.net framework annoying at startup

[ImnoGuru]

Hello and thank you for having a look to see if you can help with my problem.

This little laptop has a ".net framework" box appear every time it starts up, plus a second box saying much the same thing after clicking "OK" on the first. The error screen says "sprtcmd.exe .NET Framework Initialization Error.  To run this application you must instal one of the following versions of .net framework. V4.0.30319.
Contact your application publisher for instructions about obtaining the appropriate version. "

I have tried to download the suggestions outlined here, but after having installed the correct (?) file, the start up still comes up with the ".net framework" wont work box, see administrator blab blah blah.

This computer is a Dell Inspiron , 1440 with Windows Vista Home Premium SP 1.  64 bit O/S with an Intel Core Duo (Tm) CPU.

It doesnt seem to affect anything I use this computer for, its just an annoyance that  occurs EVERY time I want to use this computer.

Can someone please let me know how I might be able to fix this error box coming up all the time.

Thank you. ImnoGuru.

[TechnoGeek]

Hello ImnoGuru,

First uninstall all versions of the .NET Framework through add/remove programs and restart the computer.

Then download these in this order:
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=17113 <-- .NET framework 4 Client Profile

if that doesn't work, try adding:
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=17851 <-- .NET framework 4 Full Version

another thing: did this always happen or was it after a certain program installation?

[ImnoGuru]

Thanks TechnoGeek for the reply.
I will have a shot at installing that after I remove the program and let you know how it turns out.

I am not actually certain, but I believe that it was after an install.

Just checked all the programs added to this computer and I was wondering if this sort of problem shows up after any particular installs that you might know of? Say for google updates or IE perhaps?

Hmm when I went to uninstall it... there are three .nets(s). The primary says it is 3.5 SP1 and not 4 as I was led to believe.

[hartbeatmr]

Good evening ImnoGuru and welcome back to CH

I have been down this road before and can be a pain 

This guy "Aaron Stebner's" makes a verification tool and he also has a removal UT as well. Both of them work really good and are very quick when you can round and round when you get a .net errors. The verification tool works all the way from 1.0 to 4.5 http://blogs.msdn.com/b/astebner/archive/2008/10/13/8999004.aspx

Hope this helps, Mike

[Computer_Commando]

...First uninstall all versions of the .NET Framework through add/remove programs and restart the computer...

You still need the old versions.  Later versions do not replace the earlier ones.

[TechnoGeek]

You still need the old versions.  Later versions do not replace the earlier ones.

Some of them do. I pretty sure 3.5 included 2.0 and 3.0 when it was installed.
On windows vista/7, certain versions are included in the operating system and can't be removed through add/remove programs anyway.

[patio]

Nope...

[Salmon Trout]

In general, you should not uninstall any versions of the .NET Framework that are installed on your computer, because an application you use may depend on a specific version and may break if that version is removed. You can load multiple versions of the .NET Framework on a single computer at the same time. This means that you can install the .NET Framework without having uninstall previous versions.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/bb822049.aspx

[TechnoGeek]

Nope...

Who/what was this addressed to?

In general, you should not uninstall any versions of the .NET Framework that are installed on your computer, because an application you use may depend on a specific version and may break if that version is removed. You can load multiple versions of the .NET Framework on a single computer at the same time. This means that you can install the .NET Framework without having uninstall previous versions.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/bb822049.aspx

I agree, removing the .net framework can cause applications to no longer run. Not knowing at the time of my post what versions he had installed, I had to assume it was a broken install of version 4.0, so I suggested a reinstall of everything to try to repair it.

ImnoGuru: if you already have/had .net 3.5, you may not need to uninstall it, but just install the 4.0 from my previous links. If you already uninstalled it, you can re-install 3.5 from this link:
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=22
Because you have windows vista, .net 3.0 is installed already and you shouldn't have to worry about it.

[patio]

It was addressed to this ::

Some of them do. I pretty sure 3.5 included 2.0 and 3.0 when it was installed.

[BC_Programmer]

.NET 3.5 and 3.0 use the .NET 2.0 CLR and the .NET 3.5 and 3.0 Class Libraries are a superset of .NET Framework 2.0 Class Libraries. Installing .NET framework 3.5 SP1 allows you to run .NET framework 2.0 applications.

[quaxo]

Not to repeat BC, but to add to what he said, 3.5 includes everything for 3.0 and 2.0 programs to run. If you have 3.5, it's not necessary to have 3.0 or 2.0.

However, versions 1.1 and 4.0-4.5 are done differently and operate separately from 2.0-3.5.

If you install 1.1, 3.5, and 4.0 (or the newer 4.5), you technically would have everything covered. 1.1 probably isn't necessary though unless you're running an old program dependent on 1.1.

Versions and dependencies:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb822049.aspx

System requirements:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/8z6watww

More info:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.NET_Framework

[ImnoGuru]

My thanks to everyone that posted to my problem. I am sorry to have been so long in trying some of the fixes that were suggested. I dont get as much free time for this sort of thing right now. I am looking after a lady that has some extreme health issues.

I have read through the replies and found some conflicting with other posters.
So I had to read them through more thoroughly to know where I was going with trying to fix my laptop.

