When creating a patch for small updates, authors should adhere to the following guidelines:

• Small update patches must be designed for a single, target installation.
• Small update patches should use the earliest version as the target installation.
• A small update patch should replace and make obsolete any earlier small update patches.

The following scenario illustrates when a small update patch is best.

Your company ships version 1.0 of Myproduct.msi. Shortly thereafter, you ship a small update patch for Myproduct.msi called QFE1. This does not change the ProductCode property or the ProductVersion property.

Later, you author a second small update patch for Myproduct.msi called QFE2. This second patch must target Myproduct.msi version 1.0. This second patch must not target both Myproduct.msi version 1.0 and Myproduct.msi version 1.0 + QFE1. When QFE2 is applied it should remove QFE1.

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Build date: 8/13/2009