any way to read msu files in windows xp

Hi, hope this is posted in the right place.
I am upgrading from xp to windows 7 but I'm gathering as much info on windows 7 as possible now because it will be a time before I can install windows 7 and I want to learn about it in the meantime.
I downloaded a file from MS website about the help files not being in windows 7 for 32 bit installations. It was an msu file. On checking if it opened ok I got a message saying that windows did not recognize msu files.
Is there any programme that can be used with xp to read msu files?
Thanks for reading and in advance for any help offered.

.MSU files are related to Windows udpate. To open files with .MSU, you should have Windows-Microsoft Windows Update Stand –alone Installer (Wusa exe).

Another program that uses file extension MSU is Blaise File which was developed by Statistics Netherlands.

Below are the list of programs that can open .MSU files:

ImgBurn.exe ImgBurn ImgBurn - The Ultimate Image Burner! LIGHTNING UK! Burn using ImgBurn Low uniextract.exe Universal Extractor UniExtract Files..., UniExtract Here, UniExtract to Subdir Medium wusa.exe Sistema operativo Microsoft® Windows® Programma di installazione Windows Update autonomo Microsoft Corporation open Low wusa.exe Besturingssysteem Microsoft® Windows® Zelfstandig installatieprogramma voor Windows Update Microsoft Corporation open Low wusa.exe Microsoft® Windows® Operating System Windows Update Standalone Installer Microsoft Corporation open High


Extract and View Contents of Microsoft Update Standalone Package (MSU):

1. If you are extracting a hotfix package, follow these steps:
   
   1. Double-click the Hotfix.exe file.
   2. In the Microsoft Self-Extractor dialog box, click Continue.
   3. In the Select the folder where you want to unzip the files to box, type C:\MSUFolder, and then click OK.
   
   If you are not extracting a hotfix package, create a folder that is named C:\MSUFolder, and then save the MSU file to this folder.
2. At a command prompt, type the following commands. Press ENTER after each command.
   c:cd c:\MSUFolder
   expand -F:* Saved_MSU_File_Name.msu c:\MSUFolder
   expand -F: Saved_MSU_File_Name.cab c:\MSUFolder

The C:\CABextract folder now contains subfolders. Examine the files in the subfolders to determine which files are updated by the MSU.

Source: How can i open an .msu file? i just downloaded in - FixYa

I hope this helps!

Brett M,
Windows Outreach Team