Can't enable .NET Environment in Windows 10 1903

Anonymous
2019-04-10T07:18:57+00:00

Well, this is a showstopper for me. I'm in the Release Preview ring & installed 1903 (18362.30) yesterday . Update went fine. No issues experienced.

Got a Cumulative Update to install today (KB4495666). Installed it & rebooted. Build is now at 18362.53. .NET framework was disabled & 90% of my applications will no longer run! In "Control Panel/Programs and Features/Turn Windows Features on or off", ".NET Environment" is unchecked. If I check it & hit "OK" it take about 10 seconds & says "Windows completed the requested changes". The .NET Environment, however, is still unchecked when I go back to "Turn Windows Features on or off" & >NET applications still don't work.

I've uninstalled all of the updates installed today (KB4495666 & KB4493478), but .NET is still utterly broken. I've read that this was an issue prior to the release of 18362 to the Release Preview ring but was supposed to have been fixed. Looks like this MAJOR bug was reintroduced with the cumulative update?

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Performance and system failures

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments

177 answers

Sort by: Oldest
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Anonymous
    2020-02-23T15:05:17+00:00

    I think the USB is probably fine, as you used it to install Windows.  E:\sources\sxs should have 4 files:

    F:\sources\sxs>dir /b

    Microsoft-Windows-InternetExplorer-Optional-Package~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~en-US~.cab

    Microsoft-Windows-NetFx3-OnDemand-Package~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~en-US~.cab

    microsoft-windows-internetexplorer-optional-package~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~.cab

    microsoft-windows-netfx3-ondemand-package~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~.cab

    You can check the status of the NetFx3~~~~ capability:

    DISM /Online /Get-CapabilityInfo /CapabilityName:NetFx3~~~~

    You can also try adding NetFx3 with the enable feature command, but this usually fails:

    DISM /Online /Enable-Feature /All /FeatureName:NetFx3 /Source:E:\Sources\sxs

    Another way is by adding the .cab files as packages:

    DISM /Online /Add-Package /PackagePath:E:\Sources\sxs

    DISM /Online /Get-CapabilityInfo /CapabilityName:NetFx3~~~~

    Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool

    Version: 10.0.19035.1

    Image Version: 10.0.19035.1

    Capability Identity : NetFX3~~~~

    Name : NetFX3

    State : Installed

    Display Name : .NET Framework 3.5 (includes .NET 2.0 and 3.0)

    Description : .NET Framework 3.5 (includes .NET 2.0 and 3.0)

    Download Size : 72.79 MB

    Install Size : 496.57 MB

    The operation completed successfully. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  2. Anonymous
    2020-03-18T18:35:46+00:00

    I finally got around to attempt a fix once again, completely forgot I even posted. As per my previous post, here's where things stand:

    • C:\Windows\system32>ver                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.18362.175]
    • I uninstalled KB4495620 previously, as I can't find it when I look for it now
    • Of the 2 installs, I had to use the second command given later in this thread:

    F:\sources\sxs>dir/w                                                                                                      Volume Serial Number is D65D-2B2C                                                                                                                                                                                                              Directory of F:\sources\sxs                                                                                                                                                                                                                    [.]                                                                                                                     [..]                                                                                                                    Microsoft-Windows-InternetExplorer-Optional-Package~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~en-US~.cab                                   microsoft-windows-internetexplorer-optional-package~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~.cab                                        Microsoft-Windows-NetFx3-OnDemand-Package~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~en-US~.cab                                             microsoft-windows-netfx3-ondemand-package~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~.cab                                                                 4 File(s)     73,125,945 bytes                                                                                          2 Dir(s)  30,358,962,176 bytes free                                                                                                                                                                                              F:\sources\sxs>c:                                                                                                                                                                                                                               C:\Windows\System32>DISM /Online /Add-Package /PackagePath:F:\Sources\sxs                                                                                                                                                                       Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool                                                                          Version: 10.0.18362.1                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Image Version: 10.0.18362.175                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Processing 1 of 4 - Adding package Microsoft-Windows-InternetExplorer-Optional-Package~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~en-US~11.0.18362.1                                                                                                                [==========================100.0%==========================]                                                            Processing 2 of 4 - Adding package Microsoft-Windows-InternetExplorer-Optional-Package~31bf3856ad364e35~amd6411.0.18362.1                                                                                                                     [==========================100.0%==========================]                                                            Processing 3 of 4 - Adding package Microsoft-Windows-NetFx3-OnDemand-Package~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~en-US~10.0.18362.1  [==========================100.0%==========================]                                                            Processing 4 of 4 - Adding package Microsoft-Windows-NetFx3-OnDemand-Package~31bf3856ad364e35~amd6410.0.18362.1       [==========================100.0%==========================]                                                            The operation completed successfully.                                                                                                                                                                                                           C:\Windows\System32>DISM /Online /Get-CapabilityInfo /CapabilityName:NetFx3~~~~                                                                                                                                                                 Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool                                                                          Version: 10.0.18362.1                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Image Version: 10.0.18362.175                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Capability Identity : NetFX3~~~~                                                                                        Name : NetFX3                                                                                                           State : Installed                                                                                                       Display Name : .NET Framework 3.5 (includes .NET 2.0 and 3.0)                                                           Description : .NET Framework 3.5 (includes .NET 2.0 and 3.0)                                                            Download Size : 72.70 MB                                                                                                Install Size : 495.77 MB                                                                                                                                                                                                                        The operation completed successfully.

