Error MSB3644: The reference assemblies for .NETFramework,Version=v4.0 were not found

[williambuchanan2]

Description

Today our Azure Windows-2019 pipelines stopped working, so it looks like we need to upgrade to 2022.

But when I do that, my SSRS projects won't build. I get the below error.

##[error]C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Enterprise\MSBuild\Current\Bin\Microsoft.Common.CurrentVersion.targets(1259,5): Error MSB3644: The reference assemblies for .NETFramework,Version=v4.0 were not found. To resolve this, install the Developer Pack (SDK/Targeting Pack) for this framework version or retarget your application. You can download .NET Framework Developer Packs at https://aka.ms/msbuild/developerpacks

Anyone know what I need to do? Can't see any obvious way of installing .NET 4...

Thanks

Platforms affected

• Azure DevOps
• GitHub Actions - Standard Runners
• GitHub Actions - Larger Runners

Runner images affected

• Ubuntu 22.04
• Ubuntu 24.04
• Ubuntu Slim
• macOS 14
• macOS 14 Arm64
• macOS 15
• macOS 15 Arm64
• macOS 26 Arm64
• Windows Server 2019
• Windows Server 2022
• Windows Server 2025

Image version and build link

Any SSRS project

Is it regression?

Yes - Windows 2019 worked

Expected behavior

Build successfully

Actual behavior

##[error]C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Enterprise\MSBuild\Current\Bin\Microsoft.Common.CurrentVersion.targets(1259,5): Error MSB3644: The reference assemblies for .NETFramework,Version=v4.0 were not found. To resolve this, install the Developer Pack (SDK/Targeting Pack) for this framework version or retarget your application. You can download .NET Framework Developer Packs at https://aka.ms/msbuild/developerpacks

Repro steps

Try to build an SSRS project.

[GitPaulo]

Hi, a quick formatted diff of the 2019 and 2022 toolsets shows me:

Removed:
- Microsoft.Net.Component.4.TargetingPack          (.NET 4.0)
- Microsoft.Net.Component.4.5.TargetingPack        (.NET 4.5)
- Microsoft.Net.Component.4.5.1.TargetingPack      (.NET 4.5.1)
- Microsoft.Net.Component.4.6.1.TargetingPack      (.NET 4.6.1)

Present in Both:
  Microsoft.Net.Component.4.5.2.TargetingPack      (.NET 4.5.2)
  Microsoft.Net.Component.4.6.TargetingPack        (.NET 4.6)
  Microsoft.Net.Component.4.6.2.TargetingPack      (.NET 4.6.2)
  Microsoft.Net.Component.4.7.TargetingPack        (.NET 4.7)
  Microsoft.Net.Component.4.7.1.TargetingPack      (.NET 4.7.1)
  Microsoft.Net.Component.4.7.2.TargetingPack      (.NET 4.7.2)

Added:
+ Microsoft.Net.Component.4.8.TargetingPack        (.NET 4.8)
+ Microsoft.Net.Component.4.8.1.TargetingPack      (.NET 4.8.1)

The Microsoft.Net.Component.4.TargetingPack isn't present in the 2022 toolset and i'm not 100% sure it should be cc @erik-bershel

For now try upgrading to one that is in 2022

[williambuchanan2]

For now try upgrading to one that is in 2022

Hi @GitPaulo - yes this is what I did, but as you mention above the .NET 4 targetting pack isn't there so it fails. It looks like SSRS needs this and won't work with .NET 4.8.

[williambuchanan2]

For anyone else having this problem, I found a workaround.

In the bottom of your rptproj file, add the following:

<ItemGroup>
  <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.NETFramework.ReferenceAssemblies" Version="1.0.3" PrivateAssets="All" />
</ItemGroup>

Then in your pipeline ensure you have a nuget restore happening.

Both of the above resolved the problem for me.