Windows Vista Service Pack 1

By Ed Bott

On March 18, 2008, Microsoft made Windows Vista Service Pack 1 available for general download via Windows Update. Here's what you can expect from the installation process.

Vista SP1 isn't being delivered automatically until mid-April 2008 or later. Until then, you'll have to check Windows Update manually. Click View available updates to see if it's listed.

Read the full report here: Want Vista SP1? Here's what to expect.

The list of available updates might include some that are required before SP1 can be installed. In this case, the update identified as KB938371 is one of those prerequisite updates. (If you're not certain, right-click the update and click View Details.)

Read the full report here: Want Vista SP1? Here's what to expect.

When you right-click and update and choose View Details, you see a dialog box like this one, which indicates that this update must be installed before SP1 can be made available.

Read the full report here: Want Vista SP1? Here's what to expect.

If you don't see SP1 in the list of available updates, one possible cause is a driver that requires an update first. To check for the presence of blocked drivers, click Start, right-click Computer, and click Manage. In Device Manager, expand the tree to check for the presence of drivers listed in KB article 948343.

Read the full report here: Want Vista SP1? Here's what to expect.

From Device Manager, right-click any device and choose Properties, then click the Driver tab. I've circled the driver version for this device, which is not one of the "blocking" drivers for SP1.

Read the full report here: Want Vista SP1? Here's what to expect.

After you have verified that all the prerequisite updates are installed and any blocked drivers have been updated, click View available updates. With luck, that one update is the one you've been waiting for.

Read the full report here: Want Vista SP1? Here's what to expect.

Right-click the update item and choose View Details to see this additional information. Don't let that download size fool you. The actual download package as delivered through Windows Update will be close to the minimum size here for an x86 (32-bit) Windows Vista installation.

Read the full report here: Want Vista SP1? Here's what to expect.

Over a broadband connection, the Windows Update package should be downloaded very quickly. Even on a dial-up line the download should take no more than a few hours, and it will work in the background.

Read the full report here: Want Vista SP1? Here's what to expect.

SP1 will not install itself automatically. You have to acknowledge this introductory screen, which is the first of three steps in the update process.

Read the full report here: Want Vista SP1? Here's what to expect.

It wouldn't be a Microsoft update without a license agreement. We didn't find any surprises here (and the few changes that are in the SP1 license give you more rights, not fewer, than the original release of Vista).

Read the full report here: Want Vista SP1? Here's what to expect.

This dialog box says the installation might take an hour. In our experience, the entire process, including download, takes about that long. But your mileage may vary.

Read the full report here: Want Vista SP1? Here's what to expect.

After you give permission for the installation to begin, everything proceeds automatically. You'll see multiple progress screens along the way, but none require your input.

Read the full report here: Want Vista SP1? Here's what to expect.

When the installation is successful, you'll see this label in the Windows Vista Welcome Center. You can also type ver in a command window and look for the new version number, 6.0.6001. Or run msinfo32 and check the version number on the General page: 6.0.6001 Service Pack 1 Build 6001.

Read the full report here: Want Vista SP1? Here's what to expect.