Microsoft has released an update for its Windows 8.1, Windows Server R2 and Windows RT 8.1 users, previously this update was named update 2 and but Microsoft has named it as August Update and now its available for download.

Windows

This update is not a major update but it do bring various performance and stability improvements to the OS.

Features of Windows 8.1 August Update ;-

Settings changes for Update and Recovery

This feature introduces new information in the Windows Update Settings, and gives you more information on how up to date your systems are by displaying the most recent check for updates and the last date updates were installed.

Precision touchpad improvements:

This feature adds the following three end-user settings to control the behavior of precision touchpad devices:

  • Leave touchpad on when a mouse is connected
  • Allow right-clicks on the touchpad
  • Double-tap and drag

You can find these settings under the Mouse and touchpad menu in PC Settings.

Ruble symbol update:

This update also adds new Ruble currency support for input and rendering.

Out-of-date ActiveX control blocking:

With the out-of-date ActiveX control blocking, Internet Explorer tells you when it finds and blocks parts of webpages that are loading common controls, but that are also loading out-of-date ActiveX controls. This enables you to browse safely as you interact with all aspects of the webpage aside from the out-of-date control. Furthermore, you are directed to update the control so you can safely interact with its most recent version.

Wi-Fi Direct APIs for Discoverability

Wi-Fi Direct APIs for Discoverability are a new set of APIs for Independent Hardware Vendors (IHV) or computer OEMs to develop Windows-based applications on all supported x86-based and x64-based versions of Windows 8.1. This enables IHVs and OEMs to build a Miracast receiver on Windows. These Windows 32-bit APIs make the computer discoverable and accept incoming Miracast connections.

Video capture metadata for MP4:

This feature adds capability for developers to read and write the “Date taken” and GPS data on MP4 files by using Windows Runtime and Win32 APIs.

Minimizing Logon Prompts for Microsoft SharePoint Online

This feature reduces the number of prompts with federated use in accessing SharePoint Online sites. If you select the “Keep me signed in” check box when you log on for the first time, you will not see prompts for successive access attempts to that SharePoint Online site.

