.NET Framework 3.0 setup log files

The installer for the .NET Framework 3.0 (formerly named the WinFX runtime components) chains several different MSIs and Windows hotfixes behind the scenes.  If this setup fails, there are numerous possible causes due to the number of packages being chained behind the scenes.

The following is a complete list of log files that can be produced during .NET Framework 3.0 setup.  This list may vary depending on what OS you are installing on, what processor architecture, and what prerequisite components were already installed on the system prior to running .NET Framework 3.0 setup.

Logs produced by the .NET Framework 3.0 setup wrapper

  • dd_dotnetfx3install.txt
  • dd_dotnetfx3error.txt
  • dd_depcheckdotnetfx30.txt

Logs produced by packages chained during .NET Framework 3.0 setup

  • RGB Rasterizer - dd_rgb_retMSI*.txt
  • MSXML 6.0 Parser - dd_msxml_retMSI*.txt
  • WIC - dd_WIC.txt
  • .NET Framework 2.0 - dd_netfx_retMSI*.txt
  • XPS - dd_XPS.txt
  • Windows Communication Foundation - dd_wcf_retMSI*.txt and dd_wcf_retCA*.txt
  • Windows Presentation Foundation - dd_wpf_retMSI*.txt
  • Windows Workflow Foundation - dd_WF_3.0_x86retMSI*.txt
  • Core .NET Framework 3.0 identity package - vsmsilog*.txt

Logs produced by the .NET Framework 3.0 language pack setup wrapper

  • dd_dotnetfx3lperror.txt
  • dd_dotnetfx3lpinstall.txt 

Logs produced by packages chained during .NET Framework 3.0 language pack setup

  • Individual .NET Framework 2.0 language pack MSIs - dd_netfx_retMSI_langpack*.txt
  • Individual .NET Framework 3.0 language pack MSIs - vsmsilog*.txt

Log files will be located in the %temp% directory on the system during installation.  When setup completes successfully, the logs produced by the setup wrapper and the log file named vsmsilog*.txt are moved to a new folder located at %windir%\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v3.0\<product name>\Logs.  The <product name> will be Microsoft .NET Framework 3.0 or one of the language packs (for example - Microsoft .NET Framework 3.0 x64 Language Pack - FRA).

If you run into any issues while installing the .NET Framework 3.0 and report issues to Microsoft via the product feedback site or the MSDN Forums, please locate and include any of the above log files if possible because it will make it easier for us to debug the failures and find root causes and workarounds.

<update date="11/9/2006"> Added a list of log files for .NET Framework 3.0 language packs and a couple of other log files that I missed originally. Also added locations where the logs can be found. </update>