.NET Framework - Game won't launch past first time setup

[TTV / JustJamieTV]

I'm getting an issue whenever I try to launch Stardew Valley (a game that launched fine in the past and recently) where Steam tries to run the first time setup and it gets stuck on the Microsoft .NET framework install.

The progress bar doesn't move even if I leave it for a long time. I've been through multiple guides online to try and fix the problem but so far none have proved successful.

I already have .net framework installed on my PC (both versions 3.5 and 4.8). I've tried removing and re-adding these to the PC but this hasn't helped. I've tried verifying the integrity of the game.

Any advice on what I can do to fix this problem?

Thanks in advance

[Arg0n]

Found this https://steamcommunity.com/app/413150/discussions/0/1697174779853469734/ thread. Maybe it helps :x

[Satoru]

Run the dot net manually, it will gnerally tell you a reason why it failed

dot net failing usually means your system itself is in a bad state

[TTV / JustJamieTV]

Originally posted by Satoru:

Run the dot net manually, it will gnerally tell you a reason why it failed

dot net failing usually means your system itself is in a bad state

Could you advise how I can run dot not manually to check?

[Arg0n]

Just run the installation while .NET is already installed. That is what is happening in the background basically. The installer should detect that .NET in the required version is already present and just go on.

[TTV / JustJamieTV]

Originally posted by Arg0n:

Just run the installation while .NET is already installed. That is what is happening in the background basically. The installer should detect that .NET in the required version is already present and just go on.

Weirdly when I download the .net installer from the Microsoft website and then try to run it nothing happens. I get the prompt pop up from Windows asking if I want to allow it to make changes to my device and then nothing.

Any ideas on what I can try to fix this?

[Satoru]

Originally posted by blurry:

Originally posted by Arg0n:

Just run the installation while .NET is already installed. That is what is happening in the background basically. The installer should detect that .NET in the required version is already present and just go on.

Weirdly when I download the .net installer from the Microsoft website and then try to run it nothing happens. I get the prompt pop up from Windows asking if I want to allow it to make changes to my device and then nothing.

Any ideas on what I can try to fix this?

that seems odd, you might want to check your event viewer to see if anything is going on

I would also run a full windows update as well

[Arg0n]

There's a microsoft website which explains why it could be blocked: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/framework/install/troubleshoot-blocked-installations-and-uninstallations

This should be your reason:

.NET Framework 4.5.x/4.6.x/4.7.x (ENU) or a later version is already installed on this computer.

But I'm not sure where you can see these "messages" normally. I would expect an UI prompt, but in your case nothing happens... and when an external process tries to run it, it get's stuck.... hmmm

I had these kind of issues with other software because I'm running a business Windows 10 version with no feature updates, but only security. But I don't think you are as crazy as I am o.O

There's also a repair tool from microsoft: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/framework/install/repair
Maybe this can do anything.

[TTV / JustJamieTV]

Originally posted by Arg0n:

There's a microsoft website which explains why it could be blocked: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/framework/install/troubleshoot-blocked-installations-and-uninstallations

This should be your reason:

.NET Framework 4.5.x/4.6.x/4.7.x (ENU) or a later version is already installed on this computer.

But I'm not sure where you can see these "messages" normally. I would expect an UI prompt, but in your case nothing happens... and when an external process tries to run it, it get's stuck.... hmmm

I had these kind of issues with other software because I'm running a business Windows 10 version with no feature updates, but only security. But I don't think you are as crazy as I am o.O

There's also a repair tool from microsoft: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/framework/install/repair
Maybe this can do anything.

I've finally managed to fix the problem! Thanks so much for your help and Satoru too! In case anyone else comes across this problem in the future here's what I did:

I think there were a few problems, when using the event viewer I noticed a recurring issue showing a 'bad block' on one of my drives. After some research I applied a fix through the cmd prompt to resolve the bad block.

Once the bad block was fixed and I tried to use repair tool (which previously would not open) this now launched and found two problems which it resolved.

I tried to launch the game after this but the same issue occurred. I then ran through the repair tool again but once it 'resolved' the same problems I went into my Windows settings and manually removed and then re-added all .NET features through the Turn Windows Features On and Off section.

I then tried to launch the game again and it worked. (a side note, from the short time after the fix that I've been using the PC things also seem to be noticeably faster, launching apps, etc.)

Again, thanks for everyone's help here!

[MonkehMaster]

seems the issue was fixed? but something not mentioned...

dotnet framework 4.8 is the last dotnet version available and backwards compatible to all the older versions.

also, stardew valley uses "desktop runtime 5" (newer version of dotnet framework), which was told to stardew valley players by the dev when he did an update a long time ago.

[Satoru]

Originally posted by MonkehMaster:

seems the issue was fixed? but something not mentioned...

dotnet framework 4.8 is the last dotnet version available and backwards compatible to all the older versions.

also, stardew valley uses "desktop runtime 5" (newer version of dotnet framework), which was told to stardew valley players by the dev when he did an update a long time ago.

The game has an older 32 bit compatibility version that runs on XNA and dot net 4. Beta branches can’t launch redists so the game must install them as part of a pre install of the base game

[MonkehMaster]

Originally posted by Satoru:

Originally posted by MonkehMaster:

seems the issue was fixed? but something not mentioned...

dotnet framework 4.8 is the last dotnet version available and backwards compatible to all the older versions.

also, stardew valley uses "desktop runtime 5" (newer version of dotnet framework), which was told to stardew valley players by the dev when he did an update a long time ago.

The game has an older 32 bit compatibility version that runs on XNA and dot net 4. Beta branches can’t launch redists so the game must install them as part of a pre install of the base game

then simply install xna (3/3.1/4.0 refresh, make sure to check for updates on them) and be sure to have dotnet 4.8 installed and the game shouldnt need to pre-install anything.

i dont use the beta option (tho i did know about it) and mods for the game have updated (when the change hit) and dont use the 32bit stuff anymore, so i dont think there are any mods left that run on that version.