Best way to get Windows 7 updated

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A couple of friends were batting around the idea of using the KB 3125574 update – the one I call “Windows 7 Service Pack 2” – to get Win7 brought up t
[See the full post at: Best way to get Windows 7 updated]

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I beg to differ. The best way is not to fall for any of the “speedup” blaaablaaaaaaa tricks. Install the legal iso from 2010 and just update, hide all 7 billion Windows 10 related “updates”. Take your time, order some pizza, take atrip abroad or get married raise a family and get grandchildren. Microsoft are choking your updates to a standstill but eventually you will get them. Finally after a day or twelve, you have a nice clean speedy updated Windows 7 with no 10 spyware ever entering on YOUR PERSONAL COMPUTER. Sure, it’s a hassle, but soooo worth it in the long run. The word CLEAN install has a new meaning now.

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Woody;

Two thumbs up.

JF

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HA!

Now the $64,000 follow-up question: how do you discern the Win10 related updates?

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I just did a factory restore from 2010 on a computer hijacked by Win10.
Installed SP1 from DVD. Waited three (3) days of update searches with no results before I finally disabled WU and manually installed KB3168965 (disregarding the 6-year gap). Then I waited another 2 hours for all 252 first-round updates to show up (reasonable time considering), hid Win10 related (telemetry, compatibility and Win Update Client patches) and waited a short search time for the next 67 updates. And so on, hiding Win10 stuff, till no more updates.
Didn’t contaminate my “fresh” factory restore and it sure sped up the update search – till next month.

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For me and my clients it is easy. We just do not install any Windows Updates that are not security. Even in new installs, I reject all non-security updates issued after 2014. Then install GWX control panel. Works in every case.

CT

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I have my looong list of offending patches, hasn’t failed me yet. It was highly entertaining actually, to update this latest Windows 7 install I did. One by one I hid the bad ones, and with every search for updates, after countless restarts, one or two on the list popped up. Over and over..I felt like a zit-popping ninja. I kid you not, the whole thing took two days and I stopped counting the restarts and new searches after a few million. But in the end I stand victorious! Your move Redmond.

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My bible, in numerical order. For SP1.

2505438
2882822
2952664
2990214
2999226
3012973
3021917
3022345
3035583
3042058
3046480
3050265
3064209
3065987
3068708
3074677
3075249
3075851
3080149
3081437
3081454
3081954
3083324
3083710
3088195
3090045
3093983
3102810
3112343
3118401
3123862
3135445
3138612
3141092 Run command prompt as admin: wusa /uninstall /kb:3141092 /norestart (KB3139929 Internet Explorer smuggled this one along)
3150513
3173040

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Woody:

Since I do not have Blue Tooth, is it safe to install the “Latest Win 7 Update speedup patch” you referenced above? I do have this one on my update list: KB3172605. OS is Windows 7.

Please provide your recommendation under these circumstances? I

I appreciate your expertise, and am like many others just trying to get the “searching for updates” process fixed. At the present time I have a possible solution if I can use the replacement for KB3161608: KB3172605.

Thank you once again for all of your help.

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Oh and finally: I’m on a 50MB optical fiber connection, and the updates still took forever..I can only imagine the pain and horror someone on a slow connection must feel, the “speed up updates” must feel VERY tempting in that case. Still, don’t do it.

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I’m glad to see you’re now recommending the monthly “magic patches” over that rollup thing with all the tag-along crap that was supposed to be a permanent fix!

My confidence in your advice was waning a bit for a while there Woody… welcome back to reality where we only install what we NEED!

Hopefully you’re also advising folks to check out the available lists of “Do NOT Install” updates that have been provided here?

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I’ll bite:
Criticals before the 2015 announcement?

/me grabs a bowl to collect the tomatoes you’ll through at me

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As far as updating my win7 x 64 home premium, 6GB Sys Mem, 1T HD PC- I download manually the speed up KB that you that you designate,for each month, then manually let it install – then restart PC – start MS update and usually wait less than 4 minutes to get approximately 30 new updates. I don’t have ,installed, the “rollup update” module. I receive updates one after the other and not bundled ( so I can quickly pick and prune). Every Tuesday or Wednesday of each month I have done this with no ill effects on my PC or me. Pulling your hair out over this MS mess does nothing except leave you bald.

