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Other => General Topics => Topic started by: Avastfan1 on July 30, 2011, 02:00:19 PM

Title: Micro$oft .NET Framework
Post by: Avastfan1 on July 30, 2011, 02:00:19 PM
Dear Forum,

Which of the following can be safely uninstalled?

- Micro$oft .NET Framework 1.1
- Micro$oft .NET Framework 2.0 Service Pack 2
- Micro$oft .NET Framework 3.0 Service Pack 2
- Micro$oft .NET Framework 3.5 SP1
- Micro$oft .NET Framework 4 Client Profile
- Micro$oft .NET Framework 4 Extended

Thanks in advance!

Avastfan1
Title: Re: Micro$oft .NET Framework
Post by: DavidR on July 30, 2011, 02:09:52 PM
Short answer none.

For me .net has been the single most biggest pain in the rear to come out of MS. It is an absolute monster which has frequent update installation problems (e.g. failed updates).

The problems being there doesn't appear to be any backward compatibility, e.g. if you had .net 4 you shouldn't need all the earlier ones, doesn't work like that.

Programs are designed for a specific version of of .net, so if you have a program that requires .net 1.0/1.1 then you need it. Finding out what programs actually need .net and then what version is needed is a nightmare.

If you install .net 3.0 or 3.5 I believe that installs .net 2.0 as it requires it.

As I said a nightmare.
Title: Re: Micro$oft .NET Framework
Post by: SpeedyPC on July 30, 2011, 02:15:37 PM
I've been told directly by MS is leave them alone never uninstall any Microsoft .NET Framework on any OS version it very important to keep them as DavidR said "None"
Title: Re: Micro$oft .NET Framework
Post by: Avastfan1 on July 30, 2011, 02:17:03 PM
DavidR and Speedy once again providing informative, quick and easy-to-read advice!

What sort of programmes use .NET?
Title: Re: Micro$oft .NET Framework
Post by: YoKenny on July 30, 2011, 02:27:31 PM
What sort of programmes use .NET?
See
Quote
Paint.NET is a proprietary freeware raster graphics editor program for Microsoft Windows, developed on the .NET Framework. Originally created by Rick Brewster as a Washington State University student project,[4] Paint.NET has evolved from a simple replacement for the Microsoft Paint program, which is included with Windows, into a powerful editor with support for layers, blending, transparency, and plugins.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paint.NET

It works great.
Title: Re: Micro$oft .NET Framework
Post by: Avastfan1 on July 30, 2011, 02:28:27 PM
Nice tip YoKenny!

Title: Re: Micro$oft .NET Framework
Post by: DavidR on July 30, 2011, 03:11:32 PM
DavidR and Speedy once again providing informative, quick and easy-to-read advice!

What sort of programmes use .NET?

Problem is there really is no easy way to find out, the first time you are likely to know if a program requires .net (and what version) is when you try to install it and it reports you don't have .net (and probably also indicate what version) installed.

The range of programs that use it is just too varied and not one specific class/type of program. For instance I have a drive imaging backup software (drive Image 7.1 very old) that requires .net 1.0/1.1 and my anti spam (MailWasher Pro) that requires .net 3.5.
Title: Re: Micro$oft .NET Framework
Post by: Avastfan1 on July 30, 2011, 03:45:35 PM
Why do programmes actually use the Micro$oft .NET Framework?
Title: Re: Micro$oft .NET Framework
Post by: DavidR on July 30, 2011, 05:00:46 PM
Now that is a question you will have to ask them.

I did of MailWasher Pro, what in h*ll does a 11MB anti-spam application need with .net (that requires over 400MB of downloads and installation), e.g what feature set does it bring to the table.

Their answer was easier development, so as far as I was concerned it brought nothing for the user only the developer. But they tried to counter that by saying most people already have .net installed for one reason or another. Me I was actively trying to avoid it like the plague as it is a pain in the rear to keep up to date (the devils spawn).

I guess you could say I don't like it ;D
Title: Re: Micro$oft .NET Framework
Post by: Hard_ROCKER on July 30, 2011, 05:14:06 PM
And the same with MS Visual C++, i absolutely hate having all those versions(and then the updates for each version as well) installed but it is necessary to keep all your programs working. Sux though, i would prefer just having the latest version installed and be done with it. ;D
Title: Re: Micro$oft .NET Framework
Post by: Asyn on July 30, 2011, 05:15:58 PM
Which of the following can be safely uninstalled?

- Micro$oft .NET Framework 1.1
- Micro$oft .NET Framework 2.0 Service Pack 2
- Micro$oft .NET Framework 3.0 Service Pack 2
- Micro$oft .NET Framework 3.5 SP1
- Micro$oft .NET Framework 4 Client Profile
- Micro$oft .NET Framework 4 Extended

Well, it depends... ;)
If you don't run any .NET related software, you can uninstall them all, but be careful, if you're not sure about it...!!
As Dave said in his initial reply, it can be a nightmare to figure out "who needs what".
Anyway, here's the .NET Framework Cleanup Tool, just in case anyone should need it.
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/astebner/archive/2008/08/28/8904493.aspx
Title: Re: Micro$oft .NET Framework
Post by: SpeedyPC on July 30, 2011, 05:19:17 PM
@Asyn I wouldn't even touch this tool with a 20 foot pole sticking up your back size ;)
Title: Re: Micro$oft .NET Framework
Post by: Asyn on July 30, 2011, 05:21:34 PM
@Asyn I wouldn't even touch this tool with a 20 foot pole sticking up your back size ;)

You sure don't have to. ;)
Title: Re: Micro$oft .NET Framework
Post by: Dch48 on July 30, 2011, 07:43:32 PM
There are a lot of things that require the .NET framework or at least one of it's flavors. The ATI/AMD graphics drivers are one example. They require .NET 2.0 for the Catalyst Control Center to run. You used to be able to get away without installing the CCC, but now they've added the Catalyst Install manager which also requires .NET. 

