Windows Management Framework 4.0 Preview Now Available

PowerShell Team

With the availability of Windows 8.1 Preview and Windows Server 2012 R2 Preview, we hope everyone has been enjoying our updates to Windows PowerShell and other management tools. We especially hope you’re having fun with our newest feature, Windows PowerShell Desired State Configuration.

Because we want as many people as possible to benefit from our work, we intend to release version 4.0 of Windows Management Framework (WMF) which will make this updated functionality in Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2 available on older operating systems. We are pleased to announce the first publicly available release of this package: Windows Management Framework 4.0 Preview.

Windows Management Framework 4.0 Preview contains updated functionality available for installation on Windows 7 with Service Pack 1 (SP1), Windows Server 2008 R2 with SP1, and Windows Server 2012. Note that WMF 4.0 Preview does not install on Windows 8. However, you can obtain the updated functionality included in WMF 4.0 by installing Windows 8.1 which is available as a free update for Windows 8.

WMF 4.0 Preview contains updated versions of the following features:

• Windows PowerShell
• Windows PowerShell Integrated Scripting Environment (ISE)
• Windows PowerShell Web Services (Management OData IIS Extension)
• Windows Remote Management (WinRM)
• Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI)

Additionally, we have added a new Windows PowerShell feature which is available in WMF 4.0 Preview:

• Windows PowerShell Desired State Configuration (DSC)

To use this updated management infrastructure to manage Windows 7 SP1, Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1, and Windows Server 2012, WMF 4.0 must be installed on computers that are running the previously released operating systems.
 
Along with the packages for each operating system, we have provided a set of Release Notes and an additional DSC Quick Reference. These have tons of useful information about new features, as well as a list of known issues with their workarounds and known incompatibilities with other applications. We encourage you download and read them both. Also, please note that WMF 4.0 Preview is a pre-release version for you to explore the new features and deploy in your test environment. It should not be used in production environments.

After installing WMF 4.0 Preview, it is possible to upgrade your OS to a newer version of Windows, for example from Windows 7 to Windows 8 or from Windows Server 2012 to Windows Server 2012 R2 Preview. Before performing an upgrade of the operating system, be sure to uninstall WMF 4.0 Preview.

Also, please note that upgrading from WMF 4.0 Preview to the final version of WMF 4.0 is not supported. When the final version of WMF 4.0 becomes available, you should uninstall WMF 4.0 Preview before installing the final version of WMF 4.0.

IMPORTANT: Not all Microsoft server applications are currently compatible with WMF 4.0. Before installing WMF 4.0 Preview, be sure to read the WMF 4.0 Preview Release Notes. Specifically, systems that are running the following server applications should not run WMF 4.0 Preview at this time:

• System Center 2012 Configuration Manager (not including SP1)
• System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2008 R2 (including SP1)
• Microsoft Exchange Server 2013, Microsoft Exchange Server 2010, and Microsoft Exchange Server 2007
• Microsoft SharePoint Server 2013 and Microsoft SharePoint Server 2010
• Windows Small Business Server 2011 and Windows Small Business Server 2008

For any issues or feedback you would like to report to us, please use our Connect site at https://connect.microsoft.com/PowerShell/Feedback.

On behalf of everyone in the Windows PowerShell, WinRM, and WMI teams, we hope you enjoy this preview.

John Lisco
Program Manager – Windows PowerShell
Microsoft Corporation

PowerShell Team PowerShell Team, PowerShell

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