Windows monthly updates explained

Hi AgnieszkaL this described the nature of Cumulative Updates (CU). All CU update packages contain all updates from previous releases.

let me go back in time:

Imagine Windows XP / 2003 you could install all updates seperately and there was no other way. Means there was 300+ of updates and they needed to be applied in the correct order. Why? Example: Update KB100000 fixed moreicons.dll and KB100001 also fixed the same DLL. Who was winning of you installed 01 first and then 00 ? Only the last one, that got installed. So Microsoft came up with cumulative updates in later OS releases avoid such issues and outlier configs, and also streamline patching and reducing footprint on disk and of updates.

So wouldn't this mean significantly larger updates over time? Yes and No.
For yes: Actually this was a huge problem with Windows Server 2016, and Windows 10 1607. 
This page is our witness, have a look at the update full package sizes: 
Windows 10: https://www.computerbase.de/downloads/betriebssysteme/windows-10-kumulatives-update/
Windows 11: https://www.computerbase.de/downloads/betriebssysteme/windows-11-kumulatives-update/

For no: Updates are compressed, but do not offer deduplications like WIM files do.

Also we received further improvements like UUP to reduce the size of updates, checking what bits and bytes one actually requires from an CU instead of downloading the whole package. and further more Delivery Optimization helps to reduce bandwidth for Windows Server and Windows Client.

Does this answer your question?

What do you mean by 'they include the updates from the previous security and/or non-security release'?

Sabem quando vem a tão esperada atualização no Windows 11???

I see the solutions already implemented by Microsoft as sensible, such as smaller out-of-band updates. However, I would stress improving customer experience by providing clear options and notifications for cumulative updates. Unfortunately, stability often depends on computer manufacturers, OEM installers, and software developers. To address this, I recommend clearer notifications and better rollback options.

No, please - there is no need to explain this. Maybe your corporate clients IT department need to know for their own job scope but this does not need to be public information - nor does it need to be pages and blogs of it explaining this. At the very most - it should be just one single page from Microsoft directly on its main page.

And your general end-user does not need to know this.

I mean - who are you even explaining this for - potential state hackers and malicious threat actors?

I don't care if they're optional or non-security essential - Why is Microsoft leaving this decision to me? Pick and decide which updates you think will enhance your product most for the generic user across the board and just put it in an update pack that will deploy so long as the computer is on and do it on a fixed schedule like before, save for really critical ones - and not whenever your update team feels like releasing one. 

Are you just overstaffed and conjuring up imaginary work for your idle staff? Or are you overstaffed with employees who are actually there for a different reason - to suggest unnecessary ideas and features that make you look like a hot mess?

First, we lost the previous fixed schedule - where you just gave us what you thought was essential as the OS provider, be it from a non-security or security aspect.

Then you introduced a Pause Updates option. OKAY so they are ALL not that essential then - all of them, even the essential security ones so why didn't you just stick to your fixed schedule as you had it all along prior to or around Win 7? Instead of making me decide after wasting time reading up on a bunch of tech gunk. 

Then Optional Updates - where they pop up on their own to self-identify as Optional - which I eventually realized are just early installs of your upcoming essential updates. 

STOP WASTING OUR TIME. Isn't that what your Insider Program is for???

Then now you have this inexplicable new option in the Updates Settings:

I don't even understand what you're trying to do - I mean.. is there an option for just Receiving Updates so I can just set it, rest assured I'm getting all Microsoft believes its essential - best ones for all users and never need to choose again??

Why is everything a split workstream - who is splitting them, who in your management thinks this is necessary or even a good thing???

And stop it with the ridiculous messages that say you can continue using your computer while we update in the background.

Because sometimes - you clearly are NOT DONE with the update at all and it needs a restart to finish - and by default Fast Boot is enabled and lo and behold, you don't mention a Fast Boot restart is actually NOT ENOUGH to install some updates cuz it isn't a real restart like before - this is something you should be telling users immediately?

Because general end-users assume when an install/update needs a restart - when they restart, that means they've restarted. And in fact, to them - a shutdown is also a restart - equivalent of that final step - as how it used to be. But you don't tell us this new change upfront about Fast Boot and how restart isn't really a real restart like before - again, strangely leaving us to seek out answers from tech forums & articles written by some internet person from who knows where.  That is just inexplicable again to me as an end-user.

So during that point in time when your Updates says it's done and I've chosen not to restart immediately because I can since you gave me the option - and I go on for a few more days, during which I've done a simple Admin disk clean to get some space - incidentally removing some of the files I realized later on were still needed for that update to finish post-restart.

And this is exactly why some updates either error on that very update itself, unable to uninstall cuz it didn't install correctly - or it'll go on per normal until it hits the next Windows update that hinged on that old update being a complete one - and depending on how vital it is, it'll limp along until finally you get a BSOD and a recurring BSOD if you try to reset or use any of the fix options in Windows. 

It is unfixable save for a fresh new install of Windows - because you can't reinstall the update since the system shows as it being installed already but you can't uninstall it cuz it was installed incompletely so it just errors no matter how you try to fix it, SFC check, DISM - none of that works because that's not where the problem is. Only a clean fresh reinstall works to fix these type problems permanently.

How can your software development team not know this? How can they possibly not know this, despite being able to land a job at one of the biggest tech corps? I don't understand - just how many update teams and compartmentalized workstreams do you have on Windows Updates and is that why your update system now seems like some patchwork blanket that doesn't know its head from its arse.

Just say you are updating and tell us to restart immediately. It's an inconvenience but WE CAN LIVE WITH IT - better than having to search online on your forums for help on some strange error I dunno how to fix and neither DO YOU cuz it was just as simple as missing files.

And stop explaining your security processes and blogging about it like it's some content creation worthy material. They don't hack you in your corporation first - they hack me, the end-user schmuck with a personal computer because I have your OS on my computer. I do not like you being so loose-lipped about your internal processes. 

Meruem07  Hi, Please check this article below:

Repair Install Windows 11 with an In-place Upgrade Tutorial | Windows 11 Forum (elevenforum.com)

Hi, I am using a lenovo ideapad 3 15iml05 laptop, and I have been trying to update my laptop to no avail.

The update: 2023-08 Cumulative Update for Windows 11 Version 22H2 for x64-based Systems (KB5029263), does not want to install. I tried to run cmd and check for all my current installed updates, and manually installing the update but it still does not want to install.

I even tried to reset my laptop, but the update still does not want to install. I do not know what could be wrong. Please help.

It keeps giving the error: Install error - 0x800f081f