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Multiple Versions of Microsoft .NET Framework in Add or Remove Programs

Posted By Raymond In Category: Computer

Jul
20
2009

If you read the comments on this post, there are actually quite a few people with questions in their mind thinking of how many versions of .NET Framework should we install on our computer. It started from version 1 up and now it’s up to version 3.5. Very soon we’ll have .NET Framework 4 as we’re already seeing BETA versions of it. Actually I was having the same question as well because I don’t want to install multiple versions of unnecessary .NET Framework on my computer. It’s a waste of space if I am not going to need it.

Multiple .NET Framework in Windows

Most of the time the official website for a software would write something like this sentence “This program requires .NET Framework 2.0 or higher” on the requirements. On my Windows XP Professional laptop, I am seeing a total of 5 .NET Framework installed (Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1, Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1 Hotfix (KB928366), Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 Service Pack 2, Microsoft .NET Framework 3.0 Service Pack 2, Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 SP1). I was wondering if I could just uninstall the older versions of .NET Framework and only keep version 3.5 SP1?

I found the answer after a little research.


The answer below is taken from Aaron Stebner, the guy who created the brilliant Microsoft .NET Framework Cleanup Tool.

When you install the .NET Framework 3.5 SP1, it will also install the .NET Framework 2.0 SP2 and the .NET Framework 3.0 SP2 behind the scenes. You cannot use the .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 unless you also have the .NET Framework 2.0 SP2 and 3.0 SP2 installed. Therefore, you will not be allowed to uninstall the .NET Framework 2.0 SP2 or 3.0 SP2 if you have the .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 installed. If you try to uninstall those versions of the .NET Framework, their uninstall processes will block and tell you that they are needed by another application on your system.

The .NET Framework 1.0 and .NET Framework 1.1 can be installed side-by-side with the .NET Framework 2.0, 3.0 and 3.5. Most applications that were created for the .NET Framework 1.0 or 1.1 will automatically use the .NET Framework 2.0 instead if it is installed on the system. In most cases, that means you do not need to keep the .NET Framework 1.0 or 1.1 installed on your system if you already have the .NET Framework 2.0 installed.

In short, it is a must to have have .NET Framework 2 and 3 installed for 3.5. As for .NET Framework 1.0 and 1.1, you can safely uninstall them. Do note that there are some applications that are configured to use specific versions of .NET even though you have the latest one installed. If you get that error, you can reinstall back the .NET Framework 1.0 / 1.1.

On my Windows Vista computer, I checked the Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework folder and there is v1.0.3705, v1.1.4322, v2.0.50727, v3.0 and v3.5. It means that I have all that versions of .NET installed but the Programs and Features shows only Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 SP1. It looks like the older versions are no longer being listed anymore. I believe this is better so not to create any confusion.


Related posts:
  • How to Check What Version of Microsoft .NET Framework is Installed in Computer
  • Uninstall Microsoft .NET Framework with Aaron Stebner Cleanup Tool
  • Easily Download the Right .NET Framework with Minimal Download
  • Run multiple versions of Internet Explorer on the same PC
  • Change or Remove Button Missing at Control Panel Add or Remove Programs
    • webcadre

      thanks for the great tip ray! :)

    • nedo

      thank u Raymond..

    • Jay

      Thanks for the tip about how to cancell my Hotmail PLUS account! What a ripoff by hotmail! Reminds me of the words in the song Hotel Califonia- “you can check out but you can NEVER leave”
      I’ll never subscribe to a hotmail paying service again!

    • dino

      lol..my problem solve!

    • Merlin_Magii

      Another good piece of in-depth research – thank you Raymond.

      But just out of interest – what does .NET framework do !? What service or program relies on it?

    • ZOzz

      How about how to those EFFING 0ddd98559605c791c6fa0f28db52 random shit named folders that get created often .NET install on other drives/partitions than the FUCKING OS drive!.. yes and not only that, they are locked from being deleted and probably don’t even have a use anymore..fucking stupid ass Microshite!

    • http://www.greggdeselms.com Gregg DesElms

      Try as one might to avoid having version 1.0 or 1.1 (or its service packs or hotfixes) on one’s machine, it cannot be avoided. Despite the fact that version 2 covers all of version 1′s capabilities, many older pieces of software whose installers only check to see if version 1 is there, and, if not found, will put it there, will ultimately thwart one’s efforts to keep version 1 off one’s machine.

      One can scream at the installer, saying, “but version 2 will cover you… it’s there… relax… don’t install version 1 on my machine please” all one wants. But at the time the software was written, version 1 was all there was; and the installer “looks” for version 1 and, if not found, puts it there.

      Version 2 is supposed to proved the “hooks” to notify such installers that version 1 is present (even if it’s not) because version 2 will provide the application with all the version 1 stuff it needs…

      …but, alas, many version 1 programmers scripted their installers to test for version 1 presence in the wrong way.

      So, there’s no point, I’ve learned in my 32 years of IT experience, in fighting it. When I install a new Vista system, I install 3.5 and 3.5-SP1; and I also install 1.0 and 1.1 (and the updater will subsequently, eventually, install any service packs or hotfixes which 1.1 needs.

