More info on the new Checkpoint / Incremental Updates Scheme

To set the stage, I'm sure that everyone is aware by now that starting with 24H2 the updates are no longer just cumulative updates. There will now be "Checkpoint" updates and then incremental updates. The idea is that you first need to install the Checkpoint update and then the incremental.

With the update to build 26100.2152 today we now have 2 incremental updates like this:

1 - KB5043080 - Checkpoint Update [26100.1742] - 509MB
2 - KB5044284 - Incremental Update [26100.2033] - 327MB
3 - KB5044384 - Incremental Update [26100.2152] - 356MB

This allowed me to do some testing.

It turns that, while Microsoft uses the term "Incremental update", these are actually differential updates. In other words, if you were upgrading from 26100.172, if these updates were truly incremental then you would need to install both KB5044284 and KB5044384. It turns out that you can install ONLY KB5044384 to get from 1742 to 2152.

So, if you are on a build prior to 1742 you would install item 1 above (the checkpoint update) and then item #3 (the latest incremental (differential) update.

If you are already on 1742, you need only apply the latest incremental (differential) update - KB5044384.

Just thought that this might help for anyone applying updates manually and not through Windows update.

EDIT: Ok, there was actually at least one more of these incremental updates:

KB5043178 - Incremental Update [26100.1882] - 241MB

I'm suspect, or at the very least, curious.

If you're manually updating 24H2, all you need to do is follow the instructions on the bottom of every 24H2's Monthly Update blog.

For example:
October 8, 2024—KB5044284 (OS Build 26100.2033)

1. Scroll down to "How to get this update"

2. Click on the Catalog tab. Scroll down to read the instructions.

Method 2: Install each MSU file individually, in order

Download and install each MSU file individually either using DISM or Windows Update Standalone Installer in the following order:

1. windows11.0-kb5043080-x64_953449672073f8fb99badb4cc6d5d7849b9c83e8.msu
2. windows11.0-kb5044284-x64_d7eb7ceaa4798b92b988fd7dcc7c6bb39476ccf3.msu

Click to expand...

When the current month's KB is a Checkpoint update, you will only install one KB.
When the current month's KB is a Differential update, you will install two KB's.

Just follow the instructions, so there's no guessing on which KB's are current.

garlin said:

If you're manually updating 24H2, all you need to do is follow the instructions on the bottom of every 24H2's Monthly Update blog.

For example:
October 8, 2024—KB5044284 (OS Build 26100.2033)

1. Scroll down to "How to get this update"

2. Click on the Catalog tab. Scroll down to read the instructions.


When the current month's KB is a Checkpoint update, you will only install one KB.
When the current month's KB is a Differential update, you will install two KB's.

Just follow the instructions, so there's no guessing on which KB's are current.

Click to expand...

Yes and no. If you are already on a build that is at the level of the checkpoint or higher, then you need only install the differential update (or incremental as Microsoft calls it).

As an example, I did a clean install of 26100.1742 today and I did not need to install the checkpoint update. I installed the incremental update to 26100.2152. That save a lot of time.

BTW, I found that with 2152, the SFC issue is indeed resolved. It gave me the same error message the first time I ran it, but not on the second run.

EDIT: Oops, forgot to add this: I also took an ISO direct from Microsoft with build 1742 and injected only the 2152 incremental update. It installs perfectly and runs just fine afterward as well.

Bottom line is that you can ignore and skip the checkpoint update unless you are on a build prior to what the checkpoint update installs.

True. But my point is you can find out which KB's are Checkpoints since either one or two KB's will be named each month.

Right now, it's unclear what's the scheduling cadence for releasing Checkpoints. Once a quarter? Twice a year? Once a year? Randomly whenever a new ISO gets pushed out?
How far do you need to check backwards? If you try installing the wrong Checkpoint, DISM will error out and reject it so you know it's unnecessary. Then you can move to the listed Differential.

You will never need to search backwards for a checkpoint. As you noted, there will be two downloads presented when grabbing the latest incremental update. The older file will be the checkpoint file. In other words, an incremental update will never be presented standalone as a single file in the Update Catalog.