Why Never install an update to a newer version of .NET?

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I’ve just visited https://www.askwoodMaster Patch Listr/ for the first time and opened the Excel file of “Listings of just June updates” under June 20, 2020 — Update Status. There’s a tab at the bottom for “Rules for Safe Patching”. One of the rules is Never install an update to a newer version of .NET. Let your applications set the .NET versions they need.

This rule is new news to me. Does it mean “do not install a newer version of .NET“? Or does it mean “if you have a newer version of .NET, then do not install an update to it“?

I’ve always installed the latest .NET patch when it’s available and MS-DEF CON has reached 3+. What is the reasoning behind this rule? I know it says “Let your applications ….”. But, this doesn’t tell me why one should stick with an older version or alternatively, why one should stick with the never-updated-newest-version.

Can someone explain what the rule is saying and why one should follow it?

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Don’t install a newer version of .NET if your application works with the version of .NET you have. For example, if you have .NET 4.5.2 installed and your application works without problems, there is no need to install .NET 4.8 just because it is a later version.

It doesn’t mean not to patch the version(s) of .NET you have installed.

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The .NET Framework updates that I have installed on my Win10/Pro, 1909 machine were January, Feb, and May patches for 3.5 and 4.8. They seem to always be packaged together — i.e., not 3.5 or 4.8 separately. Does that mean that if an application calls for 3.5, it will be using the updated 3.5 version and if an application calls for 4.8, it will using the updated 4.8 version? (In other words, there are two working versions 3.5 and 4.8 on my system and if the application calls for 3.5, it will not try to use the 4.8 version and vice versa?)

I think 4.5.2 applies to Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2012. I have no record of ever having 4.5.2 in any form on my Win10/Pro machine, not even as far back as 1607, when the machine was new.

So, it looks like these .NET versions change according to the Windows vintage, in other words, on a Win10 machine, would I ever need 4.5.2?

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If an application you are using needs a .NET version other than the ones (3.5 and 4.8) that are installed on your machine, it will ask you to install that version.
I used 4.5.2 as an EXAMPLE, not implying that was installed.

If your application is running OK, there is no need to install any other version of .NET than the one(s) you have.

Windows Update looks at your machine and determines which versions are installed. It will offer you the correct patches for those versions.

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Unlike versioning in other programs, where version n+1 probably replaces (or is an upgrade to) version n, in dot-Net there are multiple valid coexistent versions. The particular version that is invoked by a program depends upon the then-available-and-selected ‘version+libraries’ that was used by the programmer in the creation of the application.

Yes, later dot-Net versions were released as later Windows versions came out, chronologically, but there is not a synchronization dependency.

You wrote: In other words, there are two working versions 3.5 and 4.8 on my system and if the application calls for [my emphasis] 3.5, it will not try to use the 4.8 version and vice versa?

That is correct.

For your bedtime reading, see (among others):
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/framework/migration-guide/versions-and-dependencies
—> See the ‘In this article’ headings on the right side for deeper details.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.NET_Framework_version_history

1 user thanked author for this post.

Elly

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[WCHS]

PaulK wrote:

Unlike versioning in other programs, where version n+1 probably replaces (or is an upgrade to) version n, in dot-Net there are multiple valid coexistent versions.

I did the bedtime reading you recommended. I read there that 3.5 includes 2.0 and 3.0 layers automatically, and that “apps that were built for versions 2.0, 3.0, and 3.5 can all run on version 3.5”. Similarly, “.NET Framework 4.5, 4.5.1, 4.5.2, 4.6, 4.6.1, 4.6.2, 4.7, 4.7.1, 4.7.2, and 4.8 also represent successive layers of a single installation.”

Is this what you mean by “multiple valid coexistent versions”?

I checked the existing dot-Net Framework version on my machine. Does 4.0 listed here mean that the layers 4.5, 4.5.1, 4.5.2, 4.6, 4.6.1, 4.6.2, 4.7, 4.7.1, 4.7.2, and 4.8 are included”?

• This reply was modified 4 years, 7 months ago by WCHS.
• This reply was modified 4 years, 7 months ago by WCHS.
• This reply was modified 4 years, 7 months ago by WCHS.

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I am only a beginner concerning .NET. I defer to the dottyNET experts here (no pejoration intended) for more granular explanation.

Is this what you mean by “multiple valid coexistent versions”?

Primarily. In “Version x.y.z” notation, ‘usually’ programs/applications increment [x] to indicate a version change/replacement. In the dot-Net set, multiple [x.y] levels are concurrently valid. So I used ‘version’ imprecisely previously.

I remember that when .NET 3.5 came out, which ‘rolled up’ (not an official term) the support for 2 and 3, there was relief that 2 and 3 no longer had to be fiddled with. Now, 3.5 and the 4.-series are both valid.

Note in the history article the overlaps between the ‘Release date’ and the ‘Support ended’ dates. 4.0 replaced nothing, but that starting with 4.5, each 4.y (y incremental) does replace all previous 4-items.

I am on Win 7. I haven’t incremented since 4.7.1 on this computer. For reference, here is what I have:

C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET

Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Programs and Features

– The last column is the Version

Windows Features

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