Old .NET versions automatic uninstallation/removal

Mark Marco 25

Hello,

How are you removing old versions of .NET from your devices? Is there a way to automate this?

To better clarify our issue, please see the screenshot below.

We just installed the latest version (6.0.35) for both: .NET Runtime and Desktop Runtime but older 6.0.33 versions are still there.

We need to automate those older versions removal. User's image I appreciate your response and help.

Thanks,

Mark

SurferOnWww 3,276 Reputation points

2024-10-22T15:14:59.2466667+00:00

Why do you need "removing old versions of .NET"?
Mark Marco 25 Reputation points

2024-10-22T15:44:59.1266667+00:00

Our vulnerability scanner is showing all old .NET versions as critical vulnerability. According to this and the audit, we need to leave just the latest .NET version(s).
Mark Marco 25 Reputation points

2024-10-22T16:57:44.48+00:00

To better clarify our issue, please see the screenshot below.

We just installed the latest version (6.0.35) for both: .NET Runtime and Desktop Runtime but older 6.0.33 versions are still there.

We need to automate those older versions removal.

Accepted answer

Ping Ni-MSFT 4,720 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2024-10-23T09:26:53.6266667+00:00
Hi Mark Marco,

As far as I know, the nearest solution to automatically uninstall the old version of .net core sdk is using .NET Uninstall tool. Be sure firstly follow this document and download .NET Uninstall Tool from the tool's releases page.

Then run the following command to removes the .NET SDKs and runtimes, except the highest version:

dotnet-core-uninstall remove --sdk --all-but-latest

Reference: dotnet-core-uninstall remove

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Best regards,
Rena
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Mark Marco 25 Reputation points

2024-10-23T15:59:18.6533333+00:00

Hi @Ping Ni-MSFT

Thank you for your response. I just tried this on one PC. I installed dotnet-core-uninstall-1.7.521001.msi from https://github.com/dotnet/cli-lab/releases then ran the command you provided but the old .NET Runtime (6.0.28) is still there. Please see below.

I appreciate your help.

Mark

Mark Marco 25 Reputation points

2024-10-23T16:18:29.2766667+00:00

@Ping Ni-MSFT

According to the reference, I modified the command (dotnet-core-uninstall remove --runtime --all-but-latest) but I'm getting below error:

Mark

Ping Ni-MSFT 4,720 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2024-10-24T08:49:21.08+00:00

Hi @Mark Marco, it can work fine in my side. Please check if you clear the package cache. Because i can reproduce the same issue if clear the package cache. From the exception, you can check the da4ce412-8a7b-49aa-a2b4-447e1c88be4f folder in C:\ProgramData\Package Cache to find if contains your runtime package cache. If it is true that you clear the package cache, you may not use the .NET Unistall Tool any more. And there seems to be no other automatic way can help you.

Mark Marco 25 Reputation points

2024-10-24T13:37:07.3066667+00:00

Hello @Ping Ni-MSFT

I just checked C:\ProgramData\Package Cache location but there is no da4ce412-8a7b-49aa-a2b4-447e1c88be4f folder.

I personally didn't clear the package cache. Is there a way to check if the package cache was cleared recently?

Thanks,

Mark

Ping Ni-MSFT 4,720 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2024-10-25T01:42:33.2833333+00:00

Hi @Mark Marco, any way if there is no such package cache folder, you cannot use .NET uninstall tool for your current old package, but you can use it if you install the new package. For how to know you clean the folder, I think it is not our asp.net core scope case. Suggest you can post a new thread to ask windows team. For your current issue I have given the answer.
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2 additional answers

Bruce (SqlWork.com) 67,251 Reputation points

2024-10-22T15:40:23.2566667+00:00

the standard .net framework is update in place. but .net core is side by side. there is an uninstall utility you can run:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/core/additional-tools/uninstall-tool-overview?pivots=os-windows
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Mark Marco 25 Reputation points

2024-10-22T16:31:21.5566667+00:00

Thank you for the reply, Bruce.

Is there maybe a way to change .NET Core for update in place? Or this is be design side by side?

And .NET uninstall toll, is there a way to use it to automate old .NET Core versions removal and keeping just the latest version?

Thanks,

Mark

Bruce (SqlWork.com) 67,251 Reputation points

2024-10-23T15:39:00.8766667+00:00

.net core is side by side by design. Even patches are side by side.

note: the uninstall tool only handles runtimes. If it’s a dev machine there will be workloads and other tools tied to the runtime version that are not removed.
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Michael Taylor 55,216 Reputation points

2024-10-22T16:36:49.4766667+00:00

.NET Framework v4 is part of the OS now so you cannot remove it from newer Windows versions. It should be part of your Windows updates that you use so you are always on the latest 4.x version + security fixes.

For older frameworks (<= v3) then you can remove using the standard uninstall process which can be automated. Winget could probably be used here if you have it installed.

For NET Core platforms you could also use Winget. Otherwise the uninstall works as before. Note that you should ensure that none of the apps you're running use the older versions before you remove them. You can remove any minor/patch that isn't the latest though (e.g. 3.0.1 if 3.1 installed).
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Mark Marco 25 Reputation points

2024-10-22T16:55:53.6766667+00:00

Thank you for the reply, Michael.

To better clarify our issue, please see the screenshot below.

We just installed the latest version (6.0.35) for both: .NET Runtime and Desktop Runtime but older 6.0.33 versions are still there.

We need to automate those older versions removal.

Michael Taylor 55,216 Reputation points

2024-10-22T20:44:10.13+00:00

This could be done programmatically using either Winget or even falling back to regular Powershell and searching the registry. But I might recommend you take a look at the NET Uninstall Tool that was developed. It has parameters to allow you to remove older versions and whatnot. I don't use it myself but it seems like it gives you what you want.
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Old .NET versions automatic uninstallation/removal

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