Simplifying updates for Windows 7 and 8.1

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    Simplifying updates for Windows 7 and 8.1


    Posted: 17 May 2016
    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/...(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
    Brink's Avatar Posted By: Brink
    17 May 2016



  1. Posts : 201
    Windows 7 Professional x64, Arch Linux
       #1

    Thanks for the heads up!
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 1,797
    Win 7 Ultimate, Win 8.1 Pro, Linux Mint 19 Cinnamon (All 64-Bit)
       #2

    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.
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 640
    Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 64-bit Build 7600
       #3

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


  4. Posts : 1,797
    Win 7 Ultimate, Win 8.1 Pro, Linux Mint 19 Cinnamon (All 64-Bit)
       #4

    FerchogtX said:
    Hey! They finally remembered there are other browsers besides IE!
    ...
    I'm confused XD
    It's about time they updated the UI of that site too, has it had an update since XP was released?
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 20,583
    Win-7-Pro64bit 7-H-Prem-64bit
       #5

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


  6. Posts : 3
    Windows 7 Home Premium x64
       #6

    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.
    Last edited by cascade123; 17 May 2016 at 16:46. Reason: corrected spelling mistake
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 1,797
    Win 7 Ultimate, Win 8.1 Pro, Linux Mint 19 Cinnamon (All 64-Bit)
       #7

    Just installed in a VM. No GWX Woohoo!
    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?

    Another EDIT:

    Here's what Windows Update picked up after installation:

    Attachment 386804

    Odd that it still misses a few security updates, I would have thought all of these would have been installed.
    Last edited by Brds7t7; 17 May 2016 at 17:27.
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 152
    W7Pro/64
       #8

    "...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?
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 1,797
    Win 7 Ultimate, Win 8.1 Pro, Linux Mint 19 Cinnamon (All 64-Bit)
       #9

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

    Simplifying updates for Windows 7 and 8.1-capture-02.png
      My Computer


 
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