AutoCAD 2012 + .NET 4.5 + Hacking the "setup.ini"

One of our more ingenious Product Support Techs figured a workaround for installing AutoCAD 2012 on computers with .NET 4.5 pre-installed.  Please note that AutoCAD 2012 doesn't really support .NET 4.5 so hack with caution...

The Situation:

• Client builds their computers with .NET 4.5 installed.
• Client tries to install AutoCAD 2012 on those computers and it will fail.

Reason:

AutoCAD 2012 tries to install NET 4.0 and when it tries, it fails because .NET 4.5 is already installed. You could uninstall .NET 4.5 and install AutoCAD, but for this user, .NET 4.5 was on the stock machine image.

Solution:

Remove .NET installation by hacking the setup.ini file.

Backup the original setup.ini file and call it setup.ini.bak then use Notepad to edit setup.ini file.

• NOTE:  Editing the setup.ini file from an existing deployment will NOT work.

Locate the line [or search for DOTNET]:

• PREREQUISITE=IE;SSE2;DOTNET20;DOTNET4;DOTNET4LANG; etc….

Delete anything with DOTNET in it.

• DOTNET20;DOTNET4;DOTNET4LANG

Save the file.

Now install or build a deployment with the removed NET pre-requisites. This will allow AutoCAD 2012 to install on a machine with .NET 4.5 already installed. This customized installer will not install .NET.

Please note that AutoCAD 2012 was built for .NET 4.0 and not .NET 4.5.  .NET4.0 is similar to .NET 4.5 so if you experience issues, you may need to install 4.0 at some time in the future.  Please work with caution...

Thanks to David Dembkoski for this tip.

Epilogue

We have now included a Screencast video of the workflow:

https://screencast.autodesk.com/Main/Details/d0666815-9c8e-4457-aa3e-d7bdd26a47ae

Comments

[Adam Hamilton]

With machines with .net 4.5 as a stock image i just use the .NET remover tool and work my way up 12 > 13 > 14 than patch.

nice workaround though i'll keep it in mind where i can't strip 4.5 such as pre-existing conditions.

[Mason Kirby]

I did faced this issue too, I still remember it took me hard to solve this thing. Installing and reinstalling consumed more of my time but finally was happy as it was resolved.