Microsoft overhauls Windows 7 and 8.1 updating -- but don't call it a service pack

[Karlston]

The status of Win 8.1 is still unclear, but it looks like updates to Win7 will (finally!) run much faster

In a TechNet post called  "Simplifying updates for Windows 7 and 8.1," Microsoft engineer Nathan Mercer has wonderful news for Windows 7 customers -- particularly for those who've spent hours and hours (and days) waiting for Windows Updates.

 

While it eschews the old-fashioned phrase "service pack," Mercer's announcement is exactly that.

 

Here's how he puts it:

We're making available a new convenience rollup for Windows 7 SP1 ...  [it] 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.... 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.

The Microsoft Update Catalog site is so ancient, it requires Internet Explorer and an ActiveX control. 

 

The downloaded package -- identified as KB 3125574, at 477 MB for 64-bit systems -- doesn't yet have an associated Knowledge Base article, nor are there any installation instructions for the downloaded file (double-click on the file ending in .msu to invoke the Windows Update Standalone Installer).

 

Most confusing, the update on offer is clearly marked as a Windows 7 update. There's no analogous update for Windows 8.1, as yet.

 

Mercer goes on to say:

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.

That should come as a huge relief to the 50 percent of Windows users who are still on Windows 7.

 

I read it as Windows 7 Service Pack 2 and (possibly, at some point) Windows 8.1 Service Pack 1. But nevermind. You can call it anything you like, as long as it works.

 

Tests are underway.

 

Source: Microsoft overhauls Windows 7 and 8.1 updating -- but don't call it a service pack (InfoWorld - Woody Leonhard)

[Karlston]

5 minutes ago, Karlston said:

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

 

The dolts have clearly learned nothing from the inherent problems with their cumulative Windows 10 updates.

 

Now you have to take the bad with the good, or go without. No more disabling the known bad ones and taking the rest.

[PrEzi]

Exactly as Karlston said --- till now you've had the possibility to disable the whole Telemetric thingy in 7 and 8.* by disabling / uninstalling particular updates...

But now... oooooh goooodie - they offer you the "whole" convenience package as one.... of course- without the possibility to disable all the spyware telemetric data...

[unknownasphyxiated]

Quote

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

 

[PrEzi]

12 minutes ago, unknownasphyxiated said:

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

 

Yeah...sure.... 

And this all be available in WSUS FOR ALL.

And everyone who will fall for that will also get "for free" all the telemetrics the W10 got etc.

Merry X-Mas to all....   really a "great" choice! 

[SPECTRUM]

2 hours ago, Karlston said:

 

The dolts have clearly learned nothing from the inherent problems with their cumulative Windows 10 updates.

 

Now you have to take the bad with the good, or go without. No more disabling the known bad ones and taking the rest.

 

then you don't like service packs ? because this cumulative update is likely a service pack.

[Whoopenstein]

Can't download the update. MS update catalog won't run/install in Explorer. What a POS. Laptop has been hosed since a wonderfull MS update about 3 months ago.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[SPECTRUM]

24 minutes ago, Whoopenstein said:

Can't download the update. MS update catalog won't run/install in Explorer. What a POS. Laptop has been hosed since a wonderfull MS update about 3 months ago.

 

you need to have Internet Explorer fully updated and in proper state.

[D1v1n3D]

Lol they are sure making windows 10 more appealing aren't they? Can't wait for Linux or ReactOS to rise from the ashes.

[vibranium]

The KB article does not carry the details you'd find in a service pack. But read this

 

Spoiler

 

Prerequisites

To apply this update, you must install Service Pack 1 for Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2 (KB976932) and April 2015 servicing stack update for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 (KB3020369).

 

 

 

Spoiler

 

More information

 

We intentionally did not include any specific post-Service Pack 1 updates in convenience rollup 3125574 for which the following conditions are true:

• They don’t have broad applicability.
• They introduce behavior changes.
• They require additional user actions, such as making registry settings.

