Microsoft .NET Framework FAQs

.NET is the Microsoft integrated services strategy to connect information, people, systems, and devices through software. Integrated across the Microsoft platform, .NET technology provides the ability to quickly build, deploy, manage, and use connected, security-enhanced solutions with integrated deployment services. .NET-connected solutions enable businesses to integrate their systems more rapidly and in a more agile manner and help them realize the promise of information anytime, anywhere, on any device.

.NET is a general-purpose software development platform, similar to Java. At its core is a virtual machine that turns intermediate language (IL) into machine code. High-level language compilers for C#, VB.NET and C++ are provided to turn source code into IL. C# is a new programming language, very similar to Java. An extensive class library is included, featuring all the functionality one might expect from a contemporary development platform - Windows GUI development (Windows Forms), database access (ADO.NET), Web development (ASP.NET), Web services, XML etc.

Why does Crystal Ball need .NET to install?

.NET supplies the underlying architecture upon which Crystal Ball is built. Our toolbars and integration components all require .NET to function properly. Crystal Ball will not install on the system without .NET Framework 1.1 and .NET Framework 1.1 Service Pack 1 installed.

What versions of .NET are available?

The final versions of the 1.0 SDK and Runtime were made publicly available in January 2002.
. NET 1.1 was released in April 2003, and was mainly bug fixes for 1.0.
.NET 2.0 was released in November 2005 and contains: 64-Bit Platform Support, Access Control List Support, new features in ADO.NET, significant enhancements to all areas of ASP.NET, Authenticated Streams, COM Interoperability Services Enhancements, and more. Please see the Microsoft Web site for further information.

What version of .NET is required?

Crystal Ball requires that the Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1 (dotnetfx.exe), and the Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1 Service Pack 1 (NDP1.1sp1-KB867460-X86.exe) be installed on the machine before Crystal Ball will install.

The next major release of Crystal Ball will provide support for .NET Framework version 2.0.

Will .NET Framework 1.1 work with other versions of .NET?

Yes, Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1 will coexist with other versions of the .NET Framework on your system. Crystal Ball may prompt you to click a checkbox in the Application Manager to run Crystal Ball with only version 1.1 of the .NET Framework. You can access the application manager via: Start > All Programs > Crystal Ball 7 > Application Manager.

What .NET components must be installed for Crystal Ball to install?

There are two separate components that will need to be installed on your system. The .NET Framework 1.1 Service Pack 1 install does not add an entry in your Add/Remove Programs dialog to show that it is installed, but the Microsoft.NET Framework 1.1 will show up in the Add/Remove Programs dialog if it is installed.

If you have these two entries in your Add/Remove Programs dialog, .NET Framework 1.1 Service Pack 1 is installed:

Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1
Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1 Hotfix (KB886903)

The Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1 Hotfix (KB886903) requires that the .NET Framework 1.1 Service Pack 1 be installed before the installation will complete. If you have this Hotfix, you have Service Pack 1 for .NET Framework 1.1.

If you have Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1 Hotfix (KB886904) it will have to be uninstalled to install .NET Framework 1.1 Service Pack 1.

Note: Hotfix KB886904 is a hotfix for Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1. It does not contain .NET Framework 1.1 Service Pack 1, nor is it possible to install .NET Framework 1.1 Service Pak 1 on a machine with Hotfix KB886904. .NET Framework 1.1 Service Pack 1 includes Hotfix KB886903 which is equivalent to hotfix KB886904, so uninstalling Hotfix KB886904 and installing .NET Framework 1.1 Service Pak will not lower the security level.

If you don?t have both required components, please follow these links to install the components:

Microsoft Links Note: Microsoft links are very long and do not fit on one line. Some email windows will break the links into two lines and only the top row will have a link line underneath. If this happens, please copy both lines into your browser and then hit enter. It will take you directly to the page.

Install .NET Framework 1.1 from this link:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=262d25e3-f589-4842-8157-034d1e7cf3a3&displaylang=en

Install .NET Framework 1.1 Service Pack 1 from this link (If you already have .NET Framework 1.1 Service Pack 1, the installer will tell you it is already installed):

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=a8f5654f-088e-40b2-bbdb-a83353618b38&displaylang=en

How can I tell if Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1 Service Pack 1 is installed on my machine?

Installing .NET Framework 1.1 Service Pack 1 doesn?t add an entry to your Add/Remove Programs dialog. If you don?t see Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1 Hotfix (KB886903) in the Add/Remove Programs dialog, the only way to tell if the .NET Framework 1.1 Service Pack 1 (NDP1.1sp1-KB867460-X86.exe) is installed on the machine is to check the following registry setting in the Registry Editor:

Key Name: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\NET Framework Setup\NDP\v1.1.4322
Value: SP
Data type: REG_DWORD

The data in the SP value tells you which service pack is installed for .NET Framework 1.1. For example, if the value of SP is 0, no service pack is installed for .NET Framework 1.1. If the value is 1, Service Pack 1 for .NET Framework 1.1 is installed.

Why does Crystal Ball keep asking me to install .NET Framework 1.1 when I already have it installed?

There are two components to the .NET Framework 1.1 install and you are missing the Service Pack 1 installation for .NET Framework 1.1.

Install .NET Framework 1.1 Service Pack 1 from this link (If you already have .NET Framework 1.1 Service Pack 1, the installer will tell you it is already installed):

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=a8f5654f-088e-40b2-bbdb-a83353618b38&displaylang=en

Why do I get the error message: ?Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1 Service Pack 1 (KB867460) cannot be installed because you have one or more hot fixes installed. Remove them and try again.?

Microsoft has created two paths to add patches to .NET Framework 1.1. One of these is by adding Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1 Hotfix (KB886904) to the base .NET Framework 1.1. This path will block the installation of Service Pack 1 for .NET Framework 1.1. It will need to be uninstalled to install .NET Framework 1.1 Service Pack 1. If you want to replace this Hotfix with the version compatible with Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1 Service Pack 1, see the next question.

What components should I have for .NET Framework 1.1, so that I will have the latest patches from Microsoft for the product?

The update path provided by Microsoft for .NET Framework 1.1 Service Pack 1 includes: Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1 (dotnetfx.exe), .NET Framework 1.1 Service Pack 1 (NDP1.1sp1-KB867460-X86.exe), and ASP .NET Hotfix (KB886903), which will show up in the Add/Remove programs dialog as:

Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1 Hotfix (KB886903)

The install link for the KB886903 Hotfix is:

ASP.NET Security Update for Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1 Service Pack 1/ KB886903 (NDP1.1sp1-KB886903-X86.exe):

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=8ec6fb8a-29eb-49cf-9dbc-1a0dc2273ff9&displaylang=en