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Woody,

Re instructions on wu.krelay:

Trying to download each of the updates

KB3075851 August 2015, or one of its successors
KB3083324 September 2015
KB3083710 October 2015
KB3112343 December 2015
KB3134554 February 2016
KB3138612 March 2016
KB3102810

brings you the install instructions page but does not download anything.

On a Win7 x64 Gateway T6836 laptop.

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You check them out on AskWoody of course :)!

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On the http://wu.krelay.de/en/, clicking on the links in the first column of the table brings up an error page if you’re using Chrome or Firefox. (At least it does for me.) Solution: Use IE.

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Sorry, didn’t understand your question.

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Much better, at this point, is to install KB 3138612

https://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=7d72781f-e4ae-41c6-bbba-9b845db33b2a

That’ll solve the immediate problem, without breaking anything.

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Woody:

I installed KB3138612 on April 19th, and also installed KB3145739 on April 19th too. Therefore, I already have these already installed.

Is there any other option other than to try using the “replacement update” just issued for
KB3161608 – – – KB3172605?

I also have the KB3168965 listed in the new update list.

This is becoming the worse on to resolve than any I can recall yet. I’m sure I’m not the only one that’s beginning to feel the stress.

Thank you for your suggestion.

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Woody:

Nothing for the IE has been updated yet from July Black Tuesday, so is it “safe” to use the IE until it is updated?

I’ve already had a serious problem attempting to use that site with a Firefox browser.

Is it possible to just use KB3168965 from the “update list” on the (Win 7) computer?

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Sure, you can install it from Windows Update.

You shouldn’t have any problem running IE on that site.

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Naw, if you have 3161608 and nothing’s broken (your Bluetooth works), you’re doing fine. No reason to install 3172605.

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All of the download links on http://wu.krelay.de/en/ that go to MS download sites work with FireFox for me. Win 7 64, FF 47.0.1

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I stand corrected! They’re working for me, too. Wonder why Chrome has problems with those and other MS sites that require a logon?

It’s not a big deal. Just a nuisance.

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Pfft…
I tried the “speedup” patch shown here. I was missing just two of the updates, so I installed them. Not one bit better. 6-core processor with 3 cores intermittently pegged at 100%, 2gb of my 4gb RAM consumed.

Well, I should mention that it completed the update scan in about 2 minutes. That’s about 2 hours faster than last last time I ran it, yesterday. Actually, it never did finish. I shut it down.
Now that I have a list, which ones don’t I install?

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Woody:

Could you please clarify IF:

Is it possible to just use KB3172605

from the “update list” on the (Win 7) computer. Will this update solve the problem alone?

My apologies for being so dense – – – I just do not know enough about the update I mentioned here. It was listed previously as possibly resolving the “searching for updates” problem, however have not seen it mentioned since.

I asked about the “replacement update” TOO because I’m not sure which one (or if either one) alone will solve the problem.

Once again I apologize. Thank you so much for your patience.

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The billion Windows 10 updates are only 4 and if you want to keep it simple, do not install KB3035883 and install everything else and you are safe enough.
Completely agree with Woody’s advice in the main post.

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In relation to the last list, install only KB3138612 March 2016 which supersedes all others. After installing KB3138612, the other supeseded patches will no longer be available which is normal and best option. It is actually stated on wu.krelay, although it is not made very clear.

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Are you perhaps using NoScript with Firefox? If so, you can’t see the Microsoft pages unless you let NoScript run on them. Once I temporarily gave those permissions, I was able to view the pages in question.

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@Walter Bear.

+1

JF

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This is how i update windows 7 after a clean installation. It’s clean, quick, easy and updated every month. It contains no Windows 10 or telemetry updates and there is a list of all updates contained within the pack.

The Russian origin of this update pack may deter some of you from giving it a try, but I’ve found no issues with it.

It’s another option to consider.

http://update7.simplix.info/

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Not dense at all. Microsoft makes this stuff very convoluted.

Short answer: Yes, 3172605 should speed up the check for updates. But it also brings along at least six additional patches that you may or may not want. I’m becoming more and more enamored with the German site http://wu.krelay.de/en/ which gives a quick and easy solution without the baggage.