You may download and install such fixes manually after you determine whether they apply to your deployment scenarios. Specifically, the following fixes are not included in this convenience rollup:

2620264 You cannot start any RemoteApp applications through a Windows Server 2008-based or later Terminal Server or RD Gateway
2646060 An update that selectively disables the Core Parking feature in Windows 7 or in Windows Server 2008 R2 is available
2647954 The PIN dialog box does not appear or you are presented with all the certificates in the store when you try to access a WebDAV server in Windows 7 or in Windows Server 2008 R2
2663685 Changes that are not replicated to a downstream server are lost on the upstream server after an automatic recovery process occurs in a DFS Replication environment in Windows Server 2008 R2
2695321 IPsec session takes 5 to 6 minutes to connect to a storage controller on a computer that is running Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, Windows 7, or Windows Server 2008 R2
2727994 You cannot open or save Office 2010 documents on a WebDAV file server on a computer that is running Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2
2728738 You experience a long logon time when you try to log on to a Windows 7-based or a Windows Server 2008 R2-based client computer that uses roaming profiles
2750841 An IPv6 readiness update is available for Windows 7 and for Windows Server 2008 R2
2752259 An update that improves the performance of the Printbrm.exe command-line tool in Windows 7 or in Windows Server 2008 R2 is available
2891144 Application does not draw polylines correctly when you run it through an RD Session in Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1
2898851 Description of the security update for the .NET Framework 3.5.1 on Windows 7 Service Pack 1 and Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1: May 13, 2014
2907020 "Location is not available" error when you access a mapped network drive after Windows standby or resume
2918833 Third-party IMEs give users unprotected access to your Windows 7-based or Windows Server 2008 R2-based system
2923766 Black screen when you plug in a monitor on a computer or open a lid of a laptop that is running in Windows
2925489 You cannot establish an IPsec connection with certain third-party devices in Windows
2990184 A FIPS-compliant recovery password cannot be saved to AD DS for BitLocker in Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2
2781512 - WinRM operations to Hyper-V fail on a Windows 7 SP1-based or Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1-based computer that has Windows Management Framework 3.0 installed
2823180 - Update is available for Windows Management Framework 3.0 in Windows 7 SP1, Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1, or Windows Server 2008 SP2
2802886 - You cannot register an SPN from a Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows Server 2012-based client computer in a disjoint namespace
2842230 - "Out of memory" error on a computer that has a customized MaxMemoryPerShellMB quota set and has WMF 3.0 installed
2887064 - The Start-Process cmdlet ignores the "-Wait" parameter when the cmdlet is started remotely on a Windows 7 SP1, Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1, Windows Vista SP2, or Windows Server 2008 SP2 computer that has Windows Management Framework 3.0 installed
2889748 - High memory usage by the Svchost.exe process after you install Windows Management Framework 3.0 on a Windows-based computer
2830615 - $MyInvocation.MyCommand object is set to null when you run the script by using PowerShell 3.0 in Windows 8 or in Windows Server 2012

 

This convenience rollup also does not include any of the servicing updates for Internet Explorer. If you require the servicing updates for Internet Explorer, download and install the latest Security update for Internet Explorer.

 

 

 

Direct download links for KB3125574-V4
32-bit

64-bit

 

[Karlston]

1 hour ago, SPECTRUM said:

then you don't like service packs ? because this cumulative update is likely a service pack.

 

No. Service Packs are fine. Traditionally they're released every few years and have been tested very well to minimise problems.

 

4 hours ago, Karlston said:

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.

 

But not issuing Windows 7 and 8.1 non-security patches individually any more, and instead bundling them all together each month into a single cumulative update is NOT fine. That just means the flaky Windows 10 cumulative update methodology is being partially forced on Windows 7 and 8.1 users.

 

Edit: Reading it again, it does say " Each month, we will release a single update containing all of the non-security fixes for that month.". So they'll be cumulative, but just for that month. Hmmm... that may not be so bad...

