Windows 11 / Windows Server 2022 Preview Update (Feb. 15, 2022)

[German]Microsoft has released optional cumulative (preview) updates as of February 15, 2022 (C-Week). These are intended to fix various bugs in Windows 10, Windows 11 and in the corresponding Windows Server versions. For Windows 11, a number of new features were added with the update. Below I give an overview regarding these updates for Windows 11 and Windows Server 2022.

It should be noted that these updates are so-called preview updates. These are optional and must be manually triggered for download and installation by default.

Preview Updates Windows Server 2022

The update history for Windows Server 2022 is available on this web page. The following preview update was published for Windows Server 2022 on February 15, 2022.

Update KB5010421 for Windows Server 2022

The cumulative preview update KB5010421 for Windows Server 2022 raises the OS build to 20348.558 and includes the following fixes:

• Addresses an issue that occurs when Windows Server 2016 runs as a terminal server using certain cloud computing virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI). As result, the servers randomly stop responding after running for a period of time. This also addresses a regression that proactively checks to ensure that the CSharedLock in rpcss.exe is set correctly to avoid a deadlock.
• Addresses an issue that affects the Windows search service and occurs when you query using the proximity operator.
• Addresses a memory leak in the wmipicmp.dll module that causes a lot of false alarm in the System Center Operations Manager (SCOM) datacenter monitoring system.
• Addresses an issue that incorrectly returns the Execution Policy settings from the registry.
• Addresses an issue that causes the Group Policy Management Console to stop working after you close it. The system logs Application Error Event ID 1000 and the error, 0xc0000005 (STATUS_ACCESS_VIOLATION); the failing module is GPOAdmin.dll.
• Addresses an issue that fails to show the Startup impact values in Task Manager.
• Addresses an issue that might fail to print End User Defined Characters (EUDC) correctly because of font fallback settings.
• Addresses an issue that prevents ShellWindows() from returning the InternetExplorer object when iexplore.exe runs in the Microsoft Edge Internet Explorer mode context.
• Provides the ability to share cookies between Microsoft Edge Internet Explorer mode and Microsoft Edge.
• Addresses an issue that causes Microsoft Edge Internet Explorer mode to stop working when you press the F1 key.
• Addresses an issue that affects dialog boxes in Microsoft Edge Internet Explorer mode.
• Addresses an issue that causes the improper cleanup of Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE) objects. This prevents session teardown and causes a session to stop responding.
• Addresses an issue that prevents phone activation of a Key Management Services (KMS) key on Windows Server 2022.
• Addresses an issue that prevents printing from operating properly for some low integrity process apps.
• Addresses an issue that affects applications that are written to only integrate with Azure Active Directory (AAD). These applications will not work on machines that are joined to Active Directory Federation Services (ADFS).
• Introduces support for Windows Hello for Business Cloud Trust. This is a new deployment model for hybrid deployments of Windows Hello for Business. It uses the same technology and deployment steps that support on-premises single sign-on (SSO) for Fast IDentity Online (FIDO) security keys. Cloud Trust removes the public-key infrastructure (PKI) requirements for deploying Windows and simplifies the Windows Hello for Business deployment experience.
• Addresses an issue that might cause BitLocker to damage virtual machine (VM) system files if you expand the BitLocker partition while the VM is offline.
• Addresses an issue that might cause AppLocker to fail because of a deadlock.
• Addresses an issue that prevents you from unloading and reloading drivers when the drivers are protected Hypervisor-protected Code Integrity (HVCI).
• Addresses a reliability issue that affects the use of the Remote Desktop app to mount a client's local drive to a terminal server session.
• Addresses an issue that causes a mismatch between a Remote Desktop session's keyboard and the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) client when signing in.
• Addresses an issue that causes screen readers to describe a back button as "button" rather than "back button".
• Addresses an issue that prevents administrators and content owners from opening expired Active Directory Rights Management Services (AD RMS) content.
• Addresses an issue that disconnects Offline Files on the network drive after you restart the OS and sign in. This issue occurs if the Distributed File System (DFS) path is mapped to the network drive.
• Addresses an issue that causes a deadlock in the WebDav redirector. This issue occurs when you attempt to read a file from the local TfsStore, which causes the system to stop responding.
• Addresses an issue that displays the authentication dialog twice when you mount a network drive.
• Addresses a memory leak in the Redirected Drive Buffering Subsystem (RDBSS) and the mrxsmb.sys drivers.
• Addresses an issue that prevents Work Folder sync from recovering from the error code 0x80c80003, "Server is currently busy" on the client. This issue occurs even when the HTTP request queue on the server does not indicate a load.
• Adds support for hot adding and the removal of non-volatile memory (NVMe) namespaces.

The update is optional and is only offered if the administrator explicitly selects optional updates for installation in the settings page. The update can also be downloaded and installed from the Microsoft Update Catalog. The latest Servicing Stack Update (SSU) is integrated. Microsoft lists several known issues in connection with this update. Further details can be found in the support article in case of doubt.

Preview Updates Windows 11

The list of updates for Windows 11 can be viewed on this Microsoft page. The following preview updates have been made available for Windows 11 as of February 15, 2022.

