Enablement Package vs Feature Update vs Feature Upgrade

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b wrote:

21H2 to 22H2 was an enablement package, not an upgrade.

I’m trying to sort out these terms.

I know that 21H2 and 22H2 are enablement packages. Can they also be called Feature updates?

21H1 was the first in the series – 21H1, 21H2, 22H2. I don’t think this first one is called an Enablement package, though. Is this one called a Feature update? Or is it called a Feature upgrade?

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WCHS wrote:

I know that 21H2 and 22H2 are enablement packages. Can they also be called Feature updates?

Yes.

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@b:

Thanks for helping me out on this terminology.

And the answer to other question?
Is 21H1 (the first in the series), then called a Feature Upgrade? (1909 is no longer the engine, with 20H1 and 20H2 as subsequent enablements to it, but instead 21H1 is a new engine, with 21H2 and 22H2 as its subsequent enablements?)

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Commercial control for continuous innovation (Windows 11) | Windows IT Pro Blog (microsoft.com)

“In the second half of 2019, we released Windows 10, version 1909, the first feature update shipped via an enablement package (EKB). This technology allowed us to ship a collection of new features via a monthly quality update (LCU) in an “off” state. These features were then turned on when an organization deployed the EKB package. The best part: because these features were delivered via LCU, the reboot time for these feature updates was super quick—often in less than 5 minutes!”

They worked on making the patching faster and quicker.  Does that help?

Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher

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Susan Bradley wrote:

Does that help?

It DOES help me understand why there are enablement packages now.

But, in #2535663, @b corrected me and indicated in my question about that at #2535752 that the term ‘Feature update’ could be used for ‘Enablement package’.

I am just wondering when the term Feature upgrade is used? Or is Feature upgrade no longer au courant?

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Well… I started to say that the marketing department will still call them feature releases/upgrades but now they will be dribbling out features along the way.  What the term is used for now is the support boundaries.  I think they will still be called that, but technically we no longer have these big installations.

Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher

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Well, I see at #2535752 that Alex5723 co-opted and answered this question and I mistakenly thought that @b was answering it.

Anyway, the questions are resolved. Thanks to Susan.

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21H1 was the first in the series

No, 20H2 was (after 2004/20H1 in which 2004 was a full feature upgrade.)

The 20H2, 21H1, 21H2 & 22H2 releases of Windows 10 were all enablement packages.

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EP wrote:

21H1 was the first in the series

No, 20H2 was (after 2004/20H1 in which 2004 was a full feature upgrade.)

Thanks for correcting me on that.

So, 20H1 (aka 2004), 20H2, 21H1, 21H2, 22H2 were/are in a series (5 of them).

I was wondering if the first in the series (e.g. 20H1) had a special name, sort of like the railway engine that can have x number of railway cars hitched to it. Maybe that one is called a “full feature upgrade“?

And all the others (the railway cars) are called “feature updates via an enablement package”?

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Maybe this is semantics but I thought 22H2 (for example) was a feature update and could be obtained by using an enablement package, KB5015684.

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It is semantics. 22H2 is a feature update using enablement package as stated by the update’s description.

“Feature Update to Windows 10 22H2 via enablement package”

1 user thanked author for this post.

DrBonzo

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To clarify things a bit.

2004/20H1 was a feature upgrade (i.e. it completely “replaced” the older version.)

20H2, 21H1, 21H2 & 22H2 were all feature updates (i.e. they either “update/turn on” existing features or “add” new ones) but the OS is still the same 2004/20H1 base so it doesn’t need to be completely replaced.

An upgrade takes a long time to install (typically a hour or more) an update is normally very quick (typically 5 – 15 mins.)

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@alejr:
This fits with my ‘engine’ and ‘railway car’ metaphor. It was so long ago that I had forgotten that 2004/20H1 was a complete replacement, probably because I didn’t install that one == instead jumping from 1909 (holding out as long as I could) to 20H2.

But, I’m clear on how to use those three terms now. Thanks.

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