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How to install/enable .Net 3.5 SP1 on Windows Server 2008 R2 for SQL Server 2008 and SQL Server 2008 R2

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The .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 (also referred to as .NET Framework 3.5.1) is a prerequisite for SQL Server 2008. SQL Server 2008 Setup for standalone instance will install the .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 if it is not already installed. In Windows Server 2008 R2, the .NET Framework is a feature and installing it is different when compared to older versions of Windows Operating System. In previous versions, one could either download the .NET Framework 3.5.1 install binaries from Microsoft download site or use the install binaries from the redist folder of the SQL Server 2008 installation media. Starting with Windows Server 2008 R2, the method of installing .NET Framework 3.5.1 has changed. This document explains how to verify that .NET Framework 3.5.1 is installed and if it is not installed how you can add it.

  
How to verify if .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 is installed:

Here are the steps to verify that .NET Framework 3.5.1 is installed on Windows Server 2008 R2.

  1. Click the Start button in the lower left hand corner of the display.
  2. Highlight Administrative Tools and select Server Manager.
  3. In the Server Manager interface, click Features to display all the installed Features in the right hand pane. Verify that .NET Framework 3.5.1 is listed.

If .NET Framework 3.5.1 feature is not listed, you can use either of the following methods to install it:

Method 1: Using Server Manager Interface

  1. In the Server Manager interface, select Add Features todisplays a list of possible features.
  2. In the Select Features interface, expand .NET Framework 3.5.1 Features.
  3. Once you expand .NET Framework 3.5.1 Features, you will see two check boxes. One for .NET Framework 3.5.1 and other for WCF Activation. Check the box next to .NET Framework 3.5.1 and click Next.
    Note: If you do not expand .NET Framework 3.5.1 Features and check it, you will get a pop-up titled Add Features Wizard  as shown below.
    Click Cancel and expand .NET Framework 3.5.1 Features and then check .NET Framework 3.5.1 check box below it.
     
    You cannot install .NET Framework 3.5.1 Features unless the required role services and features are also installed.
  4. In the Confirm Installation Selections interface, review the selections and then click Install.
  5. Allow the installation process to complete and then click Close.

Method 2: Using PowerShell

  1. Click the Start button in the lower left hand corner of the display.
  2. Highlight All Programs and select Accessories
  3. Expand Windows PowerShell and right click Windows PowerShell and select Run as administrator. Click Yes on the User Account Control box.
  4. At the PowerShell command prompt, type the following commands, and then press ENTER after each command:
  • Import-Module ServerManager
  • Add-WindowsFeature as-net-framework

Note: A screenshot is shown below:

 

Comments

  • Anonymous
    October 28, 2010
    this works like a charm i made it in both ways and worked perfect thanks again best regards

  • Anonymous
    December 24, 2010
    Hi, is there any way to enable it, using a batchfile? i'm creating an install batch file, which installs SQL 2008, and .NET 3.5 on my servers. But some of the servers are under Windows 2008. installing .NET fails on them. What i have to do is what you said above. But I should do it using Batchfile. Would you please tell me how to do that?

  • Anonymous
    December 27, 2010
    using System; using System.Diagnostics; namespace PrerequisiteHelper { class Program { static void Main(string[] args) { ProcessStartInfo startInfo = new ProcessStartInfo(); startInfo.FileName = "powershell.exe"; startInfo.Arguments = "Import-Module ServerManager ; Add-WindowsFeature as-net-framework"; startInfo.WindowStyle = ProcessWindowStyle.Hidden; startInfo.UseShellExecute = true; Process p = new Process(); p.StartInfo = startInfo; p.Start(); p.WaitForExit(); } } } source: community.flexerasoftware.com/.../index.php

  • Anonymous
    December 30, 2010
    From a batch file this should work: c:windowssystem32ServerManagerCmd.exe -i AS-Net-Framework

  • Anonymous
    January 19, 2011
    these methods are not helping me out here.  I am still only seeing the feature of .net 3.0.  are there any other options to getting this feature available?