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Good question!

Wait until we’ve had a bit more time with the patches. I’ll lift the MS-DEFCON rating to 3 when it looks good to my jaundiced eye.

(We just had a bad patch raise its ugly head on Friday. It takes a while for the problems to shake out.)

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I am just curious:

you guys all do this nursing of W7 updates as your profession, to earn your money for a living, yes!? I mean you get in any way paid for doing all this, yes, you have clients whose machines you maintain?? You do not do all this time and again for free, just to enjoy your own private system – until the next rounds starts?

Because it is totally beyond me why a private user would want to voluntarily do all this tormenting and painful and time-consuming procedure of filtering and researching month for month and then again – if not getting paid for his time, effort and hours of his lifetime.

Which probably is the strategy behind this handling of the problems by Microsoft – giving W7 and W8 users hell, to make them disembark and switch to another OS – which is W10 of course, in MS’s calculation. As some may remember, I switched indeed to another OS – to Linux. Thats the reasonable option for the private user.

But if you get paid for your time to keep W7 up and clean, then okay, that I can understand then. Money is an argument.

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I think you’ve nailed it.

Microsoft has very little to gain by making life easier for the majority of Windows customers.

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Re: Woody “…’m becoming more and more enamored with the German site http://wu.krelay.de/en/ which gives a quick and easy solution without the baggage.”

Two thumbs up!

This non-tech, command-line dummy, and seasoned citizen (me) has enjoyed short quick searches and installs on two 10year old Win7 machines and a 2 year old Win8.l laptop since April this year when I found AskWoody and krelay.

My way;

1.krelay instructions (carefully followed).
2.Your tips on download, disconnect, reboot etc.
3.Installing ONLY Security patches and running MSE/WindowsDefender manually daily BEFORE manually running WU.
4.WU set to “never check” & uncheck “give me important the same way”.
5.Reading AskWoody daily to avoid misfortunes reported by others.
6.Avoiding bundled update joys from Redmond.

Many thanks Woody and to all the others who post for amateurs like me. K.I.S.S.

JF

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ch100: KB3138612 was installed on April 19, 2016, so I cannot install it again. (I only wish I could). Thank you for the “recommend”

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Marty: No I have as few “add-ons” as possible, so don’t know that the problem has been. Thank you for the information relevant to the “NoScript” add-on.

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Thank you so much, Woody, for this information.

All things considered, I think I will wait as long as possible to make a decision. Your advice is very much appreciated, as always. Thank you again!

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That “says it all”, Woody!

Most of us can recall when updating” was a simple process. Marc stated the current situation for private users very aptly:

“this tormenting and painful and time-consuming procedure of filtering and researching month for month and then again – ”

I can definitely relate to getting an OS which is NOT MS. Many others are becoming burned out with this egregious situation as well.

Thank you for always being there for us all, Woody.

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@Marc Many of us do some form of paid work related to Windows. But writing here is entirely voluntary.

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It was not a question but a reaction to your

HA!

Now the $64,000 follow-up question: how do you discern the Win10 related updates?

With a bit irony.

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I did a full test for the method presented at http://wu.krelay.de/en/2016-07.htm
With a Windows 7 Pro SP1 VM with 2CPUs and 6 GB RAM, running Windows Update installed immediately Windows Update Agent 7.6.7600.320, after which the next scan was still stuck after about 12 hours. It appears that the WU scan detected the updates available in about 1 hour according to the log, but could not finalise the calculations.
I installed manually in order the following updates and restarted after installing them all.
KB2533552 – An update that prevents a “0xC0000034” error message when you try to install Windows 7 SP1, Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1, or Windows Embedded Standard 7 SP1 is available
KB3020369 – April 2015 servicing stack update for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2
KB3138612 – Windows Update Client for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2: March 2016
KB3168965 – MS16-090: Description of the security update for Windows kernel-mode drivers: July 12, 2016
KB3164033 – MS16-074: Description of the security update for Microsoft Graphics Component: June 14, 2016
KB3145739 – MS16-039: Description of the security update for Windows Graphics Component: April 12, 2016
KB3109094 – MS15-128 and MS15-135: Description of the security update for Windows kernel-mode drivers: December 8, 2015
KB3078601 – MS15-080: Description of the security update for Windows: August 11, 2015

The first 2 updates are mandatory Servicing Stack Updates and MUST be installed.
The other updates are all taken from the http://wu.krelay.de/en/2016-07.htm

The result was unbelievable. The time for detecting updates after installing the updates above and restart was 8 (eight) minutes.

