How to Get SharePoint PowerShell to use .NET 2

When you install powershell v3, version 2 is still available in side by side mode. In order to use the SharePoint snapin, you must launch v2 like this:

powershell -v 2

Then you can load the snapin for SharePoint.

For reference, here is the output from invoking PowerShell v2 from Windows 8 cmd.exe:

C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0>powershell.exe -version 2Windows PowerShellCopyright (C) 2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.PS C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0> $psversiontableName                           Value----                           -----CLRVersion                     2.0.50727.6387BuildVersion                   6.1.7600.16385PSVersion                      2.0WSManStackVersion              2.0PSCompatibleVersions           {1.0, 2.0}SerializationVersion           1.1.0.1PSRemotingProtocolVersion      2.1PS C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0> [Environment]::VersionMajor  Minor  Build  Revision-----  -----  -----  --------2      0      50727  6387

One can add the command line switch -version 2 to the Start Menu item by right clicking it, selecting Properties, and editing the string in the Target field.

This fix also clears up the erroneous message

The local farm is not accessible. Cmdlets with FeatureDependencyId are not registered.

I was getting this message when launching SharePoint 2010 Management Shell.