The .NET Framework must exist on the destination computer before a user can install a project that was built by using Visual Studio .NET (836158)

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Visual Studio .NET (2003), Enterprise Architect Edition
Microsoft Visual Studio .NET (2003), Enterprise Developer Edition
Microsoft Visual Studio .NET (2003), Academic Edition
Microsoft Visual Studio .NET (2002), Professional Edition
Microsoft Visual Studio .NET (2002), Enterprise Architect Edition
Microsoft Visual Studio .NET (2002), Enterprise Developer Edition
Microsoft Visual Studio .NET (2002), Academic Edition

SYMPTOMS

When a user runs a Microsoft Windows Installer package to install a project that was built by using Microsoft Visual Studio .NET, Windows Installer verifies that the Microsoft .NET Framework is installed on the destination computer before it installs the project. If the .NET Framework does not exist on the destination computer, the user may receive the following error message:

This setup requires the .Net Framework version 1.1.4322. Please install the .Net Framework and run this setup again. The .Net Framework can be obtained from the web. Would you like to do this now?

CAUSE

A project that was built by using Visual Studio .NET cannot be installed unless the .NET Framework is already installed on the destination computer. The .NET Framework is not included in the Windows Installer package and cannot be included in the Windows Installer package.

RESOLUTION

Microsoft provides a downloadable Setup.exe bootstrapping application that verifies the existence of the .NET Framework. If the .NET Framework does not exist on the destination computer, the bootstrapping application installs the .NET Framework and then invokes the Windows Installer package to run your Setup application.

To download the Setup.exe bootstrapping application, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=66350891-d15b-446b-bd69-f7f849224a00&DisplayLang=en

STATUS

This behavior is by design.

MORE INFORMATION

Steps to deploy the Windows Installer package on the destination computer by using the Setup.exe bootstrapping application

Create a Setup application that is named MyHostApplication.msi.
Download the bootstrapping application.
Copy both the files, Setup.exe and Setting.ini, into the folder where you created the MyHostApplication.msi Setup application in step 1.

Modify the Setting.ini file to include the name of your Setup application, as in the following code:

[Bootstrap]
Msi=MyHostApplication.msi
ProductName=TestProduct
[LangPacks]
'Chinese (Simplified) - 2052
'Chinese (Traditional) - 1028
'Czech - 1029
'Danish - 1030
'Dutch - 1043
'Finnish - 1035
'French - 1036
'German - 1031
'Greek -1032
'Hungarian - 1038
'Italian - 1040
'Japanese - 1041
'Korean - 1042
'Norwegian - 1044
'Polish - 1045
'Portuguese (Brazilian) - 1046
'Portuguese (Portugal) - 2070
'Russian - 1049
'Spanish - 3082
'Swedish - 1053
'Turkish - 1055

Double-click the Setup.exe file.

REFERENCES

For additional information, visit the following Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) Web site:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/cpguide/html/cpconusingsetupexebootstrappersamplewithapplication.asp

Modification Type:	Minor	Last Reviewed:	5/23/2005
Keywords:	kberrmsg kbprb kbsetup kbAppSetup kbDeployment KB836158 kbAudDeveloper