Somewhere along the way, I apparently installed something called Microsoft.NET framework on my Windows 98SE machine. I don’t remember how or why it happened, but now I get daily messages from Windows Automatic Update to download Service Pack 2 for .NET framework. I did download the update and ran it, but I’m still getting the same message to download the damned update again and again. From what little I know about .NET, it’s some kind of feature or program designed for use in servers controlling a network of some kind. My computer isn’t a server in any kind of network. How do I get rid of this .NET thing without accidentally deleting some important Windows file?
It’s Microsoft’s new thing for building Windows applications. You can read about it here if you’re interested.
It probably installed when you installed some application that required it. I don’t know why it keeps bugging you for an update you’ve already installed. You can remove it from Add/Remove programs, I think (you can on Win2K), but if it was required by some application, that application will no longer work.
I think it was one of the larger optional downloads available with Windows Update.
Funny, I just installed the .NET framework on my home PC. Then again, I do have a network setup at home too but I didn’t need it until I downloaded a program written for vB.NET.
The .NET framework is sort of like the Java virtual machine - a sort of “pre-OS OS” that is designed so that all .NET-based applications can run identically on different platforms that all have the .NET framework installed (it doesn’t work that way, but what does?)
I also had a problem with the Windows updater accusing me of failing to update my .NET framework. Eventually, I just downloaded the framework installer, uninstalled the framework via the Add/Remove programs control panel, and reinstalled it (I have to have it, considering I program in ASP.NET.)
Hope that helps.