List instance not working after solution retraction

Question

I have a project with a

• Content Type
• A list definition based on the Content Type
• A list instance

When I deploy this solution, it all works fine.

To my knowledge, when this solution is retracted, the content type and list instance should not be removed if they are in use.

However, after I retract the solution, the list instance is still there (still has a link to it), but when I open it, everything crashes. I get the following error message:

<nativehr>0x8107058a</nativehr><nativestack></nativestack>Feature '26512ca4-330f-4171-a938-ae64ecf92719' for list template '10050' is not installed in this farm.  The operation could not be completed. 

10050 is the 'Type' I have given the list definition, and the list instance point too.

I would like the list instance to work even after the solution is retracted (at least if it has content). How can I fix this? If this is by design, is there a way I can prevent my list def. from retracting?

Answer 1

I had this issue today - if the 10050 Type is a custom list definition that you have created then this behavior is by design. The list definition will get removed and therefore the list instance will fail because the definition it inherits from is no longer present.

If you redeploy the solution again you will notice that the list instance returns and no data is actually lost in the list itself.

The only way to keep your list instance would be to create it in code.

Hope this helps.

Alex