The Servicing Stack

[cgthamm]

There is one update more important than any other when applying updates and/or hotfixes, and that is an update to the Servicing Stack. The Servicing Stack is basically the part of the operating system that installs updates and hotfixes, and integrates them with operating system components. Having the latest Servicing Stack is crucial -- mandatory, even -- for successful hotfixing.

 

The latest Servicing Stack for Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012 is kb2871777, released in September 2013.

 

The latest Servicing Stack for Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2 is kb3012199, released in December 2014.

 

They are available from Windows Update and the Microsoft Download Center, and should be installed before any other hotfixes.

Edited December 15, 2014 by cgthamm

[xable]

Good info but FYI, the release date you quote isn't the release date it's revision date for the article..

 

Take KB2871777:

Article ID: 2871777 - Last Review: September 18, 2013 - Revision: 6.0

The article was last updated on September 18, 2013 and has been updated 6 times. This revision history refers to the contents of the article itself and not the binarys.

[cgthamm]

You are absolutely right. I had relied on the title of the KB article:

 

KB2989647 - September 2014 servicing stack update for Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2

 

When you expand the .msu file, the packages are dated August 2014.

 

Similarly, when you expand Windows8.1-KB3012199-x64.msu, the packages are dated October 2014.

 

Thank you for the correction.

Edited December 15, 2014 by cgthamm