My advice is to only have the versions installed that are needed by installed applications or those that are installed as part of your particular version of Windows. I do not have v4 for example because so far, nothing has told me that it needed it. I would agree that you should not uninstall any .NET versions that you have.

The Media Center portions of Windows also require .NET. Even the separate Media Center of XP required v 1.1. Only XP Home or Pro do not install nor need any form of .NET in a fresh install. XP media Center (1.1), Vista (3.5), and W7 (4.0) come with .NET embedded into the OS.
Title: Re: Micro$oft .NET Framework
Post by: Hard_ROCKER on July 30, 2011, 08:13:31 PM
There are a lot of things that require the .NET framework or at least one of it's flavors. The ATI/AMD graphics drivers are one example. They require .NET 2.0 for the Catalyst Control Center to run. You used to be able to get away without installing the CCC, but now they've added the Catalyst Install manager which also requires .NET.
<snip>

Not sure how it is on XP or Vista but on Win 7 SP1 it's like this(it does not install .NET since it is installed by default on Win 7):

(http://www.shrani.si/t/19/bt/rnjPLeq/win7cc.jpg) (http://www.shrani.si/?19/bt/rnjPLeq/win7cc.png) (http://www.shrani.si/t/X/Ec/gHhQo85/win7.jpg) (http://www.shrani.si/?X/Ec/gHhQo85/win7.png) (http://www.shrani.si/t/2O/d0/4Z710sxM/win7up.jpg) (http://www.shrani.si/?2O/d0/4Z710sxM/win7up.png)

Title: Re: Micro$oft .NET Framework
Post by: Dch48 on July 30, 2011, 08:22:51 PM
There are a lot of things that require the .NET framework or at least one of it's flavors. The ATI/AMD graphics drivers are one example. They require .NET 2.0 for the Catalyst Control Center to run. You used to be able to get away without installing the CCC, but now they've added the Catalyst Install manager which also requires .NET.
<snip>

Not sure how it is on XP or Vista but on Win 7 SP1 it's like this(it does not install .NET since it is installed by default on Win 7):

(http://www.shrani.si/t/19/bt/rnjPLeq/win7cc.jpg) (http://www.shrani.si/?19/bt/rnjPLeq/win7cc.png) (http://www.shrani.si/t/X/Ec/gHhQo85/win7.jpg) (http://www.shrani.si/?X/Ec/gHhQo85/win7.png) (http://www.shrani.si/t/2O/d0/4Z710sxM/win7up.jpg) (http://www.shrani.si/?2O/d0/4Z710sxM/win7up.png)


Yes, exactly. I said that W7 has .NET embedded and XP does not unless you have the Media Center Edition which only has 1.1 so you have to install at least 2.0.
Title: Re: Micro$oft .NET Framework
Post by: Hard_ROCKER on July 30, 2011, 08:35:14 PM
Sorry, i went through you post way too fast and missed that part. ;D
Title: Re: Micro$oft .NET Framework
Post by: SpeedyPC on July 31, 2011, 08:53:31 AM
Here my attachment on XP  ;)
Title: Re: Micro$oft .NET Framework
Post by: Avastfan1 on July 31, 2011, 10:12:38 AM
You don't have:

- Micro$oft .NET Framework 4 Client Profile
- Micro$oft .NET Framework 4 Extended

????
Title: Re: Micro$oft .NET Framework
Post by: Hard_ROCKER on July 31, 2011, 10:48:10 AM
Like Dch48 said:

<snip>I do not have v4 for example because so far, nothing has told me that it needed it.<snip
Title: Re: Micro$oft .NET Framework
Post by: Avastfan1 on July 31, 2011, 11:08:06 AM
Are there no security problems associated with older versions of .Net?
Title: Re: Micro$oft .NET Framework
Post by: Hard_ROCKER on July 31, 2011, 11:12:57 AM
Yes(not just for older versions), that is why they get security updates through Windows Update.
Title: Re: Micro$oft .NET Framework
Post by: DavidR on July 31, 2011, 01:14:52 PM
@ Avastfan1
I think you are now becoming to understand why I think the .net framework is the biggest pain in the rear, it is a bloody nightmare to keep up to date, many updates fail and vulnerabilities can still exist in older versions.

Even when updated programs that require old versions can still be potentially exploited, which is why for years I had only one program that required it. Now I have two programs that require it an old version and a newer version; this is hassle to keep up to date and if these two programs I didn't consider essential I would get rid of .net on XP.
Title: Re: Micro$oft .NET Framework
Post by: SpeedyPC on July 31, 2011, 02:46:09 PM
@ Avastfan1 my XP is always update on MS security patch through windows update, you have to understand not very many people have the same .NET Framework depends on what software program to required a .NET Framework to be install.

When you buy a software sometime a software need a new .NET Framework version the software will automatically check them during the installation, and sometime they may have a new version .NET Framework I don't have on my XP and it will automatically installed them from the DVD the software you buy off the shelf. And when you running windows update MS will automatically check the version of the new .NET Framework and will automatically include a new patch update through MS, and this why not everybody have all the .NET Framework depends on what software program required to install. Do you understand ???
Title: Re: Micro$oft .NET Framework
Post by: Avastfan1 on July 31, 2011, 07:44:32 PM
Thank you for the responses.

@DavidR: I hear you brother. Let us not forget it IS Micro$oft software.  ;)

@Speedy: Loud and clear. It is difficult to know which programmes need which version.