The windows update for .Net Framework has created considerable
problems for a lot of users. Those that have contacted Microsoft
prior
to July 12 or July 13 were given bad information on how to fix the
update. First, a bit of history: The update is for .Net Framework 1.1
service pack 1, not the original installation of .Net Framework 1.
The
service pack was an optional update that many users did not upload.
Hence the latest security update was doomed to fail. The security
update did not search for the right version prior to installation so
either you got a installation failure message or it "updated
sucessfully" only to reappear as a needed update a few minutes later.
If you were unfortunate enough to add .Net Framework version 2 or 3
without uploading your service pack to version 1 your headaches just
got worse. (Please note: there is a service pack out for version 2
and
the service pack for version 3 will be released this fall).
The fix advocated by level one support was to reset the update
catalog
by clearing the software distribution folder and reseting the
catroot2
folder. Of course you had to go stop a few services in order to
rename
the folder so the process seemed a bit complicated but if you took
that route you were on a fools errand. (Level one support has since
been re-educated). Downloading the files directly off the web site
did
not resolve the issue either, unless you got lucky and added service
pack 1 during the process and did not have version 2 or 3 on your
computer.
So, here is the fix:
Get rid of all the .Net Framework files and reinstall them one by
one,
updating each one as you go.
You need Windows Install Clean Up utitility to clear the installer
files, then you need the dotnetfix clean up utility to get rid of all
of the versions of .Net Framework, then you need to upload and
install
each version of Framework, including the service packs, one by one
until you are done, then do the updates. If you only need version
1.1,
then there is no reason to download version 2 and 3 along with their
numerous updates.
For those few are foiled at the first step: that is you run the
Windows Install Cleanup utility and you do not find any .Net
Framework
files listed, then you need to download the 1.1 package and install
it. That simply places it in the windows installer cache so it shows
up in the utility so you can then turn right around and delete it.
Here are the crib notes provided to the Microsoft support staff:
Download Windows Install Cleanup Utility by following the article
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290301 and remove any other versions
of .Net framework showing up in cleanup utility.
Also download the Net Framework cleanup tool from
http://blogs.msdn.com/astebner/archive/2005/04/08/406671.aspx and you
can download the tool from the left side of the page under the
section
"USEFUL TOOLS".
DOTNETFX (1.1)
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=262D25E3-F58...
..NET FRAMEWORK 1.1 Service pack 1
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=a8f5654f-088...
go to windowsupdate.microsoft.com and do the updates kb928366..
Good luck to all and please spread the word, Microsoft Support is
overwhelmed atm.
BTW: The windowsupdate.log and all of the usual stuff has no useful
information for this problem, this little update snafu was a doozy!
There is more to the story but enough said for now.