CMS Author MikeRivers Posted February 14, 2013 CMS Author Share Posted February 14, 2013 The goal (this is the audio part): To install the Focusrite Forte Control Panel and DriverThe system: Windows XPThe problem that should be simple to solve: The Focusrite stuff, for some reason, requires .NET_Framework 3.5. I have 3.0 on the studio computer.So why not just download and install 3.5? It won't install. The reason it won't install, and I get this from the hard-to-find error log, is that it's trying to first uninstall all previous versions of .NET_Framework and it cant. It's looking in the wrong place for the .msi file that has the uninstaller. It says that it's a network resource and is unavailable. Would I like to tell it to look in another location? So I find the file myself (on the computer's hard drive), enter its location, and it tells me the same thing. : Round and round we go. There were hints that it was also trying to uninstall verision 1.1 and 2.0. I tried uninstalling them from the Windows Control Panel (Add/Remove programs) and got the same results - can't find the .msi file, not even when I tell it where it is.So I try Revo Uninstaller which starts out using the standard Windows uninstall (which it can't find either), and then searches out the disk, including registry entries, for any remains of the programs. Usually it's just a few. It's never failed me yet. But this time, since it couldn't run the uninstall, it gave me a whole bunch of things to delete. I let it do it, and then the program appeared to be gone. Still, the NET-Framework 3.5 tried to uninstall it, failed, and gave up.So I searched the web and found a tool that claimed to absolutely remove .NET_Framework, all versions up through 3.5. I ran that (even after deleting all the files and folders that Revo indicated has parts of the program), it said the uninstall was successful, and still the new version didn't go.Fortunately, the computer is still working. I don't want to uninstall Version 3 since I know I have a couple of programs that I use regularly that depend on it. I'm afraid that if I uninstall the version I'm using, I won't be able to install another copy.So what's next? Please don't tell me to do a clean Windows install. I think I have a "restoration" disk for this computer, but it's at least 4 years old so there would be a whole lot of updating to do if I could get it to re-install. And even then, unless I reformatted the disk and started from scratch, it might still not get rid of what's getting in the way.It's enough to drive me to getting a Mac! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members nat whilk II Posted February 14, 2013 Members Share Posted February 14, 2013 I won't lay claim to being a really smart windows expert - but I have solved a zillion problems by trial and error (which is typically the way the really smart guys do it, too.) One possibility - the network resource message might be triggered by the fact that some networking process is running all the time in the background (whether you're on the internet or not) and the uninstaller just sees that and thinks it's a no go for precautionary reasons. In your shoes, I'd go into msconfig and turn off everything that loads at boot that you can without losing critical functioning. Then if you can, download the upgrade file (instead of installing direct from the internet) and then get off the internet and reboot. Then do the ctrl-alt-delete and look at Task Manager and turn off anything else that looks it's running unnecessarily. Then install the upgrade from the downloaded file, staying off the internet in the meantime. A similar technique would be to reboot into Safe Mode and run with minimal drivers and try the uninstall/install procedure from Safe Mode. Hope this helps - nat whilk ii Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members techristian Posted February 14, 2013 Members Share Posted February 14, 2013 You could also try re-installing V3.0 again. Possibly a file or library is missing. Then try uninstall again and then install V3.5.That is one approach that has worked for me sometimes. The link below may also help.http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_other-windows_update/windows-xp-wont-install-microsoft-net-framework-35/15182299-0fc7-4c82-b541-ba6a9985a019 Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMS Author MikeRivers Posted February 14, 2013 Author CMS Author Share Posted February 14, 2013 nat whilk II wrote: In your shoes, I'd go into msconfig and turn off everything that loads at boot that you can without losing critical functioning. Then if you can, download the upgrade file (instead of installing direct from the internet) and then get off the internet and reboot. Then install the upgrade from the downloaded file, staying off the internet in the meantime.The only way I can find to install it involves the Internet. You download a file which looks at your system and then goes out to the Internet to get what it needs. At one point it says it has what it needs and it's OK to disconnect from the Internet. I tried that (unplugged the LAN cable so it wasn't even connected to other systems on my local network, but still the same result. Maybe there's an enterprise installer somewhere but I looked and couldn't identify it. Seems like there should be a way to just blast it in and then do the housekeeping afterward. It occurred to me to try installing it in safe mode but I haven't tried that yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bookumdano3 Posted February 14, 2013 Members Share Posted February 14, 2013 So what's next? Please don't tell me to do a clean Windows install. I think I have a "restoration" disk for this computer, but it's at least 4 years old so there would be