Windows 8.1 August Update fixes following bugs :-

  • Blank icon in the Jump List after the application is updated in Windows 8.1 or Windows Server 2012 R2
  • Expired certificates cannot be removed when automatic certificate rollover is disabled in Windows Server 2012 R2
  • Update to add pronunciation Pinyin strings when you input Chinese characters in Windows RT 8.1 or Windows 8.1
  • Private bytes keep increasing when you encrypt data on SQL Server on Window 8.1 or Windows Server 2012 R2
  • Computer opens a blank browser window when RMS client sends WIF request to a Windows Server 2012 R2-based AD FS server
  • Error occurs when you access exclusion policies in an AD RMS server that is running Windows Server 2012 R2
  • You cannot sign in to a web application when you use certificate authentication method in Windows Server 2012 R2
  • Windows Server Essentials integration with Office 365 or Windows Azure Active Directory is blocked
  • Error 58 when an application calls BackupRead function to back up files that are shared by using SMB in Windows
  • Windows Server 2012 R2-based cluster freezes on multiple nodes when you add, rename, or remove disks
  • Hyper-V virtual machines cannot be connected to sometimes when TCP connections reconnect in Windows Server 2012 R2
  • Event 1002 when system file information folder is shared in Windows 8.1 or Windows Server 2012 R2
  • Applications lose local data when you deploy non-English Windows RT 8.1 or Windows 8.1 by using Configuration Manager
  • ADFS authentication issue for Active Directory users when extranet lockout is enabled
  • Stop error occurs randomly when you close SMB sessions in Windows 8.1 or Windows Server 2012 R2
  • You cannot sort the group lists by principal name in ADUC in Windows
  • You intermittently cannot connect to the DirectAccess server by using the IP-HTTPS adapter in Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2
  • Task name is deleted after you link a storage report to a scheduled task in Windows
  • Too few tiles are displayed during image customization in Windows
  • An extended error occured” when you add a group Managed Service Account in Windows
  • Can’t disable security settings in Group Policy Preferences for Internet Explorer 10
  • USB device remove and install repeatedly when it is connected to a Windows 8.1 or Windows Server 2012 R2-based computer
  • The rdgiskdcproxy:i:1 property cannot be set for the remote apps that are hosted by RD Web Access on Windows Server
  • Clients randomly lose connection to a Windows Server 2012 R2 or Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 Network Policy Server
  • The Group Policy Management Console does not generate a status report for a domain
  • Windows MultiPoint Server occasionally crashes when you start the WMS shell in Windows Server 2012 R2 or Windows Server 2012
  • Clicking “Find more” under mobile broadband causes Searching status to freeze in Windows 8.1 and Windows RT 8.1
  • Registry.pol is corrupted after an abnormal termination during the writing process in Windows Server
  • USB device appears with a yellow exclamation mark in Windows Device Manager in Windows 8.1 or Windows Server 2012 R2
  • Wired or Wireless Network GPO setting is not displayed in GPMC report in Windows
  • Failed to fetch servers” when you try to find available IP addresses in IP Address Management in Windows Server 2012 R2
  • SystemSettings.exe process crashes when you add a VPN connection on a Windows RT 8.1 or Windows 8.1-based computer
  • Connect to incorrect entry point when Windows 8.1 or Windows Server 2012 R2-based computer wakes from sleep or hibernate
  • File download freezes and CPU usage high when WFP callout driver is installed in Windows 8.1 or Windows Server 2012 R2
  • Account picture shifts to right side after you unlock a computer from an application in Windows 8.1 or Windows RT 8.1
  • Stop error occurs on a Windows 8.1 or Windows Server 2012 R2-based computer
  • Touch input does not work in Windows Journal after Windows 8.1 wakes from sleep mode while the program is running
  • Properties of an item opens randomly when you double-click the item in Windows 8.1 or Windows Server 2012 R2
  • Playback stops when you open a file that the Xbox Music application is playing in Windows RT 8.1 or Windows 8.1
  • Processing error occurred” when you detect status of Active Directory in Windows Server 2012 R2-based domain controller
  • Folder redirection stops working when multiple users log on to a Windows 8.1 or Windows Server 2012 R2-based computer
  • Computer does not wake when you disconnect AC power from the Windows 8.1-based or Windows Server 2012 R2-based computer
  • Update to improve battery life during low-power audio playback in Windows 8.1 and Windows RT 8.1
  • Set as metered connection” setting for Wi-Fi and MBB connections remains in Off state in Windows RT 8.1 or Windows 8.1
  • App can’t set print settings” error or DBCS characters cannot be printed in Windows 8.1 or Windows RT 8.1
  • Windows Store app still reacts to search text when you delete the text in Search charm in Windows 8.1 and Windows RT 8.1
  • Insert a SIM” text is still shown in VAN UI after you insert a SIM card in Windows 8.1 or Windows RT 8.1
  • Virtual machines perform slowly or crash in Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2
  • Stop error occurs randomly when a computer enters hibernation from InstantGo state in Windows 8.1 or Windows RT 8.1
  • Remote Desktop session freezes when you run an application in the session in Windows 8.1 or Windows Server 2012 R2
  • File or folder is not found or an error occurs when you configure SMB share properties in Windows RT 8.1 or Windows 8.1
  • Cluster nodes stop when multiple physical disks in storage space are disconnected in Windows Server 2012 R2
