How to remove .NET from your PC (with registry keys, files, directorys and values; full uninstall)

 

.NET Framework is a software framework developed by Microsoft. It provides a language interoperability across many programming languages.
This KnowledgeBase article describes, how to make a complete uninstallation, in case there were any issues duo to an update or a new installation. We recommend using the 3rd party tool below and EXACTLY follow the Steps below.

The usage of the tool is only recommended, if the installation, uninstallation reprair or patch installation was NOT successful.
It is not just „another uninstall procedure“. 

 

BEFORE you use this guide, please check if the following steps are fixing your problems.

1. Try to repair the program.
 1.1 Go to Add/Remove programs and try to repair the version of the .NET Framework you already have installed.
 1.2 It may be possible that your .NET Version will not be displayed in the Add/Remove programs list. This is usually the case, when the .NET is part of the OS components.

Windows XP Media Center / Tablet versions	.NET Framework 1.0
Windows Server 2003	.NET Framework 1.1
Windows Vista	.NET Framework 2.0, 3.0
Windows Server 2008	.NET Framework 2.0, 3.0
Windows 7	.NET Framework 2.0, 3.0 and 3.5

2. Repair NOT successful
 2.1 If the repair was not successful, please go to the official Microsoft Homepage and download the .NET repair tool.
 2.2 Run the downloaded repair tool.

3. Repair tool was NOT successful
 3.1 When the repair tool was also not successful, please try to uninstall the program via the uninstaller and try to install it again.
 3.2 If there is also a problem with the uninstall/install you have to follow the steps below to try to make your machine „clean“ and then       install it from the bottom. The original Guide can be found here.

 

4. Downloading the cleanup tool: 
The cleanup tool can be downloaded at this location:

4.1 Supported .NET versions:

• .NET Framework – All Versions
• .NET Framework – All Versions (Tablet PC and Media Center)
• .NET Framework – All Versions (Windows Server 2003)
• .NET Framework – All Versions (Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008)
• .NET Framework – All Versions (Windows 7)
• .NET Framework 1.0
• .NET Framework 1.1
• .NET Framework 2.0
• .NET Framework 3.0
• .NET Framework 3.5
• .NET Framework 4
• .NET Framework 4.5
• .NET Framework 4.5.1

These .NET Framework versions are supported. The uninstall tool will also uninstall hotfixes or Service Packs for the .NET Framework.
– Please Note –

The tool will display ALL .NET Framework versions on your PC.
As listed above, on specific Operation Systems, the .NET Framework is part of the OS.

4.2 .NET Versions not able to uninstall

These Versions can not be uninstalled, depending on the Operating System:

Windows XP Media Center / Tablet versions	.NET Framework 1.0
Windows Server 2003	.NET Framework 1.1
Windows Vista	.NET Framework 2.0, 3.0
Windows Server 2008	.NET Framework 2.0, 3.0
Windows 7	.NET Framework 2.0, 3.0 and 3.5

4.2 Silent mode

The .NET Framework cleanup tool supports running in silent mode.  In this mode, the tool will run without showing any UI, and the user must pass in a version of the .NET Framework to remove as a command line parameter.  To run the cleanup tool in silent mode, you need to download the cleanup tool, extract the file cleanup_tool.exe from the zip file, and then run it using syntax like the following:

cleanup_tool.exe /q:a /c:“cleanup.exe /p <Look at 4.1 Supported .NET versions – Name>“

e.g.: cleanup_tool.exe /q:a /c:“cleanup.exe /p .NET Framework 4.5.1″

4.3 Unattended installation mode

Unattended mode requires the user to pass in a version of the .NET Framework to remove as a command line parameter. cleanup_tool.exe /q:a /c:“cleanup.exe /p <Look at 4.1 Supported .NET versions – Name> /u“
For example, if you would like to run the cleanup tool in unattended mode and remove the .NET Framework 1.1, you would use a command line like the following:
cleanup_tool.exe /q:a /c:“cleanup.exe /p .NET Framework 1.1 /u“ 

4.4 Exit codes 

0	cleanup successful for the chosen version
1	cleanup requires admin rights to be successful
2	required cleanup.ini was not found in the same path as cleanup.exe
3	a product name was passed in that cannot be removed because it is part of the OS on the system that the cleanup tool is running on
4	a product name was passed in that does not exist in cleanup.ini
100	cleanup was able to start but failed during the cleanup process
1602	cleanup was cancelled
3010	cleanup completed successfully for the specified product and a reboot is required to complete the cleanup process

4.5 Log files

%temp%\cleanup_main.log  – a log of all activity during each run of the cleanup tool

%temp%\cleanup_actions.log – logs all actions during the removal of each product.

%temp%\cleanup_errors.log  – logs all errors and warnings encountered during each run of the cleanup tool