    Map a Network Drive  Explorer -  Tools    Map to  servername folder    YourServer C  Windows Assembly   No need for sharing if you are the Administrator Browse to the drive and extract your assembly

User · Answer

This MSDN blog post describes three separate ways of extracting a DLL from the GAC   A useful summary of the methods so far given

User · Answer

Copying from a command line is unnecessary  I typed in the name of the DLL from the Start Window search  I chose See More Results  The one in the GAC was returned in the search window  I right clicked on it and said open file location  It opened in normal Windows Explorer  I copied the file  I closed the window  Done

User · Answer

Use the file browser  Total Commander  instead     Enable the  show hidden system files  setting in Total Commander Browse to  c  windows assembly  copy

User · Answer

I think the easiest way is to do it through the command line like David mentions   The only trick is that the  dll isn t simply located at C  Windows Assembly   You have to navigate to C  Windows Assembly GAC  ASSEMBLY NAME   VERSION NUMBER   PUBLIC KEY    You can then do a copy using   copy  ASSEMBLY NAME  dll c    or whatever location you want   Hope that helps

User · Answer

Easy way I have found is to open the command prompt and browse through the folder you mention until you find the DLL you want - you can then user the copy command to get it out  Windows Explorer has a  helpful  special view of this folder

User · Answer

One other direction--just unpack the MSI file and get the goodies that way  Saves you from the eventual uninstall

User · Answer

Open RUN then type  windir  assembly GAC MSIL  this will open your dlls in folders  view you can then navigate to your dll named folder and open it  you will find your dll file and copy it easily

User · Answer

From a Powershell script  you can try this  I only had a single version of the assembly in the  GAC so this worked just fine   cd  c  Windows Microsoft NET assembly GAC MSIL   Get-ChildItem assemblypath -Recurse -Include   dll    Copy-Item -Destination  c  folder to copy to    where the assembly path can use wildcards

User · Answer

Open the Command Prompt and Type     cd  c  windows assembly GAC MSIL   xcopy   C  GacDump  s  y   This should give the dump of the entire GAC  Enjoy

User · Answer

Yes   Add DisableCacheViewer Registry Key   Create a new dword key under HKLM Software Microsoft Fusion  with the name DisableCacheViewer and set it   s  DWORD  value to 1   Go back to Windows Explorer to the assembly folder and it will be the normal file system view

User · Answer

I am the author of PowerShell GAC  With PowerShell GAC you can extract assemblies from the GAC without depending on GAC internals like changing folder structures   Get-GacAssembly SomeCompany    Get-GacAssemblyFile   Copy-Item -Dest C  Temp SomeCompany

[.net] How to extract an assembly from the GAC?

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