Windows Server removed features

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Microsoft's edit · 3 Jul 2025 18:52 UTC

update

Microsoft's commit message in MicrosoftDocs/windowsserverdocs · commit e10cef1 · +3 −3 lines · also on GitHub

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5151 | Hyper-V Virtual Switch on LBFO | The Hyper-V Virtual Switch no longer has the capability to be bound to an LBFO team. Instead, it must be bound via [Switch Embedded Teaming (SET)](/azure/azure-local/concepts/host-network-requirements#switch-embedded-teaming-set). This change only applies to Hyper-V. LBFO is still fully supported for other non-Hyper-V scenarios. |

5252 | Launching SConfig from a command prompt | Starting with Windows Server 2022, `SConfig` is launched by default when you sign into a server running the Server Core installation option. Moreover, PowerShell is now the default shell on Server Core. If you exit `SConfig`, you get to a regular interactive PowerShell window. Similarly, you can opt out from SConfig autolaunch. In this case, a PowerShell window pops up at sign-in. In either scenario, you can launch SConfig from PowerShell by running `SConfig`. |

5353 | New EKUs for VBS enclaves | VBS enclaves are supported on Windows Server 2025 and later. *Existing* enclaves with the EKU 1.3.6.1.4.1.311.76.57.1.15 signature are still supported on Windows Server 2022 as long as they remain unchanged and don't require re-signing. |

54 −| Windows Deployment Services (WDS) boot.wim image deployment | The operating system deployment functionality of WDS is being partially deprecated. Workflows that rely on `boot.wim` from Windows Server 2022 installation media show a non-blocking deprecation notice, but the workflows aren't impacted. Windows 11 workflows and workflows for future versions of Windows Server that rely on `boot.wim` from installation media are blocked. Alternatives to WDS, such as [Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager](/mem/configmgr/) or the [Microsoft Deployment Toolkit](/windows/deployment/deploy-windows-mdt/get-started-with-the-microsoft-deployment-toolkit) (MDT), provide a better, more flexible, and feature-rich experience for deploying Windows images. We recommend that you use one of these solutions instead. WDS PXE boot isn't affected. You can still use WDS to PXE-boot devices to custom boot images. You can also still [run setup from a network share](/windows-hardware/manufacture/desktop/deploy-a-custom-image). Workflows that use custom `boot.wim` images, such as with Configuration Manager or MDT, aren't impacted. |

54 +| Windows Deployment Services (WDS) boot.wim image deployment | The operating system deployment functionality of WDS is being partially deprecated. Workflows that rely on `boot.wim` from Windows Server 2022 installation media show a nonblocking deprecation notice, but the workflows aren't impacted. Windows 11 workflows and workflows for future versions of Windows Server that rely on `boot.wim` from installation media are blocked. Alternatives to WDS, such as [Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager](/mem/configmgr/) or the [Microsoft Deployment Toolkit](/windows/deployment/deploy-windows-mdt/get-started-with-the-microsoft-deployment-toolkit) (MDT), provide a better, more flexible, and feature-rich experience for deploying Windows images. We recommend that you use one of these solutions instead. WDS PXE boot isn't affected. You can still use WDS to PXE-boot devices to custom boot images. You can also still [run setup from a network share](/windows-hardware/manufacture/desktop/deploy-a-custom-image). Workflows that use custom `boot.wim` images, such as with Configuration Manager or MDT, aren't impacted. |

5555 | Windows Internet Name Service (WINS) | WINS is a legacy computer name registration and resolution service. You should replace WINS with Domain Name System (DNS). For more information, see [Windows Internet Name Service (WINS)](../networking/technologies/wins/wins-top.md). |

5656 | XDDM-based remote display driver | Starting with this release, Remote Desktop Services uses a Windows Display Driver Model (WDDM) based indirect display driver (IDD) for a single-session remote desktop. Support for Windows 2000 Display Driver Model (XDDM) based remote display drivers will be removed in a future release. Independent software vendors that use XDDM-based remote display drivers should plan a migration to the WDDM driver model. For more information on implementing remote indirect display drivers, see [Updates for IddCx versions 1.4 and later](/windows-hardware/drivers/display/iddcx1.4-updates). |

