Microsoft’s optional preview update KB5064081 for Windows 11 version 24H2 arrives as a broad, staged roll‑out that bundles a servicing‑stack refresh with a large set of consumer and enterprise changes — from a redesigned Recall homepage and new AI actions in File Explorer to a long‑overdue correction in how Task Manager reports CPU usage — while also flagging a handful of known regressions admins should plan around.
Microsoft’s monthly non‑security “C” or preview updates are optional packages intended for validation and staged testing before fixes and feature toggles make their way into the next Patch Tuesday rollup. These updates do not contain security patches and are distributed via Windows Update as optional downloads for Release Preview and Insider channels. Administrators and enthusiasts use these flights to pilot features, validate enterprise compatibility, and test new servicing‑stack behavior.
The KB5064081 release is notable for two reasons. First, it includes a Servicing Stack Update (SSU) alongside the cumulative payload — a packaging choice that increases update robustness but also means the SSU portion is persistent once applied and complicates rollbacks. Second, Microsoft is using a gradual rollout model for many user‑visible features: code is broadly delivered but specific features are enabled for subsets of devices (by hardware, account entitlements, or server‑side gating). This makes the preview useful for testing but unpredictable for immediate, universal feature exposure.
The new formula standardizes CPU reporting across Task Manager:
CPU % = (Δ Process CPU Time) ÷ (Δ Elapsed Time × Logical Processors)
This aligns Task Manager with industry conventions and third‑party tools, and makes per‑process totals additive and comparable to the overall system load. If you prefer the legacy interpretation, Microsoft retains the old metric via an optional CPU Utility column in the Details tab.
Why this matters
Recall
CertificateServicesClient Event Log noise
For IT teams: treat KB5064081 as a pilot‑first update — test, validate licensing and privacy requirements, and stage rollouts by function rather than by build alone. For enthusiasts: expect new AI actions and a more sane Task Manager, but don’t be surprised if not every machine shows the same features immediately — Microsoft is still gate‑grading exposure by hardware and account entitlements.
Source: SSBCrack Microsoft Releases KB5064081 Preview Update for Windows 11 24H2 with New Features and Improvements - SSBCrack News
Background
Microsoft’s monthly non‑security “C” or preview updates are optional packages intended for validation and staged testing before fixes and feature toggles make their way into the next Patch Tuesday rollup. These updates do not contain security patches and are distributed via Windows Update as optional downloads for Release Preview and Insider channels. Administrators and enthusiasts use these flights to pilot features, validate enterprise compatibility, and test new servicing‑stack behavior. The KB5064081 release is notable for two reasons. First, it includes a Servicing Stack Update (SSU) alongside the cumulative payload — a packaging choice that increases update robustness but also means the SSU portion is persistent once applied and complicates rollbacks. Second, Microsoft is using a gradual rollout model for many user‑visible features: code is broadly delivered but specific features are enabled for subsets of devices (by hardware, account entitlements, or server‑side gating). This makes the preview useful for testing but unpredictable for immediate, universal feature exposure.
What’s in KB5064081 — High‑level summary
The update carries a mix of staged AI integrations, UI polish, platform reliability fixes, and enterprise readiness work. The most visible user features rolling out gradually include:- Recall — a redesigned, personalized homepage for quick task resumption that surfaces recent snapshots, top apps and websites, and timeline navigation. Snapshot collection is opt‑in and filterable.
- Click to Do — an interactive onboarding tutorial that demonstrates contextual actions for text and images, improving discoverability for the feature.
- File Explorer AI actions — right‑click options for common image edits (Blur Background, Remove Background, Erase Objects) and a Copilot‑backed Summarize action for documents (requires Microsoft 365/Copilot licensing).
- Task Manager CPU reporting standardization — the Processes tab now uses the same CPU utilization formula as Performance and Users tabs; the legacy metric remains available in an optional “CPU Utility” column.
- Windows Hello redesign — a modernized sign‑in UX with clearer passkey and device choices.
- Taskbar and Search improvements — a larger optional clock in the notification center (with seconds), an image grid view for taskbar search, and clearer indexing/status messaging.
- Lock screen widget personalization — expanded widget options and improved configuration.
- Enterprise items — Windows Backup for Organizations is being promoted toward general availability and PowerShell 2.0 removal has begun; admins must audit scripts and automation for legacy dependencies.
Task Manager: the CPU numbers finally make sense
One of the single most impactful changes for power users and IT pros is the Task Manager CPU reporting correction. For years, the Processes tab used a legacy “Processor Utility” metric that could show misleading per‑process or per‑system values on modern multi‑core CPUs. A single thread maxing out on a 16‑core chip could appear as 100% utilization in the Processes view, while the Performance tab showed something entirely different.The new formula standardizes CPU reporting across Task Manager:
CPU % = (Δ Process CPU Time) ÷ (Δ Elapsed Time × Logical Processors)
This aligns Task Manager with industry conventions and third‑party tools, and makes per‑process totals additive and comparable to the overall system load. If you prefer the legacy interpretation, Microsoft retains the old metric via an optional CPU Utility column in the Details tab.
