How to enable .NET Framework 3.5 on Windows 8 without downloading it?
Since I installed Windows 8 Preview on my personal computer, during the installation of some programs and drivers (Windows 7 ones) it started to pop me a message warning that .NET Framework 3.5 was needed:
I could use "Install this feature", start to download some dependencies (300 MB) and that's it, but I don't want to have to download it every time I want to enable this feature on every machine that I install Windows 8.
Is there is some way to install .NET 3.5 on Windows 8 without having to download the entire Framework from Microsoft?
Solution 1:
Yes, there is an easy way, but you must have installation media for Windows 8 (could be a DVD or even a mounted .ISO with a Windows 8 installation) and make sure the media is for the correct version of Windows (x32 or x64). Otherwise, the command line will fail (not harmful, just annoying):
- Run a command prompt (
cmd) with elevated rights ('as Administrator'). - Run the following command:
dism.exe /online /enable-feature /featurename:NetFX3 /All /Source:E:\sources\sxs /LimitAccess
where "E:\sources\sxs" is the sxs path of your Windows 8 installation media.
- That's it, .NET 3.5 is installed on your machine. Reboot and everything that requires .NET 3.5 will work.