There is only one mistake on the German site. There is a claim that for a new install there is no need for the speed up updates. This is not correct and actually the speed up updates are needed most on a clean install.
I am sure that Dalai the author of the web site mentioned knows this too well and the mistake was unintentional, maybe the correct meaning was lost in translation.

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Fascinating. Looks like you nailed it. I wish I knew how to get in touch with Dalai!

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ch100: You did a tremendous amount of work finding all of this very detailed information. I know I already have KB3020369 installed. I now need to check everything else out.

Thank you so very, very much!!

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ch100, I am following a humongous thread (I have provided the link in previous posts here) over at MS Community re: Windows Update Agent 7.6.7600.320.
It was found to be (by the OP and his 3 days of troubleshooting) that this is the deal breaker in the amount of time it is now taking scanning for updates.

He started with a clean install and as soon as .320 was installed the long waits began. He was the first to provide an answer in January this year for many suffering from the never ending scans.

What is your take on this?

gts

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The Windows Update Agent 7.6.7600.320 is mandatory update without which Windows Update will not continue. There is no way around it except for not installing any updates.

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Please let us know how it all works out for you.

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To paraphrase George Mallory of Mount Everest fame, because they’re there!

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Smooth and easy and….quick. See link:
https://www.askwoody.com/2016/best-way-to-get-windows-7-updated/#comment-93467

JF

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Hi Woody,

Despite the fact that we’re still at Defcon2, do you nevertheless recommend installing KB3168965 on Win7 computers that are exhibiting the slow WU checks?

Thanks.

M.

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@ch100

re:
https://www.askwoody.com/2016/best-way-to-get-windows-7-updated/comment-page-1/#comment-93525

How can you check for it’s presence?
JF

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Not unless you really want to look at the available updates. It’s the same thing that happened last month – no reason to install the July updates just yet.

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@JF The presence of the Windows Update Agent?
It is in the Update History, however this is only a cache which is stored in the Software Distribution database C:WindowsSoftwareDistributionDataStoreDataStore.edb
If the datastore gets reset, then the history is lost.
The reliable way to verify the version of the agent is to check the version of C:WindowsSystem32wuaueng.dll
There are other files starting with wuau* in the same folder which should have the same version.
Just a note to clarify my previous statement. The current version should be 7.6.7601.23453
The older version 7.6.7600.320 is just an intermediate step without which Windows Update would not continue. I didn’t test what happens if for example KB3138612 is installed first, in which case the 7.6.7600.320 might not be offered.
Another useful thing to know is that if WU client is suspected to be corrupted, Microsoft has for download the older version 7.6.7600.256 at https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/949104 which is enough to get the WU repaired and the process started correctly.

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@Marty As Woody says, there is no need to install any July update yet, although I personally believe that they are reliable. There are reports about issues caused by one or more of the patches for Excel 2013 and 2016, however those issues seem to appear in extreme situations.
The best approach until you will install the July 2016 updates is to set your machine for Never check for updates.
Saying that however, for those being fully updated for June 2016, there should be no need for any speed-up patch.

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I question a few of these, care to render an
opinion?

Items in question follow:

KB3088195 (critical security update!)
KB3093983 (critical security update!)

KB2990214 MS: “This update is applicable to your systems even if you’re not planning to migrate to Windows 10, so don’t think you can skip it” (superseded)

KB2505438 (DirectWrite API font caching)
KB2882822 (Fix for Windows Embedded)
KB3042058 Changes SSL cipher defaults…
KB3064209 “Intel CPU microcode update” corrects some errata in some Intel CPUs, change to CPU is signed by Intel, and persists only until CPU reset
KB3141092 (Enterprise Mode fix, Enterprise Mode allows business critical internal sites to render the way they used to, to maintain compatibility)

