Microsoft Releases SP1 for .NET/Visual Studio 2008

Nine months after the original release Microsoft have brought out service packs for the .NET framework and for Visual Studio 2008. The framework update is not just for 3.5 but includes SP2 for .NET 2.0 and .NET 3.0 SP2 as well. There is also a vastly reduced .NET Client framework with the bits that clients use and a streamlined installation for client applications as the framework is reduced down from 197MB to 26.5MB.

I installed the Visual Studio 2008 SP1 update which was just a 0.6MB download followed by a much larger one and pulled down the .NET SP1 update as well. That took 6 minutes (fast Internet helps!) but the installation part took about 15 minutes. You can read what's new in the .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 as well as download it. Note that if you have installed any related beta products then you may have to remove them. there is a full download link near the bottom of the page. There are two download links; one for just the .NET Framework SP1, or one for Visual Studio 2008 SP1 which includes the .NET Framework.

• Link to Windows Tools and Utilities Library