I'm writing an MSI-based installer for Windows 7 and 8 (x86 and x64) that tries to install .Net framework 3.5 to make sure that all installed parts work (some are based on .Net 2.0). Additionally, during installation no internet connection should be needed.
Since Windows 7 already comes with .Net 3.5, only Win8 is the problem:
I tried to embed the "full redistributable package of .NET framework 3.5 SP1" into my setup, which still always requests a download. To simplify things, I proceeded with installation tests using only the pure dotnetfx35.exe. But also in this case, every installation attempt, without or with options "/q" and/or "lang:ENU" on English Windows 8 and 8.1 systems (VM) required a connection to the internet ("Download and Install..."), leading to a setup failure if no internet connection is available.
The tips in Aaron Stebner's blog ("Scenarios where .NET Framework 3.5 setup tries to connect to the Internet and how to avoid them") that I found mentioned in some parts of this forum don't seem to apply:
- I haven't found any prerequisites needed for .Net 3.5 in Win 8/8.1 (and I don't want users to activate the Feature On Demand .net Framework 3.5 because it again seems to require an internet connection or an OS installation source)
- This is an English OS AND I specify /lang:ENU, which should avoid any download of language packs
- I didn't specify the /web command line switch
So now, I'm at my wits' end.
Is there really no way to allow an msi-based installer to install .Net 3.5 on Windows 8.x without an internet connection?