Windows Users in for a Rough Ride as Emergency Updates Attempt to Fix RDS Failures and Other Issues
A perfect storm of problems has been brewing for Windows administrators since Microsoft’s September security updates were released. Not only did these updates cause widespread Remote Desktop Services (RDS) failures, but they also introduced issues with Hyper-V and USB audio. Now, in a bid to calm the waters, Microsoft has pushed out emergency out-of-band updates to address these problems.
At the heart of the issue are RDS failures that have left many Windows users struggling to connect remotely to their servers or desktops. This is particularly concerning for businesses where Remote Desktop access is crucial for employees working from home or on-the-go. According to reports, some administrators were able to resolve the problem by uninstalling the September security updates, but this would of course remove the vital security patches that came with them.
Microsoft has now released a range of out-of-band updates to fix these issues, including updates for Windows 10 and Windows 11 users. The company has also pushed out separate fixes for Hyper-V problems affecting applications that use Host Compute Service (HCS)-managed virtual machines. Specifically, the updates address an issue where shared folders between Linux virtual machines and Windows hosts would either not appear or become inaccessible.
Another audio-related problem affecting some USB Audio Class 1.0 devices when used with multichannel audio has also been fixed by the emergency updates. However, it’s worth noting that these fixes do not resolve all of the remaining USB audio problems introduced by the September updates. Microsoft says it is working on a solution for these outstanding issues.
For administrators who have already applied the September security updates and are experiencing RDS failures or other problems, the out-of-band updates are available now through Windows Update, the Microsoft Update Catalog, and Windows Server Update Services (WSUS). The affected systems include Windows 10 versions 21H2 and 22H2, as well as various Windows Server versions.
In practical terms, this means that administrators should prioritize installing these emergency updates to restore Remote Desktop functionality and avoid further disruptions. It’s also worth noting that Microsoft has provided Group Policy mitigations for affected systems in the meantime, although these are only temporary fixes.
Ultimately, this latest development serves as a reminder of the importance of staying on top of Windows updates and security patches to prevent such problems from arising in the first place. With the help of these emergency updates, administrators should be able to breathe a sigh of relief – at least for now.
Source: Bleeping Computer — 2026-09-14