Download over nine years of Microsoft security updates in ISO format

Ever think it might be handy to download and maintain local copies of Microsoft's monthly security updates instead of downloading them each time you update a system? This collection is just what you are looking for then.

Richard Hay, Senior Content Producer

August 21, 2015

2 Min Read
Download over nine years of Microsoft security updates in ISO format

Many IT Pros know that Microsoft releases their monthly Patch Tuesday security updates as a downloadable ISO image each month as a tool that can be used by IT departments to manually update local systems.

Well did you also know that Microsoft has all of these images listed in a single Knowledge Base (KB) article?

According to Microsoft these monthly images are released so that system administrators in the following scenarios can easily distribute the updates:

  • Manage large multinational organizations

  • Must download multiple individual language versions of each security update

  • Do not use an automated solution such as Microsoft Windows Server Update Services (WSUS)

As I was browsing through my RSS feeds this morning I saw a link to the August ISO download and decided to check out the Related Resources link, https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/913086, that was provided in the KB article.

As I mentioned above, that KB article lists every single monthly ISO that Microsoft has released with their Patch Tuesday security updates since January 2006.

That is more than nine years worth of security updates in one place. I highly recommend bookmarking that site for future reference as it could be very handy.

While Microsoft listed a few usage scenarios above, I also think these ISOs could be used to update a clean install image of  Windows 7 or Windows 8/8.1 without having to go through the Windows Update download and installation process that can be laborious and painfully slow.

You will want to make sure at least one cycle of Windows Update online is also performed after installing the ISO based updates so that any that have been revised since their initial release will be updated. I am sure the overall time and bandwidth saved will be well worth the initial download of these images.

Once that is done you can save that image for future use and minimize the subsequent update time required to deploy it for an active system.

Microsoft also recommends that you review the security bulletins at the TechNet Security website for specific info about the issued updates and the issues they address.

But, wait...there's probably more so be sure to follow me on Twitter and Google+.

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About the Author

Richard Hay

Senior Content Producer, IT Pro Today (Informa Tech)

I served for 29 plus years in the U.S. Navy and retired as a Master Chief Petty Officer in November 2011. My work background in the Navy was telecommunications related so my hobby of computers fit well with what I did for the Navy. I consider myself a tech geek and enjoy most things in that arena.

My first website – AnotherWin95.com – came online in 1995. Back then I used GeoCities Web Hosting for it and WindowsObserver.com is the result of the work I have done on that site since 1995.

In January 2010 my community contributions were recognized by Microsoft when I received my first Most Valuable Professional (MVP) Award for the Windows Operating System. Since then I have been renewed as a Microsoft MVP each subsequent year since that initial award. I am also a member of the inaugural group of Windows Insider MVPs which began in 2016.

I previously hosted the Observed Tech PODCAST for 10 years and 317 episodes and now host a new podcast called Faith, Tech, and Space. 

I began contributing to Penton Technology websites in January 2015 and in April 2017 I was hired as the Senior Content Producer for Penton Technology which is now Informa Tech. In that role, I contribute to ITPro Today and cover operating systems, enterprise technology, and productivity.

https://twitter.com/winobs

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