After lots of whispers, rumours from beta testers and confusing messages from Microsoft executives, Microsoft has finally revealed the full details about Windows Vista's first service pack. The company confirmed a three-month launch window, with a beta testers getting their hands on the update during September.
Everything you need to know about Vista SP1
There are unanswered questions, but we know more now than at any time since Vista’s launch and there’s a lot riding on the success of the upgrade.
With that in mind, we took our first shot at SP1. Certainly, there will be more.
In the meantime, all hail SP1.
When will Windows Vista SP1 roll out in beta, and when in final form?
Microsoft is saying only "a few weeks" and "September", which are, after all, one and the same, for the beta. As for the final release, the software maker finally acknowledged rumours circulating June that the service pack be fully available until the first quarter of 2008. Earlier talk had centred on the last quarter of 2007 as the presumed ship time for SP1, but that's clearly not in the cards. Microsoft’s August briefing included a slide with the line "Release date will depend on confirmation from beta testers," which is essentially what the company said numerous times in 2006 as it worked toward Vista's delayed launch. In other words: Microsoft is leaving itself room for manoeuvre.
Who will get a crack at SP1 beta?
You might want to sit down. Microsoft has said that it will seed the September build to between just 10,000 and 15,000 partners and customers. Don't act so surprised - the beta track regularly runs from private-private to private-public to public-public, with few deviations and no detours. How it plans on doing that is a mystery. Invite only? Concert seating, mad rush to the URL? Lottery?
Microsoft has confused us with its nomenclature. On the Vista team's blog, program manager Nick White said, "A later pre-release of SP1 will be available to a larger group of testers via MSDN and TechNet subscribers." Later prerelease? Does that mean the beta, or a post-beta, such as the inevitable release candidate? We're awaiting clarification.
Will there be a bigger beta, a public-public?
Yeah sure, why not? Actually, Microsoft said it would distribute the beta, or maybe a release candidate, to a larger group between September and the final release. Details? Nothing more than White's confusing comment. You decipher; they'll decide.
Why all the fuss about a service pack, anyway? We have a couple of explanations as to why Service Packs are now very important to the Windows food chain. First, the obvious. The advice to wait for the service pack may be apocryphal, but if it is myth, it has become reality. Microsoft needs to stake out SP1 to convince major customers that it's time to deploy its not-quite-so-new operating system. Sure, they've already paid, or most of them have, for Vista with licensing agreements such as Software Assurance. But the sooner they move to Vista, the sooner they will, presumably, move on to what comes after Vista.
Comments
Tyson Hinrichs said: I hated Vista and although I was doing alright with XP I really wanted a newer OS because of all the Vista hype While everyone was badmouthing Vista they were praising and admiring the new Ubuntu Linux After learning a little about linux which was extremely easy with Ubuntu I found a derivative called Linux Mint which Ive used ever since After short pains on figuring out what software I already knew still worked and what other options were available for the ones that didnt I never will go back to Microsoft My days of worrying about viruses spyware adware pop-ups expiring software Windows activations digital rights management unfixed security flaws the cost of the software to fix it the resources the software takes to run all this crap and the whole fact that you need this all to just to keep your computer RUNNING are OVER
Paul Froggett said: After upgrade score 20 upgrade Ram 2GB score 24 upgrade nvidea 256meg score 28will i get score 30 after Sp1 and all this expense I doubt itI should have stuck to XP and Bought a laptop with vista OnOh the microsof test program said aero would work ok before all the upgrades it must be a dream I like the vista graphics although i miss the defrag screen on xp or better still win98Will continue to live in hopeThanks to PCA for dropping in the letterbox to make my dinnerbreak informative and amusingta
jonboy said: Ive been running vista for a few months now and can hinestley day im very happy with it I love the new interface and the sidebar lets me keep an eye on all things important ie sys temp cpu use etc Ive had no hardware issuse crashed or BSOD and can happily say im loving itthe only small gripe i have is ADaware2007 can freeze on vistaso i simply use Adaware SE
