.NET Framework 2.0 Redistributable Prerequisites
Microsoft Corporation
March 2006
Applies to:
Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0
Summary: Describes the minimum configuration requirements for a computer where the .NET Framework redistributable package is to be installed. (4 printed pages)
Note It is recommended that you meet the minimum requirements. Failure to meet minimum requirements results in a non-supported deployment. If the minimum requirements are not met, Dotnetfx.exe setup will block the installation of the redistributable package. Specifically, note that you cannot install the .NET Framework redistributable package on a computer running the Microsoft Windows 95 operating system. It is always highly recommended that you install the latest service packs and patches for all installed programs on the computer, including operating system service packs.
Contents
Hardware Requirements
Supported Operating Systems
Software Requirements
Hardware Requirements
| Type | Minimum | Recommended | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | 400 MHz | 800 MHz or above | |
| Memory | 96 Mb (Client)
128 Mb (Server) |
256 megabytes (Mb) or above | |
| Hard Disk Space | 280 megabytes (Mb) | 1 gigabyte (Gb) | 32-bit version |
| Hard Disk Space | 610 megabytes (Mb) | 1 gigabyte (Gb) | 64-bit version |
| Display | 800 x 600 256 colors | 1024 x 768 High Color (16-bit) |
Note A system should meet these or the minimum requirements for the operating system, whichever is higher.
Supported Operating Systems
To install Dotnetfx.exe, you must have one of the following operating systems:
x86 32-bit based systems
Microsoft Windows 98
Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition
Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional with SP4
Microsoft Windows 2000 Server with SP4
Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server with SP4
Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server with SP4
Microsoft Windows XP Professional with SP2
Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition with SP2
Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2002 with SP2
Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2004 with SP2
Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005
Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC Edition with SP2
Microsoft Windows XP Starter Edition
Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition
Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition
Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition
Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Datacenter Edition
Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Web Edition
x64-bit based systems
Microsoft Windows XP Professional x64 Edition
Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Standard x64 Edition
Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Enterprise x64 Edition
Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Datacenter x64 Edition
Itanium-based systems
Microsoft Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Enterprise Edition for Itanium-based Systems
Microsoft Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Datacenter Edition for Itanium-based Systems
Software Requirements
The following are the basic requirements for the .NET Framework categorized by server and client machines.
Server Definition: A computer that hosts a distributed application. This could be a Windows Server 2003, Windows XP Professional, or Windows 2000 computer. In many cases, these computers are Web servers running ASP.NET applications.
Client Definition: A computer that runs a locally installed application, such as a Windows application, that might also retrieve or process data from a remote database; or a computer that accesses a distributed, Web-based application. These computers are not required to serve information to other computers. This could be a Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows ME, or Windows 98 computer.
| Software | Minimum Version | Recommended | Blocking |
|---|---|---|---|
| Internet Explorer | 5.01 | 6.0 SP1 | Required |
| Windows Installer | 2.0 (Windows 98, Me)
3.0 |
3.1 | Required |
| MDAC * | 2.8 SP1 | Optional, required for data access | |
| IIS ** | 5.1 (Windows XP)
6.0 (Windows 2003) |
Optional, required for ASP.NET | |
| Core WMI | Optional |
Note A number of elements of the .NET Framework and underlying Common Language Runtime (CLR) rely on technologies that do not affect basic functionality, and that are delivered in optional software products or products that are not installed as part of the .NET framework or the operating system. If the optional software requirements are not met, Setup will not block installation or warn you of their absence.
*Depending on your data access strategy, you may need to ensure that Microsoft Data Access Components (MDAC) is installed on the client computers, the business servers, the Web servers or the database servers.
If your application uses the System.Data namespace, you must install MDAC on the computer to which you are distributing.
You should ensure that you deploy the same version of MDAC to the production environment that you use in development. Visual Studio 2005 ships with MDAC 2.8 SP1, so it is likely that your developers have developed and tested your solution with that version. If you subsequently deploy the application to computers where for example older version of MDAC is installed, you run the risk of encountering unforeseen problems. The latest version of MDAC is available for download at the Microsoft Universal Data Access Web site.
**Internet Information Services (IIS) on the server for Windows 2000, Windows XP (Professional), and Windows Server 2003. This is required for using ASP.NET applications. If your solution includes a Web tier, you must ensure that IIS and the latest security patches are installed on your target computer(s). IIS can be installed from the operating system installation CD or DVD, and the latest security patches can be downloaded and installed from the Windows Update Web site.