.NET Framework 4.7.1 is available on Windows Update, WSUS and MU Catalog!

Preeti Krishna - MSFT

Today, we are happy to announce the Microsoft .NET Framework 4.7.1 is available on Windows Update, Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) and Microsoft Update (MU) Catalog. This includes reliability fixes based on your early feedback on the release. .NET Framework 4.7.1 is available for the following client and server platforms:

• Client platforms: Windows 7 SP1, Windows 8.1, Windows 10 Anniversary Update (Version 1607), Windows 10 Creators Update (Version 1703)
• Server platforms: Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1, Windows Server 2012, Windows Server 2012 R2 and Windows Server 2016

These reliability fixes are also available on Download Center as a standalone update (KB4054856).  If you  installed .NET Framework 4.7.1 via Download Center, please install KB4054856. This update applies on the client and server platforms mentioned above.

.NET Framework 4.7.1 is included in the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update (Version 1709), released in October 2017.  These .NET Framework 4.7.1 reliability fixes will be included in an upcoming Cumulative Update for Windows 10 Fall Creators Update and Windows Server 2016 Version 1709.

Reliability fixes

The following fixes are included:

Base Class Library (BCL)

1. Applications targeting .NET 4.6.1 that use .NET Standard libraries might be broken when running on .NET Framework 4.7.1.
2. CultureAwareComparer with ignore casing serialized on previous versions of .NET Framework does not correctly deserialize on .NET Framework 4.7.1.
3. Applications making heavy use of System.Diagnostics.StackTrace or Exception.StackTrace might run more slowly on the .NET Framework 4.7.1.

Windows Presentation Framework (WPF)

1. Certain dual GPU machines may experience visual artifacts while running WPF apps in high contrast.
2. In specific scenarios, the System.Windows.Controls.PrintDialog() throws an Arithmetic Overflow exception.

You can see the complete list of improvements for .NET Framework 4.7.1 in the .NET Framework 4.7.1 release notes.

Knowledge Base Articles

You can reference the following Knowledge Base Articles for the WU/WSUS/Catalog release:

How is this release available?

Automatic Updates

.NET Framework 4.7.1 is being offered as a Recommended update. The reliability fixes for .NET Framework 4.7.1 will be co-installed with .NET Framework 4.7.1. At this time, we’re throttling the release like what we have done with previous .NET Framework releases. Over the next few weeks we will be closely monitoring your feedback and will gradually open throttling.

While the release is throttled, you can use the Check for updates feature to get .NET Framework 4.7.1.

Note: throttled updates are offered at a lower priority than unthrottled updates, so if you have other Recommended or Important updates pending those will be offered before this update.

Once we open throttling, in most cases you will get the .NET Framework 4.7.1 with no further action necessary. If you have modified your AU settings to notify but not install you should see a notification in the system tray about this update.

The deployment will be rolled out to various geographies globally over several weeks. So, if you do not get the update offered on the first day and do not want to wait until the update is offered, you can use the Check for updates feature, as described above.

Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) and Catalog

WSUS administrators will see this update in their WSUS admin console. The update is also available in the MU Catalog for download and deployment.

When you synchronize your WSUS server with Microsoft Update server (or use the Microsoft Update Catalog site for importing updates), you will see the updates for .NET Framework 4.7.1 published for each platform.

More Information

Language Packs

In addition to the language neutral package the .NET Framework 4.7.1 Language Packs are also available on Windows Update. These can be used to if you have a previous language pack for .NET installed as well as if you don’t, but instead have a localized version of the base operating system or have one or more Multilingual User Interface (MUI) pack installed.

Blocking the automatic deployment of .NET 4.7.1

Enterprises may have client machines that connect directly to the public Windows Update servers rather than to an internal WSUS server. In such cases, an administrator may have a need to prevent the .NET Framework 4.7.1 from being deployed to these client machines to allow testing of internal applications to be completed before deployment.

In such scenarios, administrators can deploy a registry key to machines and prevent the .NET Framework 4.7.1 from being offered to those machines. More information about how to use this blocker registry key can be found in the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article:

KB4052152:  How to temporarily block the installation of the .NET Framework 4.7.1 and its corresponding language packs

FAQ

What do I need to do if I already have .NET Framework 4.7.1 product installed?

If you installed .NET Framework 4.7.1 via Download Center, please install KB4054856, also available on Download Center as a standalone update. KB4054856 includes reliability improvements for .NET Framework 4.7.1.

Do I still need to install KB4054856 if I am getting .NET Framework 4.7.1 from Windows Update/WSUS?

No, .NET Framework 4.7.1 via Windows Update and WSUS will co-install the reliability fixes in KB4054856.

How can I get the reliability fixes for Windows 10 Creators Update (Version 1709)?

These reliability fixes will be available via an upcoming Windows Cumulative update for Windows 10 Creators Update (Version 1709).

What is the offering type for .NET Framework 4.7.1 on Windows Update? 

.NET Framework 4.7.1 is being offered as a Recommended update.

Preeti Krishna - MSFT

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