Could Microsoft use Windows Update to get RP to RTM?

[BoyBoppins]

Does anyone know if its possible to get the Release Preview equivalent with RTM through just Windows Update (Licensing aside)? Not that they would want to per se, but theoretically could they?

[Brandon H Supervisor]

no

because of how windows update works it would be very messy

[Marshall Veteran]

Of course it's possible, just not probable.

The same way Windows Update pushes out a new IE in the form of an executable.

[Obi-Wan Kenobi]

Probably theoretically. But I've never seen it work that way. Not since I've been testing, anyway. Who really knows at this point, though.

[neo1911]

Microsoft would have to replace every single file of windows. The update size would be that of a RTM iso. Moreover, the time taken for upgrade process would be much greater than fresh install.

Install it my way.

1. Deactivate any activated software, game, etc on your RP install.

2. Burn RTM iso to a USB3 pen drive using Microsoft USB DVD tool.

3. Boot from the pen drive and install windows.

4. Install drivers and apps.

For me, it takes 3 min exact for Windows RP installation. RTM would be slightly quicker since it will have debugging and other bloat removed.

Hope all this answers your question.

[PGHammer]

Probably theoretically. But I've never seen it work that way. Not since I've been testing, anyway. Who really knows at this point, though.

Actually, the closest theoretical way it could be done is how Service Packs have been pushed out for all of Windows NT's life. Remember, each Service Pack for Windows NT-based operating systems is basically a complete change-out of what's different compared to the base OS, and theoretically, a change from a preview version to an RTM version of any Windows NT-based OS could be done the same way - in fact, it could have been done that way even before Windows Update itself became a specialized portal. However, licensing issues are largely why it's never been done that way.

[PGHammer]

Microsoft would have to replace every single file of windows. The update size would be that of a RTM iso. Moreover, the time taken for upgrade process would be much greater than fresh install.

Install it my way.

1. Deactivate any activated software, game, etc on your RP install.

2. Burn RTM iso to a USB3 pen drive using Microsoft USB DVD tool.

3. Boot from the pen drive and install windows.

4. Install drivers and apps.

For me, it takes 3 min exact for Windows RP installation. RTM would be slightly quicker since it will have debugging and other bloat removed.

Hope all this answers your question.

Actually, not every single file - there could actually be some changes NOT made in parts of the code between the Release Preview and the RTM. (Some things we know WILL be changed; Aero support, which is included in the RP, will be pruned in the RTM, for example.) Also, there is likely little debug code in the Release Preview - the Developer Preview is likely the closest we have had - in any public preview version of Windows - to a version with a large amount of debug code still inside it. (Builds that still have lots of debug code are *checked* builds - which go out pretty much entirely via MSDN and TechNet Plus. Code bloat is entirely different from debug code - in fact, it's one thing that checked builds are designed to spy for.) The fact that the Developer Preview of Windows 8 was itself faster than 7+SP1 (all else being equal) was, in fact, what - to me - didn't make sense. In other words, the time between Release Preview and final sign-off is devoted to two areas: approval - or not - of last-minute changes/fixes for last-minute showstopper bugs, and fat-trimming (getting rid of code bloat).

[Raa]

Nope, too big.