Environment.Version returns a version number not matching the "version name"

Question

Upon running this code:

foreach (string drive in Environment.GetLogicalDrives())    
    Console.WriteLine("Drive: {0}", drive);

    Console.WriteLine("OS: {0}", Environment.OSVersion);
    Console.WriteLine("Processor count: {0}", Environment.ProcessorCount);
    Console.WriteLine(".NET version: {0}", Environment.Version);

I get

enter image description here

When I downloaded and started the .NET installer, I was told that the 4.5 version was already installed. Is there a difference between the version name, and the actual version number?

Jon Skeet · Accepted Answer · 2013-02-12T18:06:08.067

4

Yes - basically .NET 4.5 is an in-place replacement for .NET 4.0, so Environment.Version will return the same version number for the first 3 parts. The build part of the version number (18010 in your case) is different between .NET 4.0 and .NET 4.5 (and potentially updates to each) but the major/minor/patch level is 4.0.30319 in both cases.

It's confusing as heck, but that's the situation, I'm afraid.

edited Feb 12 '13 at 18:06

answered Feb 12 '13 at 17:05

Jon Skeet

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It was part of a tutorial code sample, not really my code. I just copied and pasted it in here. Thanks. – programstinator Feb 12 '13 at 17:23
@Goran_Mandic: You might want to find a better tutorial ;) – Jon Skeet Feb 12 '13 at 17:26
@Jon_Skeet It seems there was no curly braces in the code and I added them for some reason. The tutorial is not the blame. I have edited the code accordingly. – programstinator Feb 12 '13 at 18:05
1

@Goran_Mandic: Makes sense :) Will remove the comment from my answer. – Jon Skeet Feb 12 '13 at 18:06
Environment.Version does not return the .NET Framework version number for the first 3 parts. But it return CLR version. – ligand May 06 '21 at 03:37

score 2 · Answer 2 · edited May 23 '17 at 10:32

2

.NET 4.5 is a drop-in replacement for 4.0 - the version number is indeed what you see.

Check the versions of the assemblies in the reference assemblies directory.

edited May 23 '17 at 10:32

Community

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answered Feb 12 '13 at 17:05

Oded

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score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Nov 28 '19 at 10:27

Starting with .NET Core 3.0 (and .NET Standard 2.1) situation is changed and now Environment.Version working properly.

System.Console.WriteLine($"Environment.Version: {System.Environment.Version}");

// Old result
//   Environment.Version: 4.0.30319.42000
//
// New result
//   Environment.Version: 3.0.0

See documentation for further information.

Environment.Version returns a version number not matching the "version name"

3 Answers3