dotNetFW uninstall failures - leave it alone! (Microsoft .Net Framework)

{This message was prepared in Sep 2007 and kept apart in hope of improvement from MS. Short of any actual cure I finally and reluctantly post it, after updating it}.

A large part of users have apparently been hit for months with the never-fixed bug in the installation, update, uninstallation, of various items (versions, updates, patches) in the dotNetFW ("Microsoft .NET Framework"). Obviously there is an accumulation of problems in the teams in charge of dotNetFW, MSI (Microsoft Installer), MU (Microsoft Update), NGs (NewsGroups), who apparently have become too self-confident, static, formalist, administrative and complication-addict; and above all, in the management over them, who seems become unable to resolve inter-team disputes, whatever their parts of statism or personal rivalries.

Instead of the habit (now a majority) in these newsgroups of recklessly posting myriad-times the same boilerplate unhelpful "answers", I am trying (like in good old MS NGs) to post just once, just in one case (mine - probably similar to many), but complete enough to be understandable without too much ambiguity.

--ooOOoo--

In my case (laptop Win XP Pro), *after* MU (Microsoft Update) of 9 Oct 2007 (2nd Tuesday) and due reboots:

A)) MU fails to install (still fails Sun 18 Nov 07 same items, same way):

- Security Update for Microsoft .NET Framework, Version 2.0 (KB928365)
- Security Update for Microsoft .NET Framework, Version 1.1 Service Pack 1 (KB928366)

I already tried last week to apply KB939160, which uninstalls the dotNetFW packages, but the above still failed to install.

B)) "Add or Remove Programs" contains (7 items on 9 Oct, unchanged 18 Nov):

- Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1
- Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1 Hotfix (KB886903)
- Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0
-- Security Update for Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 (KB922770)
-- Security Update for Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 (KB917283)
- Microsoft .NET Framework 3.0
-- Hotfix for Microsoft .NET Framework 3.0 (KB932471)

C)) It seems often recommended to apply:

C1) either http://support.microsoft.com/kb/923100 (last version is 3.1 of 11 Oct 2007):
uninstall all versions of dotNetFW, then run "Windows Installer CleanUp Utility"
http://download.microsoft.com/downlo...bd/msicuu2.exe
then reinstall all versions - the whole intertwined with all the numerous required reboots

C2) or http://support.microsoft.com/kb/939160 (last version is 1.1 of 16 Jul 2007)
apparently tries uninstall only part of the dotNetFW packages, resulting in *more* complicated actions to take; however provides a more detailed explanation of the cause, and proposes a different "uninstall cleanup tool",
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...4-97BD16967A09
> http://download.microsoft.com/downlo...leanup-x86.exe
which both (explanation and tool) may help understanding and curing the issue.

C3) or http://blogs.msdn.com/astebner/archi...08/406671.aspx Aaron Stebner's "Removal tool to fix .NET Framework install failures" (last version 10 Oct 2007), with the bundled explanations. This one seems to be another helpful workaround.

D)) Finally, what MS (altogether staff, "volunteers", and various MS aficionados) would like me to do is:

- uninstalling 7 items, with all the reboots and other time losses involved, and all the according risks (what if one item then fails to reinstall? etc...);
- then complete the uninstall with a particular tool;
- then reinstall all the items
- then probably redo it all using another different particular tool
- then most probably check that the Microsoft Update of dotNetFW has NOT been fixed - but that this failure doesn't impair any function of your computing in the real world.

All this chore for which result? Just be able to suffer the next bug in the dotNetFW×MSI×MU×NGs combination and their 4 mismanaged complication-addict teams?

My conclusion is: leave everything as it is: "If ain't broke, don't fix it!" - or, better my old dog with 3 legs than a new with 5.

Versailles, Sun 18 Nov 2007 15:37:50 +0100


----- Parent Message (links are clickable) -----
From: "Franz Leu" <franz.spamremoval.leu@spamremoval.norfolk.ch>
Newsgroup: news://msnews.microsoft.com/microsof....windowsupdate
Message: news://msnews.microsoft.com/eXswIRkC...TNGP02.phx.gbl
Sent: Tue 9 Oct 2007 09:16:15 +0200 (07:16:15 GMT)
Subject: Re: .NET Framework install failures - 3rd party removal tool + useful

I am having the same situation here for KB932471 and for KB932394

Franz


----- Parent Message (links are clickable) -----
From: "rob" <rob@discussions.microsoft.com>
Newsgroup: news://msnews.microsoft.com/microsof....windowsupdate
Message: news://msnews.microsoft.com/1042AFC0...@microsoft.com
Sent: Sun 7 Oct 2007 15:42:04 -0700 (22:42:04 GMT)
Subject: RE: .NET Framework install failures - 3rd party removal tool + useful

I checked the C:\WINDOWS\WindowsUpdate.log and tried msiexec with the "{x}" number but it did not work. It complained that it could not find the package.

I found and clicked on:
C:\WINDOWS\SoftwareDistribution\Download\Install\n etfx30-kb932471-x86.exe
and it produced this popup useful error message:

Windows Installer

/!\ The upgrade patch cannot be installed by the Windows
Installer service because the program to be upgraded
may be missing, or the upgrade patch may update a
different version of the program. Verify that the program
to be upgraded exists on your computer and that you
have the correct upgrade patch.

I obtained the file using the Microsoft Automatic Updates website so it is not my fault if it tries to download and install an incorrect update.


----- Parent Message (links are clickable) -----
From: "rob" <rob@discussions.microsoft.com>
Newsgroup: news://msnews.microsoft.com/microsof....windowsupdate
Message: news://msnews.microsoft.com/1B03E982...@microsoft.com
Sent: Sun 7 Oct 2007 14:53:00 -0700 (21:53:00 GMT)
Subject: .NET Framework install failures - 3rd party removal tool + useful

I see so many posts about trouble with using Window's Update to install ..NET Framework Version 1.0 through 3.x ... and pleas to resolve this issue. Add me to the list .

My trouble is "Update for .NET Framework 3.0: x86 (KB932471)" fails to install (and thus I need to try again).

I found "Aaron Stebner's WebLog" to be helpful. The page is at: http://blogs.msdn.com/astebner/archi...08/406671.aspx

He has a tool to be used as a last resort at this link: http://astebner.sts.winisp.net/Tools...eanup_tool.zip

It is unfortunate that his site is more helpful than this one (Microsoft's) on this matter.

If the links go down try a web search tool to view a cached page.