Windows 7 Microsoft update changes for Windows 7 and 8.1

kemical

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Microsoft is to release non security updates monthly instead of Patch Tuesday. This for both Windows 7 SP1 and 8.1:
To obtain these updates one has to visit Microsoft Update Catalog which means you'll need to use IE although later in the year this is being changed so all browsers can be used.

Monthly updates:
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.

Roll up package:
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 Add or Remove Packages Offline 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.

To apply this update, you must install the April 2015 servicing stack update for Windows 7 (KB3020369). You can read more about the Convenience rollup update for Windows 7 SP1 here.

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

Simplifying finding and downloading updates
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.
Reference
 
This has been a total "pos" especially for new installs of Windows 7. You can still check for updates if you like the old way but it can take up to 48 hours for you to get an answer and needless to say change settings in power options so that the pc will not close down ever on the checking and cause it to error out and end. Let me tell you the rollup procedure is designed for the "young at heart" as I had about all I could take of my effort
to synch the update downloads to a new dvd. For now I am done installing new for Windows 7 and will start at Windows 8.1 where the holdup for time in "checking for updates" is not nearly as bad. So from being one of the most negative Widows 8 proponents, I have begun selling custom builds again with Windows 8.1. There are still way too many issues in Windows 10 for me to point myself in that direction yet, and the Anniversary Update apparently has yet to fix all of them.
 
Windows 7 SP1 and 8.1 users will still receive 'security' updates through the update app until 2020 and 2023.

As for the other updates post SP1, they can be found in a handy roll up package (much like a Windows 10 cumulative update) here:
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.
 
OK I guess I am unclear as I have been at this point before Kemical, now what do I do with the files downloaded.
I sat for days watching "searching for updates on Windows Standlone Installer" and nothing ever happened.
 
Ok there seems to be some confusion on the use of the Microsoft update catalogue page.

You do need to be running IE as other browser won't work. Microsoft have said this will change at some point this year to include other browsers.

Once you have the Microsoft update catalogue page open it can initially appear as if your still in error but all one needs to do is search for 'Windows 7 updates' like so:
updates.jpg


If you want all the updates released since SP1 then you'll need to search for KB3125574:

roll.jpg
 
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I have done all that and downloaded them Ross I get that. What I don't get is how to use the download as it appears nowhere and when I click on it all I get is "searching for standalone installer updates" and that can stay up to 48 hours with no result at which point I shut it down and nothing is there anywhere I can see.
 
Basically you click 'add' on the update you want.

You will then notice that the Basket (just below search) contains an update. If you then click on the basket you'll see the update you chose and it's a case of clicking the download tab like so:
see.jpg
 
I know I have done all that and downloaded many times what I can't do is install them from anything I have tried. I just get an endless box that opens up that I bet would keep searching for a year if left alone without ever doing anything.
 
You mean you downloaded the updates and they won't install?
 
Yes that's what I have been saying, sorry Ross. All that happens is an endless box searching forever that never finds what it is looking for,
 
I'm not sure why they won't run perhaps someone else with a win 7 machine can say whether their downloads are installing or not. It might be something your running like an AV suite perhaps or have you tried running them as administrator?
 
Yes I have Ross and now for some reason I just tried to install them again and now they do work.
I need to figure out why they did not before...thanks for all your help.
 
Your very welcome Rich and i'm glad to hear they finally worked.. :)
 
If I could ask a question,Please.
Hi Kemical. In your #6 the second image shows 3 downloads for KB3125574
What are the differences and which on should I choose to download?
I am running Windows7 x64 Ultra. I have SP1 installed
Thanks
 
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If I could ask a question,Please.
Hi Chemical. In your #6 the second image shows 3 downloads for KB3125574
What are the differences and which on should I choose to download?
I am running Windows7 x64 Ultra. I have SP1 installed
Thanks
Hmm... If you have a 64bit version of 7 then you want the last download in the list. The first is for 32bit and second Windows server 2008.
 
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