HookshotBuilder incorrectly requests .NET Desktop Runtime Fresh download of the official v2.1.0 HookshotBuilder.exe displays: "You must install .NET Desktop Runtime to run this application." The dialog reports: #2423

Closed

opened 2026-11-11 18:24:47 +00:00 by Cutter81 · 2 comments

Cutter81 commented

2026-11-11 18:24:47 +00:00

(Migrated from github.com)

Builder version

v2.1.0

How you built

Hookshot Builder app (Windows)

Game files given to it

A .nup

The error

v2.1.0 HookshotBuilder incorrectly requests .NET Desktop Runtime
Fresh download of the official v2.1.0 HookshotBuilder.exe displays:
"You must install .NET Desktop Runtime to run this application."
The dialog reports:

Architecture: x64
App host version: 8.0.33

However, .NET 8 Desktop Runtime 8.0.34 is installed and correctly registered.
The installed builder is located in:
%LOCALAPPDATA%\HookshotBuilder\versions\v2.1.0\HookshotBuilder
Its HookshotBuilder.runtimeconfig.json declares:

Microsoft.NETCore.App 8.0.33
Microsoft.WindowsDesktop.App 8.0.33

under includedFrameworks, indicating a self-contained deployment.
However, the application directory contains only:

HookshotBuilder.exe
HookshotBuilder.dll
HookshotBuilder.deps.json
HookshotBuilder.runtimeconfig.json
HookshotBuilder-Setup.exe
LICENSE
tools/

It does not contain the expected self-contained runtime files, including coreclr.dll, hostfxr.dll, and hostpolicy.dll.
The project file specifies SelfContained=true for Release builds.
This appears to be a discrepancy between the intended self-contained publish configuration and the files actually distributed in v2.1.0.
Could the release packaging/publishing workflow be checked?

Visual Studio or Build Tools version, and Windows SDK version

No response

Operating system and free space on the output drive

Windows 11 24h2, 210 gb free

Before you send it

I'm on the newest release, or it still fails on it.
I searched the open issues for this error.
I'm not attaching game files or anything built from them.

### Builder version v2.1.0 ### How you built Hookshot Builder app (Windows) ### Game files given to it A .nup ### The error ```text v2.1.0 HookshotBuilder incorrectly requests .NET Desktop Runtime Fresh download of the official v2.1.0 HookshotBuilder.exe displays: "You must install .NET Desktop Runtime to run this application." The dialog reports: Architecture: x64 App host version: 8.0.33 However, .NET 8 Desktop Runtime 8.0.34 is installed and correctly registered. The installed builder is located in: %LOCALAPPDATA%\HookshotBuilder\versions\v2.1.0\HookshotBuilder Its HookshotBuilder.runtimeconfig.json declares: Microsoft.NETCore.App 8.0.33 Microsoft.WindowsDesktop.App 8.0.33 under includedFrameworks, indicating a self-contained deployment. However, the application directory contains only: HookshotBuilder.exe HookshotBuilder.dll HookshotBuilder.deps.json HookshotBuilder.runtimeconfig.json HookshotBuilder-Setup.exe LICENSE tools/ It does not contain the expected self-contained runtime files, including coreclr.dll, hostfxr.dll, and hostpolicy.dll. The project file specifies SelfContained=true for Release builds. This appears to be a discrepancy between the intended self-contained publish configuration and the files actually distributed in v2.1.0. Could the release packaging/publishing workflow be checked? ``` ### Visual Studio or Build Tools version, and Windows SDK version _No response_ ### Operating system and free space on the output drive Windows 11 24h2, 210 gb free ### Before you send it - [x] I'm on the newest release, or it still fails on it. - [x] I searched the open issues for this error. - [x] I'm not attaching game files or anything built from them.

Arkex-ai commented

2026-11-11 19:02:48 +00:00

(Migrated from github.com)

I checked the official v2.1.0 setup list and its .NET archive. The listed archive is 64,088,397 bytes, matches its published SHA-256 (99a5320f3eaf4e45f5bde2351e1aa0a041f9c730a5b93dea59103fdd7b53427c), and contains coreclr.dll, hostfxr.dll, hostpolicy.dll, System.Private.CoreLib.dll and PresentationFramework.dll under HookshotBuilder/.

That rules out those files being absent from the published runtime archive; it does not establish why they are missing from your installation. The setup's existing-install check currently accepts installed.txt plus the Builder executable without checking the runtime files.

Was this the first installation, or an update/launch of a previously installed copy? Does installed.txt exist beside that version's HookshotBuilder folder? No personal paths or full directory listing are needed. Those two details would help distinguish a skipped incomplete installation from a download/extraction problem.

I checked the official v2.1.0 setup list and its .NET archive. The listed archive is 64,088,397 bytes, matches its published SHA-256 (`99a5320f3eaf4e45f5bde2351e1aa0a041f9c730a5b93dea59103fdd7b53427c`), and contains `coreclr.dll`, `hostfxr.dll`, `hostpolicy.dll`, `System.Private.CoreLib.dll` and `PresentationFramework.dll` under `HookshotBuilder/`. That rules out those files being absent from the published runtime archive; it does not establish why they are missing from your installation. The setup's existing-install check currently accepts `installed.txt` plus the Builder executable without checking the runtime files. Was this the first installation, or an update/launch of a previously installed copy? Does `installed.txt` exist beside that version's `HookshotBuilder` folder? No personal paths or full directory listing are needed. Those two details would help distinguish a skipped incomplete installation from a download/extraction problem.

NotRexed commented

2026-11-11 21:30:24 +00:00

(Migrated from github.com)

Thanks for the report. Reports of the same problem are now collected in #2505, which lists this one with your details and links back here, so one fix closes them together and the open list stays readable. Follow #2505 for the fix, and add new details there (or here). If this turns out to be a separate problem it will be reopened.

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