This threadcovers some of the most common FAQs in .NET Framework setup forum.

For Visual Studio setup issues, please visitVisual Studio Setup and Installation forum and refer to Visual Studio Setup Forum FAQs

1. .NET Framework:
   
   1.1 What are the benefits of .NET Framework?
   
   1.2 Where is .NET Framework support lifecycle information?
   
   1.3 Where to find .NET Framework Deployment Guide?
   
   1.4 How to remove .NET Framework?
   
   1.5How to verify .NET Framework installation?
   
   1.6 What is .NET Framework 3.5?
   
   1.7 What are the problems fixed in .NET 2.0/3.0 sp1?
   
   1.8 Where to get .NET Framework Troubleshooting Guide?
   
   1.9 Where to get .NET Framework setup log files?
   
   1.10 What can I do if other .NET Framework setup troubleshooting steps do not help?
   
   
2. General setup troubleshooting:
   
   2.1 How to resolve Common "Windows Installer" Problems?
   
   2.2 What are other useful setup related and troubleshooting tools?

1.1What are the benefits of .NET Framework? [go to catalog]

The Microsoft .NET Framework is a Microsoft Windows component that is available to Windows users through various distribution channels.

These distribution channels include the Microsoft Update Web site and the Microsoft Download Center. This component is also installed on some new computers.

This article reviews the benefits of having the .NET Framework installed on the computer:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/829019

1.2 Where is .NET Framework support lifecycle information? [go to catalog]

.NET Framework 1.0:
http://support.microsoft.com/lifecycle/?p1=1248
.NET Framework 1.1:
http://support.microsoft.com/lifecycle/?p1=1249
.NET Framework 2.0:
http://support.microsoft.com/lifecycle/?p1=8291
.NET Framework 3.0:
http://support.microsoft.com/lifecycle/?p1=12292

For more information, check: Support Lifecycle Index

1.3Where to find .NET Framework Deployment Guide? [go to catalog]

The following thread includes .NET Framework 1.0/1.1/2.0/3.0/3.5 deployment guide:
http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/netfxsetup/thread/dbb5f8c4-919a-4587-a39c-16733311db38/

.NET Framework Version 3.5 Deployment Guide for Application Developers
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc160716.aspx
.NET Framework Version 3.5 Administrator Deployment Guide
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc160717.aspx
.NET Framework Version 3.0 Deployment Guide
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa480173.aspx
.NET Framework Version 2.0 Deployment Guide
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa480237.aspx
.NET Framework Version 1.1 Deployment Guide
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms994339.aspx
.NET Framework Version 1.0 Deployment Guide
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms994336.aspx

NOTE:
.NET Framework Version 1.0 is part of the Tablet/Media Center Windows OS.
.NET Framework version 1.1 is part of the Windows2003 Server OS.
.NET Frameworks Version 2.0 and Version 3.0 are part of Windows Vista OS.

For further reading and additional ideas for deploying the .NET Framework, see http://blogs.msdn.com/astebner/articles/574618.aspx

1.4 How to remove .NET Framework? [go to catalog]

If you cannot remove .NET Framework in Add/Remove Program, it’s recommended to use .NET Framework cleanup tool.
Update July,2009: Updated versions of .NET Framework cleanup and verification tools with Windows 7 support: http://blogs.msdn.com/astebner/archive/2009/07/27/9850215.aspx

http://blogs.msdn.com/astebner/archive/2007/12/04/6659905.aspx(old)

2.1 How to resolve Common "Windows Installer" Problems? [go to catalog]

The link below will help you to resolve common Windows Installer problems:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555175

• msiinv.exe :
  http://www.huydao.net/setup/msiinv.zip
  
  This tool (which stands for MSI Inventory) wraps some of the publicly documented MSI APIs to provide information about the state of all Windows Installer products, features and components that Windows Installer thinks are installed on your computer.
  
  For more information, see: http://blogs.msdn.com/astebner/archive/2005/07/01/using-msiinv-to-gather-information-about-what-is-installed-on-a-computer.aspx
  
  
• Windows Installer Cleanup Utility:
  http://download.microsoft.com/download/e/9/d/e9d80355-7ab4-45b8-80e8-983a48d5e1bd/msicuu2.exe
  
  Withthe Windows Installer CleanUp Utility, you can remove a program's Windows Installer configuration information. You may want to remove the Windows Installer configuration information for your program if you experience installation (Setup) problems.
  
  For more information, see:
  Description of the Windows Installer CleanUp Utility http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290301
  
  

• .NET Framework cleanup tool:
  http://astebner.sts.winisp.net/Tools/dotnetfx_cleanup_tool.zip
  
  Itis used to clean up .NET Framework.
  
  For more information, see: http://blogs.msdn.com/astebner/archive/2007/12/04/6659905.aspx
  
  

• Collect.exe:
  http://blogs.msdn.com/heaths/attachment/8483493.ashx (new version)
  http://astebner.sts.winisp.net/Tools/Collect.zip (old version)
  
  It’s used to collect the log information.
  
  It is a Win32 console application, so you can extract it from the zip file and double-click on it to run it. It will create a file named %temp%\vslogs.cab on your system after it has gathered all of the log files.
  
  Note - after the tool finishes running, you can get to your %temp% folder to find the file vslogs.cab by clicking on the Start menu, choosing Run, typing %temp% and clicking OK.
  (While running the collect tool, it may take some time to collect log files on your machine, please be patient.)
  
  For more information, see:
  http://blogs.msdn.com/heaths/archive/2008/05/09/visual-studio-and-net-log-collection-utility.aspx (new version)http://blogs.msdn.com/astebner/archive/2007/08/01/4172276.aspx (old version)
  
  May 20, 2009, Update: A new collect tool is introduced at http://blogs.msdn.com/heaths/archive/2008/05/09/visual-studio-and-net-log-collection-utility.aspx
  It can also deal with Visual Studio 2010 Beta 1 and .NET Framework 4.0 Beta 1 setup logs.

• As for other tools there are more on:
  http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sysinternals/default.mspx
  
  Such as Process Explorer, Process Monitor, Register Monitor, Autoruns are very useful.
  See:
  Sysinternals Process Utilities: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/cb56073f-62a3-4ed8-9dd6-40c84cb9e2f5.aspx
  Sysinternals File and Disk Utilities: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb545046.aspx