Microsoft has recently unveiled the newest Windows Server build for participants in the Windows Server Insider Program. The latest build, numbered 26244, aligns with the just-released Windows 11 Canary Channel build. It’s worth noting that this build and all future Windows Server Insider builds will now carry the Windows Server 2025 branding. This update seems to be a minor one, as the change log closely resembles the one from the previous preview build. The only notable change is the removal of a previously listed known issue that has since been resolved.
What’s New
Delegated Managed Service Accounts (dMSA)
A new account type called delegated Managed Service Account (dMSA) has been introduced. This account type enables the transition from a traditional service account to a machine account with managed and fully randomized keys, while disabling the original service account passwords. Authentication for dMSA is tied to the device identity, allowing only specified machine identities mapped in AD to access the account. The use of dMSA helps prevent credential harvesting through compromised accounts, a common issue with traditional service accounts.
For more information on dMSA, visit Microsoft’s official page.
Windows Server Flighting is here!
Users signed up for Server Flighting should automatically receive this new build later today. More details can be found in the Microsoft Community Hub.
The new Feedback Hub app is now accessible for Server Desktop users. The app should update automatically, but if not, users can manually check for updates in the app’s settings tab.
Known Issues
- Upgrade does not complete: Some users may encounter an issue where the download process stalls at 0% during an upgrade. In such cases, users are advised to upgrade to this newer build using the ISO media download option.
- Access denied error when using Diskpart –> Clean Image: Users may face an access denied error when utilizing Diskpart on WinPE.vhdx VMs created using WinPE. Microsoft is actively working on resolving this issue for the next preview release.
- Flighting: The flight label may incorrectly reference Windows 11, but selecting it will install the Windows Server update. Users are advised to proceed with the installation despite the label discrepancy.
- Setup: Some users may experience overlapping rectangle voids during “OOBE” setup. This is a graphics rendering issue that does not hinder the setup process and will be addressed in a future release.
- WinPE – Powershell Scripts: Installing the WinPE-Powershell optional component may not properly install Powershell in WinPE, causing Powershell cmdlets to fail. Users dependent on Powershell in WinPE should avoid using this build.
If you are validating upgrades from Windows Server 2019 or 2022, it is recommended not to use this build due to intermittent upgrade failures identified. Additionally, this build has an issue where archiving event logs with the “wevtutil al” command may cause the Windows Event Log service to crash. Users with Secure Launch/DRTM code path enabled are advised to proceed with caution.
