Endpoint Protection support for Windows 10 updates and Windows Server 2016 / Server 2019

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Article ID: 163509

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Updated On:

Products

Endpoint Protection

Issue/Introduction

Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2019, and the following updates to Windows 10 are available:

  • Microsoft Windows 10 Anniversary Update ("Feature update to Windows 10" version 1607)
  • Microsoft Windows 10 Creators Update ("Feature update to Windows 10" version 1703)
  • Windows 10 Fall Creators Update ("Feature update to Windows 10" version 1709)
  • Windows 10 April 2018 Update ("Feature update to Windows 10" version 1803) 
  • Windows 10 October 2018 Update ("Feature update to Windows 10" version 1809)
  • Windows 10 May 2019 Update ("Feature update to Windows 10" version 1903)
  • Windows 10 October 2020 Update ("Feature update to Windows 10" version 20H2)

You want to know which versions of Symantec Endpoint Protection (SEP) are supported on these operating systems.

Resolution

See Windows compatibility with the Endpoint Protection client for a quick-reference chart.

 

Compatibility with Windows 10 updates and Windows Server 2016 / Server 2019

For Symantec Endpoint Protection 14.x:

Operating System Version that
adds support		 Support
Windows 10 Anniversary Update (version 1607), including Windows 10 Enterprise 2016 LTSB 14 Full Support            
Windows 10 Creators Update (version 1703) 14 MP1 Full Support
Windows 10 Fall Creators Update (version 1709) 14 RU1 (14.0.1) Full Support
Windows 10 April 2018 Update (version 1803) 14 RU1 (14.0.1)** Full Support
Windows 10 October 2018 Update (version 1809), including Windows 10 Enterprise 2019 LTSC 14 RU1 (14.0.1) - 14.2 Basic Support***
14.2 MP1§ Full Support
Windows 10 May 2019 Update (version 1903) 14.2 RU1► Full Support
Windows Server 2016 14 Full Support
Windows Server 2019 14 RU1 (14.0.1)§ Full Support
Windows 10 November 2019 Update (version 1909) 14.2 RU2 Full Support

Windows 10 May 2020 Update (version 2004)

 14.3 Full Support

Windows 10 October 2020 Update (version 20H2)

 14.3 Full Support

For Symantec Endpoint Protection 12.1.x:

Operating System Version that
adds support		 Support
Windows 10 Anniversary Update (version 1607), including Windows 10 Enterprise 2016 LTSB 12.1 RU6 MP5 Basic Compatibility*
Windows 10 Creators Update (version 1703) 12.1 RU6 MP5 Basic Compatibility*
Windows 10 Fall Creators Update (version 1709) 12.1 RU6 MP9 Basic Compatibility*
Windows 10 April 2018 Update (version 1803) 12.1 RU6 MP9** Basic Compatibility*
Windows 10 October 2018 Update (version 1809), including Windows 10 Enterprise 2019 LTSC 12.1 RU6 MP9**§ Basic Compatibility*
Windows Server 2016 12.1 RU6 MP6 Basic Compatibility*
Windows Server 2019 12.1 RU6 MP9§ Basic Compatibility*

Notes:

*  Basic Compatibility indicates that Microsoft Hypervisor Code Integrity (HVCI) and Microsoft Device Guard (including Credential Guard) must remain disabled to avoid compatibility issues. These two technologies are disabled by default in most configurations. Refer to Microsoft's Device Guard deployment guide for more information.
  • Symantec Endpoint Protection 12.1 RU6 MP5 and later provides basic compatibility support for Windows 10 Anniversary Update (version 1607) and Windows 10 Creators Update (version 1703).
  • Symantec Endpoint Protection 12.1 RU6 MP6 adds basic compatibility support for Windows Server 2016.
  • Symantec Endpoint Protection 12.1 RU6 MP9 adds basic compatibility support for Windows 10 Fall Creators Update (version 1709), Windows 10 April 2018 Update (version 1803), Windows 10 October 2018 Update (version 1809), and Windows Server 2019.
** The support as noted here for this operating system was announced with Symantec Endpoint Protection 14.0.1 MP2 (and 12.1.6 MP10), but support is backward-compatible to 14.0.1 (and 12.1.6 MP9).
***  Basic Compatibility in the context of the 14.x product line indicates that there is Full Support for all Windows Features except for case-sensitivity. Case-sensitivity support begins in Symantec Endpoint Protection 14.2 MP1.
§  The support as noted here for this operating system was announced with Symantec Endpoint Protection 14.2 MP1, but support is backward-compatible to 14.0.1 (and 12.1.6 MP9).
► The support as noted here for this operating system begins with Symantec Endpoint Protection 14.2 RU1 and is not available for the 12.1 product line.

Upgrading Windows to Windows 10 Fall Creators Update, April 2018 Update, or October 2018 Update with Endpoint Protection installed

You can only upgrade to Windows 10 Fall Creators Update, April 2018 Update, or October 2018 Update with Symantec Endpoint Protection 14 RU1 and later (or Symantec Endpoint Protection 12.1 RU6 MP9 or later) installed. You must uninstall earlier (unsupported) versions of Symantec Endpoint Protection, or upgrade it to a supported version, before you upgrade the operating system. The operating system upgrade stops if it detects an earlier version of Symantec Endpoint Protection.

Upgrading Windows to Windows 10 Anniversary Update or Windows 10 Creators Update with Endpoint Protection installed

You can only upgrade to Windows 10 Anniversary Update/Creators Update with Symantec Endpoint Protection 12.1 RU6 MP5 or Symantec Endpoint Protection 14 and later installed. You must uninstall earlier (unsupported) versions of Symantec Endpoint Protection, or upgrade it to a supported version, before you upgrade the operating system. The operating system upgrade stops if it detects an earlier version of Symantec Endpoint Protection.

Notes:

  • An upgrade from an earlier version of Symantec Endpoint Protection to 12.1 RU6 MP5 is only completed once you restart the client computer. Until that restart has occurred, an incompatibility message may be displayed by the operating system, and blocks the upgrade. Additionally, it may take up to 30 minutes post-reboot for remaining artifacts from an earlier installation to be completely removed. See "Upgrade to Windows 10 prompts to uninstall Endpoint Protection, after an upgrade to 12.1.6 MP1" for more information, as it is applicable to this scenario as well.
  • Microsoft removed the final compatibility install block with update KB4016871. Ensure that this update is installed before installing Symantec Endpoint Protection.
    • Note: You may also need to install KB4021573 before you can upgrade with Symantec Endpoint Protection in place. KB4021573 supersedes KB4016871.
  • For Windows 10 1803, KB4103721 is necessary. If the ISO used is an offline build, this KB must be included in the image.
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