a whole lot of updating to do if I could get it to re-install. Okay.. I won't suggest a clean install. But that's as I ask myself... why why why did he not want to do a clean XP install that woulda been completely done two days ago .. and with the totally easy, transparent install of .net(s) too. If I can do a clean xp install (last xmas) on a lowly Gateway PII from 1998.. anyone can do it. It's not like it took me more than a couple of hours... even with cumulative updates that go all the way back to the previous century.Despite my ghost images after install, I often do a clean xp install on a "newly" incorporated "old" pc.. just did the one before xmas.. totally easy... .net.. easy and flawless (grab all the versions to date to install.. from dot net 1 onward). As you already know.. installs are mindless affairs after you do them a bunch of times.... no biggie.. and you may just feel better after a clean install anyway. I don't really think you're gonna find unpleasant surprises. And yes, many programs are built around specific versions of .net, so it's always great to have all of them as part of your clean install. If another .net version crops up for one of your fav programs five years from now, just do another clean xp install then... it's not like you have to do this every year.As an aside, I bought an extra "full" win xp factory cd on Craigslist at Thanksgiving time for $35. Just to have a few extra licenses.... not that msft is caring that much any more when doing the online activate thingee. If you want a new xp cd (genuine).. they're not hard to find to buy.As another aside.. what I consider a very valuable aside.... the wonderful wonderful msfn forums (not affiliated with the other accronym msft) is a fantastic place for direct links to anything you need for any microsoft os ever invented. If you don't see the link you need in a flash, a quick post to the forum gets a reply quickly. Fantastic bunch of guys there. There is NO microsoft update you can not find via those forums.. even if microsoft seems to no longer have stuff or updates are tucked away in random corners of the earth... you'll never lack for any MS update at those unofficial-official forums.Anyway.. good luck on all the workarounds you do and hope you get things happenin'. To me though.. this is like the old joke where a guy is running a vacuum cleaner over and over and over on a piece of string on the floor and the vacuum won't suck it up. After awhile, he stops, picks up the string to take a look at it.. then places it on the carpet... and continues to run the vacuum (unsuccessfully) over the string for another ten minutes. And finally, if you are really tempted to go to Applestronimcalbucks computers rather than do a clean install of win xp... well... that is indeed the kind of situation Apple LOVES to draw new customers from (I didn't want to do a clean XP install so I bought an Apple computer and now life will be cool) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMS Author MikeRivers Posted February 14, 2013 Author CMS Author Share Posted February 14, 2013 OK, I confess. I've never done a "clean install" and I don't know how to do it. I'm not even sure I have a disk from which I can install. I don't lose these things, but I may not have received one with this particular computer, which came with Windows XP already installed.Besides, this is taking a sledgehammer to a job that should only require a light tap. But apparently nobody know what to tap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMS Author MikeRivers Posted February 15, 2013 Author CMS Author Share Posted February 15, 2013 Problem solved. A real expert (one who recognized MY problem and didn't tell me to ditch the system and start over) pointed me to an obsolete and buried but still available serious removal tool for Microsoft programs, including NET Framework. It worked to remove the persnickety NET Framework 3.0 and then 3.5 was able to install successfully. But really, the joke's sort of on me. All this NET Framework bit was on a computer with Windows XP. I happened to be browsing the brief quick start guide that came with the Forte interface and under "Computer Requirements" it started with Vista. I guess it isn't really supposed to work under XP, but I can now confirm that it does, though I've not yet really put it through the wringer.Another thing that I learned in my quest is that the standard Windows 7 installation includes NET Framework 3.5, though you have to take a side step to find it listed. I guess that's why nothing that wanted it complained when installed on the Win7 computer.Computers - we learn something new about them every day, whether we want to or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Anderton Posted February 16, 2013 Members Share Posted February 16, 2013 Okay, I'm a little late to the thread...I had a similar problem happen when I couldn't install Kontakt 5.0.3 because Windows wouldn't let me uninstall 5.0.2. I found Microsoft's Fix it center, which has a utility for fixing install/uninstall problems. I selected uninstall and ran the utility. I asked it to give me an option of specifying which program was causing the problem. I specified Kontakt 5 and FixIt uninstalled it properly. I then re-installed Kontakt from the Komplete 8 drive, applied the update, and Kontakt 5 updated to 5.0.3 without problems. I was pretty impressed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Anderton Posted February 16, 2013 Members Share Posted February 16, 2013 "Computers - we learn something new about them every day, whether we want to or not." Great line. I tweeted it (with attribution, of course). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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