Troubleshooting BadImageFormatException

I have a Windows service written in C# using Visual Studio 2010 and targeting the full .NET Framework 4. When I run from a Debug build the service runs as expected. However, when I run it from a Release build I get a System.BadImageFormatException (details below). I've been searching the internet for a solution but so far every thing I've found hasn't helped me find a solution.

The problem exists on both Windows 7 64-bit (dev) and Windows XP SP3 32-bit (target) systems.

Here is what I've tried so far:

Verified build settings such as Platform Target are all the same (x86).
Used peverify with the /verbose option to ensure the assembly binaries were valid.
Uses fuslogvw to look for any loading issues.
Used CheckAsm to look for missing files or assembiles.

All of these checks didn't change anything. I've included the full text of the exception information below, with some of the names changed to protect the secrets of my corporate masters.

System.BadImageFormatException was unhandled
  Message=Could not load file or assembly 'XxxDevices, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=null' or one of its dependencies. An attempt was made to load a program with an incorrect format.
  Source=XxxDevicesService
  FileName=XxxDevices, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=null
  FusionLog=Assembly manager loaded from:  C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework64\v4.0.30319\clr.dll
Running under executable  c:\Dev\TeamE\bin\Release\XxxDevicesService.vshost.exe
--- A detailed error log follows. 

=== Pre-bind state information ===
LOG: User = XXX
LOG: DisplayName = XxxDevices, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=null
 (Fully-specified)
LOG: Appbase = file:///c:/Dev/TeamE/bin/Release/
LOG: Initial PrivatePath = NULL
Calling assembly : XxxDevicesService, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=null.
===
LOG: This bind starts in default load context.
LOG: Using application configuration file: c:\TeamE\bin\Release\XxxDevicesService.vshost.exe.Config
LOG: Using host configuration file: 
LOG: Using machine configuration file from C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework64\v4.0.30319\config\machine.config.
LOG: Policy not being applied to reference at this time (private, custom, partial, or location-based assembly bind).
LOG: Attempting download of new URL file:///c:/TeamE/bin/Release/XxxDevices.DLL.
ERR: Failed to complete setup of assembly (hr = 0x8007000b). Probing terminated.

  StackTrace:
       at XxxDevicesService.Program.Main(String[] args)
       at System.AppDomain._nExecuteAssembly(RuntimeAssembly assembly, String[] args)
       at Microsoft.VisualStudio.HostingProcess.HostProc.RunUsersAssembly()
       at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run(ExecutionContext executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state, Boolean ignoreSyncCtx)
       at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run(ExecutionContext executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state)
       at System.Threading.ThreadHelper.ThreadStart()
  InnerException:

Verified build settings such as Platform Target are all the same (x86).

That's not what the crash log says:

Assembly manager loaded from: C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework64

Note the 64 in the name, that's the home of the 64-bit version of the framework. Set the Target platform setting on your EXE project, not your class library project. The XxxDevicesService EXE project determines the bitness of the process.

After I stopped banging my head on the desk thinking of the entire week I spent running down this problem, I am sharing what worked for me. I have Win7 64 bit, 32-bit Oracle Client, and have my MVC 5 project set to run on x86 platform because of the Oracle bitness. I kept getting the same errors:

Could not load file or assembly 'Oracle.DataAccess' or one of its dependencies. An attempt was made to load a program with an incorrect format.

I reloaded the NuGet packages, I used copies of the DLLs that worked for others in different apps, I set the codebase in the dependent assembly to point to my project's bin folder, I tried CopyLocal as true or false, I tried everything. Finally I had enough else done I wanted to check in my code, and as a new contractor I didn't have subversion set up. While looking for a way to hook it into VS, I tripped over the answer. What I found worked was unchecking the "Use the 64 bit version of IIS Express for Web Sites and Projects" option under the Projects and Solutions => Web Projects section under the Tools=>Options menu.

What I found worked was checking the "Use the 64 bit version of IIS Express for Web Sites and Projects" option under the Projects and Solutions => Web Projects section under the Tools=>Options menu.

It can typically occur when you changed the target framework of .csproj and reverted it back to what you started with.

Make sure 1 if supportedRuntime version="a different runtime from cs project target" under startup tag in app.config.

Make sure 2 That also means checking other autogenerated or other files in may be properties folder to see if there is no more runtime mismatch between these files and one that is defined in .csproj file.

These might just save you lot of time before you start trying different things with project properties to overcome the error.

Troubleshooting BadImageFormatException

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