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1. kingsize

   
   Posted on: April 23, 2008 at 6:01PM  

   Do you know what really gets my goat about this microsoft SP?  It's the EULA.  Don't get me wrong, I like microsoft products, they're polished and user friendly.  But to give me a service pack (essential to stay up to date) and then have the audacity to tell me what I can or cannot connect to it!  It made me FURIOUS (hence the caps).  Now listen, you don't own my hardware, you don't own what I connect to it.  As far as I'm concerned an operating system is exactly that - flawlessly interfacing with the hardware and network envirnment.  What am I going to deal with next - plugging in a non-windows printer will invalidate your license???

   I'd really like another checkbox added.  "I agree to the terms", and "I agree under duress because I have to".

   I've never used pirated software and don't agree with those that do.  I support good software companies by actually buying the product.  I don't expect to have this kind of thing shoved down my throat in future.  Thanks.
2. bcreekski

   
   Posted on: April 23, 2008 at 7:07PM  

   Thanks for posting.  I have today been to Vista Support and Dell Support trying to be sure that I have not missed the automatic download because of driver issues.  This post means that I can have patience.  Vista has been great for me.
3. Iria

   
   Posted on: April 23, 2008 at 8:07PM  

   I have to say, it's amazing to me that Microsoft has not provided a tool to pinpoint any possible drivers problems.  Obviously Windows Update knwos when there ARE problems, so why not a) say which driver(s) are the problem, b) point to an updated driver.

   While I might be able to figure it out, I challenge John Q. Public to do so.
4. Brandon LeBlanc

   

   
   Posted on: April 23, 2008 at 8:21PM  

   Iria, for folks who have one of the problematic drivers - SP1 simply does not show up for them. John Q. Public usually installs updates when they are available and most likely won't know we're blocking SP1 for one of their drivers we've flagged as problematic.

   To me, when you say "John Q. Public" this is people like my mom or my grandfather etc. My mom certainly doesn't know anything about SP1 and won't install it onto her PC until its available for her.

   Eventually new drivers will be provided, come down Windows Update and John Q. Public will install them and install SP1.

   - Brandon
5. Iria

   
   Posted on: April 23, 2008 at 10:17PM  

   Let's assume you're correct on that.  Let's talk about people like me.  Do you know how many hoops I had to just through to find a driver for my M1710 laptop?  I still haven't gotten a response from Dell for my XPS Gen 2.

   Why should I have to check the version numbers of driver files (which is what I did) to figure out which one is the offending culprit.  While I was able to do it, it seems to me that a program could easily be written to check for the offending files and at least point them out, so users don't have to go through Windows Explorer and check version info.

   Additionally, once you figure out the file, it ain't easy to get the OEM to provide an update, esp. for laptops.

   I would posit that since Microsoft was aware of these issues, they should have had "generic" driver updates available via Windows Update when SP1 was available.
6. rkpatrick

   
   Posted on: April 23, 2008 at 10:45PM  

   Am I to understand that if SP1 hasn't shown up as an available update when I try to actively update, then it also won't ever auto-update for me? If that is the case, it would be much, much more intuitive if instead of Vista/WU pretending SP1 doesn't exist to a user's world, there was some kind of notice to the user about this? I'm trying to look at this from the perspective of John Q who doesn't know what SP1 even is but just knows his PC is set up to autoupdate. If the OS doesn't communicate an update issue to the user, and the user expects updates to happen automatically, how is the user supposed to get an updated OS?

   BTW: I'm one of those who had Realtek issues, but even after verifying every item in that check list doesn't apply to my machine, I still don't have the SP showing up and frankly have no idea how it's ever going to end up on my machine (I'm even contemplating moving over to a Windows 7 CTP when it shows up on MSDN since at least it'll be progress). (I did call tech support but got tired of the hold time)
7. Brandon LeBlanc

   

   
   Posted on: April 24, 2008 at 12:07AM  

   rkpatrick, the blockers in place to prevent SP1 from installing on PCs with problematic drivers is only a temporary block. Eventually updated drivers will be provided that will then let users install SP1 through Windows Update. So to say it won't ever auto-update for you isn't true.

   Iria, I understand exactly how you feel and the "hoops" you had to jump through - as I've done them myself. Microsoft is working with OEM's to provide updated device drivers that will come across through Windows Update and then let you install SP1.

   - Brandon
8. Muxxie63

   
   Posted on: April 24, 2008 at 7:55AM  

   As a new costumer of Vista I really have one question?

   How the heck do I use it?

   I've had problems with webpages, email, ect. any suggestions.
9. BuckFix

   
   Posted on: April 24, 2008 at 11:09AM  

   pingback from: http://www.winsupportforum.de/forum/news/547-vista-sp1-nun-auch-als-automatisches-update.html
10. rkpatrick

    
    Posted on: April 24, 2008 at 12:30PM  

    Brandon: My drivers are all up-to-date. I did cross-ref my machine with the KB list. I think the only step I have left is to call tech support (once I get the patience back to sit through the hold time). But my point is that let's say someone has auto-update turned on (like me), has correctly-versioned drivers (like me), etc. but SP1 is not available. Is there some point - let's say a year from now - where Vista would alert or in some other active fashion communicate to the user that crucial updates have been disabled for them for a year and is thus holding up other updates? Or at some point, will you deactivate the "Hide SP1 from certain machines" feature one day?