Microsoft Releases Service Pack-Like ‘Convenience Rollups’ For Pre-Windows 10 Systems

Microsoft is not as Service Pack happy as it once was. While Windows XP and 2000 had three and four SPs respectively, Windows 7 had just one while Windows 8 went with a versioning approach instead, in the form of 8.1. Microsoft now looks like it’s bringing Service Packs back for older platforms, except they’re called ‘Convenience Rollups’.

I know, it sounds more like your back-up fruit snack for when the big kids steal the one from your lunchbox, but these consolidated updates are the real deal. Article KB3125574 on Microsoft’s Knowledge Database contains all the information you need — including a Registry edit if you’re running Microsoft Application Virtualization (App-V).

The article states that the rollups aren’t meant to encompass every single update, rather those that do not have the below qualities:

  • They don’t have broad applicability.
  • They introduce behavior changes.
  • They require additional user actions, such as making registry settings.

As such, the list of included patches weighs in at just 23. Well, it’s better than grabbing them individually.

Now, you’d expect acquiring the rollup to be fairly straightforward, but no, Microsoft has added a hoop or two to the process. In order the get it, you’ll need to a) use Internet Explorer (not Edge) and b) visit Microsoft’s Update Catalog site, which has all the hallmarks of a page that hasn’t been updated since the Geocities era.

Fortunately, as gHacks’ Martin Brinkmann explains, Microsoft has plans to make the site compatible with all browsers soon… and hopefully give it a facelift.

Convenience rollup update for Windows 7 SP1 and Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 [Microsoft, via gHacks]


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