Today I was attempting to install version 3 of the .NET framework on a Windows XP SP2 machine. I had a heck of a time trying to get this to install. I thought I would run through my steps in case anyone else (or myself later on) could find it useful (all of the failed logs are attached):

1. Attempted to install framework via .NET 3 download from Microsoft
2. The install logged 3 files: VSSWMSIFailInfo.txt (not helpful), VSSWMSIInstallTime.txt (not helpful), VSSWMSISummayr.txt
3. In the summary file I noticed that it said "Windows Communication Foundation -- Installation failed"
4. I happened to find reference in some forums to wcf installation logs being stored in C:\Documents and Settings\[User]\Local Settings\Temp\dd_wcf_retMSI34B1.txt
5. So that told me that the installation of WCF was failing, but all it was giving was a general 1603 error.
6. I found another forum entry that gave reference to a tool to clean the machine of any previous .NET framework version 3 installs. I was fairly certain that was not my issue, but I ran it regardless. It did not find anything: http://download.microsoft.com/download/e/7/a/e7a1e547-b335-4043-b10d-70da84835dca/vs_uninst_winfx.exe
7. Next I looked at the event log to see what was there. A long list of warnings accompanied by an error were happening during the install:
   1. System.InvalidCastException: Specified cast is not valid.
         at System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal.ThrowExceptionForHRInternal(Int32 errorCode, IntPtr errorInfo)
         at System.Management.ManagementScope.InitializeGuts(Object o)
         at System.Management.ManagementScope.Initialize()
         at System.Management.ManagementScope.Connect()
         at System.ServiceModel.Install.WmiInstallComponent.get_IsInstalled()
         at System.ServiceModel.Install.WmiInstallComponent.ApplyNamespaceDacl(OutputLevel outputLevel)
         at System.ServiceModel.Install.WmiInstallComponent.OnInstall(OutputLevel outputLevel)
         at System.ServiceModel.Install.WmiInstallComponent.Reinstall(OutputLevel outputLevel)
         at Microsoft.Tools.ServiceModel.ServiceModelReg.PerformAction(ActionItem actionItem, Nullable`1 confirmUninstall)
         at Microsoft.Tools.ServiceModel.ServiceModelReg.Run(String[] args)
         at Microsoft.Tools.ServiceModel.ServiceModelReg.TryRun(String[] args)
   2. Failure executing "C:\WINNT\system32\wbem\mofcomp.exe" with parameters ""C:\WINNT\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v3.0\Windows Communication Foundation\ServiceModel.mof"": System.ApplicationException: Unexpected result 3 executing C:\WINNT\system32\wbem\mofcomp.exe with "C:\WINNT\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v3.0\Windows Communication Foundation\ServiceModel.mof"
         at System.ServiceModel.Install.InstallHelper.ExecuteWait(String program, String parameters, Int32[] allowedExitCodes)
         at System.ServiceModel.Install.WmiInstallComponent.OnInstall(OutputLevel outputLevel)
   3. A TransportConfiguration node does not exists in the system.web section for protocol msmq.formatname in C:\WINNT\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50727\Config\web.config.
   4. A Protocol node does not exists in the system.web section for protocol msmq.formatname in C:\WINNT\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50727\Config\web.config.
   5. HttpModules node ServiceModel does not exist in System.Web section group.
   6. HttpHandlers node *.svc does not exist in System.Web section group
   7. All compilation assembly nodes do not exist in System.Web section group.
   8. A configuration entry for BuildProvider System.ServiceModel.Activation.ServiceBuildProvider, System.ServiceModel, Version=3.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089 does not exist.
   9. Configuration section system.serviceModel.activation does not exist in C:\WINNT\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50727\Config\machine.config.
   10. Configuration section system.runtime.serialization does not exist in C:\WINNT\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50727\Config\machine.config.
   11. Configuration section system.serviceModel does not exist in C:\WINNT\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50727\Config\machine.config.
8. Next, and the solution, I ran a tool to diagnos issues with WMI (Windows Management Instrumentation Service) http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=D7BA3CD6-18D1-4D05-B11E-4C64192AE97D&displaylang=en (again found in the forums)
9. This gave me a list of errors:
   1. Missing: C:\WINNT\System32\WBEM\wbemsvc.dll
   2. WMI MONIKER CONNECTION errors occured for the following namespaces: Root, 0x1AE - Class doesn't support Automation.
   3. WMI CONNECTION errors occured for the following namespaces: Root, 0x80004002 - No such interface supported.
10. I copied the wbemsvc.dll from another computer that was running fine, restarted the WMI service and reran the installation. This time it worked!

I have attached a zip file containing the diagnostic tool and all of my original log files for reference. I hope this helps others who are struggling with this.

FrameworkInstallErrors.zip (1.17 mb)