Microsoft KB Archive/329191

= HOW TO: Deploy the .NET Framework by Using Active Directory =

PSS ID Number: 329191

Article Last Modified on 4/29/2003

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The information in this article applies to:


 * Microsoft Visual Studio .NET (2002), Professional Edition
 * Microsoft Visual Studio .NET (2002), Enterprise Architect Edition
 * Microsoft Visual Studio .NET (2002), Enterprise Developer Edition
 * Microsoft Visual Studio .NET (2002), Academic Edition

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This article was previously published under Q329191



IN THIS TASK

 * SUMMARY
 * Requirements
 * Extract Dotnetfx.exe
 * Create the .NET Framework Package
 * Verify the Active Directory Package
 * Install the .NET Framework Package
 * REFERENCES



SUMMARY
This step-by-step article describes how to use Microsoft Active Directory to deploy the Windows Installer Setup package for Dotnetfx.exe on a network. You can use Active Directory to deploy programs if you have administrator rights on a network. Verify that all the network computers have the basic configuration requirements before you install Dotnetfx.exe.

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Requirements
The following list outlines the recommended hardware, software, network infrastructure, and service packs that you must have on all the network computers:
 * Microsoft Windows Installer 2.0

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Extract Dotnetfx.exe
To deploy the .NET Framework, you must extract Dotnetfx.exe. To do this, follow these steps:  At a command prompt, change the directory to C:\. Create a directory named Dotnetfx by typing the following command:

mkdir dotnetfx

 Download Dotnetfx.exe to the C:\Dotnetfx directory. To download Dotnetfx.exe, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/downloads/default.asp?url=/downloads/sample.asp?url=/msdn-files/027/001/829/msdncompositedoc.xml

 Extract the files to the Dotnetfx directory by typing the following command:

dotnetfx.exe /T:C:\dotnetfx /C

 Close the command prompt window. Move the Dotnetfx directory to the server that you want to use to deploy Dotnetfx.exe.</ol>

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Create the .NET Framework Package
After you extract Dotnetfx.exe, create an Active Directory Package for the .NET Framework. To do this, follow these steps:
 * 1) Click Start, point to Programs, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Active Directory Users and Computers.
 * 2) In Active Directory Users and Computers, right-click Domain Controllers, and then click Properties.
 * 3) Click the Group Policy tab.
 * 4) Click Edit. The Default Domain Controllers Policy dialog box appears.
 * 5) Under Group Policy, there are two ways to set the configuration policy:
 * 6) * You can set policies for computers (regardless of the user) by using Computer Configuration.

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 * 1) * You can set policies for the user (regardless of the computer) by using User Configuration.
 * 2) Under Configuration, expand Software Settings.
 * 3) Right-click Software Installation, point to New, and then click Package.
 * 4) In the File Selection dialog box, locate the Dotnetfx directory, click Netfx.msi, and then click OK. The Package dialog box appears.
 * 5) Click to select Advanced or Published or Assigned, and then click OK.
 * 6) Click to select either auto install or publish, depending on how you want to deploy Dotnetfx.exe.
 * 7) * When you select the auto install option, the program is automatically installed on all the computers in the domain.
 * 8) * When you select the publish option, the program is added to the list of available products.
 * 9) Click OK.
 * 10) Close Active Directory Users and Computers.

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Verify the Active Directory Package
When you have completed the setup of the .NET Framework in Active Directory, verify that the package is available. To do this, follow these steps:
 * 1) Log on to any computer in the domain.
 * 2) Click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then click Add or Remove Programs.
 * 3) In Add or Remove Programs, click Add New Programs. The .NET Framework install package appears in the list of available programs.
 * 4) If the .NET framework install package does not appear in the list of available programs, the package is not configured correctly in Active Directory. Open Active Directory Users and Computers, and then double-click the package to reconfigure it.

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Install the .NET Framework Package
When you select publish while you are creating the .NET Framework package in Active Directory, the package is added to the list of programs that are available to computers in the domain. To install the .NET Framework in Active Directory, follow these steps:
 * 1) Click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then click Add or Remove Programs.
 * 2) In Add or Remove Programs, click Add New Programs.
 * 3) Select the .NET Framework package from the list of available programs, and then click Add. Follow the instructions to install the program.

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