Install Windows Terminal on Windows Server

Terminal_WinSrv.ps1

Write-Information "This script needs be run on Windows Server 2019 or 2022"
If ($PSVersionTable.PSVersion.Major -ge 7){ Write-Error "This script needs be run by version of PowerShell prior to 7.0" }

# Define environment variables
$downloadDir = "C:\WinTerminal"
$gitRepo = "microsoft/terminal"
$filenamePattern = "*.msixbundle"
$framworkPkgUrl = "https://aka.ms/Microsoft.VCLibs.x64.14.00.Desktop.appx"
$framworkPkgPath = "$downloadDir\Microsoft.VCLibs.x64.14.00.Desktop.appx"
$msiPath = "$downloadDir\Microsoft.WindowsTerminal.msixbundle"
$releasesUri = "https://api.github.com/repos/$gitRepo/releases/latest"
$downloadUri = ((Invoke-RestMethod -Method GET -Uri $releasesUri).assets | Where-Object name -like $filenamePattern ).browser_download_url | Select-Object -SkipLast 1

# Download C++ Runtime framework packages for Desktop Bridge and Windows Terminal latest release msixbundle
Invoke-WebRequest -Uri $framworkPkgUrl -OutFile ( New-Item -Path $framworkPkgPath -Force )
Invoke-WebRequest -Uri $downloadUri -OutFile ( New-Item -Path $msiPath -Force )

# Install C++ Runtime framework packages for Desktop Bridge and Windows Terminal latest release
Add-AppxPackage -Path $framworkPkgPath
Add-AppxPackage -Path $msiPath

# Cleanup
Remove-Item $downloadDir -Recurse -Force

I tried it and got the following error:

PS C:\Users\cheema> .\Terminal_WinSrv.ps1
Invoke-WebRequest : Cannot validate argument on parameter 'Uri'. The argument is null or empty. Provide an argument that is not null or empty, and then try the command again.
At C:\Users\cheema\Terminal_WinSrv.ps1:16 char:24
+ Invoke-WebRequest -Uri $downloadUri -OutFile ( New-Item -Path $msiPat ...
+                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~
    + CategoryInfo          : InvalidData: (:) [Invoke-WebRequest], ParameterBindingValidationException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : ParameterArgumentValidationError,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.InvokeWebRequestCommand

Add-AppxPackage : Deployment failed with HRESULT: 0x80073CF0, Package could not be opened.
error 0x8007000D: Opening the package from location Microsoft.WindowsTerminal.msixbundle failed.
NOTE: For additional information, look for [ActivityId] 9f8500d1-77a6-0002-1a58-39a0a677d901 in the Event Log or use the command line Get-AppPackageLog -ActivityID
9f8500d1-77a6-0002-1a58-39a0a677d901
At C:\Users\cheema\Terminal_WinSrv.ps1:20 char:1
+ Add-AppxPackage -Path $msiPath
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    + CategoryInfo          : OpenError: (C:\WinTerminal\...inal.msixbundle:String) [Add-AppxPackage], FileNotFoundException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : DeploymentError,Microsoft.Windows.Appx.PackageManager.Commands.AddAppxPackageCommand

same error today for me

I tried it and got the following error:

PS C:\Users\cheema> .\Terminal_WinSrv.ps1
Invoke-WebRequest : Cannot validate argument on parameter 'Uri'. The argument is null or empty. Provide an argument that is not null or empty, and then try the command again.
At C:\Users\cheema\Terminal_WinSrv.ps1:16 char:24
+ Invoke-WebRequest -Uri $downloadUri -OutFile ( New-Item -Path $msiPat ...
+                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~
    + CategoryInfo          : InvalidData: (:) [Invoke-WebRequest], ParameterBindingValidationException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : ParameterArgumentValidationError,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.InvokeWebRequestCommand

Add-AppxPackage : Deployment failed with HRESULT: 0x80073CF0, Package could not be opened.
error 0x8007000D: Opening the package from location Microsoft.WindowsTerminal.msixbundle failed.
NOTE: For additional information, look for [ActivityId] 9f8500d1-77a6-0002-1a58-39a0a677d901 in the Event Log or use the command line Get-AppPackageLog -ActivityID
9f8500d1-77a6-0002-1a58-39a0a677d901
At C:\Users\cheema\Terminal_WinSrv.ps1:20 char:1
+ Add-AppxPackage -Path $msiPath
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    + CategoryInfo          : OpenError: (C:\WinTerminal\...inal.msixbundle:String) [Add-AppxPackage], FileNotFoundException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : DeploymentError,Microsoft.Windows.Appx.PackageManager.Commands.AddAppxPackageCommand

Not sure what used to be returned but this error is caused by the "-SkipLast 1" parameter on the select-object at the end of $downloadUri = ((Invoke-RestMethod -Method GET -Uri $releasesUri).assets | Where-Object name -like $filenamePattern ).browser_download_url as this line currently only returns 1 item.

The script also threw this error for me on server 2022 for a missing dependency "Microsoft.UI.Xaml.2.8" which can be resolved by pulling down and installing https://github.com/microsoft/microsoft-ui-xaml/releases/download/v2.8.5/Microsoft.UI.Xaml.2.8.x64.appx. I added this in my fork if you want to integrate it.

I think that the | Select-Object -SkipLast 1 bit needs to be removed now. Perhaps something has changed recently in the output of that command.

I tried to run this on Windows Server 2019, but the build number was too small. So I ran it on Windows Server 2022, and now it just won't launch. I am weeping, bitterly, without even slicing any onions. Any ideas as to why this might happen?

Sorry, I should have given the error message:

PS C:\Windows\system32> wt.exe; $error[0]
Program 'wt.exe' failed to run: The file cannot be accessed by the systemAt line:1 char:1
+ wt.exe; $error[0]
+ ~~~~~~.
At line:1 char:1
+ wt.exe; $error[0]
+ ~~~~~~
    + CategoryInfo          : ResourceUnavailable: (:) [], ApplicationFailedException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : NativeCommandFailed

Program 'wt.exe' failed to run: The file cannot be accessed by the systemAt line:1 char:1
+ wt.exe; $error[0]
+ ~~~~~~.
At line:1 char:1
+ wt.exe; $error[0]
+ ~~~~~~
    + CategoryInfo          : ResourceUnavailable: (:) [], ApplicationFailedException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : NativeCommandFailed