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Using .NET Framework 4 with Applications Built on Earlier Versions

  • Article

Platform

Clients - Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7
Servers - Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2

Feature Impact

Severity - Low
Frequency - High

Description

The .NET Framework 4 is highly compatible with applications that are built by using earlier .NET Framework versions. The primary changes in .NET Framework 4 are to improve security, standards compliance, correctness, reliability, and performance.

However, .NET Framework 4 does not automatically use its version of the common language runtime (CLR) to run applications that are built by using earlier versions of the .NET Framework.

Manifestation

If you built an application by using an earlier .NET Framework and a user opens that application on a computer that has both .NET Framework 4 and the earlier version of the .NET Framework installed, the application uses the earlier CLR version.

However, if the .NET Framework 4 is the only runtime version that is installed on the computer, the application throws an exception and asks the user to install the runtime version that you built the application against.

Solution

To run applications that are built with earlier .NET Framework versions with .NET Framework 4, you must compile your application to target the .NET Framework 4 version by specifying it in the properties for your project in Microsoft Visual Studio, or you can specify .NET Framework 4 in the <supportedRuntime> element in an application configuration file.

For more information about how to migrate to the .NET Framework 4, see Migration Guide to the .NET Framework 4 and Version Compatibility in the .NET Framework.

Compatibility Tests

After you make the changes, test your application to make sure that it runs correctly. You can test compatibility as described in the .NET Framework 4 Application Compatibility topic.

If your application or component does not work after .NET Framework 4 is installed, submit a bug through the Microsoft Connect website.