SharePoint Server 2010 - Operating System Requirements

We've seen some confusion in the newsgroups and elsewhere on the versions and editions of Windows that SharePoint 2010 will run on. This post is meant to clarify some of the most common questions we have seen.

SharePoint 2010 will support only 64-bit (x64) versions of Windows Server 2008 SP2 and Windows Server 2008 R2.  SharePoint will not install at all on 32 bit Windows, or any earlier version of Windows  such as Windows Server 2000 or Windows Server 2003.

SharePoint is not supported on 'Server Core' installations of Windows Server 2008 and R2. The Server Core installations of Windows server do not contain some of the components required for SharePoint to be configured or run.

To make developing for SharePoint 2010 easier, it is possible to install SharePoint on 64-bit versions of Windows Vista SP2  and Windows 7. Note that running production environments on these OSes are not supported and it will not be possible to upgrade deployments running on client versions of Windows to future versions of SharePoint.  Instructions on installing SharePoint 2010 on client versions of Windows are a bit more involved and we recommend reading the instructions at http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee554869(office.14).aspx.

 Windows version/edition (64 bit only) - SharePoint 2010 support


Windows Server 2008 R2 Foundation - No


Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard - Yes




Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise - Yes




Windows Server 2008 R2 Datacenter - Yes




Windows Web Server 2008 R2 - No




Windows HPC Server 2008 - No




Windows Server 2008 R2 for Itanium-based systems - No




Windows Server 2008 Standard - Yes




Windows Server 2008 Enterprise - Yes




Windows Server 2008 Datacenter - Yes




Windows Web Server 2008 - No




Windows Storage Server 2008 - No




Windows Small Business Server 2008 - Yes




Windows Essential Business Server 2008 - Yes




Windows Server 2008 for Itanium-based systems - No




Windows Server 2008 Foundation - No




Windows Vista - Developer-only




Windows 7 - Developer-only

Windows version/edition (64 bit only)	SharePoint 2010 support
Windows Server 2008 R2 Foundation	No
Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard	Yes
Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise	Yes
Windows Server 2008 R2 Datacenter	Yes
Windows Web Server 2008 R2	No
Windows HPC Server 2008	No
Windows Server 2008 R2 for Itanium-based systems	No
Windows Server 2008 Standard	Yes
Windows Server 2008 Enterprise	Yes
Windows Server 2008 Datacenter	Yes
Windows Web Server 2008	No
Windows Storage Server 2008	No
Windows Small Business Server 2008	Yes*
Windows Essential Business Server 2008	Yes*
Windows Server 2008 for Itanium-based systems	No
Windows Server 2008 Foundation	No
Windows Vista	Developer-only**
Windows 7	Developer-only**

Windows version/edition (64 bit only)	SharePoint 2010 support
Windows Server 2008 R2 Foundation	No
Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard	Yes
Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise	Yes
Windows Server 2008 R2 Datacenter	Yes
Windows Web Server 2008 R2	No
Windows HPC Server 2008	No
Windows Server 2008 R2 for Itanium-based systems	No
Windows Server 2008 Standard	Yes
Windows Server 2008 Enterprise	Yes
Windows Server 2008 Datacenter	Yes
Windows Web Server 2008	No
Windows Storage Server 2008	No
Windows Small Business Server 2008	Yes*
Windows Essential Business Server 2008	Yes*
Windows Server 2008 for Itanium-based systems	No
Windows Server 2008 Foundation	No
Windows Vista	Developer-only**
Windows 7	Developer-only**

* Small and Essential Business Server editions of Windows install SharePoint as an optional component.
** Support for specific editions of Windows 7/Vista are yet to be finalized, but are likely to be 'Business'/'Professional' editions and above.

The list above is meant for informational purposes only. The official list of system requirements for SharePoint 2010 is located at http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc262485(office.14).aspx and includes additional details on prerequisites and other optional components.