Update: Ended up ripping out 4.0 framework, and re-installing to no avail. I did find that PB would finally install but only after sitting there for hours upon hours doing nothing, with a non-responsive dialog. This included applying the EBF as well, fired it off to update in the morning, non-responsive dialog, and afternoon, it finally popped up a dialog to continue the installation. So ya, got PB re-installed on my machine, however, there is most definitely something wrong underneath, because trying to open up any of my solutions or targets... not happening. Just simply get an error that the target couldn't be created or added. So I guess I'm down to my last option of getting back to a completely clean environment. I decided to just move it over to my laptop for now, not much power but it'll do the job for now. Reformatting or going with a new environment reinstalling all of the stuff I have, not a very attractive path at the moment. Needless to say I'm extremely frustrated.
Advice to anyone viewing... do NOT install framework 4.5 on your machine with 12.5.x, or you could be picking up the pieces as badly as I am at the moment. :-\