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

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  1. Anonymous
    2020-05-08T19:21:51+00:00

    I just want to chime in and say this was a life saver.

    Original problem:

    I tried to launch Powershell and got the following error message: 

    I came to this thread obviously and this is what I did to fix that error. 

    I followed Don Cuthbert's directions and pasted the following in the command prompt:

    DISM /Online /Remove-Capability /CapabilityName:NetFx3~~~~

    Once that was done and successful, I restarted my laptop. Then pasted the following in the command prompt:

    DISM /Online /Add-Capability /CapabilityName: NetFx3~~~~

    After that (and successful), I pasted the following in the command prompt  

    DISM /Online /Enable-Feature /All /FeatureName:Microsoft-Windows-NetFx3-OC-Package /FeatureName:Microsoft-Windows-NetFx4-US-OC-Package /FeatureName:Microsoft-Windows-Client-EmbeddedExp-Package /FeatureName:Microsoft-Windows-NetFx3-WCF-OC-Package /FeatureName:Microsoft-Windows-NetFx4-WCF-US-OC-Package

    REMOVING THIS

    "****/FeatureName:Microsoft-Windows-Client-EmbeddedExp-Package"

    as did aenewman. I restarted my laptop and Powershell launched successfully!!!  

    Thank you both for your help, especially Don!!! 

    ****************************************

    I wanted to add one more thing. The above directions also fixed an issue I had where the .NET Framework checkboxes were not checked (after many attempts to enable them), in Windows Features. After I performed the above, I checked Windows Features and the checkboxes were checked!!! YAY! 

    ****************************************

    I have to add one more thing (I'm very happy apparently). Those steps also fixed the "0x800713ec - Asia" error that I've had for months!!

    I kept getting that error anytime I tried to update my VPN (which prompted me to setup the .NET Framework). 

    Side Note: Before I performed the instructions Don suggested, I disabled my antivirus and Windows Defender. I dont know if that helped but either way I'm ecstatic.

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  2. Anonymous
    2020-03-19T23:11:54+00:00

    Unfortunately, I completed a fresh install of windows with a 1909 install package. No more .NET errors! I figured a full wipe wouldn't be that painful given I've been running on 1903 for less than a year ... along with apps randomly not installing.

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  3. 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.

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  4. 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.

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  5. Anonymous
    2020-01-06T23:54:10+00:00

    Have you tried these two Administrator Command Prompt Commands from my post on the previous page of this thread? Note that the second command is all one line. You should be able to copy them from here and just right-click in your Command Prompt window to paste them there.

    DISM /Online /Add-Capability /CapabilityName:NetFx3~~~~

    DISM /Online /Enable-Feature /All /FeatureName:Microsoft-Windows-NetFx3-OC-Package /FeatureName:Microsoft-Windows-NetFx4-US-OC-Package /FeatureName:Microsoft-Windows-Client-EmbeddedExp-Package /FeatureName:Microsoft-Windows-NetFx3-WCF-OC-Package /FeatureName:Microsoft-Windows-NetFx4-WCF-US-OC-Package

    What version of Windows 10 are you running? Run ver at a Command Prompt to get your Windows build number.

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