Vista x64 media or slipstream SP ?

[Sputnik]

I have a retail version of Vista pre SP1. can I slipstream the service packs on? or do I need to obtain a disk with the service packs already on ?

I'm a complete Vista noob so know nothing of how it works. But, I think it is time I moved from XP and I want to go x64.

[lodore]

Hello,
i think MS said it cant be slipstreamed.
but vlite can slipstream it now.
i wouldnt reccomend it thou.
much better to just install and get updates from windows update.

[watercooled]

I'd say slipstreaming is good because your system is updated from the off and you don't have to connect to the internet with an unpatched system (as well as the other benefits of slipstreaming). Alternatively, you could manually download the service pack from the MS website.

Edit: Just wanted to add, I don't have any experience of slipstreaming so I don't know how smooth it would be.

[Agent]

vlite isn't a true slipstream like back in the XP days, IIRC. The process is a lot longer and messy - This isn't a vlite issue, but a MS one with slipstreaming.

Either grab a Vista SP1 media, or install then apply the SP

[Sputnik]

vlite isn't a true slipstream like back in the XP days, IIRC. The process is a lot longer and messy - This isn't a vlite issue, but a MS one with slipstreaming.

I tried it a couple of times but, got errors. Does not seem as good as Nlite.

Either grab a Vista SP1 media, or install then apply the SP

I thought that might be the case, I had quite a few problems upgrading an existing XP install with service packs before.

[CaptainCrash]

Rather than mess about with slipstreaming, you could just download the Vista SP-1 ISO as released to MSDN/Technet from "the usual places" (oooh, arrr, Jim lad). All genuine Vista SP-1 installation media are identical, apart from the Enterprise version and certain customised OEM discs, so as long as you have a legitimate product key you will be licensed and legal.

To make sure you're not getting any unwelcome surprises, check the downloaded ISO against the correct SHA-1 hashes as follows (you could use something like Fsum Front End for this purpose):

32-bit ISO: bcd715a02739809e477c726ae4b5caa914156429

64-bit ISO: bdadc46a263a7bf67eb38609770e4fdbd05247cb

Another option would be to order the "Windows Vista Alternate Media" (which contains exactly the same code) directly from Microsoft - IIRC, it costs about £15 including P&P, and takes about two weeks to arrive.

[this_is_gav]

I tried it a couple of times but, got errors. Does not seem as good as Nlite.

Like Agent said, it's got nothing to do with vLite. When slipstreaming, nLite just used the slipstream function built into the service pack. As Vista SPx doesn't have that feature, vLite can't use it, so it has to hack its way around the problem. vLite is every bit as good as nLite (though a little less mature of course), but it's limited by the lack of a slipstream option in the service packs.