August 2016 update rollup for Windows 7 SP1

[lehnerus2000]

It's MS' way or the highway

Any views though on why MS would start to do single monthly roll ups instead of individual updates?

One reason would be to force users to install all updates, even the useless ones like W10-style telemetry and data collection "improvements".

It seems that MS has figured out that millions of computers didn't "upgrade" to W10.
The "next GWX" will be hidden in update roll-ups.

I'm willing to bet that quite a few people here refused to install (and hid) all of the recent W7 telemetry updates

 

[Brds7t7]

OK, so I'm going to try and see the argument on both sides here, as I have mixed views on this.

I think the main issue is that people see the word telemetry and they instantly think "Data Mining"! That's not always the case with telemetry, it can actually be a very good and useful thing to collect feedback to improve products. It doesn't necessarily mean that MS is reading people's documents or looking at your photos.

In my opinion, anyone who uses the Internet these days will have more data collected about them than the telemetry patches MS have pushed out to Windows 7/8.1.

Use Google? Bing? Facebook? Twitter? You'll get a huge amount of your browsing habits collected! Ever applied for credit anywhere? Experian and other credit scoring agencies collect vast amounts of data on people. In my opinion, they're just big data collecting warehouses.

We live in a world now where huge amounts of data is collected about everyone. If anyone is worried about that, I'd say MS telemetry patches are the least of your concerns. I use several Android devices, so I'm completely tied into the Google ecosystem, both on PC and other devices, and I know they collect far more data on me than MS does.

Do I think these MS patches are necessary? Not to me.
But, do I think they're trying to collect as much data about me to build up a portfolio of my day to day life? I seriously doubt it.

Now, if they start pushing out Cortana (which I very much doubt will happen) to Windows 7 and 8.1.... then I might have to rethink this answer.
It's pure bloat to me, I don't want it, have no need for it, kindly don't force that bloat on my systems. The Windows 7/8.1 search system works well enough for my usage.
If I want to search things on the Internet, I open a browser! And no I don't want to sit there talking to my PC. I'll leave all that to the "young-uns". I don't even have Google Now installed on my android devices, it's one of the first things I remove. The only time I want to be seen "talking" to my phone is when there is an actual human being on the other end of it. I'd much rather talk to a person than a device!

Now, if MS does decide to have another "upgrade offer" (because, let's face it, the first one wasn't as successful as they had originally hoped), and push out another GWX patch in one of these rollups, then my Windows Updates will be going off at that point. I don't think this will happen, but I lack the clairvoyant skills to be able to say 100% .

I'm not instantly dismissing these rollups as a bad thing. However, I am questioning why they're suddenly introducing these now? And are they going to start pushing out unwanted junk to our systems? We'll just have to wait and see.

MS does have a good point that getting people all patched up and with the same system files will probably make testing and future patching a lot easier, both for them and 3rd parties, so I can see their logic on that.

Let's just hope the idea doesn't get abused!

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
Indeed they did use the phrase Fragmented
I have never actually hid a Important update

I do not see why Optional/ Recommended updates will now be bundled though that is where most issues are seen by people and they get recommended updated confused because they do not uncheck them to be sorted properly in the optional section where they belong.

 

[LevelBest]

Thanks Brds7t7, that's the kind of views / opinions I wanted. Maybe I giving this issue too much head space, it just seems odd to me that MS suddenly start a single roll up. And your reference to pushing out unwanted junk is exactly my concern.

On a personal level, I do use Google but I don't use Facebook, Twitter or Bing, nor do I have a smart phone or iPad.

I can well see them doing another 'offer' of W10 and maybe this single roll out is a way of preparing more computers for it. To me, Windows 7 is perfect and from what I've read about W10, with telemetry you can't opt out of and Cortana, why would I want to upgrade.

LevelBest

 

[ThrashZone]

why would I want to upgrade.

LevelBest

Hi,
New and shiny
If someone goes full tilt into using a Micro... account it offers a lot of features
Of course when the features don't work they add a lot of frustration plus dealing with Micro... servers... too

 

[LevelBest]

why would I want to upgrade.

LevelBest

Hi,
New and shiny
If someone goes full tilt into using a Micro... account it offers a lot of features
Of course when the features don't work they add a lot of frustration plus dealing with Micro... servers... too

Hi

This is only my fifth year of having a computer at home that's linked to the Internet, so for me Windows 7 and Office 7 on my Samsung laptop stills seems new and shiny! It does what I want it to do, is pretty reliable but still yields the odd and good surprise.

