HOWTO: get Vista Service Pack 1 - right now..

[dangel]

Those of you following things closely may already know but build 18000 has officially be outed as the full RTM version of service pack 1 (see If you’ve got Refresh 2, You’ve got RTM at Geek’s Anatomy)

You can get this straight from microsoft themselves through windows update using the following steps. Be aware that there are reported driver conflicts with some systems so do this at your own risk and please backup your system. That said, this is the official super ultra final build that will appear for everybody else next month.

1. Create a new text file and call it "vista.bat"

2. Edit the file and pop the following into it (and run it afterwards obviously):

@echo off
reg delete HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\WindowsUpdate\VistaSp1 /f > NUL 2>&1
reg delete HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\WindowsUpdate\VistaSP1 /f > NUL 2>&1
reg add HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\WindowsUpdate\VistaSp1 /v Beta1 /t REG_SZ /d dcf99ef8-d784-414e-b411-81a910d2761d /f
IF NOT %errorlevel% == 0 ( goto ERROR)

:SUCCESS
%SystemRoot%\system32\wuapp.exe
goto END

:ERROR
@echo.
echo ===========================================================
echo error
echo ===========================================================
@echo.
pause
goto END

:END


3. now go to windows update and manually check for updates

4. you should now see the first of two pre-sp1 updates - install and reboot as required for each.

5. finally you should see "Windows Vista Service Pack 1 Release Candidate 1 - Build 6001.18000". That's the big one kids. For my x64 english ultimate system it's 126.1MB

[godsdog]

Thanks for the heads up , dangel. Will try it out later.

[Splash]

Call me crazy, but I'll be installing this when it goes live on WU without the hack

[godsdog]

For me, I could do with seeing the final version in action right now. I have a laptop that's classed as 'Vista crap' it's going on as a quick test case I just want to note the improvement first hand. Plenty of people in the same boat (and plenty of people reporting SP1 betas tightening things up considerably).

[dangel]

Call me crazy, but I'll be installing this when it goes live on WU without the hack

I got no problem with that - this thread isn't here to make anyone do anything; all i'm doing is giving you the possibility to do it It's not like it's coming from an unofficial source

I'm running it now btw with no issues..

Installation goes like this:

download, initial install, asks for reboot then on logoff screen will install in three stages - post stage 2 it reboots and stage 3 runs on the login screen. Then you logon and it's done. Pretty painless.


I repeat - it's your choice and as I said, backup first. I would do the latter on 'official' release day too tbh.

[Splash]

I wasn't criticising dangel - in all honesty I can't see why Microsoft couldn't make it available through Connect. You certainly did the right thing in your disclaimer but some of the other sites I've seen this on didn't, and now people are whining about the fact that SP1 killed their PC, and how much Microsoft suck. And then there's the people who's downloaded a torrent of SP1... honestly, some people!

It seems you can't win sometimes!

[dangel]

No problem matey

Too true - i wouldn't install from a torrent for something so vital! Once the build number was confirmed and i could get it from MS directly i thought i might as well give it a go. As long as you back up, there's nothing to worry about.

[0iD]

Some (possibly) handy guides on SP1 from MS here Download details: Windows Vista SP1 Guides for IT Professionals

[machinist]

Guys, can Vista SP1 be streamlined with your original install DVDs, like XP could with SP2 ??
i.e. you burn a new DVD Vista install disk with SP1 integrated ...

[Jamesrt2004]

Guys, can Vista SP1 be streamlined with your original install DVDs, like XP could with SP2 ??
i.e. you burn a new DVD Vista install disk with SP1 integrated ...

You will be able too but I doubt it atm

unless you torrent the 3gb rtm version =]

[machinist]

Well with XP you could use your original install CD, run some DOS-based commands against the Service Pack, then reburn to CD.
Surely that will (hopefully) be possible ??

[dangel]

If it's any help the install didn't take that long (see work system spec below) really. You can cleanup the updates afterwards as per usual if you're not planning on uninstalling it.

[poozle]

Am I right in thinking anyone with a previous RC of SP1 installed needs to remove it first before trying to install it this way?

[dangel]

Am I right in thinking anyone with a previous RC of SP1 installed needs to remove it first before trying to install it this way?

Yes - you should always uninstall the earlier builds.

[dangel]

Update: i've checked my registry and my build numbers match the RTM as reported on various sites so it looks all good. No problems with it at all.

[Dreaming]

call me cautious but I'm just going to wait until it's the official windows update thing

not going to give windows any excuse to fall over and die