.NET Framework 3.5 is a crucial component for running legacy applications on Windows Server 2022. In this blog post, we will walk you through the steps to install .NET Framework 3.5 using the “Server Roles” method in Server Manager.

Step 1: Open Server Manager

1. To start, open a Command Prompt with administrative privileges. You can do this by pressing Windows + X and selecting “Windows Terminal (Admin)” or “Command Prompt (Admin).
2. In the command prompt, type the following command to launch Server Manager:
   servermanager

3. Press Enter to open Server Manager.
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Step 2: Add the .NET Framework 3.5 Feature

1. In Server Manager, click on “Manage” located in the top-right corner.
2. From the dropdown menu, select “Add Roles and Features.”
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4. This will open the “Add Roles and Features Wizard.” Click “Next” on the “Before you begin” page.
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6. On the “Installation Type” page, choose “Role-based or feature-based installation” and click “Next.”
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8. On the “Server Selection” page, make sure your server is selected and click “Next.”
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10. On the “Server Roles” page, you don’t need to select any server roles. Simply click “Next.”
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12. On the “Features” page, scroll down until you find “.NET Framework 3.5 (includes .NET 2.0 and 3.0).” Check the box next to it.
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14. A pop-up window will appear, asking if you want to specify an alternate source path. If you have the Windows Server 2022 installation media, you can specify it here. If not, let it access Windows Update and click “Specify an alternate source path.”
15. If you choose to specify an alternate source path, provide the path to the source files from the installation media or an accessible network share. Click “OK” and then “Install” to confirm.
16. Click “Next” to proceed.
17. On the “Confirmation” page, review your selections, and then click “Install” to initiate the installation process.
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19. Wait for the installation to complete. Once it’s finished, you’ll see a message indicating “Installation succeeded.”
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Step 3: Verify Installation

After the installation is complete, you can verify that .NET Framework 3.5 is installed by running the following PowerShell command:

If it’s installed correctly, you should see a result indicating that the feature is installed.

Step 4: Restart the Server (if necessary)

In some cases, a server restart might be required to complete the installation. You can use the following PowerShell command to restart:

Conclusion

You’ve successfully installed .NET Framework 3.5 on Windows Server 2022 using the “Server Roles” method in Server Manager. This framework is essential for running legacy applications that rely on .NET 3.5. Make sure to test your applications to ensure they’re functioning as expected.