News

Microsoft Releases .NET Framework Repair Tool

• By Kurt Mackie
• 06/21/2012

Microsoft has released the initial version 1.0 of its .NET Framework Repair Tool that addresses .NET Framework 4.0.   The company plans to enhance it to address other framework releases.

The wizard-based tool looks for and attempts to repair common setup or update problems with .NET Framework 4.0, according to a Microsoft support article. The tool is only available in English at present; it can be downloaded Microsoft here or accessed via Windows Update or Windows Server Update Services.

The repair tool works on the client side of Windows as far back as Windows XP Service Pack 3. On the server side, the new release works with versions Windows Server beginning with Windows Server 2003 SP2.

Microsoft's newer Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012 solutions, still being tested, work with .NET Framework 4.5. Microsoft released a "consumer preview"-stage beta of .NET Framework 4.5 in late February.  The company users do not remove older versions of the .NET Framework becuase they ensure that compatibility of older applications.

Updating the .NET Framework ensures that newer software development tools will work well and that applications will install properly on systems. The .NET Framework consists of a common language runtime enabling code execution as well as class libraries that support managed and unmanaged code, according to Microsoft's .NET Framework overview.

Applications created on an earlier .NET version will still work if a system is upgraded to .NET Framework 4.0, according to an MSDN migration guide. The company has listed potential .NET Framework 4.0 migration issues here.  Users might want to move to the .NET 4.0 Framework for its better support for Office development as well as the ability to tap into a bundle of new improvements.

Earlier this month, Microsoft released reliability update 1 for .NET Framework 4.0, a patch that contains multiple hotfixes that correct known problems but which requires a system restart to take effect.