  • Anonymous
    February 09, 2011
    After 2 hours I found this article. Thank you anyway. This has sorted my problems.

  • Anonymous
    February 23, 2011
    How can I run above code if there is no .net installed on the machine :)

  • Anonymous
    April 06, 2011
    what is the powershell install for .net 4? guessing it is similar to "Add-WindowsFeature as-net-framework" but different :)

  • Anonymous
    May 25, 2011
    Sweet article. Simple step by step and direct to the point I've been trying to install a program into my new 2008 R2 server and it kept giving me issues becuase it can not initialize .net app. Removed new program and re-installed - working like a charm. Thanks!

  • Anonymous
    July 06, 2011
    Hi, We are moving from dotnet  server 2003 to Dotnet server 2008 R2. But find some issues like we didnt get the homepage images in dot server 2008 R2 environment. Can anyone help me on this issue?

  • Anonymous
    August 04, 2011
    In my windows 2008 r2 it shows dot net framework 3.5.1 installed, But I couldn't see that in application pools. I did the powershell option but it wont help, the following output shows up Success Restart Needed ExitCode  Feature Result -------         -------------- --------- ------------------ True          No                       NoChan... <> any idea , thanks for your help

  • Anonymous
    August 22, 2011
    dism /online /enable-feature /featurename:NetFx3 or start /w ocsetup NetFx3

  • Anonymous
    September 12, 2011
    Ok, this took me a while to figure out. I wanted to push this job out to my 2008R2 systems without enabling scripts or using an .exe. When I called powershell with a batch file it would run in 32x mode and fail. So with some googling and testing I was able to get the following to work. Create a vbs script using the code below. Then call it with cscript scriptname.vbs (I left the -noexit so I can tell if it ran or not - your mileage may vary) Set objShell = CreateObject("Wscript.Shell") objShell.Run("%windir%sysnativeWindowsPowerShellv1.0powershell.exe -noexit Import-Module ServerManager;Import-Module ServerManager")

  • Anonymous
    October 24, 2011
    The comment has been removed

  • Anonymous
    January 26, 2012
    Worked perfectly! Thanks, George

  • Anonymous
    May 06, 2012
    I'v solved the problem,thanks a lot!

  • Anonymous
    June 11, 2012
    Run the command prompt as an Administrator. Type the following command. It should install the .NET 3.5 SP1 powershell Import-Module ServerManager;Add-WindowsFeatures as-net-framework

  • Anonymous
    June 19, 2012
    The comment has been removed

  • Anonymous
    July 03, 2012
    plzz suggest me a dot net framwork package for windows starter 32 bit!! plzz mail me the details in vaish.1412@gmail.com...plzz i need help..coz i for JDBC im not able to connect sql server 2008 r2 express and netbeans..

  • Anonymous
    August 28, 2012
    Loving that command lines! It is too easy. Thanks.

  • Anonymous
    August 31, 2012
    How do I enable framework 4 when 3.5 is currently installed?

  • Anonymous
    September 11, 2012
    Hi everyone, My name is Edward, I need a hand to the community, the thing is that I need to install a Web project Designed with MVC, which use the Framework meadow, detail is that I need to install it on Windows Server 2008, which should lift through iis7, where this and I have it set. I have everything you need (Prado, PHP, MySQL server, phpMyAdmin), just missing lift on the server where I try but I can not ... Greetings and thanks ...

  • Anonymous
    October 03, 2012
    Most painless solution I found for Server 2008 R2 is, "ocsetup.exe NetFx3"

  • Anonymous
    October 28, 2012
    Thanks for this little helpful post !

  • Anonymous
    November 07, 2012
    you can uninstalled .net3.0 and 2.0  and install It

  • Anonymous
    November 14, 2012
    Thanks - your first sentence answered my question after looking through various forums where others were also confused by inconsistent naming conventions for ,net;   many replies were from others thinking they knew the answer were just adding confusion: The .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 (also referred to as .NET Framework 3.5.1). Thanks

  • Anonymous
    February 26, 2013
    Thanks - funny how such a 'simple' thing can stop the whole show!

