Updated 2/14: SP1 is now available on both MSDN and TechNet for subscribers to download.
On Monday (February 4th), we announced the release to manufacturing (RTM) of Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1). Overall, people are excited to hear that we have reached this milestone, but some are disappointed they are not able to immediately download it.
In my blog post on the subject, I noted that we were going to make SP1 available to customers in stages to make sure we delivered a great experience. As I explained, one reason for this is that we are working through an issue with a small set of hardware devices that may not function properly after the Windows Vista-based PC they are installed on is updated to SP1. This is an issue with the way the device drivers were re-installed during the SP1 update process, not with the drivers themselves -- these drivers worked on Windows Vista RTM and they work on Windows Vista SP1. For new PCs with Windows Vista SP1 pre-installed, this is not an issue.
We are working with the manufacturers of these devices to get the drivers and their install programs updated, and also working on other solutions we can use to ensure a smooth customer experience when updating to SP1 over Windows Update.
My blog post also noted that when beta testers encountered this issue, the problem was typically corrected by simply uninstalling and reinstalling the driver. This type of issue can be addressed by our more technical customers since they are comfortable reinstalling drivers. While most people think that it's smart that we are releasing SP1 in stages, some people asked why we haven't made SP1 available to technical customers sooner.
We've heard the feedback and I want to update you on our plans and progress for making SP1 available to our beta participants, our Volume Licensing customers, and our MSDN/TechNet Plus subscribers:
- Late Friday we made SP1 RTM available to individuals and companies who participated in the SP1 beta program
- At the end of this week we will be making the English version of Windows Vista SP1 available to Volume Licensing customers. Other languages will follow soon after
- Later this month, SP1 will be available to MSDN and TechNet Plus subscribers
For broad availability, we are still planning to release in mid-March, since we want to be sure that everyone has the smoothest experience possible.
I want to be super-clear on one point: Windows Vista SP1 is final. It has been fully released to manufacturing and we do not plan to make any changes to the SP1 code prior to public availability. We are confident in the quality of Windows Vista SP1 and know that it will help improve our customers' experiences with Windows Vista.
Our goal here is to address the needs of our customers while delivering the best experience. Please keep the comments coming. We are listening!
- Mike