Windows Updates: Unexpected Server Reboots and Login Disruptions

The Windows security updates, especially for servers from April, have partly severe side effects. Some Windows servers restart unexpectedly. Furthermore, there are indications that domain admin logins could be disrupted under certain circumstances. Microsoft has, however, resolved a problem with unexpected migrations to Server 2025.

Microsoft admits some issues in the Message Center of the Windows Release Health notes. After installing the security updates KB5082063, “non-Global Catalog” domain controllers in environments with Privileged Access Management (PAM) may experience LSASS service crashes. As a result, the servers restart repeatedly, causing authentication and directory services to fail – the domain is then unavailable. All Windows servers from version 2016 onwards are affected. Microsoft Business Support only provides a remedy upon request. However, the developers are working on an automatic update to correct this.

We received a reader's tip according to which there may be issues logging in as a domain admin after the April security updates. According to the error message, the password is incorrect. This occurred on several Windows Server 2025 DCEs. A password reset using the “utilman.exe” method helps in this situation. This involves renaming “utilman.exe” from the system directory and copying “cmd.exe” to “utilman.exe” from a boot DVD. After restarting the system, calling the ease of access options then opens a command prompt, where the password can be changed using net user <username> <new password> and then used.

Windows Updates: Solved Problems Too

But there is also good news. Microsoft has reactivated the optional upgrades to Windows Server 2025. In November 2024, the company had stopped the offer because some servers migrated unexpectedly and unintentionally to Windows Server 2025. This particularly affected environments that manage software with tools from unnamed third-party providers. According to an entry in the Message Center, the developers have now resolved the problem, and Windows Server 2025 is once again available as an optional update.

(dmk)