How to get the latest version of the Windows Update Agent

Connecting to Windows Update through a proxy

Assume that you have clients that connect to Windows Update through a network proxy that uses HTTPS or SSL content inspection, and an intermediate server lies between the SSL traffic of the client and Windows Update. In this situation, you must create exception rules on your HTTPS inspection server so that the Windows Update traffic is tunneled with no inspection.

To learn how to create HTTPS inspection exceptions for Forefront Threat Management Gateway (TMG), go to the following TechNet website: For a list of URLs and domains to exclude, go to the following Microsoft website:

Improvements in version 7.6.7600.256 of the Windows Update Agent

• Hardened infrastructure so that the Windows Update client will trust only those files that are signed by a new certificate that is used solely to protect updates to the Windows Update client
• A more secure communication channel for the Windows Update client

File information

The English (United States) version of this update has the file attributes (or later file attributes) that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time item in Control Panel.


Notes

• Some files may not be updated until you restart the computer.
• Depending on your operating system, some files may not have to be updated.
• Windows Update multilingual user interface (.mui) files are not listed in the following tables. Those files are specific to the language packs that you have installed.

Windows Update Agent for x86-based versions of Windows 7 RTM and SP1, Windows Server 2008 R2 RTM and SP1, Windows Vista SP2, Windows Server 2008 SP2, Windows XP SP3 and Windows Server 2003 SP2

+ This file may be installed only if the computer is set to receive updates for other Microsoft products from the Windows Update website.

* Not applicable to Windows Vista and later Windows operating systems

** Not applicable to Windows XP and Windows Server 2003

Windows Update Agent for x64-based versions of Windows 7 RTM and SP1, Windows Server 2008 R2 RTM and SP2, Windows Vista SP2, Windows Server 2008 SP2, Windows XP SP3 and Windows Server 2003 SP3

+ This file may be installed only if the computer is set to receive updates for other Microsoft products from the Windows Update website.

* Not applicable to Windows Vista and later Windows operating systems

** Not applicable to Windows XP and Windows Server 2003

Windows Update Agent for Itanium-based versions of Windows Server 2008 SP2, Windows XP SP3, Windows Server 2003 SP2

+ This file may be installed only if the computer is set to receive updates for other Microsoft products from the Windows Update website.

* Not applicable to Windows Vista and later Windows operating systems

** Not applicable to Windows XP and Windows Server 2003

More Information

Windows Update helps keep your computer up-to-date and secure by downloading and installing the latest security and other updates from Microsoft. Windows Update determines which updates apply to your computer.

Microsoft periodically makes software updates available to users of Windows and other Microsoft software. These include updates that improve reliability and performance, updates that provide new protections against malware and other potentially unwanted software, and upgrades to Windows features. To improve the performance or the reliability of hardware components on the computer, Microsoft may also provide updates to device drivers that are supplied by the computer manufacturer.

If you turn on Windows Update, software components that are directly related to Windows Update will have to be updated occasionally on your computer. These updates must be performed before Windows Update can check for required updates or before it can install other updates. These required updates fix errors, provide ongoing improvements, and maintain compatibility with the Microsoft servers that support Windows Update. If you disable Windows Update, you will not receive these updates.

Windows Update is configured to install updates automatically when you select the recommended option during Windows Out Of Box Experience (OOBE) Setup. You can also turn on Windows Update by selecting one of following settings in the Automatic Updates item in Control Panel:

• Automatic (recommended)
• Download updates for me, but let me choose when to install them
• Notify me, but don't automatically download or install them

After you turn on Windows Update, the required updates to components of Windows Update will be downloaded and installed automatically without notifying you. This behavior occurs regardless of which setting you use to turn on Windows Update. If you do not want to receive required updates, you can disable automatic updates in Control Panel.

The updates to Windows Update itself typically do the following: Address feedback from customers, improve compatibility, service performance and reliability, and enable new service capabilities. When the Windows Update server is updated, a corresponding client update is typically required. During an agent self-update operation, Windows Update Agent files may be added, modified, or replaced. For example, Windows Update Agent files that help display the user experience or that determine whether updates apply to a particular system may be added. This behavior occurs when a system is set to automatically check for available updates. This does not occur when automatic updates are turned off. For example, this behavior does not occur if you select Never check for updates in Windows Vista and Windows 7 or if you select Turn off Automatic Updates in Windows XP.

Information for administrators of managed environments

Administrators will receive this version of the Windows Update Agent for deployment through Windows Server Update Services (WSUS). There is no stand-alone Windows Update Agent installer available at this time.

Historical information

The fixes to the following issues are also included in the latest version (7.6.7600.256) of the Windows Update Agent.

Improvements in version 7.4.7600.226 of the Windows Update Agent

• Improved scan times for Windows Updates
• Improved Windows Update UI for computers that are running Windows Vista or Windows Server 2008
• More visible and detailed description of updates
• Improvements in how users are notified about service packs

Issues that are fixed by version 7.2.6001.788 of the Windows Update Agent

Version 7.2.6001.788 of the Windows Update Agent fixes the following issue that was not previously documented in a Microsoft Knowledge Base article:

• When you try to install 80 or more updates at the same time from Windows Update or Microsoft Update, you receive a "0x80070057" error code.

Issues that are fixed by version 7.2.6001.784 of the Windows Update Agent

Version 7.2.6001.784 of the Windows Update Agent offers the following benefits:

• Improves scan times for Windows Update
• Improves the speed at which signature updates are delivered
• Provides support for Windows Installer reinstallation
• Improves error messaging

Issues that are fixed by version 7.0.6000.381 of the Windows Update Agent

Version 7.0.6000.381 of the Windows Update Agent fixes the following issues that were not previously documented in a Microsoft Knowledge Base article:

• The Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS) crashes on a Windows Vista-based computer. For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
  940520

  (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/940520/ )

  An update is available to fix a Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS) crash on a Windows Vista-based computer
• A fix is included that reduces the number of restarts that are required for the stand-alone installer when Multilingual User Interface Pack (MUI) files are being used.
• User interface elements in the Korean, Simplified Chinese, and Traditional Chinese languages are fixed.
• The Windows Vista installation experience is improved.