Open PowerShell as Administrator or Command Prompt as Administrator.
# Example: CAB located in C:\Temp
DISM /Online /Add-Package /PackagePath:C:\Temp\microsoft-windows-netfx3-onDemand-package.cab
Expected output:
Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool Version: 6.3.9600.17031Image Version: 6.3.9600.17031
Processing 1 of 1 - Adding package Microsoft-Windows-NetFx3-OnDemand-Package~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.3.9600.16384 [==========================100.0%==========================] The operation completed successfully.
Restart required? Usually not, but a reboot is recommended for full system consistency.
After installation, verify success using:
Get-WindowsFeature -Name NetFx3 | Format-List Name, InstallState
Expected output: InstallState : Installed
Or check via Registry:
reg query "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\NET Framework Setup\NDP\v3.5" /v Install
Value 0x1 = installed.
Using the microsoft-windows-netfx3-onDemand-package.cab file with DISM is the most reliable method to install .NET Framework 3.5 on Windows Server 2012 R2 in disconnected or update-restricted environments. Always source the CAB directly from official Microsoft media to ensure integrity and compatibility.
Last reviewed: [Date]
Environment: Windows Server 2012 R2 (Standard/Datacenter) x64
A "new" or uncorrupted CAB for Server 2012 R2 should have a digital signature from Microsoft. To verify: Open PowerShell as Administrator or Command Prompt as
dism /online /add-package /packagepath:C:\Temp\NetFx3.cab /quiet /norestart
Alternative DISM command (if the above fails with source issues):
dism /online /enable-feature /featurename:NetFx3 /all /source:C:\Temp /limitaccess
Here, /source points to the folder containing the .cab (not the .cab file itself). /limitaccess prevents DISM from contacting Windows Update.
Instead of searching for a download, users should utilize one of the following three standard methods to enable the feature.
Windows Server 2012 R2 does not include .NET Framework 3.5 full installation files by default. When you install or enable the .NET Framework 3.5 (which includes .NET 2.0 and 3.0), Windows tries to retrieve required files from Windows Update or from local installation media. The package commonly referenced for offline installations is named Microsoft-Windows-NetFx3-OnDemand-Package.cab. This article explains what that CAB is, why you might need it, and how to install .NET Framework 3.5 on Server 2012 R2 from local sources or a network share (without requiring direct internet access). Expected output : Deployment Image Servicing and Management