When .NET Framework 4.7.2 was released (April 2018), Microsoft signed it with a SHA-2 certificate issued from a newer root authority. However:
Thus, when you run the installer, Windows checks the signature, tries to build the certificate chain, fails to find a trusted root, and throws the error: "The certificate chain was issued by an authority that is not trusted." net framework 4.7 2 windows 7 certificate chain error
Last updated: 2025
This error is not a .NET Framework bug but a consequence of running an unpatched Windows 7 environment. With Windows 7 end-of-life (January 2020), Microsoft no longer issues new root certificate updates for it unless Extended Security Updates (ESU) are active. For production systems still on Windows 7, ensure rigorous patch management or plan migration to a supported OS. Restart the system and try installing
Certificate chain validation ensures a TLS peer’s certificate links to a trusted root via valid intermediates, unexpired signatures, acceptable algorithms, and correct revocation checks. When validation fails, connections are blocked, causing application errors. Although .NET’s System.Net stack does much validation, the underlying platform (Windows CryptoAPI/SChannel) and OS trust store determine accepted chains. Windows 7 reached end of mainstream support and lacks many modern cryptographic defaults; this can produce chain errors with .NET Framework 4.7.2 apps. Thus, when you run the installer, Windows checks