Where can I find GACUtil?

Question

I know there have been many people asking the same thing, I have read all the posts related, but I couldn't find the gacutil.exe, I was looking at C:\WINDOWS\microsoft.net\Framework\v1.1.4322 and I found gacutil.exe.config but obviously it is just the config file. I need include a dll in the GAC.

this is a list from where I was looking the exe without any success:

C:\Program Files\Microsoft.NET
C:\WINDOWS\microsoft.net\Framework\v1.1.4322
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio 8\SDK\v2.0\Bin

Thanks in advance.

I think you'll have more luck with this question on serverfault. I flagged it, so they'll probably move it over there soon — Chris Drappier, Mar 15 '12 at 18:41
possible duplicate of [How to install dll into GAC](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/4387957/how-to-install-dll-into-gac) — cadrell0, Mar 15 '12 at 18:41
His question is how to locate the utility, not how to actually install things into the GAC. — William Dwyer, Mar 15 '12 at 19:13
A duplicate of [where is gacutil.exe?](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/3397479/where-is-gacutil-exe) — Anton Shepelev, Jul 15 '20 at 16:31

William Dwyer · Accepted Answer · 2012-03-15T19:00:29.850

You can find the GAC in any windows box under C:\windows\assembly\

or %windir%\assembly

GACUTIL -i filename registers the file with the GAC but doesn't necessarily locate the file inside the %windir%\assembly folder. This is a virtual folder controlled by SHFUSION.DLL which is a plugin windows explorer uses to display those files.

Further Reading Here

If you can't simply type GACUTIL /? from a cmd prompt. You can navigate in windows to the assembly sub folder of windows dir and drag/drop the dll inside that folder. You'll need to be an administrator of the pc to do this.

Typically to access this utility I fire up the VS 2010 Command Prompt as it has the appropriate %PATH% variable settings to locate the gacutil cmd.

On my box, I have 4 copies... First one is located here. C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SDKs\Windows\v7.0A\Bin\NETFX 4.0 Tools\x64

The issue most likely is that you don't have the framework sdk for the 1.1 framework installed on the box you're trying to do this on. You can download that here

thanks a lot for the explanation it was very useful I could resolved the problem. thx man — Leonardo Raygoza, Mar 15 '12 at 19:26
Thanks for the tip of using the VS Command Prompt. Very useful. — user489998, Jul 21 '17 at 11:23

Cynthia C · Answer 2 · 2015-09-30T00:41:33.713

You can run GACUtil using the Visual Studio Command Prompt. The Visual Studio Command Prompt is automatically installed with Visual Studio. To run the tool, use the Developer Command Prompt (or the Visual Studio Command Prompt in Windows 7). For more information, see Visual Studio Command Prompt.

In Windows 8.1 - On the Start screen, press CTRL + TAB to open the Apps list and then press V. The list will include all installed Visual Studio command prompts. (To open the Start screen, press the Windows logo key Windows logo on your keyboard.) Choose the Developer Command Prompt (or the command prompt you want to use).

In Windows 8 - On the Start screen, press the Windows logo key Windows logo + Z. (To open the Start screen, press the Windows logo key Windows logo on your keyboard.) Choose the Apps view icon at the bottom of the screen and then press V. The list will include all installed Visual Studio command prompts. Choose the Developer Command Prompt (or the command prompt you want to use).

In Windows 7 - Choose Start, expand All Programs, and then expand Microsoft Visual Studio. Depending on the version of Visual Studio you have installed, choose Visual Studio Tools, Visual Studio Command Prompt, or the command prompt you want to use.

GACUtil info: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ex0ss12c(v=vs.110).aspx

Example commands:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 10.0\VC>cd C:\Windows\Microsoft.N et\assembly\GAC_MSIL\elite.eai.importsvc.generic.fm\v4.0_2.4.3.0__f659f54317ad7e 73\

C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\assembly\GAC_MSIL\Elite.EAI.ImportSvc.Generic.FM\v4.0_2 .4.3.0__f659f54317ad7e73>gacutil.exe /i "elite.eai.importsvc.generic.fm.dll" Microsoft (R) .NET Global Assembly Cache Utility. Version 4.0.30319.1 Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Assembly successfully added to the cache

score 2 · Answer 3 · edited May 06 '19 at 14:24

On Windows 2012 R2 Server, if you are not allowed to install Visual Studio or SDK,
you can use powershell to register assemblies into GAC. It didn't need any special installation for me.

Set-location "C:\Temp"
 [System.Reflection.Assembly]::Load("System.EnterpriseServices, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a")
 $publish = New-Object System.EnterpriseServices.Internal.Publish
 $publish.GacInstall("C:\Temp\myGacLibrary.dll")

score 2 · Answer 4 · answered Jul 15 '20 at 15:59

2

One simple way to get gacutil is to take it from a machine where it is already installed. You will need gacutil.exe and gacutil.exe.config from

C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SDKs\Windows\v10.0A\bin\NETFX 4.6 Tools\
(or analogous location)

and, gacutlrc.dll from the 1033 subdirectory.

Here, for example, is an archive with gacutil 4.0.30319.0 . It is a much leaner and simpler method of distribution than installing the huge Windows SDK with hundreds of files.

answered Jul 15 '20 at 15:59

Anton Shepelev

922
9
19

This answer also helps users who have downloaded the tools, but not Visual Studio itself (e.g. using Intellij Rider instead). I did not realize GACUtil was a part of those tools. – Madis Otenurm Apr 04 '23 at 09:00

score 1 · Answer 5 · answered Mar 15 '12 at 18:41

1

C:\Windows\assembly This is the GAC but it only references where the assemblies actually reside. Being visible hereonly indicates registration with the GAC.

answered Mar 15 '12 at 18:41

PTiddy

126
3

score 0 · Answer 6 · answered Oct 17 '19 at 18:18

If your is an enterprise application, you wouldn't have GacUtil on your Production box (assuming you are using Windows 2012 R2 or later). So, no point in using Gacutil to register assemblies into GAC. You can use GacInstall and GacRemove methods as listed in other answers using powershell. It worked for me. It just took some time to figure out the exact syntax.

Where can I find GACUtil?

6 Answers6

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