Windows 7 SP1, Soon?

MS just issued KB976902 and it appears it's primary purpose appears to be getting our computers ready for SP1. It was issued today with a few other updates including Media Center, Drive Corruption with drives >2TB and finally a compatibility update.

Anyway it's looking like MS is gearing us up for SP1.

 

Microsoft Releases Windows 7 SP1 RC | ConceivablyTech

 

i have been running sp1 beta for months without any problems
so hopefully it wont be far off

 

Cool, wonder what changes it will bring.

I had 7 updates for my G73 today, 6 of them installed fine but one of them failed for some reason. I wonder if that was the important one lol.

 

I had the same thing happen to me, on two different Win7x64 machines. On the first, it was the application compatibility update that failed. It installed fine after a reboot, though. So, on the second machine I unchecked that particular update, but then the Media Center update failed. Again, after a reboot everything installed fine. I think what happens is that the SP1 preparation update makes the other updates fail.

No need to wonder, just look at your update history.

 

I just reinstalled Windows 7 and I used the SP1 so that I do not have to download so many patches from windows update. Worked pretty well.

 

Windows 7 SP1 is due Q1 2011.

--L.

 

But I am pretty sure you will have to do it again AFTER SP1 is formally released. The beta copies have a limited lifespan.

Gary

 

Yep, you'll have to uninstall SP1 beta in order to install SP1 RTM.

 

For now there arent any big improvements (not that big like it happened with Vista...sp1 was good, but sp2 brought vista performance in gaming near to windows 7 @ stock...lol).

Beside the two new featues for windows server 2k8, mainly for IT users, on win7 is just a collection of patches and fixes till now.

 

Yeah. It's probably not even worth downloading, especially if you don't have a fast connection. I'm debating whether or not I should bother when it's released, since I'll basically already have it.

 

did any of you guys who are pooh-poohing SP1 even bother to download and read the spreadsheet that lists all of the fixes currently included in SP1?

There are over 600 kb articles listed including a huge number of restricted or request-only fixes.

 

Well of course not. Jeesh, that would be working from facts not conjecture.




Gary

 

Yup. Anyone who says that they 'basically already have it' are kidding themselves. More than 500 of the updates in SP1 are request-only and **unavailable** via the usual msft update channels.

 

I stand corrected then. Though, I'm a bit OCD about my computer having up-to-date software, so I was probably going to do it either way. xD

Though, I still doubt that any of those updates will affect me...

 

so... why are these updates request-only or unavailable?

 

Is there a few points that seems important to you for the average home user?

 

read the spreadsheet (it's freely available at the same msft link that delivers the SP1 download) and interpret it for yourself.

If words like performance, crash, ntfs, corruption, vulnerability, network stack, gdi, sleep, hibernation, and a few others are important to you, then every single fix in the SP is important.

On top of the 635 kb articles/fixes in the SP, there is the matter of integration. Service Packs are subjected to a huge variety of integrated system tests to make sure that the whole package installs and functions as a unit. Downloading individual fixes does NOT give a user this kind of testing. Yah, the individual fixes are themselves tested, but not as a whole, complete unit like a Service Pack is.

Request-only hotfixes are NOT unit tested until they are formally released as a component inside of a Service Pack. This is why they are request-only and why msft tells you (and ONLY if you can convince them that you really, really need the hotfix) that you use them unsupported at your own risk. Grabbing them as part of a Service Pack takes care of the testing.

 

Are there any performance updates, or just a bunch of hotfixes?

 

man i wish service packs came with new features .. like.. animated icons or something, maybe gui improvements, themes? something i would notice!

 

a) With rare exceptions, Services Packs by msft-definition, generally do NOT come with new features.

b) If you 'notice' when a service pack gets installed, something isn't quite right. Service Packs tends to fix a huge pile of behind the scenes things and prevent problems.

c) The nitty-gritty documentation for every service pack is freely available for those who care to look.

 

What do you think that hotfixes are/do? Seriously. Saying 'just a bunch of.....' doesn't carry a lot of understanding or meaning.

 

well then, i guess i'd rather have a "fun pack" than a service pack !

 

Looking at some threads in the official MS Service Pack 1 RC for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 forum, it seems that several users are having problems (fail to install, reboot, etc): Service Pack 1 RC for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 Forum

That's why I was asking what are the benefits for a home user to jump the gun now instead of waiting for the final SP1 in 2011 as I don't have any crash, corruption or BSOD at the present.

SP1 RC download & documentation: Download details: Documentation for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 Release Candidate (KB976932) as SP1 is not available in the Service Pack Center yet: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/downloads/service-packs

 

There really is no reason for the average home user to jump the gun and install the service pack Release Candidate.

The whole reason that there are betas and release candidates of service packs before they are released is so that businesses and power users can install them and see if there are any crashes or bugs, then report them to microsoft so that they can get fixed or a workaround or something before the final service pack is released to everyone via Windows Update.

the betas and RCs are more for testing, in other words.

 

In Windows' (and Microsoft's) history, Service Packs almost NEVER contained any major GUI improvements, themes, etc. The most we have seen in terms of new features was the Security Center in XP SP2, but most service packs were for NT versions of Windows to bring the OS up to date to a certain point for businesses and now home users. Service Packs contain all the latest security and technology updates and bug fixes.

MS Plus! 95, 98, etc brought GUI improvements, animated icons, etc. Those were for home users.

 

Systems that have install or reboot problems with the service pack beta are usually those that haven't been proper prepared by installing last weeks msft update releases. There were 4 patch releases last week that were mandatory pre-install items. As usual, the documentation for this is on technet.

It might be an error on the part of msft, but those 4 pre sp1 beta patches were **not** offered to users/machines that had any kind of 'problem' with their system licensing or authentication.

Kind of a back-door way to catch pirates, but there you have it.

1 user in a thousand (million??) who might have a problem is no reason for the other 999 users to not try a SP installation, IF they are so inclined.

No one is forcing the SP1 beta down users throats. But to toss it off as a 'do nothing' release is pretty damned silly given the breadth of fixes, most of which are available through NO OTHER PATH.

 

oh my god, i still remember the security center for xp, i was amazed there was something new.. although not the animated icons i was hoping for

wish MS would form a team to work on "extra" fun things like these.. maybe nicer looking taskbar icons? windows animations? a more useful aero flip?

i think the main thing is that MS puts all of their attention on their business users.. spending their time fixing compatibility issues with devices and programs that i didnt know exist. at least they are turning in the right direction with windows phone 7, gearing it more towards consumers rather than business users