Microsoft Update Catalog works with any browser now
Just a quick heads up for those users and system administrators who are tired of accessing the Microsoft Update Catalog in Internet Explorer or using the workaround to use other browsers: the site is now working in any modern browser.
Simply point your web browser to the main address -- http://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com/Home.aspx -- and the site should open just fine.
No more using Internet Explorer to download patches from the Update Catalog, or using the RSS feed workaround to download them using other browsers.
I have tested the site with Chrome, Firefox, Opera and Vivaldi, and it worked fine in all of them. Surprisingly though, it does not work in Microsoft Edge yet because there is still a script running on the page that checks for Edge and intercepts the connection.
It is probably only a matter of time before that issue is resolved as well. Searches work perfectly fine on the new site: simply enter a search term, e.g. Windows 10, KB3193713, or Internet Explorer, to get all matches displayed in a table on the site.
From there it is just the matter of finding the right patch to download to the system. Patches may be offered for various operating systems, or architectures, and it is up to you to find the right patch that is compatible with the operating system or software that you want to update.
Downloads work a tad different from how they worked on the Internet Explorer version of the site. Downloads are listed directly after clicking on the download button instead of adding one or multiple updates to a cart first.
This can be a tad confusing as Microsoft may list multiple cryptic file downloads on those pages.
There may be little indication if and how those downloads differ. While you may identify x64 versions as they are usually part of the file name, it is impossible to identify other differences. The download page lists no file sizes, supported operating system versions, or any other information that may help you pick the right file.
If you look at the screenshot above for instance, you will be hard pressed to find a difference between the second and third update shown on it. If you download both, you will notice that they are identical and will install the same Silverlight update on the system.
This is obviously not ideal, and Microsoft should consider adding more information to the download page to make things clearer for users.
Closing Words
Considering that Microsoft started to push the Microsoft Update Catalog more, and put less emphasize on the Microsoft Download Center, it is a welcome change that the Update Catalog is now compatible with all modern browsers (well all but Edge, oh the irony).
It will be interesting to see if Microsoft will stop offering downloads of updates via its Download Center website now that the Update Catalog website is cross-browser compatible.
Martin, I would appreciate that you do not censor this post, as it’s informative writing.
Onur, there is a misleading statement “[…] GIFs are animated images …”. No, obviously you don’t seem to have take much notice of what you were told back in March regarding; Graphics Interchange Format (GIF).
For example, https://www.ghacks.net/2023/03/31/whats-gif-explanation-and-how-to-use-it/#comment-4562919 (if you had read my replies within that thread, you might have learnt something useful). I even mentioned, “GIF intrinsically supports animated images (GIF89a)”.
You linked to said article, [Related: …] within this article, but have somehow failed to take onboard what support you were given by several more knowledgeable people.
If you used AI to help write this article, it has failed miserably.
AI is stupid, and it will not get any better if we really know how this all works. Prove me wrong.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IYl1sTIOHI
Martin, [#comment-4569908] is only meant to be in: [https://www.ghacks.net/2023/07/09/how-to-send-gifs-on-iphone-two-different-ways/]. Whereas it appears duplicated in several recent random low-quality non relevant articles.
Obviously it [#comment-4569908] was posted: 9 July 2023. Long before this thread even existed… your database is falling over. Those comments are supposed to have unique ID values. It shouldn’t be possible to duplicate the post ID, if the database had referential integrity.
Don’t tell me!
Ghacks wants the state to step in for STATE-MANDATED associations to save jobs!!!
Bring in the dictatorship!!!
And screw Rreedom of Association – too radical for Ghacks maybe
GateKeeper ?
That’s called “appointing” businesses to do the state’s dirty work!!!!!
But the article says itself that those appointed were not happy – implying they had not choice!!!!!!
@The Dark Lady,
@KeZa,
@Database failure,
@Howard Pearce,
@Howard Allan Pearce,
Note: I replaced the quoted URI scheme: https:// with “>>” and posted.
The current ghacks.net is owned by “Softonic International S.A.” (sold by Martin in October 2019), and due to the fate of M&A, ghacks.net has changed in quality.
>> ghacks.net/2023/09/02/microsoft-is-removing-wordpad-from-windows/#comment-4573130
Many Authors of bloggers and advertisers certified by Softonic have joined the site, and the site is full of articles aimed at advertising and clickbait.
>> ghacks.net/2023/08/31/in-windows-11-the-line-between-legitimate-and-adware-becomes-increasingly-blurred/#comment-4573117
As it stands, except for articles by Martin Brinkmann, Mike Turcotte, and Ashwin, they are low quality, unhelpful, and even vicious. It is better not to read those articles.
How to display only articles by a specific author:
Added line to My filters in uBlock Origin: ghacks.net##.hentry,.home-posts,.home-category-post:not(:has-text(/Martin Brinkmann|Mike Turcotte|Ashwin/))
>> ghacks.net/2023/09/01/windows-11-development-overview-of-the-august-2023-changes/#comment-4573033
By the way, if you use an RSS reader, you can track exactly where your comments are (I’m an iPad user, so I use “Feedly Classic”, but for Windows I prefer the desktop app “RSS Guard”).
RSS Guard: Feed reader which supports RSS/ATOM/JSON and many web-based feed services.
>> github.com/martinrotter/rssguard#readme
We all live in digital surveillance glass houses under scrutiny of evil people because of people like Musk. It’s only fair that he takes his turn.
“Operating systems will be required to let the user choose the browser, virtual assistant and search engine of their choice. Microsoft cannot force users to use Bing or Edge. Apple will have to open up its iOS operating system to allow third-party app stores, aka allow sideloading of apps. Google, on the other hand, will need to provide users with the ability to uninstall preloaded apps (bloatware) from Android devices. Online services will need to allow users to unsubscribe from their platform easily. Gatekeepers need to provide interoperability with third-parties that offer similar services.”
Wonderful ! Let’s hope they’ll comply with that law more than they are doing with the GDPR.