I know this sounds like yet another story where Microsoft attempts to ram Windows 10 down your throat, but it's not (apart from a potential interpretation of the last paragraph). It's been about six-and-a-half years since Windows 7 launched, and about five years since Service Pack 1. If you've attempted to install Windows 7 recently, then attempting to run Windows Update makes it painfully obvious how long that's been.
Image Credit: Microsoft
Finally, Microsoft is making an official roll-up available. Better? It can be slipstreamed into install media, so you don't even need to go through that step with each reformat. This will not contain every possible update, though. Microsoft lists 23 patches that they excluded based on three conditions:
- “They don't have broad applicability.”
- “They introduce behavior changes.”
- “They require additional user actions, such as making registry settings.”
They also excluded every update to Internet Explorer, which makes sense. Users can install Internet Explorer 11 and update it, or just uninstall it entirely if they want (after they download whatever browser(s) that they will actually use). While some of these excluded fixes will affect many users, it should be a much better experience than several hundred patches and a half-dozen reboots. It's probably better to let the user choose many of these optional updates by hand anyway.
At the same time, they also announced that “non-security updates” will be merged into a monthly roll-up for both Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 (and several versions of Windows Server). They're not too clear about how this will work, but it sounds like users will not be able to pick and choose parts of optional patches anymore. Given how many of these were attempts to, again, shove Windows 10 down our throats, that's a bit of a concern. However, I suspect that this is just so Microsoft can align its release structure to how it's done on Windows 10. It's probably just easier for them to manage.
“We’ve provided this official
“We’ve provided this official roll-up so you can easily and quickly install Windows 7 without having to download hundreds of updates… that we will then pester you endlessly on to upgrade to Windows 10 before downloading and installing Windows 10 without your permission anyway.”
Lol, Windows 10 just
Lol, Windows 10 just installed itself on my laptop, slowed it down to a snails pace. In the process of doing a clean install. I like windows 10, though, it seems as though it doesn’t run too well on a computer without an SSD.
My thoughts exactly!
My thoughts exactly!
The easy way to convince
The easy way to convince people to install those telemetry “updates” for Windows 7 that everyone avoids installing.
Indeed. It is a good business
Indeed. It is a good business opportunity for Microsoft to spy its users. Anyone which doesn’t agree with that should move to another operating system or STFU.
Freedom is not a right, it is a daily struggle!
I was reading somewhere else
I was reading somewhere else that the monthly roll-ups were just something optional and not something they are replacing windows updates with. Please correct me if I’m wrong.
They will not contain
They will not contain security updates. That said, if they pack, say, an IPv6 feature with another wave of Windows 10 nagging, then you can't separate them (unless I'm misunderstanding the post).
I do a windows 7 system image
I do a windows 7 system image backup for each of my laptops, and If the M$ Borg has not secretly Borked that process, then I can restore an exact system image from the time that I did the system image backup(Twice a month for my main/newest laptop, once a month on my older laptops). So no worries about slip-streaming or roll-ups with any telemetry/adware/GWX rolled in for me! I keep those offending KB’s the hell out of my updates!
So if I have a slip stream of
So if I have a slip stream of SP1 and a bunch of security and recommended updates. Should I just remove all those updates except SP1 and the required KB from the image and use this instead? or just keep them and add this one?
In my experience, keeping the
In my experience, keeping the redundant stuff only made the install process longer while adding considerably to the size of the iso. Then again, its been a while since I slipstreamed updates; the tools may have evolved and allow for easy identification and exclusion.
There were a few sites that did these roll-ups and took the time to remove the questionable KBs. At this point, I’d place my trust in those guys much quicker than I would Ms. They can keep it their roll-up.
I haven’t slipstreamed since
I haven’t slipstreamed since XP – I’ve forgotten how.
Right now, I have two computers still running Win 7. I plan on upgrading one to Win 10 and see how it runs (I think it will be fine). The other, an HP laptop, will stay at Win 7 – I tried Win 10 and it doesn’t play nice with the graphics. I have install discs from the manufacturer for the laptop but I don’t think I can slipstream with them.
Why would you voluntarily
Why would you voluntarily install spyware as your computer OS and at the same time give all the control to microsoft. You can not choose which updates go to your machine. Microsoft can push ANYTHING and there’s no “I don’t want to install this update”. And microsoft reserves the right to remove programs from your computer without your consent. It is all in the EULA.
For the average home pc user,
For the average home pc user, that doesn’t know much about computers, the forced updates are not a bad thing. From a performance perspective, they can lag on resources, which a more experienced user might find annoying. There ARE ways to suppress and even disable some processes an advanced user may find unnecessary, but if you don’t know what you’re doing, it’s probably better to let Microsoft handle things for you.
This attitude that Microsoft is not acting in the best interest of its users with the Windows 10 release is crazy. If anything they knew they were losing business to Apple and Linux. They had to do something to make things right for the garbage that was Windows 8. Windows 10 was the solution.
That is totally not true, M$
That is totally not true, M$ wants to control the Third party OEM PC/Laptop OS/software ecosystem market! IF M$ wants that type of Apple control then let M$ make its own branded PC/Laptops, but M$ needs to keep its sticky prying fingers off of the third party OEM PC/Laptop market users hardware, and personal metrics! M$ should be forced to provide the third party PC/laptop OEMs with an OS part that does not have any of that windows 10 like spying, or forced updates, users only want windows 7 with the under the hood improvements and none of that TIFKAM/RT(renamed to UWP) closed crAPP store ecosystem.
That UEFI windows secure Boot Key signing authority deep inside the Third party OEM PC/Laptop firmware needs to be outside of M$ control, including making sure that all third party PC/laptop UEFI firmware has a M$ windows secure Boot OFF switch option required to be in that PC’s/Laptop’s firmware, with none of that “Option” for the third party PC/laptop OEMs to NOT provide an Off switch for secure boot in the UEFI firmware for any new PCs/Laptops that come with windows 10 factory installed.
If people wanted a close OS/graphics API/software ecosystem they can get it from Apple/others, but with windows 10, there is no option for those that want their OSs on their third party PC/Laptop OEM made hardware to work for the user and not for M$’s sycophant interests! Steam OS for gaming, as well as the other Linux OS options is the only choice remaining, providing that M$’s secure Boot firmware in OEM’s PC/Laptop products nefarious practices can be nipped in the bud!
For anyone interested I slip
For anyone interested I slip streamed this update, KB3020369, and KB3102810. Installed it on a AMD APU system with an 850evo SSD. It still took over an hour to get 33 or so security updates.
I opted out of the optional updates. KB3035583 Was still an optional download. It was not included in this RollUP.
I really wish they would have
I really wish they would have just called this SP2 and released updated ISOs. Oh well, at least it’s something.
We still use Windows 7 at my office and I’ve found that NTLite works really well. That in combination with Windows Updates Downloader and WHDownloader, you can integrate drivers and make a perfect install disc.