Microsoft Fixes Issue with Unintended Windows Server 2025 Upgrades
Microsoft has fixed issues causing unintended upgrades to Windows Server 2025 and addressed problems with update notifications.
Published: Nov 11, 2024
Key Takeaways:
- Microsoft fixed an issue where some Windows Server 2019 and 2022 instances were unexpectedly upgraded to Windows Server 2025 due to a misclassified update.
- The upgrade was mistakenly labeled as an optional security update, affecting environments using third-party update management tools.
- Microsoft is working with third-party providers to improve update procedures and has provided guidelines for admins to control feature update visibility using Group Policy settings.
Microsoft has resolved an issue that unexpectedly upgraded certain instances of Windows Server 2019 and 2022 to Windows Server 2025. The company acknowledged the problem on the Windows Release Health Dashboard over the weekend.
On November 1, Microsoft announced the general availability of Windows Server 2025. The new version includes enhanced security for Active Directory, with added protections against brute force, spoofing, and man-in-the-middle attacks. It also introduces hotpatching support for hybrid and on-premises cloud environments. Additionally, Windows Server 2025 offers up to 60% better storage IOPS performance compared to Windows Server 2022.
What is the problem?
In a Reddit thread, several enterprise admins reported that all their Windows Server 2022 instances were unexpectedly upgraded to Windows Server 2025. It’s important to note that this update was pushed despite Windows Server 2025 requiring new licensing. The update was mistakenly labeled as both an optional and security update for Windows Server 2022 machines.
“Some devices upgraded automatically to Windows Server 2025 (KB5044284). This was observed in environments that use third-party products to manage the update of clients and servers. Please verify whether third-party update software in your environment is configured not to deploy feature updates. This scenario has been mitigated,” Microsoft explained.
New Group Policy option lets IT admins control Windows Server 2025 upgrade notifications
Additionally, Microsoft addressed another issue where an update to Windows Server 2025 was offered through a banner in Windows Update. This notification was intended for organizations considering an in-place upgrade.
Microsoft is currently working with some third-party providers to improve and standardize best practices and procedures. Enterprise admins can control the visibility of the banner by setting the target version to “hold” in the Group Policy “Select the target Feature Update version.” Microsoft plans to provide more detailed instructions on how to use this Group Policy setting in the coming weeks.