How's install order handled?

[undro]

I assume some updates require being installed after other updates. How is this resolved when AP applies the updates?

What about dependencies across "packages" (RTI files)?

[TheAPGuy]

When we create the APM files, the files have that updates release date recorded. All updates are installed by that date value, oldest to newest. This includes across packages.

[Whatacrock]

A quick addition to the discussion.... some updates do require another update before installing and a section in the apm module caters for this. In most cases the required update is already installed on the system so nothing additional is needed in the module.

[undro]

What if the required dependency isn't install? The default mechanism of Microsoft is assumed to do a null install? For example, I installed all "critical" updates separately before any of the others. I'll have to have a look again, but I had the impression some updates appeared only on the second run of AP, possibly those that had missing dependencies at first.

There are also updates that seem not to install in practice, perhaps due to dependencies, but are listed. I only remember two: something about End-of-life notification, and another perhaps related to Media Player 11 (which I don't have installed).

[Whatacrock]

Please let us know of any updates that require additional detections added, these will then be tended to...

As far as the End Of Life is concerned, the module is to uninstall this notification so that users who updated via Windows Update and allowed it to install to be rid of the notification.

A lot of the older updates contained in Windows XP x86, the modules were created by previous maintainers and as such not a lot has been changed within them (a trimming of unneccessary entries, mainly)

If you have not installed Media Player 11 then only updates pertaining to previous Media Player version should display, not checked this since taking up the maintenance of Windows XP x86.