14 DAY TRIAL // The final version of Windows PowerShell 2.0, which is included by default in Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2, is now being served to customers running older versions of the Windows client and server operating systems through Windows Update. In this regard, Microsoft is now offering two components of the Windows Management Framework through WU, namely Windows Remote Management (WinRM) 2.0 and Windows PowerShell 2.0. This is valid for all pre-Windows 7 operating systems.
Essentially, customers running Windows Server 2008 SP2, Windows Vista SP2, Windows Server 2003 SP2, and Windows XP SP3 will be able to grab both Windows PowerShell 2.0 and WinRM 2.0 through WU, as a non-security, optional update.
“The WMF Core Package available on the Microsoft Download Center and the Windows Update release contain the same binaries of the products, so you can now download them from either source. Because Windows PowerShell 2.0 is in-place upgrade to Windows PowerShell 1.0, we will no longer be offering Windows PowerShell 1.0 on Windows Update,” Hemant Mahawar, Microsoft program manager, revealed.
PowerShell 2.0 and WinRM 2.0 can also be downloaded manually via the Windows Management Framework (WMF) Core Package, which has been released on the Microsoft Download Center for quite some time now. Users will be able to find a link for WMF at the bottom of this article. At the same time, business users can grab the package through Windows Server Update Services (WSUS). Those running Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2 don’t need WMF, as all its components are already in the OS.
“Windows PowerShell 2.0 appears as an option in a Windows Update scan only if the computer meets the following conditions. The computer has at least Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 SP1. The computer does not have a non-RTM (CTP, Beta, RCs etc.) release of Windows PowerShell. (Windows PowerShell 1.0 RTM can be installed),” Mahawar added.
Windows Management Framework (Windows PowerShell 2.0, Windows Remote Management (WinRM) 2.00, and Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS) 4.0) is available for download here.