Microsoftâ€@trade;s .NET Framework is software designed to help PCs connect to one another, and many programs rely on it. If something goes wrong with your .NET installation, youâ€@trade;ll have trouble. Each version of the .NET Framework is largely incompatible with the last, so this is a rare case where upgrading isnâ€@trade;t necessarily a good idea.

If this error happens on a home PC and you know you donâ€@trade;t need the .NET Framework installed, click Start, expand Settings, click Control Panel, and double-click Add/Remove Programs. In Windows XP click Start and Control Panel and double-click Add Or Remove Programs. Scroll down the list until you find the entry for the .NET Framework and uninstall it. If an important program on your PC requires the .NET Framework in order to run, visit http://msdn.microsoft.com/netframework and download the necessary version. To find older versions, such as 1.0, expand the Previous Versions link on the left, expand the entry for the version you want to download, and click Technology Updates. Links appear that let you download the software and any necessary Service Packs.