SP1 for Vista... in N.Z. is it happening yet or how do we get it?

Forums › Microsoft Windows › SP1 for Vista... in N.Z. is it happening yet or how do we get it?

Thelonious

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#21446 27-Apr-2008 14:19

My understanding... and a search of Geekzone confirms it, is that MS were to release the SP from the start of April via the normal Windows update service. While my update service appears to be working fine - witness numerpous updates to Defender etc - still no sign of SP1 either on my desktop or laptop.

The alternative seems to be a much larger version from the MS site - where there are dire warnings about NOT doing this for single PCs and I see it is very large. I notice as well that while the update service when triggered from my PC seems fine, when the MS web page tries to check for latest update software (which presumably relates to the special SP1 installer) it gets an error with no helpful clue on what is wrong.

Any ideas?
Thanks
Brent

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scottjpalmer

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#126572 27-Apr-2008 14:23

Somewhere in the interwebnet it tells you that if you have SP1 incompatible drivers then it won't let you download SP1 . . .

scottjpalmer

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#126574 27-Apr-2008 14:24

http://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?ForumId=45&TopicId=20259&page_no=1

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=948343#method5

xcubed

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#126575 27-Apr-2008 14:27

Hi Brent,

There are a few reasons why SP1 may not be available to you in Windows Update. In most cases it is due to software or hardware incompatibilities. In my case, my Logitech webcam driver was incompatible with the update, so I had to uninstall it before I was offered SP1.

You can find a list of the known issues here: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/948343

Carey

Thelonious

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#126576 27-Apr-2008 14:42

Thanks for all of those replies... I'll go chasing. Seems odd... I have a very bog standard set up and even bogger on my laptop!

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Batman

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#126597 27-Apr-2008 16:54

you can download it (sp1 installer) from microsoft (just google microsoft vista service pack 1) and install it. even if your computer is "not up to it", it will still work. any advantage - well no noticable difference to the average user - but certainly get the feel good factor :)

just a warning the download is about 500mb ...

chakkaradeep

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#126599 27-Apr-2008 17:10

joker97:
well no noticable difference to the average user

Thats the reason Microsoft doens't recommend users to do that way. Hardware drivers play and important role in the well being of the system. I would suggest Thelonious to check what hardware would be stopping from installing SP1 and if you require any support or help, you can contact Microsoft as the support for Vista SP1 is free of charge. You can read more about it here [ look in the comments ]

Regards,
Chaks

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Thelonious

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#126630 27-Apr-2008 19:56

Thanks both Chaks and Joker - a bit of checking and I found on my laptop I have Sierra aircard files from an earlier failed attempt to get this hardware to work with Vista. I abandonned that in favour of Maxon after 3 months trying but still had the files in a folder but not installed - no difference and no SP1. I run no other hardware on my laptop - well a MS wireless mouse but that's it.

On my desktop I run Creative Audigy 2 ZS. The MS "incompatible" list has Audigy (hard to tell which versions etc - Creative have dozens of variants) there but I have the latest drivers etc for it. There is a long history of mnismatch and lag in compatibility between Creative and MS - mainlky in XP days but even with Vista it was a while before they got it together.

I am a little wary about flying in the face of the MS advice so shall try a few other things. While I understand there may be few "above the hood" differences with SP1, the list of "under the hood" stuff - especially in the security area makes you want to try to grab the benefoits if possible.

We shall see.

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freitasm

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#126633 27-Apr-2008 20:25

If you know there isn't anything that should interfere you could install manually download and install SP1. If anything stops working you can uninstall it and look for the correct drivers.

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antoniosk

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#126638 27-Apr-2008 20:52

freitasm: If you know there isn't anything that should interfere you could install manually download and install SP1. If anything stops working you can uninstall it and look for the correct drivers.

I agree with Maurico. My machine running Vista is 6 years old - an AMD A7V333 with Athlon XP2400 processor. Everything in this machine is genuine 'vintage' by Vista standards, and with the exception of one of the DVD players - which crashs the Media Centre but nothing else - I have had no issue.

Backup your important data as always, set aside some clear time to do it (and then add an hour), and away you go. Microsoft do go a long way towards making their software work with everything, it's quite an achievement at times.

AK

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Thelonious

61 posts

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#126640 27-Apr-2008 21:03

Cheers Mauricio and AK - yes, it rather looks as if I shall go that way. My own experience is that, in spite of much melodrama from some, the MS software is generally robust - especially versus user error!

It is helpful here - and this is the value of the forum for me - to get different views though and I try to work down each of the paths suggested.... its quite amazing what you learn.

Doubters should try programming FORTRAN IV on the Burroughs B6700 where I started.

One observation on the distribution method - via Windows Update. Because we are way down here on the tiny rock and there are many, many users and MS said they wanted a "measured release" (which I understand, there was always the possibility that it simply "wasn't my turn yet".... no way of knowing! No message to say "you are incompatible" or similar.... it was only when I realsied April was almost gone that I started to wonder.

Thanks all.

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Thelonious

61 posts

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#127198 29-Apr-2008 22:54

Just to finish off - with a happy ending I am pleased to say:

- in the end I decided to install SP I regardless of possible incompatibilities and downloaded it (the 438 m version)
- download takes some time regardless of your download speed, presumably because of the speed of the MS server,
- allow a couple of hours for broadband (NZ style that is)
- install no problem, no strange reports, about 2 hours to install

On my machine at least, and I stress on mine, the differences are very noticeable in two main areas:

- Windows Explorer (as suggested in some reviews I have read) is fast and robust and without odd behaviour
- the whole machine is palpably quicker

I have changed absolutely nothing else at all.

No compatibility problems so far and I have tested most of the things I typically do

A while ago I started testing beta V of Firefox 3. With FF 3 - and SP I together the improvement in speed (and mine wasn't exactly slow before with 2 g and a decent processor etc) is quite considerable.

Thanks to all the contributors to my query - much appreciated.
Brent

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chakkaradeep

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#127207 29-Apr-2008 23:26

Good to know that everything works fine

Thelonious

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#127214 29-Apr-2008 23:55

Cheers Chaks

Perhaps one more bit very obvious(I guess) information is that having downloaded SP I once, I was able to copy it to a USB drive, and then upgrade my laptoip and the other machines we have on the home network. Its just on 438 m (the standalone version) so I saved a bit of the ever precious data capped band width - for those whoi have to be concerned about that.

It also makes the upgrade a lot quicker!!!

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