Microsoft has released a new build of the Windows Server Long-Term Servicing Channel (LTSC) Preview. Today's build 25931 is now available to download as an ISO from the Windows Server Insider website along with a VHDX. It contains both the (Windows 11) Desktop Experience as well as a Server Core installation option for Datacenter and the Standard edition. There's also an Azure Edition, but it's only available via virtual machines.
The dedicated blog post for this new release includes a few new features, along with a small list of known issues:
What's New
- Azure Arc-enabled Servers onboarding experience is now available in the latest Windows Server Insider Desktop build. Find the new Azure Arc icon in the system tray (bottom right corner of the taskbar). Try installing and configuring the (free) Azure Connected Machine Agent using the Azure Arc Setup wizard that can be launched from the system tray icon. Once Azure Arc is enabled on your server, find status information in the system tray icon.
- Server Datacenter Insiders! Take Terminal command line utility on Windows Server for a test run! Search for "Terminal" on the latest Server Datacenter Insider build and launch the application.
- Storage Replica Enhanced Log is now available in the latest Windows Server Insider build. Enhanced Log provides improved performance for block replication by removing file system abstractions – and their performance costs – from the Storage Replica log implementation. More info, and deployment instruction, is available on Learn: link.
Known Issues
- If you are validating upgrades from Windows Server 2019 or 2022, we do not recommend that you use this build as intermittent upgrade failures have been identified for this build.
- This build has an issue where archiving eventlogs with "wevetutil al" command causes the Windows Event Log service to crash, and the archive operation to fail. The service must be restarted by executing "Start-Service EventLog" from an administrative command line prompt.
- If you have Secure Launch/DRTM code path enabled, we do not recommend that you install this build.
The Windows Server Preview currently is on the same build number as the current Windows 11 Insider Canary channel, which might indicate we won't see a new Server version until next year when Windows 12 is expected to be released.
Here's some more important info on this release:
Available Downloads
- Downloads to certain countries may not be available. See Microsoft suspends new sales in Russia - Microsoft On the Issues
- Windows Server Long-Term Servicing Channel Preview in ISO format in 18 languages, and in VHDX format in English only.
- Windows Server Datacenter Azure Edition Preview in ISO and VHDX format, English only.
- Microsoft Server Languages and Optional Features Preview
Keys: Keys are valid for preview builds only
- Server Standard: MFY9F-XBN2F-TYFMP-CCV49-RMYVH
- Datacenter: 2KNJJ-33Y9H-2GXGX-KMQWH-G6H67
- Azure Edition does not accept a key
Symbols: available on the public symbol server – see Using the Microsoft Symbol Server.
Expiration: This Windows Server Preview will expire September 15, 2023.
You can download the build here, and find the official announcement here.
