Get Windowsfeature Installed

Understanding and Utilizing `Get-WindowsFeature` and `Install-WindowsFeature` in PowerShell

Windows Server, and even Windows 10/11, offers a wealth of functionalities beyond the core operating system. These features, ranging from network services like Web Server (IIS) to crucial security components, are often installed separately. PowerShell, Microsoft's powerful command-line shell and scripting language, provides a streamlined method to manage these features using the `Get-WindowsFeature` and `Install-WindowsFeature` cmdlets. This article simplifies the process, breaking down the complexities and providing practical examples.

1. Exploring `Get-WindowsFeature`: Discovering Available Features

Before installing any feature, you need to know what's available. `Get-WindowsFeature` is the reconnaissance tool for this task. It lists all Windows features, showing their current installation status (Installed, Available, etc.). Running this cmdlet without any parameters displays a comprehensive list, which can be overwhelming. Let's see how to refine this output for practical use.

Example 1: Listing all installed features:

```powershell
Get-WindowsFeature | Where-Object {$_.Installed -eq $true}
```

This command filters the results to show only the installed features. `Where-Object` acts as a filter, selecting only those features where the `Installed` property is true.

Example 2: Searching for a specific feature:

```powershell
Get-WindowsFeature Web-Server
```

This command searches for features containing "Web-Server" in their name. The asterisk () acts as a wildcard, allowing for partial name matches. This is useful when you're looking for a particular feature but don't remember the exact name.

Example 3: Getting detailed information about a feature:

```powershell
Get-WindowsFeature Web-Server -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
```

This command provides detailed information about the "Web-Server" feature. `-ErrorAction SilentlyContinue` suppresses error messages if the feature isn't found. This prevents script failures if the feature is not present on the system. You can replace `Web-Server` with any feature name.

2. Mastering `Install-WindowsFeature`: Adding Features to Your System

Once you've identified the required feature using `Get-WindowsFeature`, `Install-WindowsFeature` is used to install it. This cmdlet simplifies the process compared to navigating the traditional Windows GUI.

Example 4: Installing the Web Server (IIS) feature:

```powershell
Install-WindowsFeature Web-Server -IncludeAllSubFeature
```

This command installs the Web Server (IIS) role. `-IncludeAllSubFeature` installs all sub-features associated with Web Server, ensuring a complete installation. Without this parameter, only the base feature would be installed, potentially leaving essential components missing.

Example 5: Installing multiple features simultaneously:

```powershell
Install-WindowsFeature NET-WCF-HTTP-Activation45 NET-WCF-TCP-Activation45
```

This command installs two Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) activation features at once. You can list multiple features separated by spaces.

Example 6: Installing features with a reboot:

By default, installations that require a system reboot will prompt the user. To force a reboot after installation (use with caution!), you would need to restart the system manually. There is no direct parameter to force a reboot within the `Install-WindowsFeature` cmdlet itself.

3. Understanding Feature Names and Dependencies

Finding the correct feature name is crucial. The names are often descriptive but sometimes require investigation. Use `Get-WindowsFeature` with wildcards or partial names to locate the correct feature. Also, be aware that features often have dependencies. If a dependency is missing, the installation might fail. `Install-WindowsFeature` will usually automatically install necessary dependencies, but it's good practice to check.

4. Utilizing PowerShell for Automation

The real power of `Get-WindowsFeature` and `Install-WindowsFeature` comes from their integration with PowerShell scripting. You can automate feature installations as part of a larger deployment or configuration process, saving time and effort. This is especially useful in server administration for consistent and repeatable deployments.

Actionable Takeaways

Use `Get-WindowsFeature` to identify available and installed Windows features.
Employ `Install-WindowsFeature` to seamlessly add features to your system.
Utilize wildcards for efficient searches using `Get-WindowsFeature`.
Always check for dependencies before installing features.
Leverage PowerShell scripting to automate feature management.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What happens if a feature requires a reboot? The installation will usually complete successfully, but a system restart will be required to fully implement the changes. A prompt will likely inform you of this need.

2. Can I uninstall features using PowerShell? Yes, the `Uninstall-WindowsFeature` cmdlet can remove installed features.

3. What if `Install-WindowsFeature` fails? Check the error message for clues. Common causes include missing dependencies, insufficient permissions, or network connectivity issues.

4. Are there any security considerations? Ensure you only install features you need and from trusted sources. Always run PowerShell as an administrator to install features.

5. How can I find more information about a specific feature? Use the `Get-Help` cmdlet (e.g., `Get-Help Install-WindowsFeature`). Microsoft's documentation also provides detailed information on all Windows features.

Search Results:

Get-WindowsFeature (ServerManager) | Microsoft Learn The Get-WindowsFeature cmdlet gets information about features that are both available for installation and already installed on a computer that is running Windows Server or an offline virtual hard disk (VHD) that is running Windows Server.

How PowerShell can find features and roles on Windows servers 2 Nov 2021 · The PowerShell Get-WindowsFeature command—or, more properly, cmdlet—can retrieve a list of Windows features, including server roles, that are installed on a server or workstation running ...

How to Get Windows Features using PowerShell on Server 21 Oct 2024 · The Get-WindowsFeature cmdlet lists all the roles and Windows features installed on a server. If you are asked to find the features installed on a specific server, you can use PowerShell to complete the task.

Get-WindowsFeature - PowerShell - SS64.com Get all the Windows features available on the computer: Add-WindowsFeature - Install roles, role services, and features. Install-WindowsFeature - Install roles, role services, or features (Server 2012 R2). Uninstall-WindowsFeature - Uninstall/remove roles, role …

How to Quickly List Installed Roles and Features using PowerShell 9 Nov 2023 · The get-windowsfeature PowerShell command will get information about installed and available features and roles. The following command will list all server roles and features: get-windowsfeature

Display Feature Lists and Subfeatures using Get-WindowsFeature 24 Aug 2023 · To show a list of all features, I can enter Get-WindowsFeature. That, of course, brings up a long, scrolling list! I can see by the diagram in the instructions that I need to see what's installed under "File and Storage Services". So, I do this: Get-WindowsFeature | where {$_.InstallState -eq "Installed"}

Windows Server: List all installed Roles and Features using … 18 Jul 2017 · If you install Roles and Features with PowerShell, Install-WindowsFeature is your friend. Get-Windowsfeature gets information about installed or available Server Roles. This blog post shows you how to get a list of all installed Roles …

List all Server Features/Roles in Powershell - Stack Overflow 10 Jul 2015 · So I have the following code to output all features and roles installed: Import-Module ServerManager $Arr = Get-WindowsFeature | Where-Object {$_.Installed -match “True”} | Select-Object -Property...

How to Get Windows features using PowerShell? - Online … 26 Aug 2020 · To get the windows features and roles available or installed using PowerShell, you need to use the Get-WIndowsFeature cmdlet. That is obvious that Windows features and roles are available only on the server operating systems not on the client operating system.

Importing and Exporting Windows Features with PowerShell 6 Jan 2015 · Get-WindowsFeature | ? { $_.Installed } | Select Name | ForEach-Object { $_.Name } | Out-File .\Features.txt To install these features: $(Import-Clixml .\Features.xml) | Add-WindowsFeature

Get Windowsfeature Installed

Understanding and Utilizing `Get-WindowsFeature` and `Install-WindowsFeature` in PowerShell

1. Exploring `Get-WindowsFeature`: Discovering Available Features

2. Mastering `Install-WindowsFeature`: Adding Features to Your System

3. Understanding Feature Names and Dependencies

4. Utilizing PowerShell for Automation

Actionable Takeaways

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

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