Windows – .Net Framework 4.7.2 does not seem to “include” frameworks below 4.6.2

.net frameworkcrashfile-corruptionwindows 10

Whenever I boot my PC, my computer responds with dialogue boxes.

Desktop screen after around 30 seconds, 4.5 crash

Now, this happened since after updating my PC. (Around late 2019, November 2019 update) I updated my win10 after a long while and restarted it. And it broke some applications. And I can not run some applications any more, some of which I need to continue programming.

I uninstalled 4.8 (the .NET FW installed when things started breaking) and ran multiple .Net FW runtime installers on my pc, hoping that I could fix it. And for FWs below and at .Net 4.7.2, I got

Install Block

And that makes sense. Net FW 4.x Runtimes usually include the ones below it. So if I had .Net 4.7.2, then it would include versions 4.0 through 4.7.2. But that was not my case.

Versions

Application for detecting versions: http://www.asoft.be/prod_netver.html

Notice that I only have FWs 4.6.2 – 4.7.2. It does not look like including all other versions. No wonder the 4.6.1-and-below applications are crashing on me.

Here is an example of a 4.6 FW crashing

.NET FW 4.6 crash

(I already showed you a 4.5 crash). Here is one where the 4.0 crashes

.NET FW 4.0 crash

No crashes from 4.6.2-4.7.2.

It seems I don't have .Net FW 4.6 and below, which means that I would have to reinstall them. But I cannot reinstall them, as 4.7.2 is already built-in and thus cannot be removed.
It is possible for the version detector to have flaws in detecting the lower versions (e.g. 4.5, 4.6) if the versions exist. Knowing why would shed light on how the other applications can't detect it.

.NET 4.8 not detected on Windows 10 says to do a wipe, but
I saw this post Non-technical person facing technical issues with .Net framework
and downloaded from the second link provided in the (unaccepted) answer. Installed it (2015-2019) successfully, but doesn't seem to work as well.

Why would 4.7.2 not include 4.6?

(Note: My actual version is 4.8, but I was able to downgrade to 4.7.2 by uninstalling it.)

(Note: I reinstalled 4.8, and after running the same checking procedure, still the same issue. Stick to 4.7.2 for now.)

(Note: The applications that crash are not my VS projects. They are applications like DropBox, Atom, CMake, etc. which I do not suppose I have permission to modify the code to target .Net 4.8 or 4.7.2 and have the skills to do so.)


potentially relevant:

64-bit OS, x64-based processor

Windows 10 Home Single Language, Windows v1803

OS build 17134.407

Dell

Best Answer

Install a feature update, which can solve the problem. And because moving to 1903 will replace a lot of files, it will fix this issue.


If the PC does not detect the update: Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter in Troubleshoot Settings to find and fix updating problems. Re-run it if you will retry the troubleshoot.

Then check for updates. (You may wait for an automatic detection otherwise)

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