Developing WPF app - any way to optimize .NET install?

Question

I'd love to use WPF for a consumer app. However, some real world tests are not very encouraging. On several high-end computers I've tested, the .NET 3.5 installation has taken 15-20 mins to complete. I've seen reports online mentioning 50 mins.

When Vista marketshare is at 70%, this subject will be moot. Until then, reality is that the majority of consumers are on XP and will need a .NET 3.5 install. Adding 15-20 mins (at best) to the install of a consumer app is simply unacceptable.

1) What the frack is the .NET installer taking so long for?

2) Is there any way to optimize the .NET install?

Oh, and I know about the .NET Client Profile. Doesn't improve the situation much.

Answer 1

1. Its big.
2. Using the MS supplied web install is the best cause it only installs what it needs (but thats still big)

Only option is to only detect its not there and warn the user and ask them to install it. Only the first 3.5 app is affected. All others will be speedy.

Apparently, all supported OSs will be rolled out to this over time using Windows Update and Services Packs and the like.

Answer 2

I believe that the Client Profile is as good as it gets. I'm surprised to hear that it doesn't help.

Answer 3

The .Net framework installs a lot of files on the PC and if you're using the online version, many of those files are downloaded from the Internet. What you should do is provide the FULL .Net framework installer with your program. If you're distributing it on a CD the 197 MB file shouldn't be a big problem.

This file should install the framework in 3-4 minutes because it doesn't have to download anything. This is the link to the file: http://download.microsoft.com/download/6/0/f/60fc5854-3cb8-4892-b6db-bd4f42510f28/dotnetfx35.exe

I don't think you can do anything to change the basic install time (whether it's 1 minutes or 10). If you really want to do something, then there's only one alternative (in my knowledge). Buy one of the EXE packagers that will include .Net in the executable, and create a virtual environment. There's one called Xenocode (http://www.xenocode.com/), that does this.

Hope this helped.