KB3050265 (MSupdates client, Jun2015?) superseded by
KB3065987 (MSupdates client, Jul2015?) superseded by
KB3075851 (MSupdates client, Aug2015?) superseded by
KB3083324 (MSupdates client, Sep2015?) superseded by
KB3102810 (MSupdate slowness fix, superseded)
KB3083710 (Oct 2015 MSupdates client, reduces ram usage by 2.5GB) superseded by
KB3112343 (MSupdates client, Dec2015?) superseded by
KB3135445 (MSupdates client, Feb2016?) superseded by
KB3138612 (MSupdates client, Mar2016?) superseded by later updates

KB3074677 (this update is part of the windows 10 installation and is a windows update for windows 10)
KB3081437 (this is a windows update for windows 10, aka you already have windows 10 installed)
KB3081454 (this is a windows update for windows 10, aka you already have windows 10 installed)

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FYI – Of the seven pcs in my possession, all have W7 Pro installed, some 32 bit, some 64 bit, and only the ones that have java installed have given me trouble while attempting to update. All with java installed have taken extremely long periods of time, (4 hours or more), to find updates and install them.
All pcs without Java installed had no issues with WU at all.

As to the link you shared above with suggestions to install the new update patch, that resolution would not work on any of my pcs. After following all instructions on that page I was still faced with the same problem.
After removing Java from these pcs all updated perfectly and flawlessly.

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ch100:

I have been away most of the day, so I am just now finishing up the information applicable to the list which you provided.

The Number ONE problem I see it the fact that I do not have the KB2533552 listed as “hidden”, or installed. I had this computer built in February 2014, and have never changed anything on it. I began to encounter the “never-ending search for updates” problem at the same time everyone else did.

The only other update I do not have is one of the July updates: KB3168965 because I never install the monthly updates until there is an “all clear”.

I will list the updates as you have written them, showing the current status, as follows:

KB2533552 – An update that prevents a “0xC0000034” error message when you try to install Windows 7 SP1, Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1, or Windows Embedded Standard 7 SP1 is available *****I DO NOT HAVE THIS UPDATE ON THE COMPUTER*****

KB3020369 – April 2015 servicing stack update for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 *****
Installed July 3, 2016*****

KB3138612 – Windows Update Client for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2: March 2016 *****Installed April 19, 2016

KB3168965 – MS16-090: Description of the security update for Windows kernel-mode drivers: July 12, 2016 ***** Not installed – – On Current July Update List, pending clearance by Woody*****

KB3164033 – MS16-074: Description of the security update for Microsoft Graphics Component: June 14, 2016 *****Installed July 3, 2016*****

KB3145739 – MS16-039: Description of the security update for Windows Graphics Component: April 12, 2016 *****Installed April 19, 2016*****

KB3109094 – MS15-128 and MS15-135: Description of the security update for Windows kernel-mode drivers: December 8, 2015
*****Installed December 28, 2015*****

KB3078601 – MS15-080: Description of the security update for Windows: August 11, 2015 *****Installed September 3, 2015*****

This is the current status, with only one referenced update pending from July (until the MS Defcon rating recommends installation of the July updates which are safe).

I hope I have not made any typos. The worst problem I see is the missing KB2533552 which I have searched for in the “installed & hidden”.

This is a custom-made Win 7 Home Premium OS, so I have no idea why this “old” update is not showing up anywhere.

I hope that this information may provide a “clue” as to where there may be a problem. I am protected by the GWX Control Panel.

Thank you once again for taking the time to create such an informative list for me to work from. I sincerely appreciate it.

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@Walker Thank you for your feedback. I will answer your concerns about KB2533552. In short there is nothing to be concerned about.
If you have Windows 7 64-bit, KB2533552 is listed as superseded by KB3020369, so ignore it if it was not installed before KB3020369. However for some weird reason, on systems without KB2533552 installed, Windows Update will offer something called Windows 7 Service Pack 1, which is only KB2533552, or at least some kind of flag to satisfy Windows Update that it is installed. It does not serve a purpose in speeding up Windows Update but serves a purpose in making the system reliable, please read the KB article for details. I am expecting KB3020369 to serve the same purpose and more, so you can safely ignore KB2533552.
In relation to the July 2016 updates, you can either install them now, as I already consider them safe, or wait few more days for Woody to give his stamp of approval which will certainly come soon for Windows and with reservations about the Office patches that seem to cause issues for a limited number of scenarios.

