Microsoft has issued an out-of-band update to fix a Windows Server bug that is causing Remote Desktop connection and performance issues.

“Today, January 4, 2022, Microsoft is issuing Out-of-Band (OOB) updates to resolve issues where Windows Server may experience a black screen, slow sign-in, or general slowness,” the company says.

“It’s also possible that you won’t be able to connect to the server using Remote Desktop. The server may stop responding in certain conditions.”

Windows Server 2022, Windows Server 2019, Windows Server 2016, and Windows Server 2012 R2 are all affected.

The fixes for this problem aren’t accessible through Windows Update, and they won’t be installed automatically on affected systems.

Using the procedures in these knowledgebase articles: KB5010196 and KB5010215, you may acquire the standalone update packages for Windows Server 2019 and Windows Server 2012 R2.

They’re also available for download via the Microsoft Update Catalog [1, 2]. Using the instructions in this support document, enterprise administrators can manually import the updates into Windows Server Update Services (WSUS).

Because KB5010196 and KB5010215 are cumulative updates, you won’t need to install any earlier Windows Server updates first.

The fix isn’t yet ready for all Windows versions that are affected

Microsoft hasn’t yet provided patches for Windows Server 2022 and Windows Server 2016, but it’s working on a solution and will have something in the next few days.

In November, Redmond provided out-of-band upgrades for Domain Controllers (DC) running supported versions of Windows Server to address authentication vulnerabilities related to Kerberos delegation scenarios.