Thank you hartbeatmr for the link to Aaron Stebner's Weblog page, I downloaded and used the verification tool. I think from the logs I generated, that my version is ".Net Framework 3.5 SP1". Below is a small copy of the last few lines of the log. ( I had to run them all again today to get a copy to show you)


[10/25/12,16:28:28] Section [Registry GE - .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 (Wow6432Node)] - stop parsing entries
[10/25/12,16:28:28] Section [Files - .NET Framework 3.0 SP1AndLater (Common)] - start parsing entries
[10/25/12,16:28:28] Section [Files - .NET Framework 3.0 SP1AndLater (Common)] - stop parsing entries
[10/25/12,16:28:28] Processing custom action 'Custom Action - .NET Framework 2.0 test application'
[10/25/12,16:28:28] ExecutablePath = 'Netfx20TestApplication.exe'
[10/25/12,16:28:28] FriendlyName = '.NET Framework 2.0 test application'
[10/25/12,16:28:28] TimeoutSeconds = '300'
[10/25/12,16:28:28] WaitOnExit = 'true'
[10/25/12,16:28:28] Silent = 'true'
[10/25/12,16:28:28] Launching process 'Netfx20TestApplication.exe' now
[10/25/12,16:28:28] Process successfully launched. Waiting 300 seconds for it to complete.
[10/25/12,16:28:28] Process 'Netfx20TestApplication.exe' exited with return code 0
[10/25/12,16:28:28] Not running action 'Files - .NET Framework netfxperf.dll' for product '.NET Framework 3.5 SP1' because the OS condition does not match
[10/25/12,16:28:28] Verification succeeded for product .NET Framework 3.5 SP1

I tried ".Net framwork 4 Client" and it failed producing this log:

[10/25/12,16:48:55] Section [Registry - .NET Framework 4 Client (Wow6432Node)] - stop parsing entries
[10/25/12,16:48:55] Processing custom action 'Custom Action - .NET Framework 4.0 test application'
[10/25/12,16:48:55] ExecutablePath = 'Netfx40TestApplication.exe'
[10/25/12,16:48:55] FriendlyName = '.NET Framework 4 test application'
[10/25/12,16:48:55] TimeoutSeconds = '300'
[10/25/12,16:48:55] WaitOnExit = 'true'
[10/25/12,16:48:55] Silent = 'true'
[10/25/12,16:48:55] Launching process 'Netfx40TestApplication.exe' now
[10/25/12,16:48:55] Process successfully launched. Waiting 300 seconds for it to complete.
[10/25/12,16:48:55] ****ERROR**** Process 'Netfx40TestApplication.exe' exited with return code -2146232576
[10/25/12,16:48:55] ****ERROR**** Verification failed for product .NET Framework 4 Client.

Then tried ".Net Framework Full", producing another fail with this log:

[10/25/12,16:51:10] Section [Registry - .NET Framework 4 Client (Wow6432Node)] - stop parsing entries
[10/25/12,16:51:10] Processing custom action 'Custom Action - .NET Framework 4.0 test application'
[10/25/12,16:51:10] ExecutablePath = 'Netfx40TestApplication.exe'
[10/25/12,16:51:10] FriendlyName = '.NET Framework 4 test application'
[10/25/12,16:51:10] TimeoutSeconds = '300'
[10/25/12,16:51:10] WaitOnExit = 'true'
[10/25/12,16:51:10] Silent = 'true'
[10/25/12,16:51:10] Launching process 'Netfx40TestApplication.exe' now
[10/25/12,16:51:10] Process successfully launched. Waiting 300 seconds for it to complete.
[10/25/12,16:51:10] ****ERROR**** Process 'Netfx40TestApplication.exe' exited with return code -2146232576
[10/25/12,16:51:10] ****ERROR**** Verification failed for product .NET Framework 4 Client.

Stebner's verification tool, read me file, says to look for these error explanations in the log "****ERROR****" & they are looonnng log files. He could have told us they would be at the very end & to look there. Hahahaha

Thanks also to Computer_Commando, I would not have known that newer versions would not cover the older versions as well, so I didnt remove anything with the "Add/ Remove" function. I wasnt game to remove something, then find out I actually needed it for some other program to run.
Many thanks also to Salmon Trout, TechnoGeek, patio, BC_Programmer & quaxo for your explanations, clarity and links to the requirements of my system and links that explained what goes where.

Its great to have people such as yourselves together in this forum and with the depth of your knowledge to help us mere mortals. Thank you for your dedication.

Next I tried the repair tool Salmon Trout suggested and ran that. It doesnt seem as though it repaired the problem though.
So I thought I might have done something wrong with it and downloaded it again today and ran it again. I havent tested whether it is fixed yet though because I am in here at the moment. (Lets hope it worked) I'll let you know.

The funny thing with this .Net error box I keep getting is, that I dont even know what program uses it or needs  it...

Thanks for your help today. ImnoGuru.

[jason2074]

sprtcmd.exe

If its a startup error, unchecked or disable the start-up services named Dell Support Center. Other possible information http://www.file.net/process/sprtcmd.exe.html

[ImnoGuru]

Well that answer, as to whether it is fixed or not,.. is NO

Thanks jason2074 for your reply also. I had a look at the Dell Support Center & while trying to uncheck it, I also had a look at some of the features in there that might help me. There are repair and diagnostic features, but when run none of them found any problems.

As advised earlier I am going to try to install .Net version 4 from the links provided before I go to disabling Dell Support Center.