      Version 1.1 is small compared with subsequent versions. It occupies so little disk space, by comparison, and behaves so innocuously (in terms of processess/CPU usage (compared with all subsequent versions) that it’s just not a big deal to have it on one’s system.

      Or so it is my two cents worth… which my ex-wife is quick to point out is often pretty much ALL it’s worth.

      __________________________
      Gregg L. DesElms
      gregg[at]greggdeselms.com
      Napa, California

    • Jaideep Walia

      Its another bulk of dlls where a programmer just writes the code and some of the things are handled by these dlls.
      You need this as a lot of softwares are using this. Somthing like Visual Basic runtimes we had to install if we had to run a vb software.

    • Gaurav

      Thanks for this article. I was also confused about it but you cleared everything. Thanks Ray.

    • tangomouse

      what .net does , its for programs written in .net ie visual basic .net ,so the program will run

    • bovine

      @ merlin_magii

      this should answer your question……..

      http://tinyurl.com/kmrkma

    • john doe

      what if you have 3.5sp1install but not 3.0 and 2.0?

    • http://neato4u.wordpress.com neato4u

      you know, microsoft .net 4 should incorporate all those previous versions into 1, so u just need .net 4 that come packaged with everything.

    • swarup1987

      great find ray.

    • http://www.downloadansav.blogspot.com download ansav

      Thanks very much for this article. I was also confused about Multiple Versions of Microsoft .NET Frameworkbut you help me. Thanks Ray.

    • Taco

      @ZOzz

      If that folder you’re talking about is located at your C:\ drive (or whatever drive you installed Windows) that is a temp file used when .NET unpacks. It’s similar to what DirectX, ATI and Nvidia do when you execute their .msi. Feel free to nuke it.

      I remember when people were complaining about Java being bloated but it seems Microsoft refuses to be outdone. :)

    • chrix

      I wonder WHY newer versions of this net stuff don’t provide support for older applications, it’s simply silly to have 3 or more version of this garbage on the pc.

      Craziest thing, redistributable version of 3.5 sp2 is 220 mb in size (!!) AND during the installation its connect to the internet and download about 40mb of stuff.. that’s totally insane!

      220+40 mb for a bunch of runtime dlls ????

    • http://www.youtube.com/user/Bad888Max mobb

      thx I had this problem few months ago!

    • Mart

      Fucked up my wildows live mail. Reinstall couldnt fix it. Says:This application has failed to start because the application configuration is incorrect

    • Mart

      i removed the 2. and 3. version too. LOL

    • Ed

      This *F* .NET system. It is starting to be bigger than Windows itself, well maybe not that big, but it is also so complex.

      I installed fresh Windows XP. So I also did Windows updates and .NET 3.5 was installed. Automatically it installed .NET 2.0 SP, and .NET 3.0 SP.

      Now this: I try to install the Sonic cyber DVD player from Dell CD. it says” you must have .NET version 1.1 or later :)

      So I had to install 1.1 and the 1.1 SP.

    • Burmese_Guy

      Microsoft mess up with .Net framework.
      Bad thing about it is that some versions are in-dependent or dependent of others. Add/Remove shows each version installed.

      Well, the definite solution is that they should corporate all version in one package. I want to see only 3.5 in Add/Remove program and I expects it includes other older version. Don’t show it in Add/Remove program.

    • enan

      How to register the framework 3.5 in my IIS 5.1?

    • dman

      Mate, you are a champion.

    • http://20100315 ian

      Thanks alot for this info its great but i have one question ( yes i am new to this stuff)

      i have installed .net 3.5 but my studio management express still says that i am running 2.0?? now i am trying to install some software that requires 3.5 but it wont install as it only recognises 2.0. is there anyway to get it to recognise the 3.5? i have tried uninstalling all the versions and then re installing 3.5 ( obviously i did this before reading your article) and it still only picks up 2.0.

    • amin

      thanks raymond…

    • Antibesbhoy

      Thanks for this info. Very much appreciated!
      I’d looked everywhere for this info as I’ve multiple versions of .NEt and other s/w installed that are taking up space on my old disk. And it’s nearly full :)

    • http://www.awonrarai.co.cc Awon

      Thank you very much…you really help me a lot :)

    • mona

      Thanks so much for letting me know about this issue. I was just trying to clear up some space on my computer and noticed all the different versions and the amount of memory they took up. Glad I checked ahead so I wouldn’t be in a virtual bind :)

    • taranteddy

      Thanks Raymond for looking into that. Another reason to stay away from anything Microsoft if at all possible. In essence it IS possible we will see 20 .net entries in Add/remove programs window when we get to .Net framework 21 for example? Microsoft should clean up it’s act like 10 years ago lol

    • http://therube.com TheRube

      Hi Raymond:

      Apparently Microsoft sent a .Net Framework 4 update to the Windows Update to fix the error problem.

      I just performed a Windows Update and .Net Framework 4 update was installed Successfully.

      TheRube

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