Install Servicing Stack Updates Before Other Updates
Currently, when servicing stack updates and regular updates are deployed in the same software update group, the patches do not apply in a determinant order. This leads to cases where a cumulative update that requires a new servicing stack is installed before the servicing stack itself.
While this can be worked around by separately deploying the servicing stack update before updates that require said servicing stack, it would be much more convenient if the update installation process checked if there are any servicing stack updates to be deployed and automatically installed them first

SSUs will now be installed before other updates in the Configuration manager 2002 release, which is now released to the opt-in phase. You can opt-in and then download 2002 through their Admin Console now!
Blog: https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/configuration-manager-blog/update-2002-for-microsoft-endpoint-configuration-manager-current/ba-p/1272670
Docs: https://docs.microsoft.com/configmgr/core/plan-design/changes/whats-new-in-version-2002
Support Information: https://aka.ms/cmcssreleaseinfo
49 comments
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Bryan Dam commented
@DanJackson: I've been told that Windows Update should already have had that logic built-in. ConfigMgr initials the installs individually and thus was the problem.
If you're noticing that at scale then you'd need to talk to the Windows team itself I believe.
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Dan Jackson commented
That's great for people who have Configuration Manager, but what about the regular Windows Update client? Shouldn't it be intelligent enough to know that an SSU needs to be installed before all other updates? I just did Windows Updates on my work PC today and the SSU was the _last_ thing that installed rather than the first.
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Jeff Rubin commented
Is the installation order taken into consideration when using Orchestration Groups? CU is still installing before SSU when servers hit the deadline (not user initiated) that are part of an orchestration group. Seems like it's just not working in 2002
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Zack commented
Thanks.
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bdam commented
@Zach. Yea, unfortunately that's 'by design'.
For details and to fix it here's the new UVI I created: https://configurationmanager.uservoice.com/forums/300492-ideas/suggestions/40239694-install-servicing-stack-updates-ssu-before-other
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Zack commented
This doesn't appear to be working in our environment. We've updated the site and its clients to the 2002 release, deployed the April updates which include both an SSU and CU, and the install order is not consistent. Attached is a screenshot of one of the 2002 clients with the CU installing prior to the SSU.
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Mihai Canguru commented
Ola
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Sebastian Savard commented
Will this update impact clients that have the configmgr client installed but receive updates through vanilla WSUS and GPO settings, or will we need to use ADR?
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Per Bengtsson commented
@Harvey & @Anonymous, Even if it was possible to install the SSU before everything else in the CU, how do you then make sure that the CU is installed before all other updates?
You're are just suggesting that they move the problem to the CU instead of the SSU. -
Bryan Dam commented
@Anonymous: Because the SSU updates the thing that applies the CU.
In the forthcoming, long promised, Universal Update Platform they've designed around this problem but we're not there quite yet.
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Anonymous commented
If Service Stack is required, why don't they just build them into the CU releases...
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Jimmy commented
Any update?
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AG commented
An Admin of a large ConfigMgr evironment here, I totally agree the installation process should have the fuzzy logic to install servicing stack first.
This has been a PIA lately for us. Now to convince our change management team of this new workflow. Upside is these don't require a reboot thankfully -
Harvey commented
If Service Stack is required, why don't they just build them into the CU releases...
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Kristoff Braddy commented
+1 #SSUCKS
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Mike Bourne commented
+1 as well, may have to consider the ADR solution
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SCCMGuy89 commented
+1
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Richie commented
Any update on this? We are having issues getting November '19 SSUs and CUs installed properly via ConfigMgr.
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John Williamson commented
This needs to be implemented sooner rather than later. Its documented that if a service stack update is installed with other updates, it can cause a system to hang after the reboot.
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Arindam Chatterjee commented
A much needed feature. Kindly look into it on priority.