DocumentationELS for Runtimes.NET
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.NET

Endless Lifecycle Support (ELS) for .NET from TuxCare provides security fixes for .NET that has reached its end of life. This allows you to continue running .NET applications without vulnerability concerns, even after official support has ended.

Supported Versions

Windows Version.NET 6.NET 8.NET 10Architectures
Nano Server 2019, 2022✓✓✓x64
Nano Server 2025—✓✓x64
Windows 11 (24H2, 23H2, 22H2 E/Edu)✓✓✓x64
Windows 10 (22H2)✓✓✓x64
Windows Server 2025—✓✓x64
Windows Server 2022, 2019, 2016, 2012-R2, 2012✓✓✓x64, x86
Windows Server Core 2022, 2019, 2016, 2012-R2, 2012✓✓✓x64, x86

Other versions and architectures available upon request. Contact sales@tuxcare.com for more information.

Available Runtimes

Choose the component that fits your use case. For more details, refer to the official .NET documentation. TuxCare applies security patches to .NET for the above OS versions, ensuring continued stability and security even beyond the official end-of-life date.

The .NET SDK (Software Development Kit) is the recommended option if you plan to develop, build, test, or publish .NET applications. It includes the .NET Runtime (required to run .NET apps), the ASP.NET Core Runtime (for hosting web applications out of the box), and the .NET CLI and build tools for compiling and managing your projects.

With the SDK, you won't need to install separate runtimes for ASP.NET Core or the Desktop environment - everything is bundled together to streamline development and deployment.

Installation

Prerequisites

  • A supported Windows version — see the compatibility table above
  • Administrator rights
  • Secure download link (tokenized URL) — contact sales@tuxcare.com to receive instructions for generating one
  • Check if .NET is already installed — open Command Prompt (cmd) or PowerShell and run:
    dotnet --version
    If .NET is already installed, the command will return the version number. If it's not installed, you'll see an error message. Install the latest version of .NET before uninstalling the old one to ensure a smooth transition without breaking the dependencies.

The following steps use the .NET SDK installation as an example. If you are installing a runtime instead, follow a similar process using the corresponding .msi file.

  1. Download the installer

    Use your tokenized URL to access the download page. Choose the appropriate runtime (SDK, Runtime, Desktop Runtime, or ASP.NET Core Runtime) and download the installer for your architecture (x64 or x86). Downloading the latest version is recommended.

    The .NET SDK is installed via an .exe installer. The .NET Runtime, Desktop Runtime, and ASP.NET Core Runtime are installed via .msi files.

    In certain versions of some browsers (for example, Edge), you might see a warning after downloading. In this case, manually allow the download.

  2. Run the installer

    Double-click the downloaded file. Accept the license agreement and click Install.

    image

  3. Complete the installation

    Wait for the process to finish, then click Close.

  4. Verify the installation

    Open Command Prompt or PowerShell and run:

    dotnet --version

    Example output:

    6.0.429

  5. Create and run a test project

    Create a new console application to confirm everything works:

    dotnet new console -o MyTestApp

    Example output:

    Welcome to .NET 6.0!
---------------------
SDK Version: 6.0.429

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
The template "Console App" was created successfully.

Processing post-creation actions...
Running 'dotnet restore' on C:\Users\user\MyTestApp\MyTestApp.csproj...
  Determining projects to restore...
  Restored C:\Users\user\MyTestApp\MyTestApp.csproj (in 115 ms).
Restore succeeded.

    Navigate to the folder and run it:

    cd MyTestApp
dotnet run

    Expected output:

    Hello, World!

Additional configurations

Useful commands

  • where.exe dotnet — locates the dotnet executable on the system:

    where.exe dotnet

    Example output:

    C:\Program Files\dotnet\dotnet.exe

  • dotnet --info — displays information about installed SDKs, runtimes, and your OS:

    dotnet --info
    Example output
    .NET SDK (reflecting any global.json):
Version:   6.0.429
Commit:    ef6f5ce48c

Runtime Environment:
OS Name:     Windows
OS Version:  10.0.22631
OS Platform: Windows
RID:         win10-x64
Base Path:   C:\Program Files\dotnet\sdk\6.0.429\

global.json file:
  Not found

Host:
  Version:      6.0.36
  Architecture: x64
  Commit:       N/A

.NET SDKs installed:
  6.0.429 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\sdk]

.NET runtimes installed:
  Microsoft.AspNetCore.App 6.0.36 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\shared\Microsoft.AspNetCore.App]
  Microsoft.NETCore.App 6.0.36 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\shared\Microsoft.NETCore.App]
  Microsoft.WindowsDesktop.App 6.0.36 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\shared\Microsoft.WindowsDesktop.App]

Download .NET:
  https://aka.ms/dotnet-download

Learn about .NET Runtimes and SDKs:
  https://aka.ms/dotnet/runtimes-sdk-info

  • dotnet --list-sdks — lists all installed SDKs. Uninstall old versions after installing a new one:

    dotnet --list-sdks

    Example output:

    6.0.429 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\sdk]

Uninstallation

  • Via Windows Settings

    Open Settings → Apps → Installed Apps (or Apps & Features on older versions). Search for .NET SDK or .NET Runtime depending on what you've installed. Click on each entry and select Uninstall.

    During the uninstall, a "Files in use" window can appear. Select the "Do not close applications. A reboot will be required" option and click OK to proceed.

    A dialog window will appear. Click Uninstall. It should take a few minutes. When the process is finished, close the window.

    Uninstalling via Windows Settings

  • Via Control Panel

    Open Control Panel → Programs → Programs and Features. Search for .NET SDK or .NET Runtime, right-click on each entry and select Uninstall.

    During the uninstall, a "Files in use" window can appear. Select the "Do not close applications. A reboot will be required" option and click OK to proceed.

    A dialog window will appear. Click Uninstall. It should take a few minutes. When the process is finished, close the window.

    Uninstalling via Control Panel

  • Remove remaining files

    After uninstalling .NET some files may remain in C:\Program Files\dotnet\ and C:\Users\<user>\.dotnet\. Delete these folders manually to fully remove .NET.

Frequent Issues

  • How do I update .NET if a new version is released?

    Currently, to update .NET, you need to manually download the latest installer and follow the installation steps described above. After installing the new version, it's recommended to remove the previous one. In the future, an automatic update mechanism for the components will be provided.

  • What should I do if there are conflicts during installation?

    If you encounter conflicts, try uninstalling the previous version before installing the new one. In most cases, .NET versions can coexist without issues, but removing the older version may help resolve compatibility problems.

What's next?

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