Microsoft Download Center still offering Windows update downloads
Sometimes, I feel like Microsoft's right hand does not know what the left hand does. It does not help if communication is often minimal or non-existent. Vital information are often missing, and it is up to guesswork and not facts when it comes to changes.
As you may know, Microsoft announced a major change coming to Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 devices related to how updates are provided by the company (the same applies to Windows Server products).
The company decided to bring cumulative updates to those operating systems, much like it does for Windows 10.
This means that organizations and end users get only update packages instead of individual updates. Considering that the system did not work too well on Windows 10, it seems likely that users will be hit with issues eventually on Windows 7 or 8.1 devices as well.
Since it is no longer possible to block faulty updates, or uninstall them, all that users can do if they run into issues is to remove the whole update package. This means removing all security updates if updates were installed via Windows Update, or if a security update is causing issues.
Microsoft Download Center still offering Windows update downloads
The October 2016 patch day was the first month in which only update packages were made available.
Without rehashing what has been said already, this meant the following things:
- Windows users can either use Windows Update to install one massive update package, called monthly rollup, which includes security and non-security patches.
- A security-only update is provided via Microsoft's Update Catalog and WSUS. This includes only the security patches released for the month.
Microsoft noted that the security-only update package would only be made available via WSUS or the company's Update Catalog. The former is only available to organizations, the latter only if you use Internet Explorer as it requires ActiveX. There is a workaround for that though.
While Microsoft was adamant about the availability of update packages -- it explicitly stated that security-only updates would only be made available via WSUS and Microsoft Update Catalog -- it turns out that downloads are still available on Microsoft's Download Center site as well.
If you check out one of the security bulletins, MS16-124 for instance on Microsoft's website, you will notice links to KB download pages right on that page.
This means that users can download the security-only updates from Microsoft's Download Center site as well.
No word on why Microsoft changed its mind and is offering the downloads directly as well. The most likely explanation -- guesswork of course -- is the Internet Explorer exclusivity of the Microsoft Update Catalog.
It could be that Microsoft decided to make direct downloads available for as long as it has not published an updated version of the Update Catalog that runs on all modern browsers.
Now You: What's your opinion on the change?
What mental age of reader are you targeting with the first sentence? 10?
Why not write an article on how to *avoid* upgrading from W10 to W11. Analogous to those like me who avoided upgrading from 7 to 10 for as long as possible.
If your paymaster Microsoft permits it, of course.
5. Rufus
6. Ventoy
PS. I hate reading these “SEO optimized” articles.
I used Rufus to create an installer for a 6th gen intel i5 that had MBR. It upgraded using Setup. No issues except for Win 11 always prompting me to replace my local account. Still using Win 10 Pro on all my other PCs to avoid the bullying.
bit pointless to upgrade for the sake of upgrading as you never know when you’ll get locked out because ms might suddenly not provide updates to unsupported systems.
ps…. time travelling?
written. Jan 15, 2023
Updated • Jan 13, 2023
This happens when you schedule a post in WordPress and update it before setting the publication date.
Anyone willing to downgrade to this awful OS must like inflicting themselves with harm.
I have become convinced now that anybody who has no qualms with using Windows 11/10 must fit into one of the following brackets:
1) Too young to remember a time before W10 and W11 (doesn’t know better)
2) Wants to play the latest games on their PC above anything else (or deeply needs some software which already dropped W7 support)
3) Doesn’t know too much about how computers work, worried that they’d be absolutely lost and in trouble without the “”latest security””
4) Microsoft apologist that tries to justify that the latest “features” and “changes” are actually a good thing, that improve Windows
5) Uses their computer to do a bare minimum of like 3 different things, browse web, check emails, etc, so really doesn’t fuss
Obviously that doesn’t cover everyone, there’s also the category that:
6) Actually liked W7 more than 10, and held out as long as possible before switching, begrudgingly uses 10 now
Have I missed any group off this list?
You have missed in this group just about any professional user that uses business software like CAD programs or ERP Programs which are 99% of all professional users from this list.
Linux doesn’t help anyone who is not a linux kid and apple is just a fancy facebook machine.
Microsoft has removed KB5029351 update
only from windows update though
KB5029351 is still available from the ms update catalog site
1. This update is labaled as PREVIEW if it causes issues to unintelligent people, then they shouldn’t have allowed Preview updates ot install.
2. I have installed it in a 11 years old computer, and no problems at all.
3. Making a big drama over a bluescreen for an updated labeled as preview is ridiculous.
This is probably another BS internet drama where people ran programs and scripts that modified the registry until they broke Windows, just for removing stuff that they weren’t even using just for the sake of it.
Maybe people should stop playing geeks and actually either use Windows 10 or Windows 11, but don’t try to modify things just for the sake of it.
Sometimes removing or stopping things (like defender is a perfect example) only need intelligence, not scripts or 3rd party programs that might mess with windows.
Windows 11 was a pointless release, it was just created because some of the Windows team wanted to boost sales with some sort of new and improved Windows 10. Instead, Microsoft cannot support one version well let alone two.
Windows 11 is the worst ugly shame by Microsoft ever. They should release with every new W11 version a complete free version of Starallback inside just to make this sh** OS functionally again.
motherboard maker MSI has recently released a statement regarding the “unsupported processor” blue screen error for their boards using Intel 600/700 series chipsets & to avoid the KB5029351 Win11 update:
https://www.msi.com/news/detail/MSI-On–UNSUPPORTED-PROCESSOR–Error-Message-of-Windows-11-Update-KB5029351-Preview-142215
check out the following recent articles:
Neowin – Microsoft puts little blame on its Windows update after UNSUPPORTED PROCESSOR BSOD bug:
https://www.neowin.net/news/microsoft-puts-little-blame-on-its-windows-update-after-unsupported-processor-bsod-bug/
BleepingComputer – Microsoft blames ‘unsupported processor’ blue screens on OEM vendors:
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/microsoft-blames-unsupported-processor-blue-screens-on-oem-vendors/
While there may be changes or updates to the Windows 10 Store for Business and Education in the future, it is premature to conclude that it will be discontinued based solely on rumors.
My advice, I left win 15 years ago. Now I’m a happy linux user (linuxmint) but there is Centos, Fedora, Ubuntu depending on your needs.
motherboard maker MSI has recently released new BIOS/firmware updates for their Intel 600 & 700 series motherboards to fix the “UNSUPPORTED_PROCESSOR” problem (Sept. 6):
https://www.msi.com/news/detail/Updated-BIOS-fixes-Error-Message–UNSUPPORTED-PROCESSOR–caused-BSOD-on-MSI-s-Intel-700-and-600-Series-Motherboards-142277