Why do I need .NET Framework 3.5 Service Pack 1?

Today, Windows (Vista Home Premium SP1) Updates notified me of this update. The info link leads to http://support.microsoft.com/kb/951847, which says at the top, "This article describes the following aspects of Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 Service Pack 1 (SP1) for the .NET Framework 3.5". I know nothing about Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 and I'm sure I've never installed it. I just wonder why this update appears as an automatic update for my system. I haven't installed it yet.

 

I hope I'm not intruding. I have 2.0 SP2, 3.0 SP2 and now 3.5 SP1. Do I need all of them? What does the NET Framework do?

 

This article explains a lot about .NET Framework but I don't understand it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.NET_Framework Believe I read towards the bottom of the article that it comes installed with Vista.

I deleted a few weeks ago 2 .NET Framework from the Add/Remove program yet am not sure if really needed on my PC. (XP Home)

Therefore, perhaps Halo or another very experienced member can enlighten us?

No, I really didn't mean to hijack this thread.

 

For the majority of Windows users, you won't need it. The .NET framework is a library of function calls and software hooks that software authors have access to. Presumably, if you write a program that uses the .NET framework, your program code will be more compact, because all the common functions are already located in the .NET framework. However, this is false economy, because the functions are still loaded into memory, but now require an extra interface layer of interrupt code to make it work. It's basically for noob programmers or for cross platform programmers who don't want to learn the entire Windows API.

Although, I'm not a fan, it could one day lead to better Windows OS. But for right now, if you don't own any programs that need it, then it's just bloatware.

 

You don't need it in XP or Vista as unless you have .NET dependant programs that were programmed using their routines. Here's the Wiki for it and explains things way better than I can as I'm not a programmer. I have only come across a few free apps that were done with .NET If everything is working fine, then you don't need it IMO. I don't even have .NET on my Vista install.

 

Good point.:-D

 

A lot of new video cards require .NET, at least 2.0.

Both of my ATI video cards had to have it installed before it could put in the Catalyst drivers.

 

Thank you Tim! Knock wood, never needed your help in the past or anyone else in removing malware, but one never knows what the future may hold.

Now I don't remember which versions I deleted and would like to have one of them re-installed because I don't have any of them installed atm. Could it be that XP SP 3 or IE7 installed it without my knowledge?

I've a link here to choose from but have no idea which one I would need. Perhaps someone can help me with that? (specs in my signature)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.NET_Framework_version_list

THANKS!!

PS: perhaps I'm now hijacking this thread. :-o so sorry!

 

I was asking about this in another thread, but this update was offered to my laptop running Windows XP Pro SP2. I've had the laptop since June/08, and I was pleased to be able to find one with XP installed. (I would like to avoid Vista, haven't heard good things. I kind of figure that I can end up skipping Vista altogether, like I managed to do with Windows ME. Went from 98SE to XP, which was nice. I like XP.)

Here's the thread:

http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=181019

I don't know why I WOULD need this update, but I am leaning toward just biting the bullet and going for it. I see it's removable, and I have the space on my system, so if it doesn't do any harm, it won't be much more than a nuisance to download. I suppose I'll eventually have to install SP3 as well, but I'll hold off on that as long as possible and keep SP2 going.

I suppose this .NET thing is a huge file for Vista as well?

I read somewhere that this update adds something to Firefox. Do you guys know anything about that? And why would you need the update to do this forum's 'read and run'?

 

One more question: Would you advise I disable the Resident Shield of my AVG free 8 while doing this update, if I do go for the update? I normally don't shut down AVG when I do Windows updates, but I came across some posts on another forum where people had problems with this and had to shut off their AV's, and someone said that when it comes to Windows Service Packs, one should turn off their security software before installing it.

 

That's because MG's custom malware program was written with .NET though I don't know what version it needs. Oh, the update is not needed unless specified in the malware section. TimW knows for sure. More than likely 2.0. I'll check their sticky in malware.

EDIT: I may have been talking through my hat. i don't see anything there needing .NET but I'll take TimW's word for it.

 

That's the thing, I'm not aware of having any .NET dependant programs. I haven't installed any new software recently. And, no .NET item appears in my Control Panel\Programs and Features list. Apparently, this is because it's part of Vista, not something I added subsequent to buying my computer.

Yes, I saw that the article says Vista comes with .NET 3.0. So, that's the only reason I can see for this update popping up. Still, as I understand it, .NET Framework 3.5 Service Pack 1 was reeased August 11, 2008. So, I wonder why this update did not appear sooner.


Well, at least, I have some insight into this now. I still haven't installed it. It's a rather larger update, between 17.1 and 55.5 MB. As long as I can feel confident installing this will not have a negative impact on my system's performance, I guess I don't have a problem with installing it. And, somewhere in that amazingly complex:confused article, it mentioned performance improvement. Of course, that seems to be a moot point if I have no software installed that actually uses .NET.

Thanks, everyone, for you input. It's been interesting.

 

I just ran update and WU is offering it to me too, dated Jan. 27 and listed as 'Important'. I'm at a loss too usafveteran (I have updates turned off). Hello Halo, come in here please.:-D

 

I second your request augie. :-D We'll let him sleep for now. :-D

I ran WU and of course, it won't show me any update for NET Framework because I deleted them a few weeks ago. So I'm stuck for now until Halo (hopefully) pops in and can hopefully give me the link and version I need.

