Windows 7 How does Windows Update compile its updates history list?

[CP30126]

Hi. In Windows 7's Windows Update, if you click on the option next to the date when updates were last installed, it will show you a page of all the updates that were ever looked for or downloaded (I'm not sure which one it is). I'd like to know where the data used to compile this list is stored.

 

[beers]

Some kinda windowsfied update mechanism fam.

You can browse the catalog yourself if you want.

Microsoft Update Catalog

 

[CP30126]

Thanks to resource monitor, I was able to find out from where the data is taken! It's taken from a database file in Windows\SoftwareDistribution\DataStore called DataStore.edb. The format is pretty obscure, but I found a program that can read its content called ESEDatabaseView. The data is found in table 16, tbHistory.

By the way, what a beautiful and interesting website you linked! It looks like it exists in a dimension where Windows 8 never existed.