Update KB5010414 for Windows 11 – new features

Update KB5010414 for Windows 11 raises the OS build to 22000.527 and provides a number of new features (taskbar customizations, Notepad and Media Player new) for these Windows versions. Here are the following, called highlight, changes and fixes:

• New! Provides the ability to shares cookies between Microsoft Edge Internet Explorer mode and Microsoft Edge.
• New! Adds the clock and date to the taskbars of other monitors when you connect other monitors to your device.
• New! Adds weather content to the left side of the taskbar if the taskbar is aligned in the center. When you hover over the weather, the Widgets panel will appear on the left side of the screen and will disappear when you stop hovering over the area.
• Updates an issue that affects dialog boxes in Microsoft Edge Internet Explorer mode.
• Updates an issue that causes Microsoft Edge Internet Explorer mode to stop working when you press the F1 key.
• Updates an issue that displays right-to-left (RTL) language text as left justified on File Explorer command menus and File Explorer context menus.
• Updates an issue that might cause the time zone list in Settings to appear blank for users who are not administrators.
• Updates an issue that displays right-to-left (RTL) language text as left justified on File Explorer command menus and context menus.
• Updates an issue that causes incorrect tooltips to appear in an empty area on the taskbar after you hover over other icons like battery, volume, or Wi-Fi.

Microsoft states the following improvements and fixes in the support article:

• New! Provides the ability to shares cookies between Microsoft Edge Internet Explorer mode and Microsoft Edge.
• New! Opens Microsoft Office files that are in the Start menu's recommended section in the browser. This occurs if the device does not have an appropriate Microsoft Office license and the file is stored in Microsoft OneDrive or Microsoft SharePoint. If there is a license, the file will open in the desktop app instead.
• New! Adds the clock and date to the taskbars of other monitors when you connect other monitors to your device.
• New! Adds weather content to the left side of the taskbar if the taskbar is aligned in the center. When you hover over the weather, the Widgets panel will appear on the left side of the screen and will disappear when you stop hovering over the area.
• New! Adds the ability to quickly share open application windows directly from your taskbar to a Microsoft Teams call.
• New! Adds support for hot adding and the removal of non-volatile memory (NVMe) namespaces.
• New! Adds the ability to instantly mute and unmute a Microsoft Teams call from your taskbar. During a call, an active microphone icon will appear on the taskbar so that you can easily mute the audio without having to return to the Microsoft Teams call window.
• Addresses an issue that occurs when Windows Server 2016 runs as a terminal server using certain cloud computing virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI). As result, the servers randomly stop responding after running for a period of time. This also addresses a regression that proactively checks to ensure that the CSharedLock in rpcss.exe is set correctly to avoid a deadlock.
• Addresses an issue that might cause the time zone list in Settings to appear blank for users who are not administrators.
• Addresses an issue that affects the Windows search service and occurs when you query using the proximity operator.
• Addresses an issue that fails to show the Startup impact values in Task Manager.
• Addresses an issue that prevents ShellWindows() from returning the InternetExplorer object when iexplore.exe runs in the Microsoft Edge Internet Explorer mode context.
• Addresses an issue that affects dialog boxes in Microsoft Edge Internet Explorer mode.
• Addresses an issue that causes Microsoft Edge Internet Explorer mode to stop working when you press the F1 key.
• Addresses an issue that causes the improper cleanup of Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE) objects. This prevents session teardown and causes a session to stop responding.
• Addresses an issue that prevents printing from operating properly for some low integrity process apps.
• Introduces support for Windows Hello for Business Cloud Trust. This is a new deployment model for hybrid deployments of Windows Hello for Business. It uses the same technology and deployment steps that support on-premises single sign-on (SSO) for Fast IDentity Online (FIDO) security keys. Cloud Trust removes the public-key infrastructure (PKI) requirements for deploying Windows and simplifies the Windows Hello for Business deployment experience.
• Addresses an issue that prevents you from unloading and reloading drivers when the drivers are protected Hypervisor-protected Code Integrity (HVCI).
• Addresses an issue that affects the Silent BitLocker enablement policy and might unintentionally add a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) protector.
• Addresses a reliability issue that affects the use of the Remote Desktop app to mount a client's local drive to a terminal server session.
• Addresses an issue that displays right-to-left (RTL) language text as left justified on File Explorer command menus and context menus.
• Addresses an issue that prevents you from reaching the LanguagePackManagement configuration service provider (CSP) using the Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) Bridge.
• Addresses an issue that causes a mismatch between a Remote Desktop session's keyboard and the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) client when signing in.
• Addresses an issue that causes incorrect tooltips to appear in an empty area on the taskbar after you hover over other icons like battery, volume, or Wi-Fi.
• Addresses an issue that occurs when you try to write a service principal name (SPN) alias (such as www/FOO) and HOST/FOO already exists on another object. If the RIGHT_DS_WRITE_PROPERTY is on the SPN attribute of the colliding object, you receive an "Access Denied" error.
• Addresses an issue that disconnects Offline Files on the network drive after you restart the OS and sign in. This issue occurs if the Distributed File System (DFS) path is mapped to the network drive.
• Addresses an issue that displays the authentication dialog twice when you mount a network drive.

The update is optional and is only offered when the user explicitly selects optional updates for installation in the settings page. The update can also be downloaded and installed from the Microsoft Update Catalog. The latest Servicing Stack Update (SSU) is integrated to fix various issues. Microsoft lists a known issue related to Microsoft Outlook and mails not being shown (Problem with Outlook search, see also). Microsoft is working on this problem. Further details can be found in the support article in case of doubt.

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