 

Looks like Microsoft are trying a new way to encourage W7 and 8.1 users to upgrade to W10 by making the W7 and 8.1 update methodology just as bad as the W10 one.

[Holmes]

This is like windows xp service pack three and its optional you dont have to download it its there for your convenience read the damn article people lawls.

[vibranium]

19 minutes ago, Karlston said:

Looks like Microsoft are trying a new way to encourage W7 and 8.1 users to upgrade to W10 by making the W7 and 8.1 update methodology just as bad as the W10 one.

 

I wouldn't rule that out.

 

 

[steven36]

1 hour ago, Karlston said:

Reading it again, it does say " Each month, we will release a single update containing all of the non-security fixes for that month.". So they'll be cumulative, but just for that month. Hmmm... that may not be so bad...

 

 

Quote

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.

https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/windowsitpro/2016/05/17/simplifying-updates-for-windows-7-and-8-1/

I want never use it  i will keep doing updates on windows updates  I have no need for all these hotfixes  and spyware. I always get my updates from windows updates unless  i couldn't get something to install or it really is a SP  .

 

See this post from 2013  there just releasing all the updates again i

Quote

 

KB2775511 Hotfix Rollup has 90 hotfixes

I saw a posting from ZDNet Must-Read News today, with the following headline:

A hidden Patch Tuesday gem: A Windows 7 hotfix rollup
Even though Microsoft supposedly is done releasing service packs for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2, the company is still doing hotfix rollups.

According to http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2775511

"This hotfix rollup contains 90 hotfixes that were released after the release of SP1 for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2. These hotfixes improve the overall performance and system reliability of Windows 7 SP1-based and Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1-based computers. We recommend that you apply this hotfix rollup as part of your regular maintenance routine and build processes for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 computers."

There is also an article about all this at
https://blogs.technet.com/b/askpfepl...edirected=true


I am a big fan of the Patch Watch column, and this patch is not yet mentioned, and so I think I will hold off a bit.
In any case, this KB2775511 does not appear in the Windows Update offerings for my machine.

I just wondered if others here have applied it and would like to comment.

Thank you.

http://windowssecrets.com/forums/showthread.php/152823-KB2775511-Hotfix-Rollup-has-90-hotfixes

 

It's Nothing they never done before

[RobrPatty]

Need the windows 8.1 update. Then I can install on my Server 2012 R2.

[steven36]

34 minutes ago, RobrPatty said:

Need the windows 8.1 update. Then I can install on my Server 2012 R2.

The one for windows 8.1 is not out yet only one for windows 7 is . And each fix is offered as a individual download as well

I dont think these these come with it

Quote

You may download and install such fixes manually after you determine whether they apply to your deployment scenarios. Specifically, the following fixes are not included in this convenience rollup:

