Since Windows Vista, Microsoft started to deliver Windows Update/Security Update packages in .MSU file format which is standard compressed archive file and contains update metadata files and payload.

I was asked by a reader today about how to extract the content of .MSU files, so they can be easily deployed to Windows image (.wim) file using Package Manager (pkgmgr.exe).

Here is an easy guide to do this, just walk through it.

How To:

1. Run Command Prompt (or run as administrator) and use the following syntax to extract .msu file content.

expand –f:* <pakcage-name.msu> <destination-folder>

Example:
expand –f:* Windows6.1-KBXXXXXX-x86.msu C:\\ExtractedMsu\\

2. After extraction, you can you can install it by using Package Manager with following command line syntax.

pkgmgr.exe /n:C:\\ExtractedMsu\\Windows6.1-KBXXXXXX-x86.XML

Applies To:

• Windows 7
• Windows Server 2008 R2
• Windows Vista
• Windows Server 2008