Interaction between .NET versions?

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I have an old graphics utility that needs .NET framework 2 (according to its readme file). This has been running fine on Windows 7 Pro up until quite recently, when it’s started throwing errors.

.NET 2 support has ended, and I can’t see any record of it being updated on my machine. However .NET 4.6.2 has had 3 security and 2 non-security updates since my utility was last working. I know next to nothing about .NET, but is it possible that updates to 4.6.2 could affect a .NET 2 application?

The utility is the work of a lone developer who may no longer be around. I’m trying to contact him anyway.

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Can you confirm that .NET 2 is still installed?

To determine if it is one of the updates to .NET 4.6.2 causing the problem, you could uninstall them one by one in reverse order (newest first), reboot, then try your utility again. You can always reinstall the updates for .NET 4.6.2 through WU or by downloading/manual install if that doesn’t solve the problem.

3 users thanked author for this post.

HiFlyer, ch100, Bienzani

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Thanks! dotNETInspector confirms that framework 2.0 is installed with service pack 2.

I’ll try uninstalling the updates later today (UK time): I’m on my work PC at the moment.

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.NET Framework 2.0 is contained in .NET Framework 3.5 (and 3.5.1)
.NET Framework 4 is installed side-by-side and does not interact with .NET 2.0/3.5, with one exception, which most users not running servers would not notice.
When running IIS (Microsoft web server) and ASP.NET code, one of the versions has to be selected (and registered) with the web site. Those who do not understand the above, should not be concerned at all, as it does not apply to them.

.NET Framework 4.7/4.6.x/4.5.x are in-place upgrades to .NET Framework 4.

There is confusion related to the recent monthly updates which bundle updates for 3.5.1 and 4.x in one package, but they are just a wrapper on 2 or more different patches with no relation between them.

Best and most reliable configuration for most if not all users as today:

– Install Windows 3.5.1 as component of the operating system of choice, Windows 7, 8.1 or 10
– Install .NET Framework 4.6.2.

Note: This recommendation is likely to change soon to 4.7 which has been released recently. It can be installed now, but there are few unknowns and dependencies, so it is better to wait other 1-3 months until all issues get sorted. There is no urgency to install .NET Framework 4.7 for end-users yet. For simplicity and convenience can be installed now, with the understanding that there is very limited support and if it goes wrong, it needs to be uninstalled and a lower 4.x version reinstalled, but there may be left-overs which can cause problems when such a roll-back occurs. 4.6.2 should be very safe instead.

If anyone has the time and wants to make this in a KBA, please feel free to do so and edit as suitable.

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abbodi86, Lori, HiFlyer, MrBrian, Cascadian, Bienzani

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Thank you, ch100, for lining out the division between version numbers less than four being useful in different ways than more than four, including the progression train. I think frequently that Microsoft could make things more clear with changes to their system of naming things, but clarity is not always the goal.

Narrowing the subject please, to having 4.6.2 in place and holding off on 4.7, then going on with life and no longer concerning yourself with it. Sometime down the road you encounter a task that requires 4.7. Is the system such that a Dialog would be triggered with a “would you like to…” style offer? Or would it be on the user to determine the lack of appropriate software?

There are benefits and flaws to both approaches, I only wondered if you had insight to how that may present itself, when the time comes.

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HiFlyer

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@Paul
It is up to the developers of the application how they require .NET Framework versioning and if they package it with the product, which is normally not the case.
The documentation of the application should explain the requirements of that software, so there is no universal answer to your enquiry.

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HiFlyer

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PKCano wrote:

To determine if it is one of the updates to .NET 4.6.2 causing the problem, you could uninstall them one by one in reverse order (newest first), reboot, then try your utility again.

I uninstalled the updates, and eventually .NET 4.6.2 itself, but the problem remains. I would go back to the drawing board, if I had one.

(Interesting, but probably ultimately irrelevant: although I still have .NET 2 through 3.5, they don’t appear in the list of installed programs.)

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I suppose that means you can reinstall .NET 4.6.2 if you want to.

Have you tried running the utility as Administrator or in Compatibility mode for, say, XP SP3? I don’t know how old it is but that might work. Right click on the executable to get to the properties that let you try that.

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Bienzani

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Bienzani wrote:

Interesting, but probably ultimately irrelevant: although I still have .NET 2 through 3.5, they don’t appear in the list of installed programs.

They don’t appear in the list of installed programs because they aren’t. They’re part of Windows 7.

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Bienzani

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PKCano wrote:

I suppose that means you can reinstall .NET 4.6.2 if you want to.

Indeed. I don’t know what programs were using it offhand, so it would save time to do that now and not wait for an error message to pop up.

PKCano wrote:

Have you tried running the utility as Administrator or in Compatibility mode for, say, XP SP3? I don’t know how old it is but that might work. Right click on the executable to get to the properties that let you try that.

I hadn’t thought of that. :facepalm: Now I have. Neither of those helped. I had also tried running it in XP Mode, but so far it won’t even run there. More investigation is needed. I feel it should work, and that would be my back-up plan if all else fails. I already have two or three old programs which only work in XP Mode.

The utility dates from 2007. I’ve not had any reply from the developer, but it is the holiday season I guess.

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