Windows users face massive update bloat, tough choices

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    Windows users face massive update bloat, tough choices


    Posted: 21 Oct 2016
    Windows 10’s cumulative updates have ballooned in size, and a similar bloat will also affect the Windows 7 updates that Microsoft revamped this month.
    Updates increase in size because they are cumulative; October’s 989MB update for 1511 included not only new fixes, but also those in every prior update. September’s, in turn, included new fixes as well as those in August’s and July’s and June’s and....

    And so on and so on.
    In fact, Microsoft expects that Windows 7’s updates, like those for Windows 10, will get bigger.

    “The rollups will start out small, but we expect that these will grow over time to something close to the convenience roll-up size,” said Nathan Mercer, a Microsoft product marketing manager, in the August announcement of the change to Windows 7’s update scheme.

    The “convenience roll-up” Mercer mentioned was about 477MB in size (for the 64-bit version). Microsoft issued the roll-up in May.

    In another answer, Mercer got more specific. “Eventually [the Windows 7] Monthly Roll-up will grow to around the 500MB size,” he said.
    Windows users face massive update bloat, tough choices | PCWorld
    Borg 386's Avatar Posted By: Borg 386
    21 Oct 2016



  1. Posts : 1,965
    win 7 X64 Ultimate SP1
       #1

    Poses Question


    Do we update or do we not update (Win7)?
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 111
    Windows 8 Pro x64
       #2

    But wait, does that mean that the equivalent of each update bundled in is bigger, or that there are just more updates bundled together?

    I'm on the original Windows 8, and so I just used the Security-Only update for the original Server 2012 (which is essentially Windows 8 Server). It updated with aplomb, and the IE update was bundled in as well. Down the road, the only separate update will be the .NET rollup and any Flash update. It didn't seem to be a lot of extras there.

    I would suggest if you like Windows 7 the way it is, just install the Security-only and .NET rollups from the Security Bulletins page.
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 7,097
    W7 home premium 32bit/W7HP 64bit/w10 tp insider ring
       #3

    Allthough the Cumulative updates will grow in size.,

    Windows Update process will continue as it allways has, it will prune out any previously installed KB's/hotfix's, during the evaluation and set-up stage, this can be seen in YOUR current CBS log.

    So although the download may be 500Mb in size thats not whats actually installed.

    Roy
      My Computer


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

    They can change the update model all they like. I've never installed every update which has been pushed out anyway. So I'll be sticking with the security only rollups for now.

    If they wanted to end fragmentation then why still have two separate updates, one for Security only and one that also contains the other updates? How is that going to end fragmentation?

    The main issue I have is this still won't address the slow update scans on new installs. You need to have a couple of patches installed to get Windows Update working out of the box these days. This issue hasn't been addressed and that's still the main Windows Update problem!

    We will still see users complaining about updates not working on new setups.
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 121
    win7 home premium 64bit
       #5

    So every time you download the new updates, you're re-downloading every other update you've already downloaded? That's a huge waste of bandwidth.
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 152
    W7Pro/64
       #6

    If you choose to get updated through Windows Update, you do not have to install every single monthly rollup that is offered, because they are going to be cumulative. You could skip a few months at a the time and then when you decide to apply updates just install the current month's offering and your system will be fully up to date.

    Security is always the concern, however security holes are usually around for quite a while before they are addressed by MS. If something super critical is found, there is going to be a lot of internet buzz about it, then it would be appropriate to get the monthly rollup installed that contains that fix, asap.

    I know that that is not the way we have been trained to think about updating, however, monthly is just an arbitrary schedule. As the rollups grow in size and become an issue for those users on severely metered connections, they may find it more palatable to give over a good percentage of their bandwidth to MS to cannibalize just one month in three.
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 4,049
    W7 Ultimate SP1, LM19.2 MATE, W10 Home 1703, W10 Pro 1703 VM, #All 64 bit
       #7

    Brds7t7 said:
    If they wanted to end fragmentation then why still have two separate updates, one for Security only and one that also contains the other updates? How is that going to end fragmentation?
    Most users won't know how to get the Security Only Update.
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 20,583
    Win-7-Pro64bit 7-H-Prem-64bit
       #8

    Hi,
    Should ssd users be more concerned about all of these large updates :)
      My Computer


  9. mjf
    Posts : 5,969
    Windows 7x64 Home Premium SP1
       #9

    lehnerus2000 said:
    Brds7t7 said:
    If they wanted to end fragmentation then why still have two separate updates, one for Security only and one that also contains the other updates? How is that going to end fragmentation?
    Most users won't know how to get the Security Only Update.
    I'm one of them.
    All my PCs have Home Premium and I thought there was a restriction on accessing security only updates.
      My Computer


 
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