How to Get Download or Enable .NET Framework on Windows 8

In this computer world, most of computer applications running on Windows Operation System are made in Microsoft’s Visual Studio. So to run s software made in Visual Studio needs their .NET Framework. In former Operating System before Windows 8 like Windows Vista, Windows 7, etc, .NET Framework will install during Operation System installation. So, there is no need to install .NET Framework on suchOperation System after OS installation. But in Windows 8, OS will not install .NET Framework duringOperating System installation. So we have to install .NET framework after OS installation.

There are two methods to install .NET framework on your Windows8. One is downloading .NET framework as online from Microsoft’s web server. Second method is enabling .NET framework using a Windows 8 image file or DVD.

Method 1:

How to Enable .NET Framework as Online in Windows 8

• If any of your software needs the .NET framework to install or run, then proceed the steps to install.NET framework and complete the installation.

OR

• Open Control Panel and click on ‘Program and Features’ (Programs / Uninstall or change a program). You can choose this shortcut to open ‘Program and Features’ 
• Click on ‘Turn Windows features on or off’ option (from left top)

• From given Windows Feature list, first item is .NET Framework 3.5 (includes .NET 2.0 and 3.0)
• Put a dot to enable .NET framework by clicking on that squire. 

• Now Windows will start the procedure to download .NET framework 3.5 from Microsoft’s server.
• Continue and download .NET framework and install… (You need internet connection)

Advantages of this method:

• Simple to install
• Only an internet connection needed.

Disadvantages of this method:

• Internet connection needed
• If your internet connection is slow, then downloading process will take much time even many hours.
• If your Windows 8 is not a genuine OS, then Microsoft may block your Windows.

Mothod 2:

How to Enable or Get .NET Framwork on Windows 8 as Offline

We saw the first method need fast internet connection. It is not available in all places among this world.
So this second method is very suitable for such conditions. We saw during Windows 8 installation, the .NET framework will not installed, but Windows 8 setup contains .NET framework. So this method is installing that .NET framework to your installed Windows 8 using your Windows 8 DVD or iso image.

Here you need the image file (like iso, nrg, etc) or DVD of your Windows 8. If you are using DVD, then put it into your DVD drive, if you are using image file then mount it. Now this example shows how to install .NET framework using an iso image file.

• We opened PowerISO software to mount the iso image. (PowerISO is not a freeware, you can use these free software to mount your iso image file: DVDFab Virtual Drive, WinCDEmu, Alcohol 52% Free Edition, MagicDisc, SlySoft Virtual CloneDrive, ImDisk, ISODisk, etc)
• Open -> Select ISO image of Windows 8.

• Now click on ‘Mount’ button and ‘Mount image to Drive[F:]<No media>’. Now an ‘Open’ window will open, just click on ‘Open’. Done

• Now you can see a new drive on your Computer (My Computer). Here drive letter is ‘F’, remember this.

• Now open Computer (My Computer), and go to this location: C:\Windows\System32 . Now find ‘cmd’ or ‘cmd.exe’ [Command Prompt]. 
• Right click on it. From given context menu, click on ‘Run as Administrator’.

• Then command prompt will open. Now copy this line of command from here:

 Dism.exe /online /enable-feature/featurename:NetFX3 /Source:F:\Sources\sxs /LimitAccess

Be sure the source drive letter is same to your mounted drive, here mounted drive is F. So we used source as F:\Sources\sxs. If your mounted drive is E, then change this to: F:\Sources\sxs (Just paste to a notepad file, then change F:\Sources\sxs as per your mounted drive)

Now your updated command line may like this: 

Dism.exe /online /enable-feature /featurename:NetFX3 /Source:D:\Sources\sxs /LimitAccess

-Where D is your mounted drive

OR

Dism.exe /online /enable-feature /featurename:NetFX3 /Source:E:\Sources\sxs /LimitAccess

-Where E is your mounted drive

• Now recopy the updated command line.
• Right click on your cmd (command prompt) click on ‘Paste’. 
• Then Press Enter key.

Within one minute, your .Net framework will enable 100%.

Now if you check again your Windows Features, you can see the .NET framework as enabled.

To get the full functions of enabled .NET framework, you have to restart your Windows.

Troubleshoots:

• An error shows:

Enabling feature(s)
[==========================65.8%========================]
Error: 14003
The referenced assembly is not installed on your system.
The DiSM log file can be found at C:WindowsLogsDISMdism.log

Solution:

We think this error is due to mounting problem. Use iso image instead of Windows DVD setup.
If you extracting your iso file using any extractor (like WinRar or ISO Buster), then you may face this error. So you should mount your iso file using any ISO mounting software like powerISO.

• Another error:

[===========================65.8%====== ]
Error: 0x800f081f
The source files could not be found.
Use the “Source” option to specify the location of the files that are required to restore thefeature. For more information on specifying a source location, see http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=243077.
The DISM log file can be found at C:WindowsLogsDISMdism.log

OR

Error: 0x800f0906
The source files could not be downloaded. Use the “source” option to specify the location of the files that are required to restore the feature. For more information on specifying a source location, see http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=243077.
The DISM log file can be found at C:WindowsLogsDISMdism.log