What .NET Pieces Do I Need?

  • Thread starter Thread starter eBob.com
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eBob.com

I really need to free up some space on my C drive. Add/Remove Programs says
that I have the following Microsoft .NET Framework components: 1.1/1,144.00
MB; 1.1 Hotfix(KB928366)/1,144.00MB; 2.0 Service Pack 2/185.00MB; 3.0
Service Pack 2/168.00MB; 3.5 SP1/29.02MB.

Do I really need 1.1 and the 1.1 Hotfix? Since they are both the same size
it appears to me that the Hotfix is cumulative (i.e. includes the base). Is
that right?

But also, since the size of each new level of .NET is smaller than the
previous level, does each level require the previous level?

Thanks, Bob
 
eBob.com said:
I really need to free up some space on my C drive. Add/Remove Programs says
that I have the following Microsoft .NET Framework components: 1.1/1,144.00
MB; 1.1 Hotfix(KB928366)/1,144.00MB; 2.0 Service Pack 2/185.00MB; 3.0
Service Pack 2/168.00MB; 3.5 SP1/29.02MB.

Do I really need 1.1 and the 1.1 Hotfix? Since they are both the same size
it appears to me that the Hotfix is cumulative (i.e. includes the base). Is
that right?
Click to expand...

The hotfix is an addition. It's size is unknown and therefore the size
of the whole framework installation is shown. That means you have to
keep both or none.
(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/928366/en-us)
But also, since the size of each new level of .NET is smaller than the
previous level, does each level require the previous level?
Click to expand...

I don't know where the size is taken from. I've never considered it
reliable. I also don't know why FW 1.1 is much bigger than the other
versions. Here, the sizes are about the same BTW. (and my
C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v1.1.4322 (sub)dir size is ~90 MB only)

There are two core components, or runtimes:
- FW 1.1
- FW 2.0
They are completely indepedent from each other. That means, if an
application needs one of them, it's not covered by the other one.

(actually also FW 1.0 but it's history only)


/Optional/ components for FW 1.1:
Hotfixes. Well, they are optional but you wouldn't really want to live
without them.

/Optional/ components for FW/Runtime 2.0:
FW 3.0, FW 3.5


FW 1.1 installation includes FW 1.1
FW 2.0 installation includes FW 2.0
FW 3.0 installation includes FW 3.0 and 2.0.
FW 3.5 installation includes FW 3.5, 3.0 and 2.0.


So, apart from the fact that more and more applications are based on the
framework and that HDs are very affordable nowadays, if you really want
to uninstall a component (and dependent components), you can try it but
you will have a problem if an application needs it.

Considering FW 1.1 and FW 3.5 (including 3.0+2.0) as two major packages
as a whole, I'd only (un)install each of them completely. Nowadays, you
will more likely can live without FW 1.1 (like with my machine here).
I'd not uninstall the FW 3.5 (including 3.5 and 2.0) package.


Armin
 
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