Visual Studio and .NET Framework Installation Tips

Hello, I am YiChun Chen from MSDN forum support team. 

How to install Visual Studio and .NET Framework

  1. Ensure that all of the pre-release(Beta or CTP versions) components on your machine have been removed
  2. Disable your Anti-Virus or Anti-Spyware software
  3. Be sure that your OS has been "patched" up - Update your computer (Windows)
  4. Complete or dismiss Windows Update before installation. Please don’t forget to turn it on later.
  5. Make sure that the installation media is healthy. If the installation from disc drive is not working well, you can try copying the contents of the disc to the hard disk and installing from the hard disk.

We can try the following steps to check the installation media:

  • Try installing it on a different CD/DVD drive - some drives are more sensitive than others when handling media, it's just the way they have been manufactured.
  • Create an ISO image of the CD/DVD. This can be achieved by using for example, Nero Burning ROM, and creating an image of the CD/DVD. Doing this, will help us see if there is any problem with the actual media or something similarly related.

Once the ISO image has been created, either:

  • Extract the ISO image, to your local computer, that you have just created using something like ISOBuster and run the installation from the harddrive/harddisk
  • Mount the ISO image to a virtual CD drive, using another 3rd party tool something like MSVCD, and run the installation from here.

How to troubleshoot errors during the installation

  1. The information we should know: OS, Error code, Error message, Visual Studio edition, .NET Framework edition
  2. Collect the log files for further analysis

a) If you're running XP or Windows Server 2003:

i. Use Cleanup tool to clear the failure installation of .NET Framework

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ii. Run the installer to install Visual Studio products or .NET Framework products

iii. If any problem occurs during the installation, please collect the log files for further troubleshooting.

(Please follow the following steps to collect the log files)

b) If you're running Vista or Windows Server 2008:

i. Check whether you have turned on the windows feature of .NET Framework 3.0.

Please go to Control Panel -> Programs and Features -> Turn Windows features on or off -> Check the box next to Microsoft .NET Framework 3.0.

Vista:

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Server 2008:

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ii. Use Verification Tool to verify .Net Framework 2.0, 3.0. You can check the “Current status” to know the result.

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If .Net Framework 2.0 and 3.0 cannot be verified on your computer, you can try to follow the steps mentioned in the following blog to repair the .NET Framework 2.0 and 3.0.

See: https://blogs.msdn.com/astebner/archive/2007/03/26/how-to-repair-the-net-framework-2-0-and-3-0-on-windows-vista.aspx

iii. If .NET Framework 2.0, 3.0 are verified successfully but the installation still fails, please collect the log file.

(Please follow the following steps to collect the log files)

c) If you're running Windows 7:

i. Check whether you have turned on the windows feature of .NET Framework 3.5.1.

Please go to Control Panel -> Programs and Features -> Turn Windows features on or off -> Check the box next to Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5.1.

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ii. If the installation still fails, please collect the log file.

iii. (Please follow the following steps to collect the log files)

d) The steps to collect the log:

i. Try to clean your "%temp%" folder (Start Menu >> Run >> Type "%temp%")

ii. Install Visual Studio products or .NET Framework products

(For Vista or later OS, the installer must be run with administrator privileges - Right-click the installer >> "Run as Administrator")

iii. Collect the logs from "%temp%" folder

Collect tool: https://blogs.msdn.com/heaths/archive/2008/05/09/visual-studio-and-net-log-collection-utility.aspx

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iv. Get vslogs.cab

How to diagnose log files

Time stamp in the VS setup log or .NET Framework setup log can be helpful to diagnose the problem, you can see what happened in order during the installation and what occurred just before the error or exception arose.

For detail information, please check: https://social.msdn.microsoft.com/forums/en-US/vssetup/thread/0376db8f-4761-4ae5-9af2-98c53216318a#How_to_diagnoseVS2008_NETFramework_logs