Chrome Boy said:
Hello Group.
Today I manually updated via the Microsoft site.
It showed I had 2 important updates.
One was for Windows Defender which I have - the other was for Net
Framework 3.5 which I don't have.
I looked in the add/remove list and I have Net Framework 1.0 and Net
Framework 2.0.
Do I need the update for 3.5 ?
Do I remove 1.0 and 2.0 ?
Do I install 3.5 ?
TIA
John Murphy
Windows XP SP3 with I/E7 and WLM.
No. Windows update is broken both manually and automatically regarding Net
Framework and its subsequent versions. Each version is its own entity
serving its own purpose, not an update over the other.
If a 3rd party application needs a particular version of Net Framework, that
version of Net Framework is usually supplied with the 3rd party application
and runs as part of that installation.
Further, new numerical versions of Net Framework have no effect upon former
numerical version if one is being utitlized by a 3rd party application.
However, an update or hotfix of a numerical version like 1 can affect the
operation of the 3rd party application that uses that version. That 3rd
party application may need to be uninstalled and reinstalled as a result.
The built-in Net Framework install in that 3rd party application will not
overwrite the update or hot-fix.
If you want, you can keep the subsequent versions of Net Framework. They
simply take up file space as they won't be utilized unless you get a 3rd
party app that needs it. Generally speaking, that is the current status of
most peoples PCs running XP. My guess is that is why MS isn't budging on
fixing Windows update regarding Net Framework subsequent version
notifications and automatic installation.