Installing Windows Terminal on Windows Server 2019 Datacenter

Question

I'm trying to install Windows Terminal on this Windows Server 2019 Datacenter, using choco, reading this: https://computingforgeeks.com/easy-way-to-install-windows-terminal-on-windows/

PS C:\Windows\system32> choco install microsoft-windows-terminal
Chocolatey v0.10.15
Installing the following packages:
microsoft-windows-terminal
By installing you accept licenses for the packages.
Progress: Downloading microsoft-windows-terminal 1.9.1942.0... 100%

microsoft-windows-terminal v1.9.1942.0 [Approved]
microsoft-windows-terminal package files install completed. Performing other installation steps.
The package microsoft-windows-terminal wants to run 'chocolateyInstall.ps1'.
Note: If you don't run this script, the installation will fail.
Note: To confirm automatically next time, use '-y' or consider:
choco feature enable -n allowGlobalConfirmation
Do you want to run the script?([Y]es/[A]ll - yes to all/[N]o/[P]rint): a

ERROR: This package requires at least Windows 10 version 1903/OS build 18362.x.
The install of microsoft-windows-terminal was NOT successful.
Error while running 'C:\ProgramData\chocolatey\lib\microsoft-windows-terminal\tools\chocolateyInstall.ps1'.
 See log for details.

Chocolatey installed 0/1 packages. 1 packages failed.
 See the log for details (C:\ProgramData\chocolatey\logs\chocolatey.log).

Failures
 - microsoft-windows-terminal (exited -1) - Error while running 'C:\ProgramData\chocolatey\lib\microsoft-windows-terminal\tools\chocolateyInstall.ps1'.
 See log for details.

Ziska

Looks to me like it was probably downvoted because it doesn't appear to be a question about "specific coding, algorithm, or language problems", so off-topic for Stack Overflow. It probably should have been posted on Super User instead. I didn't notice it when it was posted, or I'd have given you a heads-up on that then. – Vertebra

Answer 1

Windows Terminal is not supported on Server 2019, per their Github. Windows Server 2019 final build number was 17763, Windows Terminal requires at least 18362.x according to that package.

You will have to use a newer build of Windows or wait until the next Windows Server version to be released to use it on Windows Server. Basically Windows Terminal requires a Windows version 2004 (build number 19041) or newer.

Execration

This is very disappointing. I am stuck with a Windows Server 2019 for <reasons> and can't change the OS. – Mawkin

Windows terminal is great, but in this case I use taby, it's slower but has a nice interface. – Vincenty

You really shouldn't need alternative terminals on servers, save for special applications who may implement their own PowerShell Host. Regardless, this is something new that sounds like it will be supported on Windows Server editions moving forward. It is supported on Desktop environments for the first iteration, and makes use of newer APIs that did not exist until 2020 which are not available in older versions of Windows. – Execration

@Execration Windows Server is often being used as a jump host for accessing a secured environment. There you very often need a good terminal application. I use Windows Terminal + OpenSSH client a lot (more convenient than PuTTY). – Retroaction

@pabouk-Ukrainestaystrong A fair point, jump servers would be an exception to my comment above. – Execration