 

Generally it's good to keep at least one version of .NET Framework for versatility. I have the older 1.1 in my XP. Some newer softwares or programs may require higher versions of .NET to work or install correctly. Version 1.1 or 2.0 will cover most needs.

 

Hmm, I'm glad to know someone else is in the same boat. I'll be watching for Halo's comments ... tomorrow, maybe? :wave

 

I'm running XP SP3 and all I have done is made sure that NET 1 is fully patched. I refused NET2, which means less patching.
I just went to Windows Update and for me NET 3.5 is listed under the 2nd section: optional.
I know I will pass this one over and select Do not offer this to me again.

 

I have .NET Framework 2.0 SP1, plus a bunch of other stuff listed under that in the control panel. This 3.5 being offered says it includes cumulative stuff for .NET 1, 2, and 3. The highest I have is 2.0. It is being offered as a "high priority" update for me, at a 248 Mb download. I see someone else on this thread had a 50 Mb file size being offered.

I asked this question in another post with another question, so maybe it got missed so I'll ask again. (Sorry!)

Would you folks, more expert than I am, recommend disabling my antivirus software while this is being downloaded and installed? I would hate to have to repeat the download if it doesn't work the first time.

As for any performance concerns...I'm always concerned about that and very reluctant to install anything new on a system that's running smoothly. But this .NET 3.5 can be removed, according to the update site. I would take that to mean that if stuff messes up, I can remove it and I would still have the .NET stuff that I have now. (Hey, I also have 1.1 along with a Hotfix. I don't know enough to start deleting stuff like that, but I do remember installing .NET updates a while back. One was big and not removable, the other was removable.)

 

Oh, dear! By the cool light of day I see that looked a bit snotty, sorry. Didn't mean to come across that way, like I'm some kind of royalty, entitled to something. :-o

OK, back to topic (and I'll be quiet now)...:major

My desktop, which is not being offered this new .NET package, currently has .NET 1.1.

 

Thank you Halo! Now I remember that some time ago I installed Paint.Net and that's probably the reason why I started to see those 2 NET Framework downloads in the Add/Remove Program list. Since I removed Paint.NET soon after that, I uninstalled the 2 frame work software in the Add/Remove Program list also.

You think that installing NET framework 1.1 will be sufficient for my specs? :-o

Thank you once again.

 

Installed NET Framework 3.5 and there are now 3 of them showing. Being:
NET Framework 2.0 SP1
NET Framework 3.0 SP1
NET Framework 3.5

Lots of MB!!

Rebooted.

Funny thing is that now I'm seeing my name and picture in the login screen which I never had before because it was removed by an old and gone friend upon my request years ago. I don't have to type in a password, just having to click on it and it's looking for my personal settings. Strange. :confused

 

Halo, thanks for you valuable input. I do have Office 2007 Pro installed which, as you know, includes Access, and I do use Access. So, maybe that's a factor in this scenario, although, as the article mentioned in a previous post stated, .NET was part of Vista from the get-go.

Anyway, I'll probably go ahead and install the update. It is labeled "Important", apparently for security-related reasons. Who am I to second-guess Microsoft on this update?

 

Well, I downloaded and installed what was, for me, a 248 Mb file. Took 2 1/2 hours.

I see it added a lot of things to the versions of .NET that I already had, plus .NET 3.0 and 3.5. It also added something called "Clickonce" to my Firefox browser. I don't know what that is or what it does, so I went into the options and set it to notify me if it wants to do anything. And I also see that something called Windows Cardspace has been added. Something I had also never heard of prior to seeing it for the first time in my Control Panel following this installation.

Anyway, everything is fine. Not sure why I needed this update, but apparently Microsoft figured it was a 'high priority' item for my Windows XP Pro laptop. But not for the desktop, which has nothing higher than .NET 1.1 installed.

 

My Win XP Pro desktop has no .NET whatsoever.

 

Hmm, well I don't know why both of mine do. The Media Center Edition is just XP Pro dressed up. It came with basic HP photo editing software, and I have since installed Paint Shop Pro X as well as GIMP. Both my MCE and the XP Pro have MS Office 2003. The laptop with XP Pro didn't come with a lot of fancy bells and whistles, though. For photo editing, Picassa came preinstalled and I installed GIMP.

I'm not a programmer, and I don't know which programs use .NET or why.:confused

 

FYI, I just installed it.. I also have Windows XP Prof., SP3, and that download was in the " Important" section for me..

Since I am on dial-up, my ISP burned it to a CD for me to load, :grouphug and I loaded it this morning... Obviously, must need it, or else it wouldn't be there to download....

I don't notice anything different, but obviously the computer knows it is there...

SP3 is also good to have, so if you have it in your "update list", by all means, update to it.. Again, I don't notice anythng, but computer runs smooth anyway..... Thanks,

Oh, I had tons of .Net stuff before installing the .Net 3.5. I had .Net 1.0,1.1,2.0 and gazillion ones with letters... No, I don't know what they are, just that when an important update is offered, I had better be downloading it!