  • Windows 2012 R2-based Hyper-V host cluster freezes when virtual machines use shared virtual hard disks
  • URL of a web application is broken when you access the web application by using WAP in Windows Server 2012 R2
  • ExtendedProtectionTokenCheck setting keeps being disabled in AD FS 3.0 in Windows Server 2012 R2
  • You cannot access an SMB share that is located on a Windows 8.1 or Windows Server 2012 R2-based file server
  • Shared folder in Windows Server 2012 R2 or Windows 8.1 cannot be accessed by using SMB version 1 protocol
  • Inaccessible, Empty or Disabled” message in Group Policy Results report for a remote computer in Windows Server 2012 R2
  • FindFirstPrinterChangeNotification can now request 3D printers in Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2
  • You are prompted to re-enter credentials frequently when using Work Folders by using ADFS authentication in Windows 8.1
  • Browser icons cannot be unpinned from taskbar when you change the default browser in Windows RT 8.1 or Windows 8.1
  • Delay in turning on display when you reopen lid of a Windows 8.1 or Windows Server 2012 R2-based portable computer
  • PDF file pages are blank when you open the file by using a Windows Store app in Windows 8.1 or Windows Server 2012 R2
  • August 2014 OneDrive reliability update for Windows RT 8.1 and Windows 8.1
  • You cannot log on to an AD FS server when you use an alternative UPN suffix account in Windows Server 2012 R2
  • Windows crashes with Stop error when filter driver perform FltWriteFileEx function in Windows RT 8.1 or Windows 8.1
  • Update to add a new performance counter feature for Tiered Storage Spaces in Windows Server 2012 R2
  • Stop error when you enable ETW and storage spaces debug logs on a Windows Server 2012 R2-based computer
  • Desktop isn’t shown correctly when network icon in notification area is changed repeatedly in 64-bit version of Windows
  • Update to display Supplementary Characters correctly in Windows
  • Update to enable you to provision AppX packages and bundles offline in Windows 8.1 or Windows Server 2012 R2
  • Update to enable or disable the HttpOnly feature for a WAP or an application in Windows Server 2012 R2
  • iSCSI target service crashes randomly in Windows Server 2012 R2 or Windows Server 2012
  • Stop error when a volume goes offline and multiple requests are in progress in Windows 8.1 or Windows Server 2012 R2
  • New-Volume cmdlet can now create a volume larger than 2 TB in Windows 8.1 or Windows Server 2012 R2
  • Memory usage of Wmiprvse.exe keeps increasing when you run an application or script in Windows
  • Update to enable discovery of cloud services in Server Manager in Windows
  • Latvian currency information and default numeric separator of input locale for Swiss is incorrect in Windows
  • Stop error when scrubbing task takes a long time on a Windows 8.1 or Windows 2012 R2-based cluster
  • Graphics software or applications crash when they use WARP for software rendering in Windows
  • Thumbnail is displayed as a black picture when you edit a WMV video in Windows 8.1 or Windows 8
  • Lsass.exe on domain controller crashes when installing Active Directory in Windows Server 2012 R2 or Windows Server 2012
  • SHA512 is disabled in Windows
  • Update to support the new currency symbol for the Russian ruble in Windows
  • A network printer is deleted unexpectedly in Windows
  • Storage Optimizer memory use increases when it runs on thin provisioned LUNs
  • Application freezes on external touch-capable monitor on a Windows 8.1 or Windows Server 2012 R2-based computer
  • You cannot access network shares after the computer restarts in Windows 8.1 or Windows 7
  • You perform a cold shutdown after the computer shuts down in Windows RT 8.1 or Windows 8.1
  • You cannot edit or save files on a DAV server when your username contains DBCS characters in Windows 8.1 or Windows 7
  • Print experience application isn’t shown when updating WSD printer driver to V4 in Windows 8.1 or Windows Server 2012 R2
  • Access denied error” when Hyper-V Replica Broker goes online in a Windows Server 2012 or Windows Server 2012 R2 cluster
  • error when you start a computer into Windows Recovery Environment in Windows 8.1
  • Windows 8.1 or Windows Server 2012 R2 Setup fails when you remove USB flash drive before the first restart of Setup
  • AD FS cannot start on a non-English language-based server in Windows Server 2012 R2 or Windows Server 2008 R2
  • Update to support the SAML sender-vouches token in STS on a Windows Server 2012 R2-based AD FS server
  • VLAN tagging breaks the VM connection with a third-party forwarding extension and HNV in Windows Server2012 R2
  • Error_FILE_NOT_FOUND” when you print to a shared network printer
  • Single Sign-On is available for Office 365 users to access SharePoint Online sites in Windows 2012 R2
  • Scheduled task that uses the RandomDelay parameter doesn’t run
  • Stop error on the terminal server that is running Windows 7 SP1 or Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 when a session is disconnected
  • Not all computers in a domain are enumerated in Windows Explorer in Windows

This update is already available via Windows Update, but if you want to download and install it offline then use below mention link, there will be two update files Windows8.1-KB2975719.msu and Windows8.1-KB2990532.msu, you have to download and install both.

Download August Update (KB2975719) for Windows 8.1 (32-bit)

Download August Update (KB2975719) for Windows 8.1 (64-bit)

Download August Update (KB2975719) for Windows Server 2012 R2

P.S. Windows 8.1 RT users have to download update from Windows Update section only.

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