Simplifying updates for Windows 7 and 8.1

[Brink]

While we’ve spent a lot of time over the past year talking about Windows 10 (including new roadmap details), we know that organizations are still working with Windows 7 too, regularly updating their Windows 7 SP1 images to include the latest updates, app versions, and more. For those that are involved in that process, you’ve probably seen a display like this too many times:



New Windows 7 SP1 convenience rollup makes image creation much faster

We’re happy to announce today that we’re making available a new convenience rollup for Windows 7 SP1 that will help. This convenience rollup package, available to download from Microsoft Update Catalog, contains all the security and non-security fixes released since the release of Windows 7 SP1 that are suitable for general distribution, up through April 2016. Install this one update, and then you only need new updates released after April 2016.

And since this update can be injected into Windows 7 SP1 media, it’s fully supported to mount a Windows 7 SP1 image (WIM file), then inject this update into it. See https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd744559(v=ws.10).aspx for the details of how to do this.

This convenience update is completely optional; it doesn’t have to be installed and won’t even be offered via Windows Update – you can choose whether or not you want to use it.

We hope that you find this convenience rollup package useful. This same convenience rollup also applies to Windows Server 2008 R2.

Monthly Rollups

Also today we are announcing that non-security updates for Windows 7 SP1 and Windows 8.1 (as well as Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1, Windows Server 2012 and Windows Server 2012 R2) will be available as a monthly rollup (fixes rolled up together into a single update). Each month, we will release a single update containing all of the non-security fixes for that month. We are making this change – shifting to rollup updates, to improve the reliability and quality of our updates.

These fixes will be available through Windows Update, WSUS, and SCCM as well as the Microsoft Update catalog. We hope this monthly rollup update simplifies your process of keeping Windows 7, and 8.1 up-to-date.

Simplifying finding and downloading updates

Updates have historically been published on the Microsoft Download Center and the Microsoft Update Catalog. Security Bulletins have linked directly to update packages on the Microsoft Download Center. To simplify this, within the next few months Windows updates will no longer be available from the Microsoft Download Center. Security bulletins will continue to link directly to the updates, but will point to the packages on the Microsoft Update Catalog instead of the Microsoft Download Center. Customers that use tools linking to the Microsoft Download Center should follow the links provided in the Security Bulletins or search directly on the Microsoft Update Catalog.

For those who aren’t familiar with the Microsoft Update Catalog website, note that it still requires using Internet Explorer at this point because of an ActiveX control used. Later this summer, we will be updating the site to eliminate the ActiveX control in order to support other browsers.

As always, all updates will still be available via WSUS, SCCM, and Windows Update – this change is only for manual downloads.

Source: Simplifying updates for Windows 7 and 8.1 | Windows for IT Pros

 

[alphaniner]

Thanks for the heads up!

 

[Brds7t7]

Very handy addition. I wonder if this will include all updates? There are some it would be nice to avoid (GWX for example).
Also, it's good to hear MS will be getting rid of the ActiveX control for the site. Will be much easier for people using other browsers to access the catalog.

 

[FerchogtX]

Hey! They finally remembered there are other browsers besides IE!
...
I'm confused XD

 

[Brds7t7]

Hey! They finally remembered there are other browsers besides IE!
...
I'm confused XD

:roflmao: It's about time they updated the UI of that site too, has it had an update since XP was released?

 

[ThrashZone]

lol yea if anyone comes up with a clean all versions sp2 installer let me know

 

[cascade123]

Finally, MS is paying attention to Windows 7!

But I will hold off installing the "convenience rollup" for a few days. Just in case there are any bad updates in it such as GWX.

 

[Brds7t7]

Just installed in a VM. No GWX Woohoo! :roflmao:
Just doing a check for updates (might take a while) to see what it omits.

EDIT:

"Monthly Rollups

Also today we are announcing that non-security updates for Windows 7 SP1 and Windows 8.1 (as well as Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1, Windows Server 2012 and Windows Server 2012 R2) will be available as a monthly rollup (fixes rolled up together into a single update). Each month, we will release a single update containing all of the non-security fixes for that month. We are making this change – shifting to rollup updates, to improve the reliability and quality of our updates.

