Unable to Install .net framework in Windows 2012 server

Question

I was trying to add .net 3.5 features in a (Remote) Windows 2012 server. But I am getting the following exception.

Do you need to specify an alternate source path? One or more installation selections are missing source files on the destination server. The server will try to get missing source files from Windows Update, or from a location that is specified by Group Policy. You can also click the “Specify an alternate source path” link on this page to provide a valid location for the source files.

I have tried to download and install using setup of framework 3.5 and that also failed.

I have seen several workarounds for this from the below URL

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2734782

Is it possible to add .net 3.5 without using Installation media(of OS)

Any help on this would be greatly appreciated.

Huoh

No, it is not. Win 8 has the same 'issue'. – Glacier

I am working on my client's PC as a Remote Machine. What is the best possible method to add .net framework 3.5 – Huoh

Ask them to put the media in the drive? – Glacier

I have solved this by Selecting "Contact Windows Update directly to download repair content instead of Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) " Checkbox in Edit Group policy screen, as suggested in method 2 of the above URL – Huoh

You should post this as the answer :) This question should be on superuser though. – Glacier

Answer 1

I have solved this by Selecting "Contact Windows Update directly to download repair content instead of Windows Server Update Services (WSUS)" Checkbox in Edit Group policy screen, as suggested in method 2 of the above URL

Huoh

The URL from the question (support.microsoft.com/kb/2734782) seems to concern itself mostly with network issues. Can you add all the steps you took to solve this problem in the answer? – Archiplasm

Answer 2

If you changed your installation media path, after installing Windows server, follow the following step:

If you want to specify an alternative source file, in the Alternate source file path box, specify a fully qualified path of a shared folder that contains the contents of the dvd:\sources\sxs folder from the installation media.

Correlation

Answer 3

This may not work for everyone, but worked in my scenario.

I had a server which allowed me to install .NET and another that didn't. I copied the C:\windows\WinSxS\ directory from the working server to C:\WinSxS\ on the non-working server then pointed to this copied directory when it asked for a new source location. It even remembered the location when I went back to install other features.

Cowslip