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I have read here http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=5765d7a8-7722-4888-a970-ac39b33fd8ab that to instal .NET 4.0 CP (client profile) you must have WinXP SP3 or above. This is somewhat worrying to me as there are many people on SP2 or below.

Is there any way I can run a .NET 4.0 app on any version of Windows xp and above? (without worrying about which service packs they have)?

If not, what about .NET 3.5, 3.0 or 2.0?

My questions are the following:

  1. How low do I need to go in my .NET Framework version choice to ensure compatibility for WinXP SP2 or above?

  2. How low do I need to go in my .NET Framework version choice to ensure compatibility for WinXP (no service packs) or above?

Erx_VB.NExT.Coder
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    Don't forget that Microsoft have officially stopped support for XP SP2 [see here](http://support.microsoft.com/gp/windowsxpsp2), so (simplistically speaking) people should be upgrading to at least SP3. – ChrisF Nov 17 '10 at 12:14
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    What is worrying to *me* is that many are on XP SP2 or below. – Fredrik Mörk Nov 17 '10 at 12:15
  • @Erx_VB.NExT.Coder This is one of those cases where it would be good if the best answer was the correct one... – Jeremy Thompson Jan 02 '13 at 06:01
  • Why some are playing the the role of the wall between knowledge and us ? Is stackoverflow a place of caprice? I am searching a knowledge about this subject and it's closed! – Ismail Gunes Jan 16 '15 at 14:29
  • I am voting to reopen this question as the accepted answer is simply wrong and I have the test case to prove it on standby at work. – Joshua Mar 20 '15 at 02:44

3 Answers3

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  • .NET 4.0 requires XP SP3, Win2k3 SP2, Vista, 7, or 2008(R2)
  • .NET 3.5 requires XP SP2 or newer.
  • .NET 2.0 requires Win2K SP(3?) or newer.

Incidentally, XP SP2 is no longer supported. (also; all versions of Win2K, and Vista XP1)

Andrew Barber
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  • Does this require download and installation of .Net, or is the the version that is bundled with the SP? – IAmGroot Dec 07 '12 at 10:22
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    @Doomsknight The Operating System services packs noted above do not include the versions of the .NET Framework noted; they must be downloaded separately. – Andrew Barber Dec 07 '12 at 10:24
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.NET 3.5 will give you compatibility with XP SP2. If you want compatibility with any level of XP, you need to go all the way back to .NET 2.0.

.NET 3.5 requirements can be found here: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc160717(VS.90).aspx

.NET 3.0 requirements can be found here: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa480198.aspx

madisonw
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As far as I know, 3.5 was the last version to support WinXP SP2.

Andy Johnson
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