Microsoft has officially acknowledged a critical bug introduced in its August security updates that is causing instability and crashes for users of Windows Server 2016 and Windows Server 2025. The issues, reported by IT publication BleepingComputer, affect core system processes and application stability.
Windows Server 2016 Woes
For users running Windows Server 2016, the August update has led to the CompatTelRunner.exe process crashing, resulting in a 0xc0000409 error. This process is a key component of the Windows Compatibility Telemetry, responsible for assessing whether a system meets the hardware and software requirements for upcoming Windows updates and feature upgrades. Microsoft has confirmed that this problem impacts both physical machines and virtual environments, including popular platforms like VMware and Microsoft Azure.
Windows Server 2025 Application Failures
In the case of Windows Server 2025, the August security update has caused various application crashes due to changes in memory management. The issues are particularly pronounced for software utilizing Address Windowing Extensions (AWE). AWE allows 32-bit applications to access more than 4GB of physical memory, a capability now seemingly disrupted by the recent update.
The consequences for Server 2025 users can be severe, including:
- Memory corruption
- Access violations
0xC0000005error codes- Failures in database maintenance tasks
- SQL Server crash dumps
- Unexpected service stops or restarts
Microsoft’s Current Recommendations
As of now, Microsoft has not provided a permanent fix for these widespread issues. However, they have suggested a temporary workaround for administrators facing problems with SQL Server. The recommendation is to evaluate disabling the Local Security Policy (LSA) setting for the SQL Server service account. It’s important to note that this change might alter memory management behavior and potentially impact overall system performance.
IT administrators are advised to proceed with caution and monitor system performance closely after implementing any workarounds. Further updates from Microsoft are expected as they continue to investigate the root cause of these critical August update-related server problems.