  • Anonymous
    March 22, 2013
    I am also facing the same problem . and when I check in server manager it shows 3.5 is already installed. But  I run your command from command shell but problem is remain same. Please help me...

  • Anonymous
    April 29, 2013
    The comment has been removed

  • Anonymous
    April 29, 2013
    The comment has been removed

  • Anonymous
    June 10, 2013
    Thanks for the detailed info...I solved the problem.

  • Anonymous
    August 19, 2013
    Thanks a lot, it was very useful. Greetings from Mexico

  • Anonymous
    October 13, 2013
    Installing a Windows language pack before installing the .NET Framework 3.5 will cause the .NET Framework 3.5 installation to fail. Install the .NET Framework 3.5 before installing any Windows language packs.

  • Anonymous
    October 22, 2013
    hi can i update .net framework 3.5 to 4.5. if any one know please help me

  • Anonymous
    October 26, 2013
    I'v solved the problem,thanks a lot!

  • Anonymous
    December 10, 2013
    What does net framework  3.5 p1 do? Is it absolutely necessary?

  • Anonymous
    January 07, 2014
    Hi, I have tried both suggested way, but: when I try trough server manage, at the end of the installation process, the system prompts that ita has been impossible to install all 3 services/roles required. If i try with PowerShell, I cannot import server manager module. Any clue on this? Thank you

  • Anonymous
    April 16, 2014
    we upgrads the .netframework 3.5 to 4.0 in exchange server 2010 its impact to edge server 2010,2010 edge server support to .net framwork 4.0

  • Anonymous
    June 27, 2014
    Hi, When I try to install SQL server 2008, a message appear that .net framework 3.5 installing failed and need to this not 3.5.1 and problem not solved. Any idea?

  • Anonymous
    July 20, 2014
    Thank you !

  • Anonymous
    July 24, 2014
    The comment has been removed

  • Anonymous
    August 30, 2014
    Remot server  is not found in the shell program??

  • Anonymous
    December 05, 2014
    Same issue here Opie-wan, did you get this resolved?

  • Anonymous
    May 02, 2015
    Excellent.....    ahmsal1984 avhacker  

  • Anonymous
    May 06, 2015
    Powershell installation is very easy. Import-Module ServerManager Add-WindowsFeature as-net-framework will work on on session and time saving.

  • Anonymous
    January 23, 2016
    i am proud of this instruction so thanks

  • Anonymous
    April 20, 2016
    Thanks man. It's save my whole day. Installing .Net 3.5 solved the issue of 'system.serviceModel'. I used the app pole in .NET 2.0

  • Anonymous
    December 08, 2016
    Thank you.

  • Anonymous
    February 14, 2017
    thank u so much

  • Anonymous
    February 28, 2017
    Thanks a lot it was very simple method.

  • Anonymous
    April 01, 2017
    The comment has been removed

    • Anonymous
      April 05, 2017
      Farhan, you are probably running the command in a 32bit/x86 PS prompt. Use a x64 and it will work.

  • Anonymous
    July 04, 2017
    Boa tarde,Pessoal, estou com problemas em instalar o meu servidor web service com IIS ao tentar instalar o Net framework 3.5.1 pelo modo normal do Windows acontecem 2 evidencias com a offiline não abre e com a Web ele da um erro. Quando vou ate o Gerenciador de recursos e tento instalar ele aparece a caixa marcada mais não me da opção de de fazer nenhuma operação, com tudo tentei também a opção pelo Windows PowerShell e não obtive sucesso informa função ou serviço invalido, gostaria de saber se alguém poderia me ajudar.Grato

  • Anonymous
    September 26, 2017
    Perfect! Works fine for me.I was trying to install the Management Studio for SQL Express when I got an error msg.

  • Anonymous
    October 24, 2017
    The comment has been removed

  • Anonymous
    November 14, 2017
    Hello thank you for helping you !!!!!

  • Anonymous
    December 01, 2017
    thanks

  • Anonymous
    January 25, 2018
    I did that and I get an install error on a brand new install. says I am missing source files

    • Anonymous
      January 25, 2018
      The comment has been removed