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The Windows Update Offline Scan file - Wsusscn2.cab is available for download at the Microsoft website. A version 2 of this file was released last year. As part of the shift, users need to update any scanning solution which makes use of the existing offline scan file. This ensures that the new system used the updated CAB file.
Windows Update Offline Scan file (Wsusscn2.cab)
The update will include Microsoft's offline scan file systems including Microsoft Systems Management Server Inventory Tool for Microsoft Updates and also the Windows Update Agent. That apart the new releases of SMS ITMU of the MBSA and the WUA stand-alone installer have been released. Additionally, the other Microsoft solutions that use WU offline scan file for offline security update detection may be updated.
Despite the new release the earlier WU offline scan file in the previous format will be updated as and when new security bulletins are released. That being said the older updates from each subsequently published version of the Wsusscan.cab will be removed. This is done to ensure that the file is within the size limit. Meanwhile scanning by using Wsusscan.cab will result in an error which indicates that the WUA should be upgraded.
Background on the Wsusscan.cab
The Wsusscan.cab file has grown with every update. When it started approaching the maximum size of a single CAB file Microsoft decided to upgrade the internal format of the CAB file in order to resolve this issue. As part of the solution, Microsoft is also reducing the size of the existing CAB file by removing some of the security updates.
New versions of the Wsusscn2.cab file is available for System Management Server Inventory Tool for Microsoft Updates, Microsoft Baseline Security Analyser and Windows Update Agent for Microsoft Windows XP, for Windows 2000 and for Windows Server 2003.
Instructions for non-Microsoft solutions
If you use non-Microsoft solutions that are designed to read the Wsusscan.cab file you need to perform some additional steps. Microsoft doesn't publish the schema to this file as the internal format keeps changing. The software solutions that read the file directly are actually not prescribed by Microsoft, however, they inform the customers or solution provider of any change in the format. For additional information, you can also join the WU Offline Scan public forum.
Check out the information & download links for specific customers here at Microsoft.com.
