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Topic: Operating Systems

Windows 7 SP1 available to all starting today

Summary: If you're a Windows 7 user then today's the day you've been waiting for for a very long time (well, OK, maybe not) - Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (SP1) is available to all.

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

By for Hardware 2.0 |

If you're a Windows 7 user then today's the day you've been waiting for for a very long time (well, OK, maybe not) - Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (SP1) is available to all. Previously it was only available to those with a TechNet or MSDN subscription.

Note: Oh, also available is Windows Server 2008 R2 service pack 1.

There are two ways to get your hands on it.

  • Download the massive 2GB 'one size fits all' update from Microsoft (handy of you are updating multiple PCs)
  • Allow it to come in via Windows Update (this way you get a much smaller package tailored to the specific needs of your PC)

A few things to bear in mind:

  • This update is hardly game-changing. It's nothing like the Vista SP1 update. Here you have a roll-up of bug fixes and previously released updates. Nothing really exciting.
  • If your system has one of the following hotfixes installed - 2406705, 979350 or 983534 - then you are going to have problems installing SP1. Workaround for this issue is listed here.
  • If you have a beta or RC of SP1 already installed, you'll need to uninstall this to install the final release.

Topics: Operating Systems, Microsoft, Software, Windows

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93 comments
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  • RE: Windows 7 SP1 available to all starting today

    Just updated with no problems. One down, 3 more to do tonight...
    The one and only, Cylon Centurion
    Reply Vote

    • RE: Windows 7 SP1 available to all starting today

      Aaaahhh .. the first Service Pack. By 2014 Win 7 will be stable. We are using 2003 server and it has been stable for the past3 years. Win 2008 server is now pretty stable also. So I guess in 2013 we will start looking at Win 7 based OS.
      john_gillespie@...
      Reply Vote

      • RE: Windows 7 SP1 available to all starting today

        @john_gillespie@... Ummm Windows 7 is stable NOW.
        athynz
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Windows 7 SP1 available to all starting today

        @john_gillespie@...

        I have had Windows 7 since release. It has crashed 3 times. I know this because it is so rare I remember them all. So far, SP1 hasn't crashed at all :)
        x I'm tc
        Reply Vote

    • RE: Windows 7 SP1 available to all starting today

      @Cylon Centurion 0005
      2 PC's and 3 Laptops updated, zero problems. Win7 is stable. I play games, do video conversion/editing, programming and web development, and various other tasks with multimedia sharing. The only issue was IE9 Beta which, oddly, caused my GTA IV game to stop loading properly, but uninstall was an easy fix. Other than this no issues with Win7 in over a year.

      Anyone who thinks it is not stable has not used it proper.
      ryanstrassburg
      Reply Vote

    • 2GB of crap

      Unbelievable. I remember when the windoze OS as a whole was less than 2GB.

      Talk about crimson bloatware.
      search & destroy
      Reply Vote

      • RE: Windows 7 SP1 available to all starting today

        @search & destroy - The download version is 2GB because it contains multiple version for multiple platforms + other stuff for deployment. It's for IT staff who need to deploy to many computers.

        Use Windows Update ... a total of only 61.3 MB was downloaded to my machine. That's smaller than the iTunes updates that Apple tries to cram down our throats every few weeks.
        adimauro
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Windows 7 SP1 available to all starting today

        @adimauro
        The windoze update was 2GB of crap. I did not download this separately but through the 'normal' update.

        Go in to "Computer" and look at your HD space being used before & after. Right mouse click the drive and make note of the difference. It's [b]not[/b] 61.3MB in size.
        search & destroy
        Reply Vote

  • RE: Windows 7 SP1 available to all starting today

    Its hard to improve on greatness but congratulations to Microsoft, they went ahead and pulled it off. Soon as I get home I'm downloading this SP.
    Loverock Davidson
    Reply Vote

    • RE: Windows 7 SP1 available to all starting today

      @Loverock Davidson<br>I'm going home to download update as well, but the gist of the update was only for fixing slight flaws. How could this be considered worthy of congratulations? (2GB for slight flaws) When Charmin puts more quilting in TP does your #@%hole twitch with joy?
      partman1969@...
      Reply Vote

      • Like Loverock said, praise the loard it only took to 2 Gb to fix

        it this time .......... they will be singing in the pews with such a blessing from up above ........ say it .... now ...... hal al lou-ya .....praise be to Loverock Davidson for all his blessings appon the It community ..... hal a lou ya to us poor souls that haven't seen the way Loverock has tried to show us..... :-)
        Linux_Lives
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Windows 7 SP1 available to all starting today

        @partman1969@... I completely agree with your assessment and your analogy was icing on the cake. If he intends to install the SP when he gets home, how does he know if the SP is great. Apparently premature Microsoft ejaculation is an issue and perhaps a doctor assistance is needed.
        OKWHEN
        Reply Vote

      • LOL... ya'll crack me up...

        @partman1969@... and @OKWHEN

        Good one. I heard his mommy told him not to play dirty games with himself.

        lol... :D
        search &amp; destroy
        Reply Vote

    • RE: Windows 7 SP1 available to all starting today

      I swear MS software is filled with magical properties, no sooner had I installed W7 SP1 the verruca on my foot instantly disappeared. Praise be MS.
      Rubberduck Rabidson
      Reply Vote

      • Love the nick

        @Rubberduck Rabidson It really puts the one you're mimicking in his place!
        janitorman
        Reply Vote

    • RE: Windows 7 SP1 available to all starting today

      partman1969 --

      I know mine does.

      (Wait, that was an "inside thought," not an "outside thought.")
      Churlish
      Reply Vote

    • Pulled what off?

      @Loverock Davidson

      A nothing SP?

      If they issued a turd you'd be impressed.

      Sheesh
      Economister
      Reply Vote

    • RE: Windows 7 SP1 available to all starting today

      @Loverock Davidson Just wait for the update. I suspect you are already patched up, so SP1 won't have much, if any, affect.
      I don't think the sp1 is a waste because it consolidates a lot of separate patches into one bigger patch which is nice for people reinstalling Windows. But unless you have a specific issue that is addressed by this SP, you could save yourself time and let it happen automatically where it will probably download a small fraction of the SP
      DevGuy_z
      Reply Vote

    • RE: Windows 7 SP1 available to all starting today

      @Loverock Davidson I know right. Windows 7 is already the BEST OS AVAILABLE, how could it get better?
      Jimster480
      Reply Vote

    • RE: Windows 7 SP1 available to all starting today

      @Loverock Davidson <br><br>I find your comments very emetic.<br><br>Still no native USB3 support from this "great" company.

      You haven't even installed it yet.
      I'm sure we are all wishing it gives you no problems
      Chipesh
      Reply Vote
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