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In completion to my post above about speeding up Windows Update for Windows 7, further testing confirms that Recommended and Optional updates are not required for a speedy Windows Update experience. All the so-called Important (Security & Critical) updates installed up to date are required though.
Few notes here: there are few updates which are pre-requisites for Internet Explorer 11. Some are marked as Optional and some as Recommended. However if IE11 is installed from Windows Update, those updates are automatically installed and appear in the Update History as Important. So they are an exception and need to be installed.
Most users would need a version of .NET Framework 4.x which is Recommended update. The patches for that .NET Framework version once installed are marked Security or Critical which is normal. I would stay with .NET Framework 4.5.2 and patches for now, however .NET Framework 4.6.1 may be equally reliable. Both versions are fully supported.
By not installing Recommended and Optional updates, the end-user limits somehow the full potential of Windows 7, however this is perfectly acceptable from a supportability perspective.

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ch100:

Thank you once again for the very detailed information list you provided. Thank you also
for reviewing the status of each referenced update you listed, and providing all of the additional information. This is just outstanding, and it’s information which I would never be privy to, nor understand without your explanations.

You have clarified everything in its proper perspective, and I cannot begin to sufficiently express my gratitude. “Thank You” so very, very much for your help!

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@ch100;

reference ur post above:
https://www.askwoody.com/2016/best-way-to-get-windows-7-updated/comment-page-1/#comment-93565

Thank you very much. I checked wuaueng.dll on two win7 laptops.

You said ” The current version should be 7.6.7601.23453″.

One pc has Win7sp1 home the other Win7sp1 Pro.

Installed KB updates on both:
3138612
3168965
3153199

Both show wuaueng.dll version
7.6.7601.19161 any idea why?

Since I have fast update checks and installs I think I’ll stand pat.

JF

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I have all optional and recommended updates installed, except for those 3 which are specifically required by Windows 10 upgrade. One of the Optional updates is likely to upgrade the client to 7.6.7601.23453

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@ch100;

Thank you very much.

“One of the Optional updates is likely to upgrade the client to 7.6.7601.23453”

Any idea which update might do the job?

JF

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@ch100,

” One of the Optional updates is likely to upgrade the client to 7.6.7601.23453″

Are you indicating that an “Optional” update is responsible for updating the WU client??

Why in the world would MS make such an important update for the maintenance of their OS via the WU client “optional”?

Optional is supposed to mean, “it’s not necessary”.

At the least, the WU client update should be labeled as Important.

I’m at a loss in trying to understand how this company handles its business. Good grief.

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@ch100: I have the same question as Joe Friday about which one of the Optional updates is likely to upgrade the client to 7.6.7601.23453.

Also is this one which we should install, or leave alone?

Thank you for any advice you can provide on this question.

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@Joe Friday;

“Any idea which update might do the job?”

“One of the Optional updates is likely to upgrade the client to 7.6.7601.23453

from: https://www.reddit.com/r/sysadmin/comments/4t0eu1/windows_updates_how_to_install_all_in_less_than_3/

“….

7.6.7601.23453 – 06/2016 – https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3161608
7.6.7601.19161 – 03/2016 – https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3138612
7.6.7601.19116 – 02/2016 – https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3135445
…
7.6.7601.19077 – 12/2015 – https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3102810

….”

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According to https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3172605 and the associated .csv file, this one should be the update
Wu.upgrade.ps.dll 7.6.7601.23453
Wuapi.dll 7.6.7601.23453
Wudriver.dll 7.6.7601.23453
Wups.dll 7.6.7601.23453
Wuapp.exe 7.6.7601.23453
Wuwebv.dll 7.6.7601.23453
Wuauclt.exe 7.6.7601.23453
Wuaueng.dll 7.6.7601.23453
Wups2.dll 7.6.7601.23453
Wucltux.dll 7.6.7601.23453

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Thanks ch100. I’ve been looking high and low for that.

@louis; “…Why in the world would MS make such an important update for the maintenance of their OS via the WU client “optional”?”

To sow chaos, confusion, depression and get you to surrender to the inevitable “upgrade”????

I think I’ll let Litle Mikey try it first.

