KB5073695: Overview with user sentiment and feedback

Overview

This security update for Windows Server 2008 R2 includes fixes and quality improvements that are part of the December 9, 2025 (KB5071501) and December 18, 2025 (KB5074977) Monthly Rollups. The update addresses a change in behavior where Windows Deployment Services (WDS) will stop supporting hands-free deployment functionality by default. Administrators should review the guidance and follow the instructions provided in the Windows Deployment Services (WDS) Hands-Free Deployment Hardening Guidance. Additionally, this update removes certain modem drivers, which means that modem hardware dependent on those drivers will no longer work in Windows.

General Purpose

The main purpose of this KB5073695 update is to provide security and quality improvements for Windows Server 2008 R2. The key changes include:- Removal of certain modem drivers (agrsm64.sys, agrsm.sys, smserl64.sys, smserial.sys) which will impact modem hardware dependent on those drivers- Change in behavior for Windows Deployment Services (WDS) to stop supporting hands-free deployment functionality by default. Administrators will need to review guidance and follow instructions to update their WDS configurations.This update is part of the ongoing Monthly Rollup process to deliver cumulative security and quality improvements for Windows Server 2008 R2 during the Premium Assurance support period, which ends on January 13, 2026.

General Sentiment

The sentiment around this KB5073695 update appears to be mixed. On the positive side, it provides important security and quality improvements for Windows Server 2008 R2 during the final years of Premium Assurance support. However, the removal of certain modem drivers and the change in WDS behavior may cause disruption for some organizations still relying on that functionality.Administrators will need to carefully review the changes and guidance to understand the potential impact on their environments. Those with modem hardware or WDS deployments may need to take action to address the changes introduced by this update. Overall, the update seems necessary from a security standpoint, but the changes could create challenges for some Windows Server 2008 R2 users.

Known Issues

• The update removes the following modem drivers: agrsm64.sys (x64), agrsm.sys (x86), smserl64.sys (x64) and smserial.sys (x86). Modem hardware dependent on these specific drivers will no longer work in Windows after installing this update.- The update introduces a change in behavior where Windows Deployment Services (WDS) will stop supporting hands-free deployment functionality by default. Administrators should review the guidance and follow the instructions provided in the Windows Deployment Services (WDS) Hands-Free Deployment Hardening Guidance to address this change.

Disclaimer: We take measures to ensure that AI-generated content is of the highest possible quality, but we cannot guarantee its accuracy and recommend that users do their own independent research. Generated on 2026-02-28 01:12 AM

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