Thoughts about setup and deployment issues, WiX, XNA, the .NET Framework and Visual Studio
All postings are provided AS IS with no warranties, and confer no rights. Additionally, views expressed herein are my own and not those of my employer, Microsoft.
March 7, 2008 update - I have written a replacement version of these instructions. Please refer to http://blogs.msdn.com/astebner/archive/2008/03/07/8108332.aspx instead of using the steps listed below.
I have heard from many customers who have run into various types of installation problems while trying to install the .NET Framework 1.0 or 1.1 or .NET Framework hotfixes and service packs. Some of my other blogs posts have described various workarounds, and I am working on an article that consolidates these workarounds. However, there are some problems that aren't able to be resolved with the other workarounds I have posted.
Nearly every time when I run into a scenario where my other posts do not help, I try to use the following steps to get the machine back into a known state and then install things back one by one:
Running these steps should ideally put your machine back into a known good state with the .NET Framework plus a service pack installed. From there, it will usually work to install applications that require the .NET Framework (such as Visual Studio) or to install additional .NET Framework hotfixes (such as the security updates listed here).
<update date="3/7/2008"> I have written a replacement version of these instructions. Please refer to http://blogs.msdn.com/astebner/archive/2008/03/07/8108332.aspx instead of using the steps listed above. </update>