JF

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@ch100 @Woody:

Thank you so much for the information on the correct update to install from the Optional List.

From your reference I see that it is the Optional Update: KB 3172605 (which was the replacement for KB3161608)

I do not have Blue Tooth so I am hoping there will not be any other unforeseen circumstances. I see that this update was revised on July 25th.

Is it safe to install this one NOW, before July 29th when I feel that “all hell could possibly break loose again” ????

Also is it “safe” to install the July IE11 update NOW, or should I wait on that (as I am doing now with all of the other July updates).

*****Sending this to you both because I am so concerned that I may be creating more problems if this update has other issues.

Once again, “thank you” for your assistance.

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ch100, Woody:

One update I forgot to ask about is: KB3168965 – MS16-090,

which is the only one of the updates referenced in your list that I have not installed yet (other than the one I previously mentioned).

It is a Security Update for “Kernel mode”. I think that this is one that should be updated (??) or am I in error on that?

I am looking at the list ch100 provided, and it appears that I should install it now.

Thank you once again for the help.

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@Anon;

KB3161608 superseded by July 2016 update rollup for Windows 7 SP1 and Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 (KB3172605) that was released on July 21, 2016.

Linked Reddit post was July 15, 2016.

JF

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See https://www.askwoody.com/2016/is-it-time-to-install-the-july-security-patches/

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@louis One of the things noticed in the last few years, more precisely starting with December 2014 update rollup for Windows 8.1/2012 R2 KB3013769 is that some updates which are good updates for most people but may cause problems for a limited number of users have been released as Optional. Sometimes their status changes to Recommended or Critical (Important, non-security) after few months, sometimes it never changes. The reason is to deflect responsibility for those patches from Microsoft to the corporate admins or end-users when things are not so clear for everyone. I repeat here, KB3013769 is a good Optional patch, but can cause problems especially interacting with 3rd party applications.
With Windows Update client, many recent patches have been released as Optional initially but promoted later to other categories after they have been tested by early adopters and proved safe.
I may confuse Optional with Recommended sometimes as I tend to install everything by default to get full additional functionality and reject only very few patches (2-3 at the moment for Windows 7). But I am willing to take risks, understand how to recover and worst of all waste the time required if things don’t go smoothly.

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@Walker I think that if you are looking for “safe” (safer in fact) patches, you should follow the MS-DEFCON recommendations.
I am not recommending anything beyond the fact that I consider that if the updates are official releases, then supposedly Microsoft is responsible for QA and not the user. If this happens in practice, we all who participate in the discussions here know how it is.

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Thanks Anon. Here it should be mentioned that the June 2016 update KB3161608 was retired and replaced with the July 2016 update KB3172605, so the current update is https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3172605

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Edit: Just noticed that Joe Friday has already posted the same thing before.

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@Walker Please see my reply to the other post and follow Woody’s URL.

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Woody: Does this mean it’s okay to install the KB3172605 now?

I’m attempting to verify whether or not it is safe to install this one now. Thank you for clarifying this.

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@Woody:

P.S.
This one was just updated July 21, 2016, however you are no doubt aware of this.

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3172605 concerns me because it mentions 3133977 adversively effecting bluetooth.

Could this be an error on the part of M$?

3133977 is the bitlocker Asus mobo secure boot issue.

Why would 3133977 be a “known issue” for update 3172605?

I never installed 3133977 because of the mobo issue. And now they’re saying it’s something bluetooth, WTH. Did I miss that somewhere?

Being an Asus owner, I find this update troubling & confusing. Would someome please comment or clarify?

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Wait. There’s nothing pressing right now.

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@ch100:

I’m not quite certain which of your replies you are referring to, and which of Woody’s URL’s you are referring to.

I was asking about 2 different updates: One was KB3168965 – MS16-090, which was the only one from your list which that has not been installed. I asked if it should be installed.
************************

The other one I asked about was KB3172605, the new update which replaced the KB3161608.

I think the answer about both of these updates is to WAIT. I think that the recommendation about ALL July updates is to WAIT.

I read your message. I hope that I am understanding that the reply about these updates is to WAIT (?) which is one of the links I see.

Thank you once again for your message.

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Great article & comments, saved me a bunch of time on a couple of Intel NUC Win7 installs I just started working on.

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