Microsoft starts Vista SP1 auto delivery

[Noreen]

Pasted from another forum.

Users who have Windows Update (WU) set to automatically download and install important patches, hotfixes and other updates will start receiving SP1 beginning Wednesday, a Microsoft spokeswoman said in an e-mail. "Today Microsoft will begin automatic distribution of SP1," she said. "This means that users with the Automatic Update feature turned on will automatically download SP1 to their PCs."

Not everyone will be offered the update immediately, however, because Microsoft is distributing SP1 in phases, a common practice when it rolls out a major upgrade via its online update service. It is also limiting the automatic delivery to English, French, German, Japanese and Spanish versions of the operating system.

Although Microsoft released the other 31 language packs last week, it will wait until the middle of next month before it adds them to Windows Update automatic distribution, said Chris Flores of the Windows client communications team, in a post to the Vista blog today.

Microsoft had posted Vista SP1 to Windows Update more than five weeks ago, but made the download optional; users had to aim a browser at the WU site and manually select SP1. At the time, the company said it would begin serving SP1 automatically in "mid-April."

Even after today's announcement, however, some Vista users may not see SP1 for weeks or even months because their PCs are using defective device drivers that Microsoft says may cause problems during an upgrade. It is blocking systems with those drivers from obtaining SP1 until the drivers themselves have been updated.

Flores alluded to the delay in his post. "Automatic distribution will only occur, according to user settings, on PCs ready for SP1," he said, and linked to a support document that spells out seven different reasons, including the balky drivers, why some users won't be offered the service pack.

Users can obtain SP1 by downloading a much larger standalone installer from Microsoft's site if the service pack is not visible in Windows Update.

[Rik]

Just when you thought you were safe, Noreen.

[Noreen]

Computer came with it already installed, Rik.

[Rik]

I much prefer it when the manufacturer has sorted an SP.

[Noreen]

I think that that is probably why my Vista appears to be fast and doesn't seem to have the various problems that other Vista people have complained about, I've really nothing to complain about and I like Vista.

[Rik]

I'm sure you're right.

[madasahatter]

I'm looking forward to this - should be fun 

[Noreen]

Do you like Vista, Mad?

[Sebby]

I like Vista, it was just terribly slow on my PC.

I actually downloaded the full 430MB file last night for one of our Vista PCs. No problems at all.

[Simon]

On my laptop, the mousepad buttons stop working after each major WU, so heaven knows what this will do to it, knowing my luck!

[Sebby]

[Steve]

I wonder if the version of SP1 thats been available for the last month or so as an optional update will be the same as the automatic version? Paranoia suggests  I've been beta testing

[Sebby]

No doubt there'll be rumours flying around, but I don't think Microsoft would get away with it; someone be able to tell, surely?

[Lance]

i think i'll leave off this for a while, as my machine runs fine, and i need it for the next 4 weeks until i finish my exams! Don't want to mess it up!

[Gary]

i think i'll leave off this for a while, as my machine runs fine, and i need it for the next 4 weeks until i finish my exams! Don't want to mess it up!

I downloaded SP1 Lance, no troubles with it at all, I did a chkdsk before and after and it took about 30mins ish from start to finish to install, no issues whatsoever thankfully, must admit I Really like vista and I was a real stick to XP type. The download was about 66 MB for my setup on Home Premium 

[Noreen]

This link shows the various improvements the download make to Vista. http://technet2.microsoft.com/WindowsVista/en/library/005f921e-f706-401e-abb5-eec42ea0a03e1033.mspx?mfr=true

[madasahatter]

Do you like Vista, Mad?

Yeah I do Noreen - I'm not sure I understand the hatred that some peeps have for it tbh. It does everything that I want it to do very well, and I haven't found it slow to run at all.

Must admit that the screen going dark and the "are you sure you really want to do this" warnings get a little tiresome if you are updating/ installing a lot of things at once, but thats about it really. The one thing i would like to see is the ability to turn this off, but I haven't found a way to do it yet.

Apart from that, I think Vista is great 

[Gary]

Yeah I do Noreen - I'm not sure I understand the hatred that some peeps have for it tbh. It does everything that I want it to do very well, and I haven't found it slow to run at all.

Must admit that the screen going dark and the "are you sure you really want to do this" warnings get a little tiresome if you are updating/ installing a lot of things at once, but thats about it really. The one thing i would like to see is the ability to turn this off, but I haven't found a way to do it yet.

Apart from that, I think Vista is great 

You can turn turn UAC off but you lose some protection Mad, as you run as admin all the time which defeats the point really, I have got used to it, and as you said it does all what I need and fast what's your WEI score? If you don't mind me asking

[Niall]

I've turned that off as it reduces the time wasted when you could be doing something else. Plus it annoyed me immensely.

On a service pack note, what's the deal with XP SP3? I thought they'd released that, but I can't find it on the M$ site to download, or on the update page. There is a release candidate there, but no finished product that I can see. I've checked with both my laptop, and my mums PC (neither of which use auto update as I'm the network monkey in my house) and neither see any service pack available to download 

[Gary]

I've turned that off as it reduces the time wasted when you could be doing something else. Plus it annoyed me immensely.

On a service pack note, what's the deal with XP SP3? I thought they'd released that, but I can't find it on the M$ site to download, or on the update page. There is a release candidate there, but no finished product that I can see. I've checked with both my laptop, and my mums PC (neither of which use auto update as I'm the network monkey in my house) and neither see any service pack available to download 

29th for XP Nail, I believe

[Sebby]

On a service pack note, what's the deal with XP SP3? I thought they'd released that, but I can't find it on the M$ site to download, or on the update page. There is a release candidate there, but no finished product that I can see. I've checked with both my laptop, and my mums PC (neither of which use auto update as I'm the network monkey in my house) and neither see any service pack available to download 

It was released to manufacturing on 21 April, and will be available on Windows Update and through the Download Centre on 29 April.

[Niall]

Oh right. Strange. I've always managed to get my hands on a copy of the pack as soon as it's released in the past.

[Noreen]

You can turn turn UAC off but you lose some protection Mad, as you run as admin all the time which defeats the point really, I have got used to it, and as you said it does all what I need and fast what's your WEI score? If you don't mind me asking

My WEI score is 4.2.

Turn off annoying prompts
Vista added the A Program Needs Your Permission to Continue prompt to help prevent you from inadvertently installing malware or making unauthorized changes to your computer. It's annoying to see that dialog box constantly pop up. If you're computer savvy, you can turn it off by deactivating User Account Control in the User Accounts Control Panel.

[Gary]

My WEI score is 4.2.

Thats pretty good Noreen, what was your lowest score then, graphics or ram? Mines 5.7

[Noreen]

Processor            5.3
Memory (RAM)      5.1
Graphics              4.2
Gaming Graphics    4.2
Primary Hard Disk   5.1