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For some reason I really can't understand, whenever I try to compare a file with its server version, Visual Studio freezes. It shows this message at the bottom:

Running a compare operation in the background. Once the operation has completed, the results will be displayed in the compare tool.

What's even more strange is that it will freeze only in ONE particular solution and work fine in every others.

Did anyone ever experienced this issue? If so how did you solve it?

Here's what I tried so far:

  • Compared files of different sizes and types
  • Changed my screens resolutions in case the compare tool window was in a popup somewhere outside screen bounds
  • Ran Visual Studio in safe mode
  • Ran Visual Studio in diagnosis mode (haven't found anything significant in the log file)
  • Deleted solution.suo file and projects .user files
  • Installed a third party comparison tool (in case the issue was within the diffmerge.exe tool itself)
  • Unbinded / rebinded solution to source control
  • Deleted Visual Studio components cache
  • Deleted Team Foundation cache
  • Repaired Visual Studio installation
  • Uninstall / reinstall Visual Studio

None of this made any difference.

Also, common TFS operations like checking in and out works normally.

Thanks for any help you can provide.

MORE DETAILS ON THE ENVIRONMENT:

  • Windows 8.1 Pro 64 bits
  • (ask me anything)

MORE DETAILS ON THE SOLUTION:

  • It's composed of 79 projects, most of them being VB.NET library projects.
  • (ask me anything)
Crono
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  • Tools > Import and Export Settings... > Reset all settings [link for the solution in other post](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/12175784/what-is-this-waiting-for-background-operation-in-visual-studio-2012) – Edgar Henriques de Matos Nov 24 '16 at 23:03
  • Tools > Import and Export Settings... > Reset all settings [link for the solution in other post](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/12175784/what-is-this-waiting-for-background-operation-in-visual-studio-2012) – Edgar Henriques de Matos Nov 24 '16 at 23:06

8 Answers8

3

Do you have a third party compare tool setup/configured in VS? Go Tools > Options > expand Source Control > select Visual Studio Team Foundation Server > click Configure User Tools... It might be pointing or waiting for feedback from a third party app like Beyond Compare which isn't starting up or is incorrectly configured.

xcodr
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  • I thought about it too, but it doesn't appear to be the problem. I changed it to a 3rd party tool and back but the problem remains. And everything works fine with all other solutions, there's only this one. – Crono Feb 24 '14 at 13:33
  • Is anyone else able to open the solution and do a successful compare? – xcodr Feb 24 '14 at 22:10
  • I don't know, I'm alone here. I guess I could mount another dev box to test but I wish I could avoid that. :s – Crono Feb 24 '14 at 23:08
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    Not that I think it will work, but have you tried deleting the project user files e.g. .vbproj.user or .csproj.user for each of the projects within the solution? – xcodr Feb 25 '14 at 01:47
  • Yeah I tried that today, but no effect unfortunately. I'll edit the post though. – Crono Feb 25 '14 at 01:56
2

I had the exact same problem you described in your original post. Do you use Resharper or any of the DevExpress, Telerik, Infragistics tools?

This morning I uninstalled both ReSharper 8.2 and latest version of DevExpress (13.2). After rebooting my machine, this freezing issue went away in the solution which was giving me the most trouble. Just like you, it would not happen in all solutions.

I am happy to report after reinstalling ReSharper 8.2 there are no freezing issues when comparing files. From what I have read in other posts, DevExpress may have been the culprit, not ReSharper, but to be safe I originally removed both.

I hope this helps.

Shawn Roser
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No idea but you could certainly log a bug - http://connect.microsoft.com/VisualStudio

As a workaround you could use a 3rd party tool to do the diff - check out this question for some hints on what tool to use and this post on how to configure them in VS.

Community
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Bogdan Gavril MSFT
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  • I tried that workaround already, as you can see in the list. Unfortunately this isn't working any better. :s – Crono Feb 24 '14 at 13:30
  • As for logging the bug, the thing is I've no idea how to reproduce it. As I said I have this issue only in one particular solution. For all the others everything works ok. – Crono Feb 24 '14 at 13:31
1

You seem to have eliminated the tooling as the problem source (i.e. it's working for your other projects, not this one). I would suggest trying software next.

If you haven't already, try unbinding the solution from source control (make sure GlobalSection/EndGlobalSection has been cleared of Scc* references). Then Check-in. Finally, rebind(verify Scc references are back) and check-in. Try your compares again.

Next steps depend on some inquiries: under what version of VS was the solution for this project was originally created? What upgrades has it been through? And what version are you attempting to do your compares under now (VS & TFS)?

efisher
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  • I also would open the solution file in notepad and see what's wrong. Save a COPY and try to fix it. – Giulio Vian Feb 27 '14 at 10:40
  • It was originally created in VS2005 and went through 2008, 2010, 2012 and now 2013. Up until 2012 the source control was SourceSafe 2005. I'll try unbinding and rebinding (why haven't I thought of that?) and come back with the results. – Crono Feb 27 '14 at 16:01
  • @GiulioVian I wouldn't even know where to look. The solution does open just fine in VS. It's only comparing that fails. – Crono Feb 27 '14 at 16:06
  • Forgot to came back at you @efisher: unbinding the solution from source control didn't solve the problem, unfortunately. – Crono Mar 03 '14 at 18:25
  • Please do a search-in-file of all your csproj/vbproj files and see if there are any lingering references to your old VSS in the property groups. Really, those properties should all have a value of SAK (which some say stands for 'Should Already Know') or be blank. – efisher Mar 03 '14 at 23:32
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    They're all set to SAK. My problem is elsewhere appearantly. Still, thanks a lot for your assistance. You allowed me to go a few steps farther. I grant the bounty up to you. – Crono Mar 04 '14 at 13:19
  • Thank you! I'm sorry we didn't find you a solution, though. The last thing I could suggest would be to create a new project and cannibalize the sln. Then take a copy your 79 projects and add them to this new sln. Painful, I know, but I can't help but think that the long upgrade process may not have been kind to such a large project set. – efisher Mar 04 '14 at 17:32
0

This started to happen to me in VS 2015. The problem was that I had created a shortcut which started VS in Safe Mode. This lead to (at least) two problems:

1) The problem with comparing which is described here

2) VS Team Explorer Settings Tab crashing.

I suggest you check if you are running in SafeMode, and if you do stop doing so.

Svein Terje Gaup
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This happen to me in vs 2013, things I have tried:

  1. Restart the computer(twice)
  2. Disable Resharper

What eventually solved the problem:

  1. Removed redundant extensions,
    in my case the one that caused me all the troubles was "Slow Cheetah".
Offir
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If your VS is running way slow or hangs on comparing files then delete all the files from this directory & restart VS:

C:\Users\[YourUserName]\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WebSiteCache

Considerable performance gain all around after doing so.

Ref: http://www.geocortex.com/about/blog/archive/slow-visual-studio-performance-solved/

GridFlowTech
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In the ToolBar You should have the Options, if not, you can press CTRL+\, Then Ctrl+2

double-beep
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Alberto Valentin
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