How to Enable DOTNET 3.5 on Windows 10BACKGROUND
DOTNET is a computer language. If it is installed on you, you can speak it and understand it.
DOTNET is to MICROSOFT what JAVA is to SUN/ORACLE.
DOTNET has the following:
SDK (software developement kit)
RUNTIME (to run apps)
RUNTIME-DEVELOPER-PACK (to use the framework with Visual Studio.)
CORE: an open source development platform for developing modern cloud-based software apps.
FRAMEWORK: Windows only development platform for developing Windows apps.
There are certain versions of DOTNET that automatically come with certain versions of WINDOWS. They are as follows:
| DOTNET VERSION | DATE | WINDOWS VERSION |
| 1.0.0 | 02/13/02 | XP |
| 1.1.0 | 04/24/03 | N/A |
| 2.0.0 | 11/07/05 | N/A |
| 3.0.0 | 11/06/06 | Vista |
| 3.5.0 | 11/19/07 | 7 |
| 4.0.0 | 04/12/10 | N/A |
| 4.5.0 (378389) | 08/15/12 | 8 |
| 4.5.1 (378675/378758) | 10/17/13 | 8.1 |
| 4.5.2 (379893) | 05/05/14 | N/A |
| 4.6.0 (393295) | 07/20/15 | 10 |
| 4.6.1 (394254) | 11/30/15 | 10 v1511 (November Update) |
| 4.6.2 (394802) | 08/02/16 | 10 v1607 (Anniversary Update) |
| 4.7.0 (460798) | 04/11/17 | 10 v1703 (Creators Update) |
| 4.7.1 (461308) | 10/17/17 | 10 v1709 (Fall Creators Update) |
| 4.7.2 (461808) | 04/10/18 | 10 v1803 (April 2018 Update) |
| 4.7.2 (461814) | 10/09/18 | 10 v1809 (October 2018 Update) |
| 4.8.0 (528040) | 05/21/19 | 10 v1903 (May 2019 Update) |
| 4.8.0 (528040) | 11/12/19 | 10 v1909 (November 2019 Update) |
DOTNET can be installed in parallel with other versions. For example, v3.5 can be installed with v4.0.
Certain versions of DOTNET are required for certain software to run. If something is built to run off of v3.5, this doesn't mean it will work with v4.6.2.
Starting with WINDOWS 10, DOTNET v4.6.0 is included.
DOTNET v3.5 (including v2 & v1) is included in WINDOWS 10 as a "feature" but it is not installed/enabled.
TO SEE IF DOTNET 3.5 (v2 & v1) IS INSTALLED ON WINDOWS 10
- -click START > RUN
- -type: cmd
- -type: DISM /Online /get-features /Format:Table
This will list out all the features of WINDOWS 10 and their status.
You are looking for NETFX3. This is DOTNET v3.2 (v2 & v1).
ENABLE DOTNET v3.5 (v2 &v1)
If it is not enabled, you will need to enable it.
- -click START > RUN
- -type: cmd
- -type: DISM /Online /Enable-Feature /FeatureName:NetFx3 /All
Or for an OFFLINE installation where you have the source CD/DVD/USB/WIM/SHARE:
- DISM /Online /Enable-Feature /FeatureName:NetFx3 /All /LimitAccess /Source:c:\path\to\Windows10x64\sources\sxs
- DISM /Online /Enable-Feature /FeatureName:NetFx3 /All /LimitAccess /Source:\\server\share\os\Win10x64\untar\sources\sxs
For simplicity, the files must match the verion. So for v1909 you will need the files from the 1909 ISO to make this happen. Older versions of the files will not work. Small files, so simply transfer the folder with the 2 files. The entire ISO is not needed.
FIND DOTNET VERISION
To find the DOTNET version:
- -type: Get-ChildItem "hklm:SOFTWARE\Microsoft\NET Framework Setup\NDP\v4\Full\"
or - -type: reg query "hklm\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\NET Framework Setup\NDP\v4\full" /v Release
This will give the value in HEX. You have to convert the HEX number to DEC.
This will give a RELEASE value that corrosponds to a VERSION number. See the chart above.
(Do not pay attention to the VERSION number that it shows; you need the RELEASE number that shows.)
FIND DOTNET SDK AND RUNTIME
To find the DOTNET version of the SDK and RUNTIME:
- dotnet --info
- dotnet --list-sdks
- dotnet --list-runtimes