Sometimes Windows Update may not showing you the updates or hotfixes that you desperately need. In some cases, you may have downloaded update packages that ended with .cab file extension and you need to ‘install’ these .cab files onto the Windows operating system.

Manually installing SIS on Windows Server 2008 R2. This is one example of how Microsoft is reducing administrative efficiencies through layers of unnecessary ‘crap’ for lack of a better work in some of their newer applications and operating systems. Simple and straight-forward should be a part of the user acceptance testing process IMHO.

.cab cabinet file format has been used for distribution of updates and hotfixes, but normally it’s packaged within the executable Microsoft Update Standalone Package (MSU) files, with .msu file extension.

How To Install Cab File Windows Server 2008 R20

If you want to install .cab directly, you can make use of Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) command-line command, which comes built-in in Windows OS beginning from Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008. DISM combines the functions of multiple tools from the Windows Automated Installation Kit (WAIK) and allows users to perform multiple actions on operating system images.

How To Install Cab File On Windows 10

In order to use DISM to install and integrate the package online, open an Admin Command Prompt, and run the following command:

Change the path and the file name of the .cab file as necessary.

Win Server 2008 R2

If you want to avoid restarting Windows after installing the update, try the following command which install the package silent and block any restart attempt: