14 DAY TRIAL // Last week Microsoft launched the new Windows 8.1 Update for everyone around the world, but the company only today announced that its new OS version is also available for Volume License customers.
The Volume License Service Center (VLSC) is now hosting Windows 8.1 with Windows 8.1 Update integrated, Windows Server 2012 R2 with Windows Server 2012 R2 Update integrated, and Windows Embedded 8.1 Industry with Windows Embedded 8.1 Industry Update.
Windows 8.1 Update brings quite a lot of improvements to the traditional PC, including options to pin Metro apps to the taskbar and Start screen enhancements to quickly shut down and reboot a device using a mouse. Metro apps are now launched in their own windows, so desktop users can close them just by clicking on the dedicated buttons in the title bar.
Microsoft says that today’s release completes the rollout started on April 2 when the company officially launched Windows 8.1 Update for MSDN subscribers, so everyone should now be able to upgrade to the new OS version today.
“This is the final part of the release cycle that included the release via MSDN on the 2nd and Windows Update on the 8th. The VLSC and MSDN updated media does not contain the complete set of fixes that are offered from Windows Update,” the company said in a blog post.
“Therefore, Windows Update and WSUS will offer the Update again to devices that are deployed by using this media. This is expected and does not result in the full reinstallation of the Update but only a small component of it. The rest of the update will not be downloaded or reinstalled.”
Windows 8.1 Update is a mandatory update for everyone running Windows 8.1 on their PCs and tablets, and Microsoft warns that those who do not deploy it by May 13 will no longer receive fixes and security updates as part of the Patch Tuesday rollouts.
Of course, Windows 8.1 Update is being offered free of charge to those who have already installed Windows 8.1 and can be obtained via Windows Update, as an automatic download that takes care of everything, or manually using the dedicated links provided by Microsoft itself.
However, some users are experiencing a number of issues with Windows 8.1 Update installation, but Microsoft has already launched a fix to deal with these problems, so everyone running Windows 8.1 is expected to deploy the new OS version by this time next month.