Vista SP1 officially coming tomorrow?

It's already got its own toilet paper in Japan, but the rest of us are still patiently waiting for Vista SP1 to officially hit -- but maybe not for much longer: DailyTech is reporting that SP1 will be available for download starting tomorrow, with boxed copies to follow on store shelves Wednesday. While Microsoft's PR team wouldn't confirm anything other than "on track for mid-March" to The Register, it seems the company has been a little more forthcoming with its pals at Amazon, which is also listing March 18th as the release date for SP1. That's some fishy fish, but there's only one way to find out for reals -- nap time, here we come.

Read - DailyTech
Read - El Reg
Read - Amazon

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 17th 2008 2:38PM]

DIGITAL LIFE LIST:

Halo 3 Patch *check*
COD 4 Patch *check*
Vista SP1 *pending*

[oink Posted Jun 25th 2009 12:43PM]

Finally.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 17th 2008 5:42PM]

I hear that.
Ghost reportin'.
Call the shot.
You call down the thunder...and I'll reap the whirlwind.
I'm gone.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 17th 2008 10:10PM]

Nuclear Launch Detected (NOOOOO, NOT MY CARRIERS!)

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 17th 2008 3:10PM]

Apparently very little research went into this article. MS has announced (quietly) that SP1 is being officially released to the public for manual download on 3/18. It will appear in Windows Update at some point in April. A staggered release to be on the safe side, I guess.

It is a bit strange that MS hasn't been playing up the SP1 release a bit more even if in reality it's not the big a deal. SP1 is mostly just a patch rollup with some additional fixes here and there that likely won't make much of a difference to the experience of most. Still, it just saying that they have a SP will sell copies.

[jakem Posted Mar 17th 2008 5:02PM]

My Vista installs were both fully patched prior to installing SP1 a few weeks ago. Although the improvements weren't staggering they are certainly noticeable. Boot and shutdown times are better, sleep works a lot better, battery life is improved and my systems in general feel smoother and faster.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 17th 2008 3:19PM]

I made the comment to an acquaintance that Vista is the new ME to which he retorted that even if it isn't the stigma that it is dooms it to be. Indeed.

[boe Posted Mar 17th 2008 4:09PM]

That is a mean thing to say about Windows ME - it was a better OS than Vista will ever be. At least MS gave up quickly on Windows ME - the never even bothered with a SP1 - I'm wondering when that fat head from MS will stop trying to convince the public that Vista is good and move on with Windows 7. I have hope for Windows 7 - with Vista SP1 all hope is lost...

[LRawlins Posted Mar 17th 2008 3:25PM]

March 18th for optional manual download through Windows Update, April 18th as a fully automated recommended Windows update, as far as I'm aware.

Giving Microsoft an extra month to squash any unforseen hiccups prior to SP1's global push.

[boe Posted Mar 17th 2008 4:04PM]

I run XP so I'm not an MS fanboy or a Linux fanboy but Vista sucks - Vista with SP1 - is like crap with sprinkles on top - doesn't really make it anything you would want. I'm looking forward to Windows 7 but have no interest in Vista - I tried SP1 - Vista is still a slug compared to XP even on expensive cutting edge equipment. If SP2 is a complete rewrite of Vista it might help but Vista SP1 still sucks.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 17th 2008 10:12PM]

I suppose this is proof that history repeats itself since I see this argument in the comments of EVERY GODDAMN MICROSOFT ARTICLE.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 17th 2008 3:48PM]

I wasted 3 min of my life on this link. Now I'm going to have to eat a cold poptart. Thanks douche bags.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 17th 2008 4:08PM]

**boe,
With all do respect - my Vista runs just as fast as XP on my setup, and is quite snappy. My shutdown and restart are quite quick. So I'm sorry your own experience with Vista was uneventful. Mine has been wonderful. Guess I'm a lucky one right?

[schagg Posted Mar 17th 2008 4:10PM]

Amazon now says March 19, 2008. apparently they moved it back a day?

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 17th 2008 4:15PM]

**schagg,

I just checked the amazon.com page at 3:14, and it still says 18March08.

[schagg Posted Mar 17th 2008 4:50PM]

@RiCEADDiCTBOY,

I swear I'm not making it up. click on one of those links when you first go to amazon, or click the linke below (they take you to a different Amazon page that says the 19th):

http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html/ref=amb_link_6398532_1?ie=UTF8&docId=1000203201&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=1YFHQPE8QEXRSX1DSYZ1&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=367359601&pf_rd_i=203101011

[boe Posted Mar 17th 2008 4:12PM]

Have you actually run benchmarks? I've run benchmarks on several different machines - new and old - Vista always comes out last - put XP on those same machines and they are much faster. I'm not sure you are lucky but perhaps fortunate taht you don't notice speed difference as much as others. As long as you are happy with Vista that is good for you. Unfortunately everyone I know and work with all are dissappointed in how sluggish Vista is - even if they've tried SP1.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 17th 2008 4:25PM]

**Boe,
"Unfortunately everyone I know and work with all are dissappointed in how sluggish Vista is - even if they've tried SP1."

And quite unfortunately everyone I know enjoys working on Vista. My computer is with 3ghz Wolfdale Duocore, DDR3 memory and etc...and it runs quite well. I don't know what else to say - upgrade your computer or don't use Vista? I'm not the one on your computer so I can't tell what you are using or how you are using it.

