How Office XP Uses Updates

An Office update file is a packaged file that contains the .msp files for the update. Client updates also include the OHotFix updating program and .ini file. An Office update that is downloaded from the Office Web site is a file that contains one or more Windows Installer update files and a file (ohotfix.exe) to apply them. The update file can be for an administrative update or a client update. The correct type of update must be used for the appropriate installation. For more information about these issues, see https://www.microsoft.com/Office/ORK/xp/JOURN/Cliupdt.htm.

Windows Installer updates are used for distributing both Office XP Public Updates and service pack components. In fact, an Office XP service pack includes all previously released Public Update patches, in addition to new fixes. However, service packs are particularly important for update management because they apply a new baseline for the installed components against which future Public Updates (individual updates) are applied. To apply an individual Office public update, the appropriate service pack for the update must already be applied to the original Office source.

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