Microsoft is making several changes in the final version of Windows 11 24H2 to deliver the necessary feature and security updates. This includes adjusting them only to small, incremental binary details.
The new “checkpoint cumulative updates” allow feature and security updates through the last cumulative update, but only with adjustments from the last checkpoint cumulative update.
Only binary differences in updates
Microsoft will release cumulative updates as checkpoints at regular intervals starting with Windows 11 24H2. These updates will consist of new update package files with incremental binary differences from the binaries in the last checkpoint.
This process can occur multiple times, thus generating several checkpoints during the lifecycle of a Windows release. The servicing stack of Windows 11 24H2 will soon be able to bring all checkpoints together and download and install only the content on a device that is still missing.
Eventually, updates will only generate binary differences at successive updates for the latest “checkpoint” version rather than for the Release to Manufacturing (RTM) version, which has been the standard since Windows 11 21H2.
Benefits
The changes allow for smaller Windows Update downloads that can be implemented faster. Because of their smaller size, so-called enablement packages for future major updates can be installed faster.
Other benefits of the new feature include time savings and less bandwidth and disk space required. The new delivery method also significantly reduces server-side load.
Also read: End of support imminent for Windows 11 21H2 and 22H2 versions