Add updates to a Windows image

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Like other types of packages, you can use DISM to add an update package to a Windows image.

When you're adding an update to an image, consider the following:

  • Add languages and Features on Demand before adding a cumulative update (LCU). If you add a language or Feature on Demand after a cumulative update, you'll need to reinstall the update.
  • Add apps after languages and Features on Demand. Universal Windows apps and desktop applications need to be reinstalled if you add a language after installing an app.
  • For updates, update the recovery image too: We'll show you how to update these later in Deploy Push-button reset features.
  • If a Servicing Stack Update (SSU) is available, you must install it before applying the latest cumulative update (LCU).

Add a Windows update package to an image

  1. Download a Windows update package. For example, get the latest cumulative update (LCU) from the Microsoft Update catalog. If the update has any prerequisite updates, get those too.

  2. Add the updates to a mounted or online image. For packages with dependencies, either install the packages in order, or add them all at once using a single DISM command.

    Example: Adding a cumulative update to a mounted or offline image:

    Dism /Image:"C:\mount\windows" /Add-Package /PackagePath="windows10.0-kb4456655-x64_fca3f0c885da48efc6f9699b0c1eaf424e779434.msu"  /LogPath=C:\mount\dism.log

    Important

    If you add an update to an offline image after it's applied to a target device, re-run BCDBoot to ensure that any updated boot files from the update are copied to the system partition.

    Example: Adding a cumulative update to a running Windows installation:

    Dism /Online /Add-Package /PackagePath="windows10.0-kb4456655-x64_fca3f0c885da48efc6f9699b0c1eaf424e779434.msu"  /LogPath=C:\mount\dism.log

    Example: Adding multiple updates:

    Dism /Image:"C:\mount\windows" /Add-Package /PackagePath="C:\WindowsUpdates\windows10.0-kb00001-x64.msu" /PackagePath="C:\WindowsUpdates\windows10.0-kb00002-x64.msu" /PackagePath="C:\WindowsUpdates\windows10.0-kb00003-x64.msu" /LogPath=C:\mount\dism.log

  3. Verify that the packages appear correctly:

    On a mounted or offline image:

    Dism /image:<path_to_image> /Get-Packages

    On a running Windows installation:

    Dism /online /Get-Packages

    Review the resulting list of packages and verify that the list contains the package. For example:

    Package Identity : Package_for_RollupFix~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~15063.250.1.1
State : Installed
Release Type : Security Update
Install Time : 04/29/2017 6:26 PM

The operation completed successfully.

  4. If you're finished updating a mounted image, you can unmount it, committing changes. For running Windows installations, you may have to restart the PC.