Microsoft's new Windows 7 patch bundles five years of updates in one easy download
Anyone familiar with this new "SP2" type bundle?
I have to believe that will include all those dirty tricks. Is it sufficient to install the GWX Control Panel save me?
It appears that if you install the new "SP2" type bundle, and afterwards run the GWX Control Panel, you will be protected from the various Windows 10 nags.
However, I have not read about any definitive proof of that yet. So, if I were you, I would wait awhile to see exactly what the new "SP2" type bundle does or does not do.
One thing seems clear, the new "SP2" type bundle WILL include all of the various Window 10 nag updates, and will also include all of the telemetry updates (i.e., those that capture data about your computer and send that information to Microsoft) that Microsoft
has released over the past year. The GWX Control Panel may protect you from the Windows 10 nags, but if you have also hidden all of the various telemetry updates, then running the new "SP2" type bundle will result in those telemetry updates being installed.
You have to decide whether the time saved by running the "SP2" type bundle (as compared to individually installing all of the updates that have been released since SP1) is worth the potential privacy exposure from having the telemetry updates installed (which
are included in the SP2 type bundle).
For those who have their Windows 7 system relatively up to date, I would not recommend running the new SP2 type bundle ... it will only result in having all of the various updates that you have hidden (such as the Windows 10 nags and the telemetry updates)
being installed.
The other issue is the monthly non-security update roll-up that was also just announced. I have stopped installing all non-security updates (because that is how Microsoft has been sneaking new the Windows 10 nags and new telemetry updates). Thus I really
do not need to run a roll-up of non-security updates (because I just hide all non-security updates).
If you do install non-security updates, then consider this issue ...
It appears the non-security rollup is all or nothing .... when you run the rollup, you get ALL of the month's non-security updates (you cannot pick and choose). If you have a problem and uninstall the non-security rollup, then ALL of the month's non-security
updates are removed (you cannot pick and choose).
If you have used the non-security rollup, and if one of the non-security updates (in the rollup) causes a problem, then you must uninstall the non-security rollup (which will uninstall ALL of the non-security updates). Then, you would have to individually
install all of the non-security updates except the one that causes problems.
This is a lot more work than if you had originally installed each individual non-security update. In that case, if one of the non-security updates is bad, then all you would need to do is uninstall the one bad update.
Based on Microsoft's behavior this past year, I have lost all trust. I see the new non-security rollup as just a trojan horse that can be used by Microsoft to sneak in more Windows 10 nags and telemetry updates. Use at your own risk!