Last week, a big Server improve mishap ensued when Microsoft’s Windows 11 KB5044284 replace used to be wrongly driven out to Windows Server 2019 and Server 2022 methods. One of the third-party AMMs, Heimdal, blamed Microsoft for it.

Later that day, the tech massive did verify that it had certainly presented the most recent Server model as an not obligatory replace on Windows Server 2022 and 2019. While not anything used to be said at the moment, we speculated that the miss-classification of the customer OS replace as a Server replace most probably came about because of this.

Today, Microsoft documented the problem on its Windows well being dashboard site and has additionally defined intimately what precisely came about. Going ahead, the corporate has urged that characteristic updates like those should be interpreted as “optional” and no longer “recommended”:

Windows Server 2025 is meant to be presented as an Optional improve in Windows Update settings for gadgets operating Windows Server 2019 and Windows Server 2022. Two situations have been noticed in positive environments:

• ​Some gadgets upgraded robotically to Windows Server 2025 (KB5044284). This used to be noticed in environments that use third-party merchandise to regulate the replace of shoppers and servers. Please examine whether or not third-party replace tool to your setting is configured to not deploy characteristic updates. This situation has been mitigated.

• ​An improve to Windows Server 2025 used to be presented by way of a message in a banner displayed at the instrument’s Windows Update web page, below Settings. This message is meant for organizations that need to execute an in-place improve. This situation has already been resolved.

The Windows Server 2025 characteristic replace used to be launched as an Optional replace below the Upgrade Classification: “DeploymentAction=OptionalInstallation”. Feature replace metadata should be interpreted as Optional and no longer Recommended by means of patch control gear.

Additionally, Microsoft has additionally defined its efforts to stop such upgrade-related catastrophes at some point. The tech massive says it’s actively running with such third-party AMMs and could also be including a brand new crew coverage “hold” atmosphere for “Select the target Feature Update version.”

The corporate may also be making adjustments to the way it classifies updates the use of KB (wisdom base), as there might be separate websites for consumer and Server updates at some point:

Next steps: Microsoft is operating with third-party suppliers to streamline very best practices and beneficial procedures. The visibility of the characteristic replace be offering banner can also be managed by means of atmosphere the objective model to “hold” within the Group Policy “Select the target Feature Update version”. We will replace this documentation within the coming days with further details about this crew coverage as soon as it’s to be had.

Note: The Windows Server 2025 characteristic replace used to be made in most cases to be had on November 1, 2024, as KB5044284, which used to be the similar KB quantity used for Windows 11, model 24H2. This used to be the KB numbering for each those consumer and server Windows updates to be had at the moment. Future updates launched for Windows Server 2025 and Windows 11, model 24H2 will percentage the similar KB numbers, however can have other unencumber observe websites and hyperlinks.

You can in finding the problem right here on Microsoft’s professional Windows well being dashboard site.