memememe said: Microsoft is so paranoid about the so-called calendar trick people have been using that theyve made it so if your calendar gets reset or otherwise your date goes off your Vista will be essentially ruined even after youve activated this trick is used to extend the time for activation so you dont have to Another stanglehold
Blebla said: I dont like that Vista either - why i couldnt purchase any computer with XP system Everywhere is that Vista
tony poole said: I upgraded to vista 2 weeks after roll out amp Im really enjoying it the most fun since building the zx81 all those years agoVista zings along tells me when it doesnt like something normally fixes it looks pretty does things fast is intuitive yes there is problem vista friendly hardwear but generally this is not vistas fault Last of all remember the xp roll out a horror story in comparison amp us older generation are supposed to be the ones that dont like changeThe people that should be shamed are the manufactures that advertise Vista this or that I have only found one tv card that is truly vista compatablebut thats another story
tricky said: frequent updates service packs oh what fun all this is on a dial up connection
Paul Riley said: Additional to Graphic Driver problemI ran the Ulitmate Beta RC1 amp RC2 versions without a problem so why does the Retail Home Premium version have so many bugsYes I now I realise I did not pay the 300 for the Top Priced High Quality Version
Paul Riley said: Vista for me at the moment is CRAPIt loads amp is onscreen for 60 seconds blue screens amp reboots I can only load in safe mode I have a Radeon X850 Pro grahics card which is reconised as a X800 GT The Vista drivers from AMD ATI are Naff amp refuse to un-installThe result fork out another 70 for another graphics card Unfortunately I am tiied to ATI as this is the chipset on the ASUS A8R-MVP motherboard amp this positively hates Nvidia cards having caused 3 to self destruct Even though the supplier denies this I did read something about this on a US help site
Ian Mack said: My PC with XP went down the pan in April and I had to purchase a new one unfortunately with Vista I thought it was crap then and I still think its crap
Ron Graves said: Best reason of all why I dont have Vista - too expensive as getting it means a new machine As far as I can see Vista will do little that my fully patched and updated installation of XP and imy software cant do already OK - I cant run a file search in five seconds - so what Its not something I do more that once or twice a month anyway And no John Ross Im not afraid of it - Ive had previous new OSs very soon after release - it simply will not add anything I wantneed to my computer-using experience As for the all-singing all-dancing AERO Desktop - phooey - all I want are my own images and Ive got that - the rest is smoke and mirrors
Mike Wilson said: Since Vista is a clone of the Apple X GUI PC users are much happier with their familiar interface otherwise they would be Apple users and already have the version that works - that is what choice is all about and MS are trying to turn PC users into OSX users dumbos Personally I use Windows 2000 on my Parallels MAC and that way I know how to efficiently use each of the interfaces I am so familiar with
Sam Kirk said: I will give you a few reasons why I like Vista unlike many of these others who post no reason for their dislike 1 Vista security is much improved Its actually true and nobody denies it 2 The interface is much slicker or at least improved 3 The search I love Vistas inbuilt search in the Start bar It will find any file in less than 5 seconds This easily makes Vista worth the purchase 4 Despite reports of incompatibility I have never encountered a problem and I have an ancient 10-year old HP printer In conclusion I would highly recommend a switch from XP to Vista and you will not go back if you use it for a month Im looking at upgrading to Ultimate I am that impressed
R Becker said: I am pretty sure that you can roll back all OEM copies of VIsta to XP as long as you have the media all you have to do is contact Microsoft and get a valid Key
John Ross said: Its really easy Have a feeling your not Down with tech just faking the funk Vista is tight just different and that scares the non techs
Ali Khan said: Really i m fed up with Windows Vista really too annoying OS i eva used in my life i turn back to my Windows XP who bother to upgrade computer machine again n again
David Hilton said: I do not like Vista at all Microsoft should give owners of new PCs that are purchased a registered version of XP Pro if they request one
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