Why this matters
- Consistent metrics across tabs reduce confusion during troubleshooting.
- Third‑party monitoring and scripts that parse Task Manager outputs will now get numbers that match PerfMon and WMI counters.
- For high‑core systems, the new representation is far more useful when diagnosing actual system saturation vs. single‑thread hotspots.
Recall, Click to Do and File Explorer AI: useful, gated, and license‑sensitive
The KB5064081 preview expands the reach of Microsoft’s generative and assistive features by embedding small‑form AI actions directly into core shell surfaces.Recall
- Opens to a personalized homepage showing Recent Snapshots and Top Apps & Websites for quick task resumption. Snapshot collection is opt‑in and supports filtering to exclude apps or content you don’t want captured. Microsoft emphasizes local encryption and Windows Hello gating for access, but enterprise privacy teams should validate retention and export controls before enabling broadly.
- Click to Do now includes an interactive first‑run tutorial to help users discover common actions such as summarizing text or removing an image background. File Explorer surfaces right‑click AI actions for common image edits and a Summarize option for documents; Summarize depends on Copilot/Microsoft 365 backends and will require appropriate licensing for full functionality. Hardware gating (Copilot+ devices with on‑device NPUs) applies to several on‑device experiences.
- Some actions are on‑device while others call cloud services; the Summarize action often requires Microsoft 365/Copilot entitlements.
- Hardware gating means older or non‑Copilot machines may not see the same experience. IT should inventory devices and licensing before enabling these features at scale.
Installation and rollout mechanics
How to get the preview- Open Settings → Windows Update → Check for updates.
- If the preview package appears, it will be listed as an optional update; click “Download and install” to apply it (unless you have the “Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available” setting enabled, in which case staged installs may occur automatically).
- Microsoft’s official Release Preview announcement published August 14 lists Build 26100.5061 as the initial release in this family.
- Independent trackers and late August reporting reference follow‑up variants such as 26100.5067 and 26100.5074; these reflect minor follow‑ups and bundling permutations that occur in Microsoft’s checkpoint‑style servicing model. If precise build numbers matter for your verification or image creation, check the Windows Update history on sample devices and the official Release Health/update history pages before broad deployment.
- Pilot: run KB5064081 in a pilot ring with a representative set of hardware, focusing on devices that exercise File Explorer, SharePoint/OneDrive mounts, ReFS workloads, and multimedia/streaming paths.
- Validate: test Windows Hello flows, Copilot/AI actions (if you intend to enable them), and Microsoft 365 integrations with licensing in a nonproduction tenant.
- Backout plan: because the update bundles an SSU, undoing the package can be complex; ensure image snapshots, system backups, and offline deployment media are prepared before broad rollouts.
Enterprise changes and admin action items
Windows Backup for Organizations- Microsoft is pushing Windows Backup for Organizations toward general availability; it backs up curated Windows settings and Store app lists for Entra‑joined devices and integrates with Intune for restore workflows during OOBE/autopilot flows. It is not a full‑image or file backup solution. Administrators must verify tenant enablement and prerequisites before relying on it for mass provisioning.
- Windows 11 24H2 is starting the removal process for legacy Windows PowerShell 2.0; scripts and installers that explicitly depend on the 2.0 engine should be migrated to PowerShell 5.1 or PowerShell 7.x. Inventory and mitigation are necessary prior to the update, especially for tightly controlled automation or imaging pipelines.
- A new Advanced page consolidates developer and system toggles; a Device Card appears on Settings home for Microsoft account users in the U.S.; and Settings includes a text/image generation control pane that shows which third‑party apps recently used generative models. Admins should review privacy and telemetry policies to ensure these controls align with enterprise governance.
Known issues and operational risks
KB5064081 and contemporaneous August 2025 updates have been associated with a few known issues that matter to both prosumers and enterprise deployments.CertificateServicesClient Event Log noise
- Some systems logged repeated CertificateServicesClient (CertEnroll) errors complaining that the “Microsoft Pluton Cryptographic Provider” failed to initialize (Event ID 57). Microsoft characterized this as a logged event without functional impact and later issued a fix to stop the false error logging; administrators were advised there was no functional degradation but to monitor guidance as the resolution was staged.
- August security updates (e.g., KB5063878) caused reports of severe stuttering and dropped frames for users relying on NDI (Network Device Interface) streaming workflows — a critical issue for live streaming and multi‑PC broadcast setups. The NDI vendor and Microsoft recommended a temporary mitigation: change NDI Receive Mode from RUDP to TCP or UDP until a permanent platform fix is published. This is a known Release Health item and should be on the checklist for any team that uses NDI/OBS/vMix pipelines.
- Small‑scope issues affecting audio services, certain explorer/dll crashes, and IME edge cases were listed in the release notes; many were addressed as part of the normal rollout items, but real‑world estates should validate typical user workflows after the update.
- Because many user‑facing capabilities are gate‑enabled by Microsoft, absence of a feature on your test device does not necessarily mean the update failed. Conversely, feature exposure may be limited by OEM drivers, CPU/TPM hardware, or Copilot licensing entitlements. Track the Windows Insider Release Preview notes and your tenant’s feature flags if you need deterministic behavior.
