Language Packs and Windows Vista SP1

[Updated 6 Mar 3:01pm PST]  Apparently this post has created some confusion, which was the opposite of my intent.  Windows Vista SP1 is not delayed.  I repeat, aside from our having accelerated SP1 availability to MSDN/TechNet subscribers and volume licensing customers, there has been no change in the release plan Mike outlined in his post announcing SP1.

For clarity's sake, I'll reiterate our release schedule:

  • For the initial five first wave languages (English, Spanish, German, French, and Japanese):
    • We will release SP1 to Windows Update and the download center on microsoft.com in mid-March.  Customers running Windows Vista with any of these first languages installed can choose to install SP1 by visiting Windows Update.  If your PC has a language installed other than one of the 5 listed above, SP1 will not be offered.  Additionally, any system that Windows Update determines has a driver Microsoft knows to not update successfully will not be offered SP1.
    • In mid-April, we will begin delivering Windows Vista SP1 to Windows Vista customers using Automatic Update.  In other words, we will begin automatic downloads of SP1 for customers who have chosen to have updates downloaded automatically.  Note that, as Mike stated, Windows Update will *not* automatically download SP1 to any system it determines has a driver known to not update successfully.  (As updates for the problematic drivers become available, they will be installed automatically by Windows Update so that the result is that more and more systems will automatically get SP1, but only when we are confident they will have a good experience.)
    • MSDN/TechNet Plus subscribers and volume licensing customers have already been provided access to SP1 in first wave languages, as Mike stated in his follow-on post.
  • The remaining languages will be released to manufacturing (RTM) in April and availability to customers will follow.

We have some information we'd like to share in regards to Windows Vista SP1 and folks running Language Packs. Some of you may have noticed that after installing Windows Vista SP1 on Windows Vista Ultimate - the Language Packs fail to appear on Windows Update (KB947875).

We will be releasing Windows Vista SP1 in two "waves". The first wave will only provide Windows Vista SP1 to Windows Vista Ultimate PCs running the following 5 Languages: English, French, German, Japanese and Spanish. The second wave will follow shortly after - supporting all 36 languages.

For Windows Update, PCs running the 5 initial languages from the first wave only will be provided with Windows Vista SP1. PCs running Windows Vista Ultimate with any of the other Language Packs installed will not be offered Windows Vista SP1 through Windows Update until they are released. Once the Language Packs are released, Windows Vista SP1 will then be offered for installation.

When installing Windows Vista SP1 from the standalone installer, the standalone installer will only install on Windows Vista Ultimate running any of the 5 languages from the first wave. When installing Windows Vista SP1 on Windows Vista Ultimate with a Language Pack that is not one of the 5 initial Language Packs supported - you will get the following error (KB947876) when attempting to install Windows Vista with the standalone installer:

Windows Vista Service Pack 1 cannot be installed on your computer because the language of Windows Vista you have installed is not supported or you have installed a language pack that is not supported.

Windows Vista Service pack 1 can only be installed on computers running the English, French, German, Japanese and Spanish versions of Windows Vista or computers running only those language packs.

This means if you are running a Language Pack that is not one of the 5 initial Language Packs you will not be able to install Windows Vista SP1 until the other Language Packs are released.

But not to worry - the Language Packs are on their way.  We will have more information on exactly when very shortly so stay tuned!

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Comments

  1. dovella
    Posted on: March 05, 2008 at 8:17AM  

    The problem is Fortunately  that S. J.  because in 1997 our Bill Gates has saved the company with 150 million dollar and some killer application that have kept alive the now dying Mac.

    Leopard does not work well everything crashes and the system expects many resources remembering that took many ideas from Longhorn concept and Vista.

    STOP TROLLING

  2. Peter
    Posted on: March 05, 2008 at 8:27AM  

    SJ also likes overcharging for everything his company produces and nothing it produces is really any better than Microsoft.

    But this thread is about Vista Ultimate Extras and language packs, so who cares anyway?

  3. Nick White
    Posted on: March 05, 2008 at 1:55PM  

    Hey luminoso (and Peter McNicol):  this post is about the availability of SP1 for Windows Vista Ultimate users running languages other than the 5 languages in the initial release wave (EN, FR, ES, DE, JP).  It is not about Extras except to the extent that the language packs are an Extra.

    There is no delay in the release of SP1 for Ultimate users - the release schedule remains the same as that stated by Mike Nash in this post (with the exception that we've accelerated release to MSDN/TechNet subscribers):  http://windowsvistablog.com/blogs/windowsvista/archive/2008/02/04/announcing-the-rtm-of-windows-vista-sp1.aspx.

    You'll note that therein, Mike states that "...remaining languages will RTM in April."  This is the current SP1 release schedule and it always has been.  Please re-read my above post in the context of Mike's and you'll see what I mean.

