Do the configuration clients require .NET Framework, or is .NET Core or .NET 5+ enough?#

Question#

Can the Windows configuration clients run with only the newer .NET runtime installed, such as .NET Core, .NET 8, or .NET 10?

Answer#

No. The Windows configuration clients require Microsoft .NET Framework 4.7.2 or a newer .NET Framework 4.x release.

.NET Framework 4.x is a Windows-only runtime family. .NET Core and .NET 5+ are a different cross-platform runtime family.

.NET 5+ continues the .NET Core line under a new name. It is not a newer version of .NET Framework 4.x.

Installing only .NET Core or .NET 5+ does not satisfy a .NET Framework requirement.

Details#

For these products, the requirement applies to the Windows configuration client. The background service is a separate component.

If you deploy only the background service on a target system, the Configuration Client is not required on that system. In that case, this .NET Framework requirement applies where the Configuration Client is installed and used, not to the service-only target.

The following satisfy this requirement:

  • .NET Framework 4.7.2

  • .NET Framework 4.8

  • .NET Framework 4.8.1

The following do not satisfy this requirement on their own:

  • .NET Core 3.x

  • .NET 5

  • .NET 6

  • .NET 8

  • .NET 10

Action path#

  1. Check whether the system has .NET Framework 4.7.2 or a newer .NET Framework 4.x release installed.

  2. If it is missing, install .NET Framework separately or allow the product installer to add the required Framework components.

  3. If the system only has .NET Core or .NET 5+, do not assume that the configuration client can run.