Microsoft has acknowledged the presence of several bugs affecting Windows Server 2025, particularly for systems equipped with more than 256 logical processors. These issues manifest in various ways, including installation failures, prolonged server restarts, and the notorious Blue Screen of Death (BSOD).
Symptoms and Troubleshooting
Users may find that the installation or upgrade processes for Windows Server 2025 either fail or become unresponsive. In some instances, server restarts can take an astonishing three hours or longer. Additionally, blue screens may appear when attempting to launch or restart applications on the impacted servers.
However, Microsoft has clarified that these problems do not consistently affect all devices within the specified range. To ascertain whether your Windows Server 2025 system is impacted, users can access the Windows Task Manager by pressing CTRL+SHIFT+ESC and checking the Performance tab for the number of logical processors.
In response to these challenges, Microsoft is diligently working on a fix, which is expected to be included in an upcoming monthly update. In the interim, administrators can mitigate these issues by limiting the number of logical processors on affected devices to 256 or fewer. The following steps outline how to adjust the number of active logical processors:
- Restart your server and enter the UEFI Setup. Navigate through the firmware menus, which may differ by manufacturer.
- Locate the option that allows you to adjust the number of cores per socket.
- Set the number of cores per socket to ensure that the total number of logical processors does not exceed 256. Note: The total is calculated by multiplying the number of sockets by the number of cores per socket, and then multiplying that result by the number of logical processors per core.
- Restart the server.
Additionally, Microsoft has issued a warning regarding potential language discrepancies during installation. Users may encounter English text appearing on the installation interface when using specific media, such as CDs or USB drives, regardless of the chosen language. Another issue has been identified that leads to boot problems in iSCSI environments, resulting in “boot device inaccessible” errors post-installation of Windows Server 2025.
Since its introduction in January to Windows Insider program administrators, Windows Server 2025 has brought forth advancements such as next-gen Active Directory, hotpatching capabilities, and the option to utilize alternative ports for SMB over QUIC. Recently, Microsoft announced that Windows Server 2025 is now generally available, accompanied by a complimentary 180-day trial accessible through the Microsoft Evaluation Center.
This latest release marks Microsoft’s newest Long-Term Servicing Channel (LTSC) offering for Windows Server, promising a robust platform for enterprise needs.
