Today I was notified of an "Important" Windows 7 update:
Update for Windows 7 for x64-based Systems (KB976902)
Download size: 10.2 MB
You may need to restart your computer for this update to take effect.
Update type: Important
Install this update to enable future updates to install successfully on all editions of Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2. This update may be required before selected future updates can be installed. After you install this item, it cannot be removed.
Although there is a brief description listed here, following the link, there is no KB documentation giving further details. A search for this update yields a lot of speculation and theories, but no official MS explanation.
Couple that with the fact it cannot be removed, I will err on the side of caution and wait to install the update until such time as more is known about it.
Today I was notified of an "Important" Windows 7 update:
Update for Windows 7 for x64-based Systems (KB976902)
Download size: 10.2 MB
You may need to restart your computer for this update to take effect.
Update type: Important
Install this update to enable future updates to install successfully on all editions of Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2. This update may be required before selected future updates can be installed. After you install this item, it cannot be removed.
Although there is a brief description listed here, following the link, there is no KB documentation giving further details. A search for this update yields a lot of speculation and theories, but no official MS explanation.
Couple that with the fact it cannot be removed, I will err on the side of caution and wait to install the update until such time as more is known about it.
I agree that Microsoft should document their updates. Especially when their updates have weird terminology. This appears to be a rather obscure but apparently popular search topic - Google says it is the #73 search result for the past hour. This is the most extensive blog entry so far on the topic:
Please understand that I am not saying there is a problem with installing this update, but my preference is to always review the update details - especially when the update cannot be removed.
This one is rather odd considering the lack of documentation.
This type of update is familar for any Vista veteran. As the otherwise paranoid blog post linked above says, it updates the servicing stack and prepares Windows for the installation of the first Service Pack due in spring 2011.
The fact that a KB article is not yet there is problematic, I've seen it happen before though. Maybe someone made a mistake and released it worldwide prematurely. The SP1 Release Candidate was released today, that was probably the trigger for a release of this preparatory update.
" ... Couple that with the fact it cannot be removed, I will err on the side of caution and wait to install the update until such time as more is known about it. ... "
Hi, Phil ... I am running Win7 Home Premium 64-bit and it will NOT ALLOW me the choice of not installing updates if I try to shutdown. The option to shutdown but not install updates is nowhere to be found, even when searching in Help & Support.
I changed my Windows Update settings and unchecked all 5 of the updates in an attempt to delay installation but, when I clicked on shutdown late last night, Windows Update installed all 5 updates anyway.
I have noticed in the past that, on my Win7 machine, after a few hours of uptime it will force me to install updates. So leaving it running or shutting it down, I have no choice, no matter what I have selected for Windows Updates settings.
Do I need to change my Windows Updates settings and then do a restart for the new setting to take effect? Maybe that is what I have been doing wrong ... waiting until Windows Updates announces updates are available ... maybe it is too late at that point?
It would appear now that Microsoft has pulled the KB976902 update. [search query: KB976902 pulled]
Last night it was still in my available update list. This afternoon it is no longer present on my list even after checking for updates.
I did not hide the update, nor is it installed on my system.
I think TomiRed is correct in the assumption that it was released prematurely. And from reading more analysis today, it does indeed update the servicing stack in preparation for SP1.
So, no worries for those who have installed it – just an interesting event.
Yes Phil -- I got notified of 4 important updates yesterday but did not download and install them. Just checked again now with a view to installing and there are only 3 .....