Microsoft solves August performance problems

Microsoft fixes serious performance issues in Windows Server 2019 caused by the August update. The solution was distributed with the current September patch, which eliminates excessive CPU usage.

Windows Server: September patch fixes August problems

With the September patch released yesterday, Microsoft has rolled out a solution for the serious performance problems in Windows Server 2019. As Bleeping Computer reports (via Neowin), the cumulative update KB5043050 eliminated the negative effects of the August security update KB5041578.

The problems, which first emerged in late August 2024, manifested themselves in several ways:

Antivirus software as a possible trigger

The problems occurred in particular in connection with certain antivirus programs. These performed scans in the Windows Update directory ‘%systemroot%\system32\catroot2’, which led to catalog enumeration errors. Although Microsoft did not name any specific software, the affected administrators suspected a connection with the Windows Defender background process. Mind you, regular users of Windows 10 or 11 Home and Professional were not affected, as the problem was limited to Windows Server 2019 in corporate environments.

Microsoft strongly recommends installing the current security update KB5043050. For administrators who cannot install the update immediately, Microsoft offers an alternative: installing and configuring the Known Issue Rollback (KIR) Group Policy for Windows Server 2019.

To implement this solution, administrators must configure Group Policy through Local Computer Policy or Domain Policy on the domain controller. After rebooting the affected devices, the setting should take effect.

Windows Server 2019, released in October 2018, is the eighth version of Windows Server. It is based on the operating system kernel of Windows 10, version 1809, and offers numerous improvements in areas such as security, containerization, and hybrid cloud scenarios. Despite recent issues, it is considered a stable and reliable server operating system used in many companies around the world.

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