Windows Server 2025 with the latest version of Ucreate 25.3

[Brian Ram]

Good Day All,

My company is planning to upgrade from Windows Server 2022 to Windows Server 2025, but we're currently facing issues when trying to load and test INDD 20.4 with uCreate 25.3 on the new OS.

We've been informed that uCreate is officially supported only on client versions of Windows (10 or 11), not on server versions. That said, there were workarounds that allowed it to function on Windows Server 2019 and 2022. However, it appears that either Windows Server 2025 has introduced updates that block certain third-party software, or XMPie hasn’t yet updated uCreate for compatibility.

Has anyone else run into similar issues or found a viable workaround for Windows Server 2025?

Testing Summary and Results: INDD, uCreate, and uProduce on Various Environments

Below are the results from our recent testing conducted on virtual machines:

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Environment: Windows Server 2022 (VM)

• INDD 19.4 – Works

• uCreate 13.2 – Works

• uProduce 13.2 – Works (when campaigns are uploaded as CPKG, per our standard)

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Environment: Windows Server 2025 (VM)

• INDD 19.4 – Works

• uCreate 13.2 – Works

• uProduce 13.2 – Works (with CPKG campaigns)

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Environment: Windows Server 2025 (VM)

• INDD 20.4 – Works

• uCreate 25.3 – Does NOT work

• uProduce 25.3 – Works (with CPKG campaigns)

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Environment: Windows 11 (Laptop)

• INDD 20.4 – Works

• uCreate 25.3 – Works

• uProduce 25.3 – Works (with CPKG campaigns)

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Conclusion / Concern:
Our company operates primarily via virtual machines accessed remotely. While uCreate 25.3 functions correctly on Windows 11 client machines, running multiple virtual Windows 11 instances—each intended for a single user—would place a significant resource strain on our servers.

We're evaluating our options, but this poses a challenge for scaling across multiple users. Any insights or alternative solutions are welcome.

Thank you in advance.
Brian

[west-digital.fr]

Hello,

Mmm... this is a surprising situation - if I understand it well.

In both their Customer's Expectation Document (CED), Release Notes and Installation Guides, XMPie has always clearly specified, which platforms are supported for uCreate / uDirect - regardless the name of they give to their plugin for Adobe InDesign (desktop). As per version 25.3, it's Windows 10 Pro Edition, Windows 11 and macOS 12 (and above). Period.

Due to this, we have never tried to install and run uCreate / uDirect on other platforms, whether it's Linux, Android, iOS or... Windows Server. Maybe because we are a modest XMPie reseller, with no envy to face risky situations, where we need to support customers without an official back support from XMPie. No mentioning the potential hazard of hosting both InDesign Server and InDesign (desktop) on the same OS.

May I ask, when you (or your colleagues) first installed uCreate / uDirect on Windows Server, was the XMPie Support Team consulted?

Or - for my education - what was their reaction, when support cases were raised, mentioning that the host platform was a Windows Server?

Anyhow, regadless the past history, I would try to comply with the Editor's prerequisites, and operate only on supported host platforms. I perfectly understand the challenge of running many Windows 11 VMs on the same physical machine.

Good luck!

west-digital.fr

[Brian Ram]

Good Morning, west-digital.fr,

We’ve been working with the VM setup for over five years, with ongoing support from the XMPie team. Throughout this time, we’ve collaborated closely to resolve any file errors or spooling issues that arose.

While we understand that working in a virtual environment can introduce occasional challenges, it’s worth noting that approximately 85% of our service calls were related to upgrades — and the XMPie team has always been responsive and helpful.

Additionally, XMPie support has been fully aware that we're operating in a VM-based server environment. Both InDesign Server and the InDesign desktop application run on separate, dedicated virtual machines, ensuring there are no known conflicts between them.

Thank you for your insightful response.

Brian

[west-digital.fr]

Hello Brian.

If the XMPie Support was indeed consulted, when your company started considering running uDirect / uCreate on a Windows Server 2019 VM, then I would also consult them, when it turns to run on specifically a Windows Server 2025.

As per ourselves, should a customer call us, we would simply explain, what the Release Notes and other Editor documents say: not on Windows Server (including 2025).

Alternatively, to help our customers and accompany them in their business growth, we would raise a Feature Request to XMPie, to ask for an extended support of Windows Server 2025 by uDirect / uCreate.

But for the time being, as we cannot say more than our vendor says, we would not support such configurations.

Good luck!

west-digital.fr