Why does select source for a SQL Schema Comparison cause VS2012 to crash?

Question

For seemingly no reason, choosing SQL > Schema Compare > New Schema Comparison and then attempting to "select source" causes Visual Studio 2012 to crash. (It has been working as expected for months).

Are there any possible fixes besides trying to re-install?

Note: trying to debug the crash in another instance of Visual Studio shows an exception in

Application: devenv.exe
Framework Version: v4.0.30319
Description: The process was terminated due to an unhandled exception.
Exception Info: System.Security.Cryptography.CryptographicException
Stack:
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.Data.DataProtection.DecryptString(System.String)
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.Data.Tools.Design.Core.Common.SqlClient.SqlUtils.DecryptConnectionString(System.String)
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.Data.Tools.Design.Core.Common.SqlClient.ServerExplorerConnection.get_DisplayNameWithDatabase()
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.Data.Tools.Package.UI.DatabaseConnectionControl+ConnectionItem.Initialize(Microsoft.VisualStudio.Data.Tools.Design.Core.Common.SqlClient.ServerExplorerConnection)
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.Data.Tools.Package.UI.DatabaseConnectionControl.PopulateDatabaseCombo()
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.Data.Tools.Package.UI.DatabaseConnectionControl.DatabaseConnectionControl_Load(System.Object, System.EventArgs)

Lauryn

Answer 1

Attempting to follow the information posted here, I did check to see which registry entries were being accessed. Removing everything found under HKCU\Software\Microsoft\VisualStudio\11.0\SSDT\ConnectionMruList did the trick.

Lauryn

Thanks - I've been trying to figure out which key that was causing this for hours now. I'm curious to know how you narrowed it down? – Recital

A lot of Googling :) Glad it was helpful! (I was starting to lose some hair over it heh) – Lauryn

Great answer! For my Window 8 machine the keys can be found at: [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\VisualStudio\11.0\SSDT\ConnectionMruList] – Congressional

This is the second time this same answer has been helpful to me! I had this same problem 7 months ago, and I have it again now. I wish I could upvote again. – Impersonality

This works but it seems the problem persists after I readd the connections I delete via visual studio. – Odo