I'm trying to setup an Exchange 2013 SP1 Edge Server on a Windows Server 2012 R2 platform. Taking a look over the prerequisites here, it's obvious that .NET Framework 4.5.2 is needed. However if one starts the Exchange setup, without installing this particular version, it will complete successfully based on the .NET Framework 4.5 that ships with Windows Server 2012 R2.

So is the Microsoft prerequisites article somehow pointing to a recommended version, taking into account issues with .NET 4.5 such as this one ? Or is simply a mistake on that page and in fact it should read .NET Framework 4.5 ?

I'm trying to setup an Exchange 2013 SP1 Edge Server on a Windows Server 2012 R2 platform. Taking a look over the prerequisites here, it's obvious that .NET Framework 4.5.2 is needed. However if one starts the Exchange setup, without installing this particular version, it will complete successfully based on the .NET Framework 4.5 that ships with Windows Server 2012 R2.

So is the Microsoft prerequisites article somehow pointing to a recommended version, taking into account issues with .NET 4.5 such as this one ? Or is simply a mistake on that page and in fact it should read .NET Framework 4.5 ?

You should be at CU8. Does that fail if 4.5.2 is not installed? I havent tested that. Regardless, 4.5.2 definitely needs to be on there.

Hi Albert,

Thank you for your question.

By my testing, we could use .Net 4.5 to install Exchange 2013 CU8 without any problems.

Because .net 4.5.2 is the lasted version, Microsoft recommend we use .Net 4.5.2 for Exchange 2013 installation. Net4.5.2 is compatible with .Net 4.5.

If there are any questions regarding this issue, please be free to let me know.

Best Regard,

Jim

Andy - I'm deploying the standard SP1 image (knows as CU4 from what I understand). With the default .Net 4.5.1 in Server 2012 R2 ("[...]Windows Server 2012 R2 includes .NET Framework 4.5.1" in this article) the role successfully installs, and basic checks like a simple Get-Queue run successfully. Same story while deploying an Exchange 2013 SP1 Mailbox role.

Jim - indeed it's installing, but I don't figure out why the official MS instructions state otherwise.

MS is saying that it is best to have the latest .NET framework on the Exchange server. It will still let you install it. But not having 4.5.2 on the server, you "might" run into issues.

You dont have to install 2013 CU4, you can straightaway install the latest CU. It is not like the service pack milestones in previous versions. Every CU is a full 2013 binaries set. CU9 is the latest for 2013.

Andy - I'm deploying the standard SP1 image (knows as CU4 from what I understand). With the default .Net 4.5.1 in Server 2012 R2 ("[...]Windows Server 2012 R2 includes .NET Framework 4.5.1" in this article) the role successfully installs, and basic checks like a simple Get-Queue run successfully. Same story while deploying an Exchange 2013 SP1 Mailbox role.

Jim - indeed it's installing, but I don't figure out why the official MS instructions state otherwise.

When Cu4 was released, I don't think they were officially recommending or supporting .net 4.5.2.

Regardless, it needs to be on there now with the latest CU.

You can verify with:

https://gallery.technet.microsoft.com/office/Exchange-2013-Performance-23bcca58