Running application on a older version of .net

Question

Over the past few days I have been writing a program to configure HDDs. I had the program up and running and went to test it on the box it will be used on. As I go to test, i realize the target box I will be using it on has a VERY out-dated .net framework. It is 100% my fault I did not think of that in advance, but now I want to see what options I have.

I cannot update the framework on this box. I am running the application from a flash drive (is there anyway I can have the framework installed on that and have it work? Not exactly sure how all that is incorporated)

If there is nothing I can do, is there a way to rollback the framework for a single project so I can get it working?

Side Note: Application is a WinForm, written in VB.net

EDIT: Get specifics from the computer - sorry I did not add that in the first place.

EDIT 2: Computer is on Windows Server 2000 running .net Framework 2.0

Answer 1

If your application will need to target the "very out-dated" version of .NET, then you'll need to compile your application to target that version, no higher.

Unfortunately, this means you'll lose some features added in later versions. You also might have trouble with referenced assemblies which target higher versions; those would need to be at or below your .NET version.

The best idea would be to install the later versions of the framework on the machine, but you already said it can't be done. In that case, I guess you're out of luck (if the above suggestions are not applicable). You can't reasonably expect old machines to run new software as the gap between their ages widens.