LevelBest

 

[Joan Archer]

Usually on my 7 desktop I've always left it to it's own devices with regards Updates and never had a problem. I don't use that machine much these days plus it can't be upgraded to 10 as the CPU is not compatible. Just seeing this thread made me go look at that machine, although I'd just left it after doing my accounts in Excel 2010.
Looked at Windows Update and that one is listed with about 5/6 others under Optional, I'd not checked for ages, there was also a Microsoft Keyboard one and a definition update. I installed the keyboard and definition ones but just left the optional and I'm sure I saw one that came out in 2015.

I'll leave those optional ones for now before deciding whether to install them or not.

 

[ThrashZone]

Usually on my 7 desktop
I don't use that machine much these days plus it can't be upgraded to 10 as the CPU is not compatible.

Hi
Is this the machine you're referring too Joan ?

OS Windows 7 Ultimate SP1 32 bit/Windows 10 64bit
CPU Intel Core 2 Duo E4600 @ 2400 MHz/Intel B820,1.7GHz
Motherboard Foxconn 45CMX/45GMX/45CMX-K/Asus

 

[TheLovleyGuy]

Will i am out of Windows 7 ,, because i downloaded Windows 8 and thats better in updates

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
I believe win-8 is plagued by the same issues updating and is also seeing bundling now so it really isn't any different in that respect just smaller numbers of people affected

Last I updated win-8 I had to install about 25 updates at a time only Important ones mind you before I could install 8.1
But yea 8.1 is not all that different than win-10 imo using a local account except 8.1 is way more stable to me anyway
Not that I use it I just simply bailed out of win-10 back to 8.1 the clean way.

 

[Bertison]

Think this has been said, at least by me:

Access "Change Settings" from Control Panel. Set Updates to "Check for updates but let me choose whether to download and install them."
When each update is listed, RIGHT click first. Select "More Information." Take a close look at what it is and what it does. Accept or reject it by leaving the check mark in the box, move on to next, repeat for all listed updates.

After this is completed, right click the ones unchecked, one by one, choose "Hide Update."

Download and install only the ones you want. It takes a little work, and a little thought.

Yes, I already do this. Unless I've misunderstood MS are now going to (from October I believe) issue one update a month which will contain a number of updates which you won't be able to see. The usual MS blurb via 'information' is that an update will resolve a number of issues - it's usually very vague. At least when I can see 'update for IE11' I know that's what I'm getting.

LevelBest

With the greatest respect, I don't think that you do "..already do this." If you carefully scroll down and check the details on the MS window that opens when you select "More Information", you can find all the information you need, to make a decision about installing or rejecting a specific KBxxxxxx update. Makes no difference whether it is an 'Important' or an 'Optional' update, all the information is there under "More Information." I have sometimes discovered that an Optional is actually more important to my needs, than some of the Important ones.

EDIT: the "rollups" are useful IMO. It is just as easy to pick them apart in "More Information."

 

[LevelBest]

Think this has been said, at least by me:

Access "Change Settings" from Control Panel. Set Updates to "Check for updates but let me choose whether to download and install them."
When each update is listed, RIGHT click first. Select "More Information." Take a close look at what it is and what it does. Accept or reject it by leaving the check mark in the box, move on to next, repeat for all listed updates.

After this is completed, right click the ones unchecked, one by one, choose "Hide Update."

Download and install only the ones you want. It takes a little work, and a little thought.

Yes, I already do this. Unless I've misunderstood MS are now going to (from October I believe) issue one update a month which will contain a number of updates which you won't be able to see. The usual MS blurb via 'information' is that an update will resolve a number of issues - it's usually very vague. At least when I can see 'update for IE11' I know that's what I'm getting.

LevelBest

With the greatest respect, I don't think that you do "..already do this." If you carefully scroll down and check the details on the MS window that opens when you select "More Information", you can find all the information you need, to make a decision about installing or rejecting a specific KBxxxxxx update. Makes no difference whether it is an 'Important' or an 'Optional' update, all the information is there under "More Information." I have sometimes discovered that an Optional is actually more important to my needs, than some of the Important ones.

EDIT: the "rollups" are useful IMO. It is just as easy to pick them apart in "More Information."

I definitely DO have my settings to allow me to choose which updates to install. Yes, I am aware of the information available but don't find that to be reliable. You often find the real truth of the matter on forums such as this. I don't believe I've ever seen an update which has the information "this is a telemetry patch so we can monitor what you're doing on your PC". With one single roll up, you're not going to know what is being installed.

