Inject Software Updates into OS Image

[Kops]

I have been creating images using the following process, and it has worked fairly well for me in the past.

 

- Install Windows 7 x64 on PC

- Install all updates, do some very basic configuration

- Capture .WIM file

- Upload to SCCM

- Create Task Sequence (Install apps, and all software updates)

 

However, even though I completely updated Windows 7 x64 prior to capturing the WIM, during OSD I am still seeing 60-70 updates being installed as a part of the Task Sequence. Perhaps this is because Office 2013 only gets installed during the TS, and then updates are required for it?

 

I know that it is possible to inject updates into the image, but when I go to do that there are 400+ updates available that can be added to the image. Some date back as far as 2009, and if I fully updated the image before capturing, why would I inject these old updates? Should I just inject all of these updates anyways? None of them are expired/superseeded (as per my SUP rules), but I just didn't feel like adding 400+ updates to the image was the right approach. Also - would it even make sense to inject updates for Office 2013 into the image, when Office 2013 isn't even installed yet?

 

How is everyone here managing updates in their image?

[Kops]

Bumping for thoughts - anybody have any recommendations other than applying all available updates?

[YPCC]

Try this as a workaround. Build your reference image and apply all the updates into it (e.g. all uodates up to May 2016)

 

Then create a software update group that contains only updates from June 2016 onwards. That way you know your ref image is fully up to date up to May and also you dont have old updates in your update group unecessarily.

[Kops]

Hey YPCC, thanks for chiming in!

I think we're on the same page - that is the approach I ended up taking. I still have Software Update Groups created to package/collect all updates into groups per year, but I only deployed 2015 and 2016 updates as my reference image was created in 2016.

[YPCC]

Yup, theres certainly no need to deploy a group with 400+ updates to a OEM windows 7 wim every time you make a ref image. The purists amongst us will hate me for saying that but reality over "best practice" anyday