    Before running, I checked the version and the state reported 'superceded'. After running the command, I was able to install KB4495620 (did not work when 'superceded'). I checked the features list but it still looks broken. Maybe I need a reboot? Also, strangely, I noticed I'm still running the same build (18362.175) almost a year later. I'll update later today, whether or not the .NET fix works.

    In response to A. User: Here are my Bug Origination steps:

    1. Grabbed install ISO from windows, put on recovery usb drive
    2. Fresh install Win10 pro on brand new WD Blue 1.5 TB SSD May or June 2019
    3. Installed win version 1903, 18362.175
    4. Upon attempts to install apps that rely on .NET capability - actually fine, was able to play some games from Epic Games launcher
    5. A few days later, everything broke. Attempts to reinstall apps showed the .NET compatibility failure
    6. Eventually got to this site, discovered I have the same broken 'optional features' list where I can't enable .NET versions
    7. Tried running the install/run DISM commands, didn't work
    8. Uninstalled KB4495620

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  3. Anonymous
    2020-03-18T20:52:07+00:00

    Ah. I just tried installing 1909. It failed. Guess why? Missing .NET 3.5 compatibility. (Error 0x800f081f)

    I also rebooted, just in case that was necessary after the .NET updates. In any case, both reboot and update to 1909 has failed after the fix above (my optional features list is still broken). I'm guessing a complete reinstall or opting in to windows insider and grabbing build 19041 are the only fixes?

    Thanks for the valiant efforts, Don! I plan on reinstalling tomorrow or so, hopefully that will fix this .NET error.

    Was this answer helpful?

    1 person found this answer helpful.
    0 comments
  4. Anonymous
    2020-03-18T21:22:51+00:00

    As you may have read here, I can replicate the issue and usually can resolve it. But I am not certain if this is exactly the same as when a device encounters this condition on its own.

    I would be tempted, if possible, to replicate the steps that I used to disable .NET in the first place in my tests. Basically it was a thorough uninstall, using DISM or PowerShell commands. I also had tried using the new PowerShell Core versions, since they will install and run, even without .NET being functional.

    I also found that using the Capability commands rather than the Add-Package commands is best. Often, if online, these will work without even referencing the source files from an ISO.

    Also, build 19041.xxx is most likely only about 6-8 weeks away from becoming the public version of Windows 10, so it should not be a very extreme move to upgrade to that version at this point. It is being called the Windows 10 May 2020 Update.

    I have not tested this issue in quite a while, so I could try replicating the issue with build 1903 again and see if the steps to resolve it are any different now.

    Was this answer helpful?

    1 person found this answer helpful.
    0 comments
  5. Anonymous
    2020-03-19T20:24:20+00:00

    Hi Don,

    That's okay. There's no need to test. I've already resolved to reinstall windows and bypass the problematic update (KB4495620). I noticed in my update history that the breaking update was literally the first update (June 5, 2019) and since then few updates have successfully completed. At this point I'm far more concerned about drivers and security fixes being out of date.

    I also noticed, that since going through your fix steps that a few other items have mysteriously started reporting errors again. Skype for instance used to report errors upon loading into windows. Presumably that went away the same time I downloaded the update and I've not seen it since I enabled .NET 3.X yesterday.

    The step I'm stuck on - after enabling .NET 3.X, I still can't complete an install of CUs. I tried installing KB4551762 for 1903 and even tried updating to 1909 but am unable to.

    Again, thanks for all your efforts in this. It seemed to have helped a lot of people.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments