If I uninstall .NET 1.0 and 1.1, what effect will this have if needed?

[Odyssey]

I am new to thescripts and hope this is the correct forum to post this question.

I want to simplify and reduce unneeded installed programs, partly to minimize security risks. If I uninstall .NET 1.0 and 1.1, and it turns out that something else needs them, will .NET 2.0 handle the job?

If not, will I get an opportunity to reinstall the needed version, and if so, will this be a fairly painless process? I am not a very advanced user. Thanks.

[kenobewan]

Welcome to TSDN. There is a small but unlikely chance that your .net 1.x applications will run under 2. So I believe you need to find exactly which applications use which version of .net, you should find this in IIS, before deleting 1.x. My understanding is that you may delete or reinstall .net versions, it will mean that those applications using those versions will either error or work. HTH.

[Odyssey]

Thanks for yours. I'm not sure I understand "you should find this in IIS". Could you please elaborate, thanks.

[kenobewan]

In IIS you may select the version of asp.net that the application is running under, the tab is asp.net after selecting properties.

[Odyssey]

Kenobewan,

Thanks for your patience, but I don't know what IIS is.

[Annath]

ken: I don't think he's talking about ASP.NET apps much.

In response to the OP, you do need those versions because 2.0 is not really backward compatible. As for reinstalling, yes it is pretty painless. You can download the installers for 1.0 and 1.1 from MS's website or MS Update.

[kenobewan]

Kenobewan,

Thanks for your patience, but I don't know what IIS is.

OK - this is usually why we ask for your platform. Are your .net apps hosted on a server, are you an admin, or on a PC? My responses assumed that they are web apps - is this right? Please provide more info. Thanks.

[Odyssey]

My apology for not being more informative earlier. I am just using an XP Home PC on a lan (with Apple and Ubuntu elsewhere). Other than any possible "server" activity than one or more of my programs set up themselves (.NET?) for whatever purposes they do this, AFAIK, I do not have any servers.

[Odyssey]

Is additional information useful? The only thing I can think of is how I use the computer, which is for web-based email, browsing, forum reading/posting for technical issues, documents (Open Office & google docs), streaming internet music. In other words, I am a typical home computer user.

[kenobewan]

I think that I am getting the picture. Did you create any of the .net programs? Are there other uses using them through the lan? I think that the easy answer is going to be not to delete 1.x unless you are able to upgrade any 1.x programs to 2. My understanding is that each of the frameworks carries little overhead. HTH.

[Odyssey]

I have not knowingly created any programs, i.e., written software, but I have a lot of installed software on this computer which has been operating satisfactorily with XP Home for more than 3 years without a reinstall. So I assume that some of the software that I have installed needed .NET.

Also I use a hotmail account for non-personal stuff (forum registrations, etc), partly because it is accessible using my Outlook Express which facilitates access to the hotmail account. It is also possible that just having a Hotmail account is the reason, perhaps the only reason, that .NET is installed.

[kenobewan]

I doubt whether any of your software relies on .net. Normally only .net applications rely on them. Sounds like you are keen to delete 1.x. Find out what happens, my opinion is that you would be able to cope without them judging by your usage.

[Odyssey]

Thanks for your guidance. Will uninstall 1.1 and it's Hotfix and watch for a few days. If something breaks will re-install.