should i go ahead with SP1, or just wait for SP2?

i know, i'm terribly behind the times, but until i joined this forum recently i had no idea that SP1 had been released for Vista. i run updates regularly, but i've never gotten the Service pack update...maybe it's because i'm on dial up? idk. the reason i ask is because i know SP2 is due out Q1 of this year, and the beta is already out, which i'd love to try btw, and if i've read right SP1 is a prerequisite for SP2. is it worth the biiiig download from the windows site, or should i just wait for SP2 to come down the Windows Updater pike?

 

Install SP1 now, then install SP2 when it comes out.

 

Install SP1 for now... you can get in SP2 later when its released. Cheers.

Edit: Darn Doctor! Always the first.

 

____

 

Doesn't it require SP1 before you can update to SP2?

 

^^ good question. Possible, but they might go the way of XP, meaning no need of SP1 for SP2, but will need SP1 or SP2 for SP3

cheers ...

 

How big is SP1, I'd imagine big? Don't you know someone with broadband, dial up would take forever.

 

vista's service packs aren't cumulative for some reason ... so if you want to install sp2 you'll have to install sp1 first. Definately install sp1 it really did speed up/ make vista more reliable. sp2 (the beta at least) did nothing for me :\
there are several reasons why sp1 may not have appeared in windows update:

 

Really ?.. didnt know that. But XP service packs are , right ? At least the last time I checked (SP2) it was.

Getting back to the original question : I think you should upgrade to SP1 too, Better be ready that sorry ... I'm running SP1 since the official final version was released. No problems...

 

yeh xp's service packs were cumulative

 

ok, checked on Windows update last night, and downloaded SP1, as well as a couple of sound and graphics driver updates. the download from WU took about 5 minutes, not too bad, but the install for SP1 took the greater part of an hour lol. i can tell it helped though. idle memory usage is down ~40 or so MB's and i'm using less memory for stuff that used to spike memory usage, like AOL and media player. feels a good bit faster, every little bit helps with 512 mb memory lol (2 gig upgrade hopefully soon)

...one question though; since the install, a couple seconds after i click on a "memory sucking" program like AOL or media player, my memory usage goes up a slight bit (of course), but my CPU usage spikes to 100%, and after a couple seconds it drops back down and responds normally. it's almost like it's momentarily using the CPU (virtual memory is my guess) as memory instead of just using the actual RAM...any thoughts?

 

the reason it spikes i because you don't have enough memory to open the program so the ram has to send info to the cpu to process and then back to the ram.

btw, HOW THE *BEEP* ARE U RUNNING VISTA ON 512MB of ram???????

 

He could be running a Vista Basic machine...

 

Or maybe a vLited Vista install?

 

yupp, Vista basic, and it actually runs really well once what little bloatware present is deactivated/deleted. i'm still not clear on why it could spike the CPU like that though. would'nt the memory usage spike also, or is there not enough memory for the system to mess with, so it automatically uses the virtual memory? i'm still not quite up to speed on some of this stuff lol

ya reckon once i move up to 2 gb's the CPU spike will stop?

 

Most certainly you'll reduce those spikes and notice a major improvement in performance overall.

 

sweet! thanks for the quick answers guys!