Security, privacy, and compliance considerations
Local snapshot collection and generative AI controls- Recall’s snapshotting is explicitly opt‑in and Microsoft states snapshots are encrypted locally and gated by Windows Hello for access. Still, organizational policies for data capture, export, and retention must be reviewed: snapshots can contain sensitive text or imagery and the export paths or retention windows may vary by region or tenant configuration. Enterprises should require formal acceptance from privacy/compliance teams before enabling Recall broadly.
- KB5064081 introduces a Settings page (Privacy & security > Text and Image Generation) that lists third‑party apps that have recently used Windows’ generative models and offers per‑app toggles. This increases visibility and administrative control but relies on quotas and logging that should be integrated into existing data‑use policies. Verify logging retention and auditability against corporate compliance rules.
- Several File Explorer AI actions and deeper Copilot integrations require Microsoft 365/Copilot licensing. Enabling these features without entitlement may result in degraded or redirected functionality; ensure your licensing posture is consistent with the features you intend to enable.
Testing checklist and rollout playbook (recommended)
- Inventory & prerequisites
- Identify Copilot+ compatible devices, confirm TPM/Windows Hello status, and list Microsoft 365/Copilot entitlements across tenants.
- Pilot ring configuration
- Choose a small but diverse set of devices (consumer laptops, managed corporate units, media rigs using NDI, and high‑core workstations). Apply KB5064081 in Release Preview and monitor for Task Manager, File Explorer, Windows Hello, and streaming regressions.
- Functional tests (short list)
- Validate Task Manager CPU reporting matches PerfMon/WMI counters.
- Test Recall snapshot opt‑in, snapshot viewing, and export behavior.
- Confirm File Explorer AI actions and Summarize behavior for licensed vs. unlicensed accounts.
- Stress test NDI/OBS/vMix flows (if applicable) and apply the RUDP→TCP/UDP mitigation if necessary.
- Security/Privacy sign‑off
- Run privacy impact assessment for Recall and generative AI controls; get approvals from compliance and legal.
- Staged production rollout
- Move through pilot → broader group → general deployment, monitoring key telemetry (errored restarts, explorer crashes, upgrade success rates). Prepare rollback and imaging plans given the SSU persistence.
Critical analysis — strengths, trade‑offs, and risks
Strengths- Meaningful quality fixes: The update addresses real stability and usability touchpoints — Task Manager accuracy, File Explorer AI ergonomics, and Windows Hello UX — that improve day‑to‑day productivity for many users.
- Enterprise tooling: Windows Backup for Organizations and the removal of PowerShell 2.0 are forward‑looking moves that reduce legacy surface area and make device refresh scenarios easier once tenants validate restore flows.
- Controlled rollouts: Gradual exposure limits blast radius and lets Microsoft iterate on risky features while collecting telemetry.
- Gated feature inconsistency: The server‑side gating model can create confusion in support scenarios where different users or devices running the same build see different behavior. IT teams must rely on feature flags and tenant controls for deterministic planning.
- Licensing & hardware fences: Copilot/Microsoft 365 licensing and Copilot+ hardware requirements mean many features are effectively paywalled or hardware‑restricted. This complicates value calculations for organizations considering enabling these features broadly.
- Rollback complexity (SSU): Bundling the SSU with the cumulative payload strengthens future update reliability but makes removing the preview package nontrivial. Imaging and backup discipline is more important than ever.
- Some press reports list slightly different build numbers (26100.5061, 26100.5067, 26100.5074) for variants of the KB, reflecting Microsoft’s checkpointing and minor follow‑ups. Where absolute build identity is critical, verify the update history on a target device and cross‑check the Windows Update/Release Health pages. This is an operational discrepancy rather than a functional contradiction, but it is important for formal imaging or driver compatibility logs.
Conclusion
KB5064081 is a substantial preview flight that blends practical reliability fixes with staged, AI‑driven productivity features. The Task Manager CPU metric correction and the expansion of Recall/Click to Do/File Explorer AI are the most user‑visible changes for power users, while Windows Backup for Organizations and the PowerShell 2.0 removal are the principal enterprise calls‑to‑action. The preview’s optional nature and Microsoft’s gradual rollout model mean administrators get a chance to pilot and validate before committing to broad deployments. However, the packaging of an SSU and the existence of known regressions (notably Event Viewer certificate noise and NDI streaming regressions tied to other August updates) demand careful testing, clear rollback plans, and coordination with privacy and licensing teams.For IT teams: treat KB5064081 as a pilot‑first update — test, validate licensing and privacy requirements, and stage rollouts by function rather than by build alone. For enthusiasts: expect new AI actions and a more sane Task Manager, but don’t be surprised if not every machine shows the same features immediately — Microsoft is still gate‑grading exposure by hardware and account entitlements.
Source: SSBCrack Microsoft Releases KB5064081 Preview Update for Windows 11 24H2 with New Features and Improvements - SSBCrack News
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