Large Priority Update

[cranheim]

I checked my windows xp home edition for pending updates and was surprised
to find such a large Priority update to be installed. It was KB 951847 "MS
NET Framework SP1 and NET Framework 3.5 Family Update". The download size is
248.4 MB, and the recommended HD space is 4580MB. I normally install all
high priority updates without question. Because of it's size, and that it
only seems to be for NET Framework applications, I wanted to get some kind
of confirmation from MS that this is a good thing to install. I do have the
HD space for it. Thanks for your help. Charles Ranheim

 

[Leonard Grey]

The .Net Framework is part of the operating system and increasingly
relied on by software developers. You may not need this particular
update right now, but eventually you will, so you might as well get it
from the horse's mouth, instead of letting some software application
install it for you.

 

[Bill in Co.]

The .Net Framework is part of the operating system

That might be a debateable point (strictly speaking).
For example, you don't really NEED it. Or at least not anything beyond
1.1, and even that may not be needed. (it wasn't for Win98SE, and I'm not
sure if it was required for XP, but probably came standard with it)

and increasingly
relied on by software developers. You may not need this particular
update right now, but eventually you will,

That definitely is a debateable point. I'm getting by quite nicely with
ONLY versions 1.1 and 2.0. And actually, didn't even need 2.0 except for
one or two optional programs I downloaded

 

[Leonard Grey]

You don't NEED Windows XP either.

 

[Bill in Co.]

How does that relate to what I said? The issue was, is Net Framework part
of the operating system, or not. And in point of fact, Net Framework is
NOT needed for the overwhelming majority of the applications I've seen, at
least. Do you maintain it is? Seems only needed for a relatively small
minority of apps, from what I've experienced.

 

[cranheim]

If this is something that is not normally needed, I don't understand why it
is considered a critical update. I do remember having a problem with a new
level of TurboTax a year or two ago, where there was an install problem if
you did not have NET Framework installed. I am worried about installing
something so large right before income tax time, when I really need a
working PC. Has anyone out there installed this update? If so, was it clean?
Charles Ranheim

 

[Bill in Co.]

The critical updates are not normally "needed", per se, but are often
recommended, at least by some. Or *may be* needed for certain software
apps, but I think that's more the exception than the rule.

 

[cranheim]

Right or wrong, I installed the large priority update after speaking with
Microsoft to make sure it is really something they recommend. I was told it
should go on clean, so I went for it. The download took about 10 minutes,
and the install took about 22 minutes. When it completed, I did a disk
cleanup & defrag using MacAfee software. Lucky me, everything still works
OK. I just wanted to pass this along for anyone that might be interested in
my results. My thanks to all who responded to my question. Take care,
Charles Ranheim

 

[Leonard Grey]

No trouble with the update here, either.