Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1) is now freely available after Microsoft made the download available on its website.
Vista SP1's release means Microsoft has kept to its January promise to launch the first service pack for its latest desktop OS in mid-March.
However, Vista users will have to actively download SP1; it won't appear automatically on Vista PCs until mid-April, and then only to those with Windows Update configured to automatically download updates.
As we report in our Vista SP1 review, the set of updates focuses on under-the-hood improvements to reliability, security and performance, with very few changes made to the interface or Vista's features.
The release of the first service pack for a Microsoft OS often encourages business customers to upgrade from the previous version of the OS, although analysts are less certain Vista SP1 will have that affect. The Windows Vista backlash may encourage many companies to stick with Windows XP until Vista's successor – Windows 7 – becomes available in 2010.
For consumers, however, Vista SP1 is considered a sensible upgrade that includes a series of bug fixes and tweaks.
SP1 has been released in five languages: English, French, Spanish, German, and Japanese. Those with any other language installed, will not immediately have access to Vista SP1.
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Comments
Ryan said: I have followed your link and contrary to the other comments I have been able to simply click download and it has installed without problems I have had about 50 updates on my clean install of Vista home premium over the past two days but not service pack one
j e storer said: Vista SP1 four attempts to install no luck yetauto down loads from windows update site the system then reverts to its original stateI have installed KB938371 to assist but no luckstill running without update
Dennis Treeby said: I am still trying to find out if photoshopCS2 and everything elseincluding printer i950 canon can be used with any version of vista as I have a vista business machine that will not run them
Stuart Doherty said: The windows vista update is not available to everyone from the microsoft website when you go to the page it asks if you a subscriber to something or not and if you are not then it just takes you to the windows update service which dose not have the update available I have visat for a year now and have hated it from day 1 and was looking forward to getting the update sooner rather than later as vista is the mordren version of windows ME some good ideas just not upto the needs of most people as i have had 3 complete failures
David Wood said: Vista SP1 was downloaded onto my laptop using automatic updates to notify me first it did that I then let it download to the machineInstallation was clean no trouble at allOn restarting I noticed the machine to be slower than normal but then began to get quicker I thinkIncredibly I now have windows help files From delivery in January till yesterday I have had no help files at all I have spent hours looking for a fix on Windows site but to no availHey presto I now have them Magic I dont think soWould Microsoft ever comment on that I wonderAparet from that no trouble take it on chaps it works better I thinkTake care all lifes too short
David Wood said: Vista SP1 was downloaded onto my laptop using automatic updates to notify me first it did that I then let it download to the machineInstallation was clean no trouble at allOn restarting I noticed the machine to be slower than normal but then began to get quicker I thinkIncredibly I now have windows help files From delivery in January till yesterday I have had no help files at all I have spent hours looking for a fix on Windows site but to no availHey presto I now have them Magic I dont think soWould Microsoft ever comment on that I wonderAparet from that no trouble take it on chaps it works better I thinkTake care all lifes too short
Karl Samson said: Installed via Windows Update on Wed 19th March Acer Notebook took about 1Hour 40Min in total Feared the worst but all seems OK although it caused some fragmentation of HD Boot time has increased significantly Had just fully defraged day before in anticipation and after SP1 install fragmentation gone to 6 Boot times have come down to nearer pre SP1
Derek Douglas said: I actually got it automatically last night I got the updates available notification and went for itI concur with G R Cotterill though install all previous updates before hand then go off and have a cup of tea or two or a meal Watching it change from up 1 every five minutes is a good cure for insomnia though I found
G R Cotterill said: I Downloaded Vistas SP1 I must speak as I find the whole procedure was smooth and painless 20mins or so to download via Windows Update then move to install I left the PC to its devices for the best part of an hour result 1 fully operation machine with all progs and peripherals operational To achieve this YOU MUST HAVE DOWNLOADED ALL THE RELEASED UPDATESTHEY ARE SO IMPORTANT TO THE SP1 UPGRADE