I don't recall installing this, but I've just noticed the following entries in Add/Remove Programs:

Program Name-------Registry Entry Name

Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1------- Microsoft .NET Framework
Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1------- {CB2F7EDD-9D1F-43C1...
Microsoft .NET F..k 1.1 Hotfix (KB886903)------- M886903

Googling, I found:
"The aspnet_wp or ASP.NET Machine Account is created when the Microsoft .Net Framework 1.1 is installed onto a Windows XP computer. The user is created to run the asp.net worker process used in Microsoft's Internet Information Services, which allows ASP.net to run on your local web server..."

I haven't consciously installed 'Internet Information Services'.

If I use Control Panel > User Accounts, I see only 3 user accounts:

Basic Administrators; Users
Guest Guests
Terry Administrators

But I can see this ASPNET as one of 5 accounts when I use: Run 'control userpasswords2'

User name
Administrator
ASPNET
Basic
Guest
Terry

Q1: What is likely to have installed this Microsoft .NET Framework?
Q2: Why is it duplicated?
Q3: Is it OK to uninstall?
Q4: Will uninstalling remove the ASPNETR user account, or must I remove that separately?

Much appreciate any practical advice please.

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Terry, West Sussex, UK

Hi Terry, nice to see someone joining from West Sussex!

I may well be corrected by someone on this but as I can understand it, it looks as though you have three entries because Windows update has patched the original install of the framework and updated.

The .Net Framework is only very small and is perfectly fine to have installed as it allows you to run newer applications which rely on the new .Net framework on the machine. I would personally not uninstall it.

Thanks for the fast reply. Reckon I can probably relax about it then. Although I'm still curious to know what caused its installation! And despite it being October I'm in a sort of spring-cleaning frame of mind, so getting aggressive towards some of my clutter!

At East Grinstead I'm almost in Surrey & Kent too How about you?


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Terry, West Sussex, UK

Thanks all. Reckon I'll leave it alone then, for the time being anyway. Still curious to know what installed it though!

PC is taking ages to close down, and getting rid of some of any unnecessary stuff is one part of my approach to speeding it up.

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Terry, West Sussex, UK

Puzzle solved. Turns out is was a WU back in February. Summary says:

"Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1 Service Pack 1
Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1 Service Pack 1 resolves various issues
found after the initial release of .NET Framework 1.1. These include
both security- and non-security-related issues. After you install this
item, you may have to restart your computer. Once you have installed
this item, it cannot be removed."

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Terry, West Sussex, UK

Puzzle solved. Turns out is was a WU back in February. Summary says:

Yep as thought

It really is a small world, I'm based in East Grinstead also!

Probably turn out you were that guy in Pizza Express Friday eveining, at the next table by the window!

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Terry, West Sussex, UK

Well not that small a world! I can confirm I was not in Pizza express Friday evening! still nice to see some locals here

Microsoft .NET Framework FAQ

http://www.mvps.org/marksxp/WindowsXP/aspdot.php

What is the ASP.NET Machine Account?

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/de.../faq111700.htm

Thanks Jephree. Have definitely now decided to leave it in place.

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Terry, West Sussex, UK