What I will say is that if XP works - thats great. XP is fine - it works. Vista works for me too. Not everyone is goning to have the same experience - just like Crysis. Nobody should get something that their computer isn't fully capable of exploiting that particular software or device without knowing their own system. Not saying that you in particular don't have a computer that will run Vista well. =/

[boe Posted Mar 18th 2008 3:15PM]

Riceadictboy - I have a 3ghz core 2 system at home with 2GIGS of RAM, an 8800GT 512mb vid and 3 500GIG HD's with 16mbs of cache. I've tested out Vista on faster PCs than mine - in the end even with SP1 on Vista, all the patches for Vista, all the tweaks to speed up Vista - XP is still significantly faster - no way around that - if you don't believe me just google Vista, XP and benchmarks. If I were you I wouldn't take my word for it but if you notice ALL the benchmark reviews show Vista is SLOWER than XP even on the fastest, latest cutting edge equipment.

Even without tweaking XP - or apply service packs or patches - XP runs faster than Vista - no matter how you prop up Vista. Buying the fastest hardware only to throw Vista into it is like buying a speed boat and dragging an anchor behind it - just doesn't make any sense to me.

[juicedesigns Posted Mar 18th 2008 12:24AM]

?

as far as I am aware, most benchmarks are designed around xp, and I have yet to see something that is designed to test how a game performs specifically on vista's new code base...


this argument is beyond pointless

vista != xp

is that really so difficult to understand?

my machine runs vista wonderfully, I haven't seen a bsod since the days of xp, and due to the multithreaded nature of the operating system, nothing ever crashes. and with prefetch programs just get faster and faster as the operating system learns how I work. I guess the only complaint that I could come up with would be the slow move and copy times... but hey, sp1 comes out tomorrow with that listed as a "fixed" item.

huzzah

fyi:
e6300
4gb ram (ddr2)
8800gts 512
750gb

[boe Posted Mar 18th 2008 8:55AM]

Juice - since for some reason it is too much work to go to google and type in the words XP VISTA BENCHMARKS where you will find at least 25 articles with comparisons of performance in business apps, networking, file copies, gaming - here is a quote from a brand new article from PC world comparing the two - "Windows Vista is a bloated pig of an operating system. In fact, compared to Windows XP with Service Pack 2 or 3, Vista requires roughly twice the hardware resources to deliver comparable performance. Even stripped to the bone, with every new UI enhancement turned off and every new background service disabled, Vista is a good 40 percent slower than XP at a variety of business productivity tasks. "

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 17th 2008 4:22PM]

I wonder what this means for people like me who actually did the Windows Feedback program? Last night I got an email saying that Microsoft is shipping my Vista Ultimate so I'm guessing it might come with SP1.

[TRAFFICBLOWS Posted Mar 18th 2008 11:26AM]

I was hoping the same thing!

However, I'm reallying thinking MS probably just offered the program to write off all the pre-SP1 disks they had in stock! I'm thinking the free Vista will not be SP1. :(

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 17th 2008 4:39PM]

vista will be awesome...eventually-- xp sucked until sp2, still had it from the start:)

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 17th 2008 4:54PM]

[edit] actually, computing in general sucked before multi-threaded processors and tabbed browsing. anyone else have cpu heart attacks with like 20 IE windows open in the start menu and it'd just have number lol. ahh, spyware.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 17th 2008 5:22PM]

**boe,
"Even without tweaking XP - or apply service packs or patches - XP runs faster than Vista - no matter how you prop up Vista. Buying the fastest hardware only to throw Vista into it is like buying a speed boat and dragging an anchor behind it - just doesn't make any sense to me."

Ok, ignore that Vista runs fantastic on my setup and zero slowdown or whatever. Lets focus on this instead - you are trying to compare in the wonederful world of technology quite an old OS vs a new OS? One of the potent reasons people are experiencing issues are the very reasons why I posted my CPU and ram - people who gripe and complain most often are those who usually hope they met somewhere around the "average" spec recommendations. That 1 gig of RAM or less is going to get destroyed by Vista GUI and people of course are going to experience "slowness" with sidebar and etc enabled.

XP can be run fluidly on almost every computer out on the market because it's not exactly the most demanding software out on the market...so the comparassion is to be expected but, not just.

Look, I gotta get going and get back home. You enjoy XP in all its splendid glory? Take care and remember - defrag!

[strang Posted Mar 17th 2008 5:25PM]

I hope we can slipstream this if we already have the last build.

[Itchy Posted Mar 17th 2008 8:14PM]

I have to say, I listened to all the negative feedback on Vista when it was released and vowed never to install it. Sure enough, I build a new computer and install XP Pro and it is, without a doubt, the suckiest six months of my life. I did everything I could to improve stability and the myriad problems I was having with load times of programs and the OS itself, display problems...you name it, it was going wrong. I finally broke down and got a copy of Vista (thank God for student software sales - it was 35 bucks for Ultimate!), installed it the other day, and, wouldn't you know, not a single problem. Other than a small glitch installing my printer driver (HP can kiss my ass), everything has been peachy and my computer's performance has improved dramatically. I look forward to SP1.

[ReadyKilowatt Posted Mar 17th 2008 8:15PM]

Darn, I just spent most of yesterday installing Linux because I got tired of waiting.

Oh, well.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 17th 2008 8:40PM]

But will it blend?

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 17th 2008 9:38PM]

Sweet! I just installed Vista Today!

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 18th 2008 12:02AM]

It now says on Amazon, shipping March 19th 2008:

Copied from Amazon:
Availability: This item will be released on March 19, 2008. Pre-order now! Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Gift-wrap available.


Pre-Order with Service Pack 1 or Buy the Current Version Now
Pre-order this version to get SP1 included in the box. Or buy Windows Vista Home Premium Upgrade now, then update to SP1 online--free of charge--when the new versions are released on March 18, 2008.

[victorstuber Posted Mar 18th 2008 12:43AM]

will i have to backup my files like it asks? will it delete or change my stuff?

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 18th 2008 6:24AM]

I just checked windows update and there's no update (Yet)