2620264 You cannot start any RemoteApp applications through a Windows Server 2008-based or later Terminal Server or RD Gateway
2646060 An update that selectively disables the Core Parking feature in Windows 7 or in Windows Server 2008 R2 is available
2647954 The PIN dialog box does not appear or you are presented with all the certificates in the store when you try to access a WebDAV server in Windows 7 or in Windows Server 2008 R2
2663685 Changes that are not replicated to a downstream server are lost on the upstream server after an automatic recovery process occurs in a DFS Replication environment in Windows Server 2008 R2
2695321 IPsec session takes 5 to 6 minutes to connect to a storage controller on a computer that is running Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, Windows 7, or Windows Server 2008 R2
2727994 You cannot open or save Office 2010 documents on a WebDAV file server on a computer that is running Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2
2728738 You experience a long logon time when you try to log on to a Windows 7-based or a Windows Server 2008 R2-based client computer that uses roaming profiles
2750841 An IPv6 readiness update is available for Windows 7 and for Windows Server 2008 R2
2752259 An update that improves the performance of the Printbrm.exe command-line tool in Windows 7 or in Windows Server 2008 R2 is available
2891144 Application does not draw polylines correctly when you run it through an RD Session in Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1
2898851 Description of the security update for the .NET Framework 3.5.1 on Windows 7 Service Pack 1 and Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1: May 13, 2014
2907020 "Location is not available" error when you access a mapped network drive after Windows standby or resume
2918833 Third-party IMEs give users unprotected access to your Windows 7-based or Windows Server 2008 R2-based system
2923766 Black screen when you plug in a monitor on a computer or open a lid of a laptop that is running in Windows
2925489 You cannot establish an IPsec connection with certain third-party devices in Windows
2990184 A FIPS-compliant recovery password cannot be saved to AD DS for BitLocker in Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2
2781512 - WinRM operations to Hyper-V fail on a Windows 7 SP1-based or Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1-based computer that has Windows Management Framework 3.0 installed
2823180 - Update is available for Windows Management Framework 3.0 in Windows 7 SP1, Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1, or Windows Server 2008 SP2
2802886 - You cannot register an SPN from a Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows Server 2012-based client computer in a disjoint namespace
2842230 - "Out of memory" error on a computer that has a customized MaxMemoryPerShellMB quota set and has WMF 3.0 installed
2887064 - The Start-Process cmdlet ignores the "-Wait" parameter when the cmdlet is started remotely on a Windows 7 SP1, Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1, Windows Vista SP2, or Windows Server 2008 SP2 computer that has Windows Management Framework 3.0 installed
2889748 - High memory usage by the Svchost.exe process after you install Windows Management Framework 3.0 on a Windows-based computer
2830615 - $MyInvocation.MyCommand object is set to null when you run the script by using PowerShell 3.0 in Windows 8 or in Windows Server 2012

You may download and install such fixes manually after you determine whether they apply to your deployment scenarios. Specifically, the following fixes are not included in this convenience rollup:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3125574

 

[Maka]

I'm guessing they were nice enough to include the Get Windows 10 update in this "service pack" also. Since most people refuse to install it through windows update, they might have decided to try this approach.

[erp-ster0]

3 hours ago, Maka said:

I'm guessing they were nice enough to include the Get Windows 10 update in this "service pack" also. Since most people refuse to install it through windows update, they might have decided to try this approach.

 

Highly doubtful of that - read here.

the "Get Win10 app" isn't included in KB3125574

[steven36]

If you get and DISM Error  you need to install  kb3020369 1st

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3020369

 

Info  from Ray Rosen Microsoft employee

https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/9ac6094c-200c-4dcc-9172-ab43affa12f6/dism-error-when-trying-to-apply-the-new-kb3125574-to-installwim?forum=w7itprogeneral

3 hours ago, erp-ster0 said:

 

Highly doubtful of that - read here.

the "Get Win10 app" isn't included in KB3125574

 

Yes  this update is clean  they got people so paranoid  with get windows 10 updates on windows updates but this update is not on windows update or will it be offered   they presume it will give them Windows 10 automatically 
 

Quote

 

You won't get any cleaner than this really Thrash. While I have been quite critical of MS decisions lately, I have to say, they've done a good job with this pack. It's mostly security updates and a few recommended. None of the updates on my list have been included, that's what I was initially skeptical about.
Let's face it, there will never be an SP2 and MS were under no obligation to provide this and I'm pleasantly surprised they did.

As for the future recommended update "rollups", well it just means less updates for me to skip

http://www.sevenforums.com/news/396236-simplifying-updates-windows-7-8-1-a-3.html?s=7004c765c22df85efc3069f76a9a5849#post3249578

 

 

They use too give rollups  like this before  with hotfixes its just been a few years i never bothered  to install them  ever  i just installed my updates from windows updates or the windows store to get windows 8.1.   only windows service packs i downloaded elsewhere but  this will help if you clean install  it i guess but ive not had to install windows 7 since 2011 my pc that has it on it never needed reformatted yet . .