LevelBest

 

[mjf]

KB3179573 appears as optional. I have generally only installed "important" updates for some time now. Most of the important updates are security updates so I install them. I always make a system image before and run an sfc after.

Unfortunately even contrary to MS definitions I have had a recommended/ optional update which really was important. I forget which one it was but ironically it affected being able to do updates.

 

[Bertison]

LevelBest, I'm sorry but I can always find all the relevant info I need in "More Information". There is also usually a link on that page which can access further info.

For example, today I have an Optional Update which, after accessing "More Information" turns out to be for Windows 7 Help, applicable to a specific Network Card. On the surface, it does not apply to me, but closer examination reveals a lot of 7 Help, so I will download that.

The problem facing Win7 users now, is that MS is so determined to get as many of us to switch, that they use some underhand methods to make that possible. We have to work at stopping them. For instance, I installed GWX Control Panel last year: Ultimate Outsider - Software Downloads
If I make a mistake and happen to download a 10 feature, GWX CP kills it. I recommend it, after setting it up as recommended it works for me.

 

[LevelBest]

The problem facing Win7 users now, is that MS is so determined to get as many of us to switch, that they use some underhand methods to make that possible. We have to work at stopping them. For instance, I installed GWX Control Panel last year: Ultimate Outsider - Software Downloads
If I make a mistake and happen to download a 10 feature, GWX CP kills it. I recommend it, after setting it up as recommended it works for me.

That's pretty much the conclusion I'm coming to, that this is an attempt to ready computers for a Win10 upgrade. I guess you could take a chance and install the single roll out and be prepared to run a system image or just not install the single update. My concern is by not installing it, you could be missing out on vital security patches but by installing it, leave your computer vulnerable to an unwanted Win10 upgrade (never mind the telemetry patches). Feels a bit damned if you do, damned if you don't. I've not heard of GWX Control Panel. I shall have a look into that. If it's designed to reject Win10 patches, I wonder how it would cope with a single roll out. Would the panel recognise potential Win10 patches within one single roll up. Mmmm, interesting time Win7 users go into.

 

[DavidE]

There are some programs that can check for missing security patches.
Here are the ones i periodically use to see what they find:

Secunia PSI
https://secunia.com/
Personal Software Inspector | Flexera Software

MBSA - Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=7558

Belarc Advisor
Belarc - System Management For The Internet Age. Software license management, IT asset management, IT security audits and more.

Others may know more programs or better ways to check.
I use these in addition to my real-time security programs.

I never let these or any programs auto-update, i just want to see what they report, and i choose what/when to update.

I've read some people believe MS is or will still try to upgrade/install Win 10 after the free upgrade offer ended.
I don't know if that's FUD, Fact, Rumor, or whatever.
I know i have System Image backups and i have my systems the way i want them.
If MS does sneak something new into one of my systems for a W10 update, i can restore a backup image.

 

[Brds7t7]

If it is the case that MS wants to try another upgrade push and force it on to our systems, all I can say is "Good luck with that MS!".

MS can try all the tricks they want, 10 is not getting on any of my systems until I find it suits my needs. If I choose to upgrade it'll be on my terms not on MS terms.

If it comes to that and I have to turn Windows update off, then so be it. I'll go back to doing what I did during the first upgrade offer, switching off Windows updates and downloading the security updates manually. No big deal!

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
Yea that would be fun wouldn't it

They already showed the large full screen upgrade notice update

Not sure why everything is hyperlinking either
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3173040


Maybe they go with second chance full screen notice next

 

[TheLovleyGuy]

Hi,

MS seems wants to make if anybody have updates set to (No Automatic Updates) on Windows 7, Microsoft Wants to make a push and install updates by itself.

I was restarting my PC and founded my PC installing a update , And after that My Default User Was Removed and Administrator User got activated.

I wiped my PC and Installed Windows 8, Now I am better with it for updates + Work

My Windows 7 was not having SP1 for a year and i was great until August. I could not log back to my user and my Default + My Users folder was just deleted, i made hidden files to ON and they where not there

Always when i make a Upgrade to Windows 10, I always found it downloaded :huh: , and my graphics was old so i could not launch games like (Minecraft) So i just downgraded and i am never going to Windows 10 with old graphics.

See the Attachment of Which is the best Windows,and reply to me if i am correct

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
I don't need a txt file to tell me that