Aaron Stebner's .NET Framework Cleanup Tool, which is often used as a last resort to remove problematic .NET installations, has been updated to support Windows 8 and .NET 4.5. This announcement follows closely behind a similar update to the .NET Framework Setup Verification Tool, which added support last month for .NET 4.5 and Windows 8.
The cleanup tool can be used to remove any version of the .NET Framework from an operating system. It deletes files, registry entries, and Windows Installer product registration data from the system. Because it removes shared files, any remaining .NET framework installations will have to be repaired. Stebner notes that this tool should only be used when all else fails:
This tool is designed as a last resort for cases where install, uninstall, repair or patch installation did not succeed for unusual reasons. It is not a substitute for the standard uninstall procedure. You should try the steps listed in this blog post before using this cleanup tool.
While Stebner is a Microsoft employee, this is not a Microsoft product. The company provides its own tool for repairing the .NET framework, but it doesn't yet support .NET 4.5, nor can it remove frameworks completely.
For download links and more information, please visit the .NET Framework Cleanup Tool User Guide.