These fixes will be available through Windows Update, WSUS, and SCCM as well as the Microsoft Update catalog. We hope this monthly rollup update simplifies your process of keeping Windows 7, and 8.1 up-to-date."

I'm wondering if this means users will no longer be able to skip certain recommended or optional updates from being installed? :sarc:

Another EDIT:

Here's what Windows Update picked up after installation:

View attachment 386804

Odd that it still misses a few security updates, I would have thought all of these would have been installed.

 

[Painter]

"...We are making this change – shifting to rollup updates, to improve the reliability and quality of our updates."

How does rolling them up improve the reliability and quality of the updates?

 

[Brds7t7]

It's already showing an update rollup for this month in my VM:

 

[FerchogtX]

Just installed in a VM. No GWX Woohoo! :roflmao:
Just doing a check for updates (might take a while) to see what it omits.

...

Another EDIT:

Here's what Windows Update picked up after installation:

View attachment 386804

Odd that it still misses a few security updates, I would have thought all of these would have been installed.

Well, then I can consider this a step forward, having a roll up package is better than instaling security patches one by one...
DIE GWX! :roflmao:

 

[Brds7t7]

Just installed in a VM. No GWX Woohoo! :roflmao:
Just doing a check for updates (might take a while) to see what it omits.

...

Another EDIT:

Here's what Windows Update picked up after installation:

View attachment 386804

Odd that it still misses a few security updates, I would have thought all of these would have been installed.

Well, then I can consider this a step forward, having a roll up package is better than instaling security patches one by one...
DIE GWX! :roflmao:

The rollup packages are only for the recommended updates though, the Security updates are still coming separately.

 

[FerchogtX]

The rollup packages are only for the recommended updates though, the Security updates are still coming separately.

Which is still rather nice, security patches is the only thing you need for a secure system. It's well known tat optional or "reccomended" patches break Windows if Redmond people is not careful enough... XD

 

[Sarah M]

5 years of updates in official "convenience rollup"

See this: Windows 7 now has a Service Pack 2 (but don?t call it that) | Ars Technica

The question is. Will we be able to uninstall or disable the telemetry crap if it's included?

 

[Blackink]

What I am wondering is, does this mean that if I do a clean install of Windows 7 on a 64 bit PC, I can download the "Update for Windows 7 for x64-based Systems (KB3125574)" and instead of waiting for 1, or several hours, to download the Windows Updates, this file will download and install ALL updates up to April of 2016, in a short amount of time??!!??

Could someone please verify this? I am just not sure so I would like a second opinion.

Thanks.....
Steve

 

[Brds7t7]

What I am wondering is, does this mean that if I do a clean install of Windows 7 on a 64 bit PC, I can download the "Update for Windows 7 for x64-based Systems (KB3125574)" and instead of waiting for 1, or several hours, to download the Windows Updates, this file will download and install ALL updates up to April of 2016, in a short amount of time??!!??

Could someone please verify this? I am just not sure so I would like a second opinion.

Thanks.....
Steve

It installs most of the security updates and some recommended update up until April 2016, you'll then only have a few more to install. It definitely saves time.
So if you kept this on a flash drive or CD you can install those updates quickly. It didn't take long to install for me when I tested it.

 

[lehnerus2000]

How do you get it?

How do you get this "update pack"?
On my PC, the site doesn't work in IE10 or Pale Moon 26.

Am I going to have to start up a VM and use Google Chrome (shudder)?

 

[Brds7t7]

How do you get this "update pack"?
On my PC, the site doesn't work in IE10 or Pale Moon 26.

Am I going to have to start up a VM and use Google Chrome (shudder)?

It won't work in Chrome, it should work fine on any IE version 6 or above. I had no issue accessing it in IE11.

 

[Brds7t7]

See this: Windows 7 now has a Service Pack 2 (but don?t call it that) | Ars Technica

The question is. Will we be able to uninstall or disable the telemetry crap if it's included?

They're not included. I ran Windows update after and all the telemetry updates and ones in my skip list were waiting to be installed.

 

[lehnerus2000]

on my pc, the site doesn't work in ie10 ...

​

Can it be downloaded from the "Microsoft Download Center"?
What is the update pack called?