  4. pkearney
    Posted on: March 05, 2008 at 2:02PM  

    According to this article the only users that will get SP1 are Vista Ultimate users.  What about everyone else, like Vista Home Premium users who had to buy it when buying a new computer??

    The lack of backward compatibality is astounding, for software and hardware.  How everything worked so well in XP to have almost everything fail on Vista is clear evidence Microsoft has made a HUGE mistake.  I am really upset that retailers cannot sell XP based systems if the consumer requests it.  I think the Justice Department should look into Microsofts practices.  Microsoft should also allow any consumer the opportunity to have a set of XP install disks in return for the Vista license.  Plus, when you puchase a Vista machine today you don't even get the Vista install disk!!!!  And the system I got from Best Buy (Compaq Presario SF5310) only "allows" one set of dta back up.  How ridiculous is that?

  5. Peter
    Posted on: March 05, 2008 at 2:38PM  

    Which article....the MAC/Linux News?

  6. scottso87
    Posted on: March 05, 2008 at 3:31PM  

    pkearney, what programs are you using? Almost nothing I use in Vista fails. The only thing that ever does is IE7. All of my 3rd party programs run without hitch.

    If you never realized it, you can still by WinXP at online stores (relatively cheap, too) such as TigerDirect and Newegg. No one is forcing you to buy Vista.

    I'm not exactly sure why what the Justice Dept has anything to do with this. Vista is a product that Microsoft created and is selling. I can't think of anyone that has been forced to buy it themselves. You can always get a Mac or a Linux machine (Dell sells rather nice Ubuntu systems. There is nothing wrong or illegal in creating a new product and supporting more than the one it was intended to replace. If you hate Vista so much, use something else.

    Microsoft had nothing to do with you not receiving a Vista install disk with your new Compaq. Only Compaq is to "blame" for that. Frankly, giving your hatred for Vista, I'm a bit confused as to why you were upset you didn't receive a Vista install disk. It sounds like you're complaining for the sake of it.

    Everyone will get SP1, not just Ultimate users. However, I think you'd be better off buying WinXP and waiting for XP SP3.

  7. Brandon LeBlanc
    Microsoft
    Posted on: March 05, 2008 at 6:01PM  

    pkearney, no this article says *nothing* about SP1 being available only to Windows Vista Ultimate users. SP1 will be available for all versions of Windows Vista.

    This article explains why people who install SP1 find that the Language Packs fail to show up on Windows Update on Windows Vista Ultimate. The Language Packs are available to those running Windows Vista Ultimate.

    OEM's can choose whether to include the Windows Vista install media - this isn't something Microsoft decides. You should be able to contact Compaq to get a Windows Vista install disc.

    - Brandon

  8. Viriatus
    Posted on: March 06, 2008 at 1:13PM  

    SteveBallmer:

    Portuguese is the 6th most spoken language in the world so we should be included in the first wave of the launch of the SP1!!! Fewer people talk German, Italian or Japanese!!

  9. cpiad
    Posted on: March 07, 2008 at 9:33AM  

    I'm a bit confused about the references to language packs, Vista Ultimate, SP1 release date.  Am I right in noting that as a user of Vista Home Premium I will be able to download SP1 from the MS Download Center in mid March?  Am I also right in noting that the download schema will prevent install if it detects an errant driver?

    (for Nick White) ... is there a specific date in mid March?  Given its March 7th today ... mid March is next week.

  10. Peter
    Posted on: March 07, 2008 at 9:45AM  

    This thread is only about Ultimate language packs.  SP1 will be released to everyone with Vista as per the original announcement at the top of this page.

    Your question about the driver issue is better researched through Google or post a question on the SP1 forum: http://forums.microsoft.com/TechNet/ShowForum.aspx?ForumID=1992&SiteID=17

Trackbacks

  1. Posted by: Language Packs and Windows Vista SP1 on March 03, 2008 at 4:41PM
  2. Posted by: Windows Vista News on March 04, 2008 at 7:30AM

    Interesting point at teched.indepthtalk.net

  3. Posted by: TechBlog on March 05, 2008 at 7:40AM

    • The trouble with Steve Jobs -- Is that he really, really likes to take risks. Also Apple shareholders pepper Jobs with questions • Microsoft Develops New Operating System From Scratch -- Singularity, which I wrote about last year. •...

  4. Posted by: Bink.nu on March 05, 2008 at 9:12AM

    Vista PCs running the Ultimate edition in English, French, German, Japanese or Spanish will get the service

  5. Posted by: ups216 on March 05, 2008 at 11:32AM

    微软已经发布了Windows Vista SP1，但是兴高采烈的我在反复尝试了10次安装以后终于决定暂时放弃，其中包括从新安装我的Windows Vista Ultimate，在完全干净的系统上进行安装。

  6. Posted by: Windows XP/Vista Informations » windows vista ultimate sp1 msdn on December 10, 2008 at 1:30AM

    Pingback from  Windows XP/Vista Informations  » windows vista ultimate sp1 msdn

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