What is a .MSU file?
A .MSU file is a type of file used specifically for updating the Windows operating system. It stands for Microsoft Update Standalone Package. This file format is primarily associated with Windows Vista but is also used in Windows 7 and Windows Server systems. The purpose of an MSU file is to contain updates that help improve the functionality, security, and performance of Windows applications and system files.
When your computer runs Windows Update, it may download and use MSU files to apply these updates automatically. This means that as a user, you typically don't need to do anything to install these files; the process is handled by the system itself through an application called Windows Update Stand-alone Installer (Wusa.exe).
However, if you need to manually install an MSU file or if you are curious about what's inside the update package, you can use certain programs. The primary program to open an MSU file is the Windows Update service itself, which is included with the Windows operating system. Additionally, if you want to view the contents of an MSU file, you can use a file archiver program like 7-Zip. With 7-Zip, you can extract the contents of the MSU file to see the individual updates or components it contains, although modifying or manually updating with these extracted files should be done with caution and understanding of the process.
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