Is there a command line command for verifying what version of .NET is installed

I have set of scripts for doing scripted installs. You can use the scripts on any server 2008 machine. However, I need to check if .NET 3.5 has been installed (before the scripts run) using a dos batch file. Is that possible?

I know I can check if a file in the C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v3.5 exists, but it would be nice to have something a little more reliable.

I would like to check if it's actually installed, not just if the dir/file exists.

Thanks

Since you said you want to know if its actually installed, I think the best way (short of running version specific code), is to check the reassuringly named "Install" registry key. 0x1 means yes:

C:\>reg query "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\NET Framework Setup\NDP\v3.5"| findstr Install

   Install     REG_DWORD       0x1
   InstallPath REG_SZ  c:\WINNT\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v3.5\

This also happens to be the "Microsoft Recommended" official method.

WMI is another possibility, but seems impractical (Slow? Takes 2 min on my C2D, SSD). Maybe it works better on your server:

C:\>wmic product where "Name like 'Microsoft .Net%'" get Name, Version

Name                                                Version
Microsoft .NET Compact Framework 1.0 SP3 Developer  1.0.4292
Microsoft .NET Framework 3.0 Service Pack 2         3.2.30729
Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 SP1                    3.5.30729
Microsoft .NET Compact Framework 2.0                2.0.5238
Microsoft .NET Framework 4 Client Profile           4.0.30319
Microsoft .NET Framework 4 Multi-Targeting Pack     4.0.30319
Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 Service Pack 2         2.2.30729
Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1                        1.1.4322
Microsoft .NET Framework 4 Extended                 4.0.30319

C:\>wmic product where "name like 'Microsoft .N%' and version='3.5.30729'" get name

Name  
Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 SP1

Other than these I think the only way to be 100% sure is to actually run a simple console app compiled targeting your framework version. Personally, I consider this unnecessary and trust the registry method just fine.

Finally, you could set up an intranet test site which is reachable from your server and sniffs the User Agent to determine .NET versions. But that's not a batch file solution of course. Also see doc here.

You mean a DOS command such as below will do the job displaying installed .NET frameworks:

wmic /namespace:\\root\cimv2 path win32_product where "name like '%%.NET%%'" get version

The following may then be displayed:

Version
4.0.30319

WMIC is quite useful once you master using it, much easier than coding WMI in scripts depending on what you want to achieve.

Unfortunately the best way would be to check for that directory. I am not sure what you mean but "actually installed" as .NET 3.5 uses the same CLR as .NET 3.0 and .NET 2.0 so all new functionality is wrapped up in new assemblies that live in that directory. Basically, if the directory is there then 3.5 is installed.

Only thing I would add is to find the dir this way for maximum flexibility:

%windir%\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v3.5

You can write yourself a little console app and use System.Environment.Version to find out the version. Scott Hanselman gives a blog post about it.

Or look in the registry for the installed versions. HKLM\Software\Microsoft\NETFramework Setup\NDP

If you're going to run a little console app, you may as well install clrver.exe from the .NET SDK. I don't think you can get cleaner than that. This isn't my answer (but I happen to agree), I found it https://stackoverflow.com/questions/139891/140816#140816">here</a>;.

REM Search for the CONFIG file, if this doesn't exit then the user doesn't have the .Net framework 2.0 `

SET FileName=%windir%\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50727\CONFIG
IF EXIST %FileName% GOTO INSTALL_DIALER
ECHO.You currently do not have the Microsoft(c) .NET Framework 2.0 installed.

This is working for me:

@echo off
SETLOCAL ENABLEEXTENSIONS

echo Verify .Net Framework Version

for /f "delims=" %%I in ('dir /B /A:D %windir%\Microsoft.NET\Framework') do (
    for /f "usebackq tokens=1,3 delims= " %%A in (`reg query "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\NET Framework Setup\NDP\%%I" 2^>nul ^| findstr Install`) do (
        if %%A==Install (
            if %%B==0x1 (
                echo %%I
            )
        )
    )
)

echo Do you see version v4.5.2 or greater in the list?

pause

ENDLOCAL 

The 2^>nul redirects errors to vapor.

you can check installed c# compilers and the printed version of the .net:

@echo off

for /r "%SystemRoot%\Microsoft.NET\Framework\" %%# in ("*csc.exe") do (
	set "l="
	for /f "skip=1 tokens=2 delims=k" %%$ in ('"%%# #"') do (
		if not defined l (
			echo Installed: %%$
			set l=%%$
		)
	)
)

echo latest installed .NET %l%

the csc.exe does not have a -version switch but it prints the .net version in its logo. You can also try with msbuild.exe but .net framework 1.* does not have msbuild.

you can have a look to this page for .NET 4 : http://www.itninja.com/question/batch-script-to-check-and-install-dotnet4-0