My recommendation is just do what I did, reinstalling using Server 2012 R2. I can send the themes + wallpapers + cursors if you want. Different story if you have data on it.
Another thing is that, on 8.1, if I reset the base (dism /online /cleanup-image /startcomponentcleanup /resetbase) of any Windows lcu's >=2022-05 Windows lcu , I will not be able to install 2025-07 Windows lcu, saying the update is not installed at last of the installation. but the installations of 2025-06 or earlier Windows lcu's are not affected. If I didn't do resetbase, I can install 2025-07 Windows lcu successfully. Why? (of course, Windows still fails to boot after restarting but it's not in the range of this discussion)
And I didn't check here the first time, installed 2025-07 Windows lcu and made my 8.1 VM brick, but why System Restore to the point before installing the lcu also failed? I really can't understand it!
The error comes from missing files and some old versions not compatible with new files 2025-07 Rollup installation itself can complete without errors on Win 8.1
I installed the 2025-07 roll-up on my 8.1 machine and it won't boot now. I tried booting from external install cd but I can't get it to boot.
Try to use dism offline to uninstall it: Code: dism /image:C: /Remove-Package:Package_for_RollupFix~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~9600.22676.1.15
i tried this but not successful. it says the os has been destroyed. finally i had to refresh the pc in the repair environment. Updated: Maybe my 8.1 is destroyed due to some apps. I installed a new clean 8.1 Industry and tried the command. Better to modify it to : dism /image:C:\ /Remove-Package /PackageName: Package_for_RollupFix~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~9600.22676.1.15
YEP MY WINDOWS 8.1 Enterprise 9600 installed 2025-07 2012 r2 server update i see to this but installing net framework and explorer 11 update no problem function normal (KB5062597) this crash kernel level not allow to accesing system boot
Even if it installs, depending on the method you follow, a lot of files and the revision are either gonna remain at the June one or get rolled back to April 2022. There is no security improvement if installing this update on client 8.1.
Does 2204 lcu have any magic? If I reset the base on 8.1 with 2204 lcu (or any lcu's before 2204, including msu's before any Windows lcu's released), 2507 lcu can be installed successfully before restarting. But, if I reset the base with any 2205+ lcu's installed, 2507 lcu can't be installed anymore. 20337 is the exactly UBR of 2204 lcu. And, if I installed any esu 8.1 lcu's, Windows Update always receive 2204 lcu. It's very strange.
Well it is because 2022-04 lcu (KB5012670) is mandatory and not replaced by subsequent LCUs unlike normal, so if newer components are missing it will use the ones from that update
Even if you manage to get it to work, the packages will not have installed, so depending on how you install the update you're gonna remain on the 22620 revision (June one) or downgrade to 20337 (April 2022). If you want to properly install the update, the only way would be manually copying ALL the files, figuring out which ones are problematic, or outright migrating to Windows Server 2012 R2, potentially making it look like a client. The second thing is what I did after failing while doing the first.
So the July 2025 update KB5062597 is not compatible with Windows 8.1 and installing it on 8.1 will cause boot failure. If this is actually intentional from Microsoft, I wonder why Microsoft did not do it earlier but only now, more than halfway into the 3 year 2012 R2 ESU. If next month's cumulative update is also not compatible with Windows 8.1 and causes similar issues, then I think we can say RIP to Windows 8.1.
No. IE, netfx, and ssu's lcu are still compatible with Windows 8.x this month. I think these little lcu's new released will be compatible with 8.x until 2026-10.
Food for thought: If it was intentional, they would have blocked installation on 8.x entirely. However, it's MS we speak about, so...
As we can see in 2025-07 LCU, the .cab file kb5062597 has a revision number of 15. (package_XXX_for_kb5062597~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.3.1.15) In 2025-06 LCU, it was just 8. (package_XXX_for_kb5061018~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.3.1.8) So, I think M$ is facing the dilemma of whether to block Client and Embedded Editions or not. By the way, it has been 2 (TWO) years since Windows Embedded 8.x lost the nominal "OFFICIAL" support (2023-07).