Any program's SP1 will be the easiest to install simply
because you don't have to worry about accumulating all the previous
service packs as you
do with SP2s and SP3s.
We expect Windows service packs to contain hot-fixes and security updates, but what's almost unprecedented
with Windows 7's SP1 is that Microsoft introduce so
few new features.
Actually, the fact that SP1 is so boring is a compliment to Microsoft
testing the original
Windows 7 RTM
so thoroughly. My cynical friend Barking Eddie
turns this observation on its head and says that Windows 7 should have
been called Vista SP4, and this should be Vista SP5.
Once you find the Windows 7 SP1 download site, one 32-bit (x86) service pack will cover all
desktop / laptop editions of Windows 7, but not embedded operating systems.
Naturally, there is a separate SP1 file for 64-bit operating systems, which
is designed for both Windows 7 AND Server 2008 R2.
Applying Windows 7 service pack 1 was smooth and straightforward, the
hardest part was finding the download in amongst the myriad of updates on
Microsoft's site.
Naturally, log on to your computer as an administrator best close
any open programs.
A good idea is to check that you have a recent backup; also update any
device drivers from the manufacturers' sites.
For laptops, try and connect to an AC electrical outlet for the
duration of the install rather than
rely on the battery.
Update any device drivers as necessary. You can do this by using
Windows Update in Control Panel, or by going to the device
manufacturer's website.
Beware, most antivirus software prevents SP1 from installing, thus
take the time to discover how to disable your antivirus software while
you install Windows 7 SP1.
Make sure you have enough free disk space to install SP1. The estimated disk space required to install SP1 from the
Microsoft website or from an SP1 installation DVD is: 32-bit
(x86-based): 1800 MB 64-bit (x64-based): 3300 MB
If there are language packs installed on your computer, you will
need additional
disk.
Guy
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access, then displays the results in a nifty desktop dashboard!
Think of all the frustration that this free utility saves when you are
troubleshooting authorization problems for users access to a resource.
No review of Windows 7 SP1 would be complete without a mention of
RemoteFX. If you have used Remote Desktop then you will have
been disappointed with the graphics experience compared with running Windows
7 locally. SP1 introduces an updated client to supply RDP (Remote
Desktop Protocol) connections with RemoteFX.
With Windows 7 SP1, RemoteFX improves the Remote Desktop experience by
supporting Windows Aero, full-motion video, and 3D graphics. To reap
these benefits make sure the Windows 2008 Server has a DirectX 10.0 graphics
card to support the Windows 7 SP1 guest operating system.
Incidentally, this technology has undergone more re-naming than any other
Windows component, what used to be called Terminal Services is now Session
Virtualization.
Dynamic Memory Changes in Windows 7 SP1
According to Microsoft, dynamic memory "allows customers to achieve
increased density when they're consolidating physical servers into a virtual
realm, providing them with predictable performance and linear scalability."
Translated: IT administrators can dice up the physical memory on a machine,
like a server, and dole it out to many different virtual machines on the
fly.
Summary Windows 7 SP1 Changes
Actually, your Windows 7 will probably already have 95% of the
fixes and updates supplied by SP1. Nevertheless, when you are
rebuilding a machine it's handy to have them all in one file.
Although there is every indication that Windows 7 SP1 (Build 7601) will be
trouble-free, best practice recommends that you test on one machine before
applying to a whole network. In addition, take the opportunity to check both
Windows Update settings and your Restore points.
The highlight of my review of Windows 7 SP1 is RemoteFX. What this
does is give Remote Desktop the graphics performance of a local machine.
Service Pack's Personality
Each service pack has its own personality. Just as the children,
and grandchildren in any family show different traits, so Microsoft's
service packs vary in their characteristics.
Any program's SP1 will be the most docile and easiest to install simply because
you don't have to worry about accumulating all the previous SPs as you
do with SP2s and SP3s.
First-born children are often the favorites, and the birth of any SP1 is
traditionally the trigger for businesses to order that particular
operating from their system supplier. However, don't be premature installing
a beta version of Windows SP1, my advice is to wait for delivery of the final
RTM version.
For me a
service pack also provides peace of mind.
I don't often check my Windows Update History, but when I did, I was shocked
to see that some updates failed. To be fair, it seemed that the
Automatic Update Service tried again and invariably succeed in the next update
cycle. My abiding thought is that SP1 will 'roll-up' these updates,
and thus
ensure that I have not missed any.
One of the most enduring myths is that applying SP1 to an evaluation copy will break the time-lock and thus give
you a
fully functioning version of Windows 7. Not true. This myth started in
the days of Windows NT4, and even back then I did not believe that a service pack could transform an
evaluation copy into a fully functioning version.
There is also the reverse of the above myth, the theory that SP1 will make pirate
versions of Windows 7 unusable. There has long been a threat that Microsoft would add code to service packs that detect pirate
product keys, and then cause those systems to lock until that machine gets a
genuine licence.
Back with XP
Microsoft flirted with such ideas to tackle software piracy, for example they
introduced the Reduced Functionality Mode (RFM) and Non-Genuine State (NGS).
The problem is that this also irritated people with genuine licences when
things went wrong, for example internet connection problems when
authenticating genuine product keys could lead to NGS. However, there
is no indication of any such anti-piracy tricks in Windows 7 SP1.
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