On Windows 8/10 .NET Framework 4.5 is installed by default. Since .NET 4.5 is an in-place update to 4.0, you can automatically launch any application that targets the .NET Framework 4.5 or 4.0. This is fine, but what if you need to run programs that require older versions of the .NET Framework? What’s the lowest version you can run?
On Windows 8/10 .NET 3.5, 3.0 and 2.5 come with the OS, you just need to enable it. It’s really nice because you don’t have to download .NET 3.5 from Microsoft’s website. In this post, I will show you how to enable older versions of the .NET Framework on Windows 8/10.
In Windows 8, first go to the Start screen and start typing “Turn Windows ” and click “Settings” in the charms bar. You should see an option to turn Windows features on or off.
In Windows 10, just click “Start”, type Windows functions one by one and press “Enter”.
A dialog box appears on the desktop and the first option is .NET Framework 3.5 (includes .NET 2.0 and 3.0). Just check this box and these features will be installed without having to download anything from the Internet.
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The only version of the .NET Framework that doesn’t ship with Windows 8/10 is .NET Framework 1.1. If you want to install it, you will need to download it from here:
https: //www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.asps? id = 26
The .NET Framework 1.1 installs on Windows 8/10, so you can run applications written for that version of the platform. You may get a compatibility warning during installation, but that’s about it. Otherwise, it should install and work fine.
Also note that Windows 8/10 is smart and if you go to install an app that requires .NET Framework 3.5, a popup will appear asking if you want to install this feature, same as we did manually above.
For those IT pros looking to install the .NET Framework on Windows Server 2012, here’s how to do it.
1. Go to Server Manager, click Manage, and then click Add Roles and Features. Then click Next.
2. You will see the Select Installation Type screen where you want to select a role-based or feature-based installation and click Next.
3. Now on the Select Target Server screen, select the target server and click Next.
4. You will see the Select Server Roles screen and you will have to click Next again.
5. Finally, on the Feature Selection screen, you can select the .NET Framework 3.5 Features check box.
Wow! It’s a long process, but this is how you do it in Windows Server 2012. It should also be noted that when you upgrade from Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2 to Windows 8/10 or Windows Server 2012, the .NET Framework 3.5 is automatically enabled. That’s all. Enjoy!
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