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6969 | OneSync service | The OneSync service synchronizes data for the Mail, Calendar, and People apps. A sync engine to the Outlook app that provides the same synchronization was added. |

7070 | Remote Differential Compression API support | Remote Differential Compression API support enabled synchronizing data with a remote source by using compression technologies, which minimized the amount of data sent across the network. |

7171 | RSA/AES Encryption for IIS | We're considering replacing this encryption method because the superior Cryptography API: Next Generation (CNG) method is already available. To learn more, see [About CNG](/windows/win32/seccng/about-cng). |

72 −| Storage Spaces in a Shared configuration using a SAS fabric | Deploy [Storage Spaces Direct](/azure/azure-local/concepts/storage-spaces-direct-overview?context=/windows-server/context/windows-server-storage) instead. Storage Spaces Direct supports the use of HLK-certified SAS enclosures, but in a non-shared configuration, as described in the [Storage Spaces Direct hardware requirements](../storage/storage-spaces/storage-spaces-direct-hardware-requirements.md). |

72 +| Storage Spaces in a Shared configuration using a SAS fabric | Deploy [Storage Spaces Direct](/azure/azure-local/concepts/storage-spaces-direct-overview?context=/windows-server/context/windows-server-storage) instead. Storage Spaces Direct supports the use of HLK-certified SAS enclosures, but in a nonshared configuration, as described in the [Storage Spaces Direct hardware requirements](../storage/storage-spaces/storage-spaces-direct-hardware-requirements.md). |

7373 | Trusted Platform Module (TPM) management console | The information previously available in the TPM management console is now available on the [Device security](/windows/security/threat-protection/windows-defender-security-center/wdsc-device-security) page in [Windows Security settings](/windows/security/threat-protection/windows-defender-security-center/windows-defender-security-center). |

7474 | WFP lightweight filter switch extension | The WFP lightweight filter switch extension enables developers to build [simple network packet filtering extensions for the Hyper-V Virtual Switch](/windows-hardware/drivers/network/using-virtual-switch-filtering). You can achieve the same functionality by creating a full filtering extension. Therefore, we're removing this extension in the future. |

7575 | Windows PowerShell 2.0 | Migrate to Windows PowerShell 5.0 or later for the best features and performance. For more information, see [PowerShell Documentation](/powershell/index?view=powershell-5.1&preserve-view=true). |

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9999 | Feature | Explanation |

100100 |--|--|

101 −| Data Encryption Standard (DES) | DES, the symmetric-key block encryption cipher, is not considered secure against modern cryptographic attacks. It's replaced by more robust encryption algorithms. DES was disabled starting with Windows Server 2008 R2 and is removed from Windows Server 2025 and later releases. |

101 +| Data Encryption Standard (DES) | DES, the symmetric-key block encryption cipher, isn't considered secure against modern cryptographic attacks. It's replaced by more robust encryption algorithms. DES was disabled starting with Windows Server 2008 R2 and is removed from Windows Server 2025 and later releases. |

102102 | IIS 6 Management Console (Web-Lgcy-Mgmt-Console) | The console is removed after being no longer developed in Windows Server 2019. You should also start migrating from IIS 6.0 or earlier versions to the latest version of IIS, which is always available in the most recent release of Windows Server. |

103103 | NTLMv1 | Replace calls to NTLM with calls to [Negotiate](/windows/win32/secauthn/microsoft-negotiate), which tries to authenticate with Kerberos and only falls back to NTLM when necessary. For more information, see [The evolution of Windows authentication](https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/windows-it-pro-blog/the-evolution-of-windows-authentication/ba-p/3926848). |

104104 | SMTP Server | Because SMTP Server features were removed from Windows Server 2025, there's no replacement within the operating system. Consider using Exchange Server or a non-Microsoft SMTP server as an alternative. To learn more about enabling SMTP connection in Exchange Server, see [Receive connectors in Exchange Server](/exchange/mail-flow/connectors/receive-connectors). |

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Microsoft's Markdown source from MicrosoftDocs/windowsserverdocs, © Microsoft Corporation, under CC BY 4.0. Changed lines with up to 3 unchanged lines around each; ChangeIntel kept this copy 10 Oct 07:21 UTC. The commit date is when the source changed, which can be hours or days before Learn published it.