.netsystem-requirements

.NET Framework installation requirements


What are the requirements for all .NET frameworks and their service packs? This is what I need to know for all available frameworks:

  1. .NET Framework prerequisites
    What other .NET Frameworks does it require?
    For example: .NET Framework 2.0 does not require anything, .NET Framework 2.0 SP1 requires .NET Framework 2.0 installed, but .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 does not require .NET Framework 3.5 installed (or maybe does? dunno)

  2. Reboot requirements
    Does the installation package require reboot after installation?

  3. Clean install requirements
    Does the installation package require clean install? (No pending delete/rename operations)

  4. Administrator privileges
    Does the installation package require administrator privileges to install? (I guess this is "yes" for all of them...)

And I need to know all of this for the following packages:

  1. .NET Framework 1.1
  2. .NET Framework 1.1 Language Pack
  3. .NET Framework 1.1 SP 1
  4. .NET Framework 2.0
  5. .NET Framework 2.0 Language Pack
  6. .NET Framework 2.0 SP 1
  7. .NET Framework 2.0 SP 1 Language Pack
  8. .NET Framework 2.0 SP 2
  9. .NET Framework 2.0 SP 2 Language Pack
  10. .NET Framework 3.5
  11. .NET Framework 3.5 Language Pack
  12. .NET Framework 3.5 SP 1
  13. .NET Framework 3.5 SP 1 Language Pack
  14. .NET Framework 4.0 Full
  15. .NET Framework 4.0 Client

Could you please either tell me all of these requirements, or direct me to the appropriate source? Or maybe both? :-)

UPDATE

Is there any other way to determine the specified requirements other than just trying to install all packages and trying to figure it out? Because I haven't really found anything helpful in already published answers.

For all those down-voters: Can you show me where in the published links in answers can I find if .NET 2.0 SP2 needs .NET 2.0 already installed, or if it installs it automatically? Because it is the main topic of this question.

Helpful resources

Generic .NET Framework prerequisites
Language pack LCIDs
List of Windows versions (Determine Windows Version and Edition)


Solution

  • As it turned out, the only way how I could get the info I need is just to manually install/uninstall all the frameworks to try all combinations (combinations which make sense) to determine the prerequisites. I will update this answer continuously as I find more info.

    Ad 1, 2:

    If .NET Framework 1.0 is removed, installing only .NET Framework 1.1 also provides the system support for version 1.0, except in rare instances where an application will not run because it checks the version number of a library. [4]

    1. .NET Framework 1.1
      • Does not require any other .NET Framework installed
      • In my experiments, reboot was not required
      • Provides system support for .NET Framework 1.0 as well (source)
    2. .NET Framework 1.1 Language Pack
      • Requires .NET Framework 1.1 installed
      • In my experiments, reboot was not required
    3. .NET Framework 1.1 SP 1
      • Requires .NET Framework 1.1 installed
      • In my experiments, reboot was required
    4. .NET Framework 2.0
      • .NET 2.0 without any Service Pack is the last version with support for Win98 and WinME
    5. .NET Framework 2.0 SP 2
      • Last version with official support for Win2000
      • Requires Win2000 SP4 (plus KB835732 or KB891861 update), WinXP SP2 or later
      • Shipped with Windows Server 2003 R2 (not installed by default)
    6. .NET Framework 3.0
      • Shipped with Windows Vista
    7. .NET Framework 3.5
      • Installs .NET 2.0 SP1 and .NET 3.0 SP1 as well
    8. .NET Framework 3.5 SP 1 (express install)
      • Does not require any .NET Framework installed
      • In my experiments, reboot was not required
      • Shipped with Win7
      • Installs .NET 2.0 SP2 and .NET 3.0 SP2 as well

    Ad 2: Reboot requirements are generally determined by installation package's exit code 3010. I always install the packages silently and with /norestart when appropriate - don't know if the exit code is different with different parameters.

    Ad 3: No installation package required clean install.

    Ad 4: All installation packages require administrator privileges, because they install in WINDOWS directory.

    Additional prerequisites

    1. Windows Installer 3.1
      • Does not require any .NET Framework installed
      • In my experiments, reboot was required
    2. WMI
      • Preinstalled in Windows 2000 and newer OSs
      • Available as a download for Windows NT, Win95 and Win98.