Solved Offered security update for version of .NET Framework I don't have?

[Rick1441]

Yesterday's patch Tuesday Updates offered KB3072305, which is described as an important security update for Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5.1 (*not* "3.5.1 and above"). Why would this be offered to me when the only version I have listed in Program and Features is 4.5.2? I applied the update, but I am still wondering about this. Thanks.

 

[UsernameIssues]

Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5.1 is native to Windows 7.

You have it if you have Windows 7.

Installing Microsoft .NET Framework 4.5.2 does not uninstall Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5.1.

 

[Callender]

In addition if you open an Elevated Command Prompt and use the following command it will list all installed NET Framework versions:

dir %WINDIR%\Microsoft.Net\Framework\v*

Here's what I've got:

​

 

[Rick1441]

Thanks for the answers and tips, UsernameIssues and Callender! IIRC (and maybe I don't) in XP (which I had until 1.5 years ago) Add/Remove Programs would list all of the installed versions of .NET Framework. Your replies also explain why my previous .NET version *seemed* to go away when I installed 4.5.2 awhile back, which surprised me.

 

[UsernameIssues]

Some versions of .NET will remove old versions... sort of.

There have been several versions of .NET 4 (version 4.6 is out now). Each version of 4.x removes previous versions of .NET 4.x from the list shown via Programs and Features. However, if you use the DIR commend line that Callender offered, you should still see a folder for version 4.0... Some of the files for version 4.5 is inside of the folder for version 4.0.

To add to the confusion, you might notice that .NET version 4.5.2 is listed as version 4.5.51209 in the version column in Programs and Features. If you have .NET version 4.5.2 installed, then you should have a folder named: C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework64\v4.0.30319\SetupCache\v4.5.51209. As the folder name implies, those might just be setup files. I'm not sure where the actual files are that run when some app needs .NET stuff.