Install .NET Framework 2.0, 3.0 and 3.5 on Windows 10

Sometimes you need to use an older tool on a computer, such as the Active Directory Topology Diagrammer in my case, which requires the installation of an earlier version of the .NET Framework 2.0, 3.0 or 3.5.

Running the installation file stops the process by displaying the message for installing the .NET Framework 2.0. You do not need to download it from the Internet, you will activate it through the Windows 10 settings.

The application requires the .NET Framework version 2.0. Please install the .NET Framework and run this setup again.

Install .NET Framework 2.0, 3.0, and 3.5 from Windows Update

Open Windows 10 Settings, go to the Apps category, and under Apps and features, click on Programs and Features.

In the classic control panel window, click Turn Windows features on or off.

Alternatively, to directly open the same window, type optionalfeatures in Run.

Here, select the .NET Framework 3.5 (includes .NET 2.0 and 3.0) and click OK.

Click on the option to download the necessary .NET Framework installation files from Windows Update.

Downloading and installing the .NET Framework will continue and after restarting the computer, you will now be ready to install the “old-application”.

Installing .NET Framework 2.0, 3.0 and 3.5 from PowerShell

If you want to use PowerShell to install the .NET Framework on Windows 10 through Windows Update, you can use the following command.

Add-WindowsCapability -Online -Name NetFx3~~~~

Also, to see all available Optional Features, use the following command.

Get-WindowsCapability -Online

If you use a WSUS Server on your infrastructure, you may receive the error message 0x800F0954 when downloading from Windows Update. In this case, you will need to install the .NET Framework 3.5 (which includes versions 2.0 and 3.0) in a different way.