MS Windows Patch Strategy

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I am confused as to the MS patch strategy.  I thought that the strategy was this:

1) Patch Tuesday (second Tuesday of the month) at 12 noon Central Time) MS releases security-related patches,

2) The next Tuesday, at the same time, MS releases all non-security-related patches.

What I see on the Tuesday after Patch Tuesday (or sometimes later in the week), a patch named “Preview of 2018-nn Quality Rollup”.  Is this a pre-release of the non-security patches?  If so, then when is non-preview patch released?   I have seen on this forum that one should never install a preview patch.  (I have never experienced a problem with a preview patch.)  Is there a difference between the Preview patch and the non-preview patch?

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Monthly Rollups (win7/8.1) and Win10 Cumulative Updates issued on Patch Tues contain three parts: non-security updates, security-only updates, and IE11 cumulative updates.

On the third Tues MS releases the Previews. They are conposed ot the current Monthly Rollup (all three parts) PLUS the non-security updates for the coming month. They are meant for IT departments and testers to test against their systems against the coming month’s Rollups. They are NOT meant fot the general public to install – that is why they are UNCHECKED and in the OPTIONAL updates list. They become part if the coming month’s Rollyp on the next Patch Tues.

2 users thanked author for this post.

Chessie, walker

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@PKCano:  Thank you so much for verifying that information.    Your knowledge is, as always, outstanding, and sincerely appreciated.  

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