FAQ: How to get Vista SP1

Computerworld - After refusing to let most users have Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1) for weeks, Microsoft on Tuesday finally said everyone could have it.

Well, almost everyone.

The details of who gets SP1 now and how — and who doesn't and why — were pretty Byzantine, even for Windows. Microsoft recognized that, and dedicated one of its longer Vista blog posts to the topic.

So where will SP1 show up and when, and for whom? Good questions.

We have the answers. Or at least we think so, based on the info from Microsoft.

What's the (Microsoft) plan, Stan? Simply put — which nothing is, naturally — Microsoft has said that Vista users can update to SP1 via Windows Update (WU) now by manually selecting the service pack from the WU list. Next month, the company will toggle the automatic bit, so to speak, and begin pushing SP1 to all Vista users who have Automatic Updates set to both download and install fixes automatically. Other users who have Automatic Updates set to download patches but notify them before installing — or to simply notify them that something is available — will get the notices regarding SP1 from Automatic Updates in "mid-April," as Microsoft has said. David Zipkin, a Vista senior product manager, said on Tuesday that Microsoft might flip that bit early if things go well this month.

That's SP1 delivery in a nutshell. Except — there's almost always an "except" — some people who want SP1 now and don't want to wait until April won't see the service pack pop up on WU. In fact, Microsoft has posted a support document that lists eight, as in count 'em, eight, reasons why there's no Vista SP1 for you.

I stay away from Windows Update and let the OS do its own thing. I have no idea what you're talking about. So where do I start? Click the Start menu and navigate to All Programs. In the ensuing list, look for Windows Update. Click that. You're in WU. You should refresh the list by clicking on Check for Updates.

This is the list of updates offered to your PC. If you're lucky, SP1 is there. It should read, "Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (KB936330)."

OK, I'm staring at the Windows Update's list and don't see Service Pack 1. What do I do? First things first. If you're so eager for SP1's final bits, it's likely that you tried one of the preliminary versions that Microsoft released to all comers starting last December. That has to come off. Uninstall it. Head to Control Panels, pull up Uninstall Programs, click on View Installed Updates, find the now-obsolete Release Candidate (RC) of SP1 and make it go away.