Windows 7 SP1 public beta now ready for download
By Vlad Savov 
posted Jul 14th 2010 6:55AM
posted Jul 14th 2010 6:55AM
Slightly ahead of schedule, Microsoft has dished out Service Pack numero uno for Windows 7. The hot-selling OS has been a revelation since its release and it's therefore no surprise that this update pack does nothing remarkably new or important. It collates all of Microsoft's patches since launch into a neat little (well, not really, it's 1.2GB in size) package and throws in a few other hotfixes to boot. Microsoft treats its betas rather unceremoniously, however, so don't expect any support with this thing until it goes final -- which we're hearing might not be until early 2011. We'd say that's a long way out but it's not like Windows 7 isn't treating us well enough already. Hit the source to obtain the download, if you must.[Thanks, JagsLive]
Let's do amazing Microsoft.
@SolidSnake
Install windoze patch reboot goto step 1 repeat 20 times. Windoze at the end gets BSOD . Reformat reinstall patch repeat step 1 ,2 20 more times...
@Makali
I'm guessing you haven't used Windows since ME, Makali?
@Demaar
Guess you didn't have joy installing Vista on an xp or patching a vista ...morons
@Makali
Guess your brain is so miniscule you cant comprehend a civil argument
Windows 7 is amazing to say the least
@Makali
How is he a Moron? Your comment doesn't even make sense.
"installing Vista on an xp or patching a vista" what does that mean?
And update roll-ups are your friend. You're the moron if you think that you have to patch 1 by 1.
@Makali So says the person who more then likely pays for any updates to his OS, isn't that right?
@Makali lame...go back to your abacus
@Makali Well there's your first problem, you didn't read the minimum specs for Vista when installing over XP.
@Makali Am I like the only one that didn't have any problems with Vista? Jeeze, I though it was rather good, and a lot better than XP. I actually had a bigger problem with 7 when I got the RTM version before there was any firmware compatibility with printers and couldn't print anything from my laptop for 6 months.
@SolidSnake Dude its a Service Pack. The only SP that ever did anything amazing was XP SP2 and frankly it had to, else everyone would have shown up on MS's doorstep and burned their company to the ground.
This is going to be a bug fix. That's all.
I think ill hold out and see what it does first, hopefully there will be no major issues with it.
@biginthegame
READ! It does nothing in particular. If you've been keeping up with your updates and hotfixes, it does almost nothing.
If you're doing a fresh install tomorrow though, it saves you having to have several hundred hotfixes one by one over several hours that were released since W7 came out.
That is all.
@Tes
I've not read anything on this, but what you're saying is that it's just a rehash of all the previous updates into one big pack and then some?
I suppose this is exciting if you get your jollies from reformatting once a month.
@GenericPoster
Pretty much. But it's aimed squarely at enterprise and developers, not the home user (which you'd hope Engadget would point out...but than that would be professional)
It makes it easier if you're deploying a lot of offline, behind firewalls systems that don't get a weekly update.
@GenericPoster
Thats usually all SP's are. There might be the occasional fix for a hot issue (like Vista's USB file transfer speeds) but most of the time service packs are just all the updates that have been released so far.
@GenericPoster
Are you one of those people who get off on reformatting? Defrag is enough for me personally.
@Tes That's perfect for me, I've been thinking of nuking my laptop and starting fresh for a while.
@Tes someones never heard of WSUS.
@Jordus
I'm not getting your point?
@Tes
Yep used it for a clean install yesterday. It's amazing how easy it is to get Microsoft stuff by simply selecting the "I am a developer" drop down box.
@goldman60
Keep in mind that if you have a non genuine Windows 7 this SP will deactivate your copy of Windows. Microsoft doesn't talk about that "new feature" too much
@Tes Waiting for slipstream version...
@HellFlyer Exactly. I was already between by previous updates at least a couple times. The updates description said something about detecting and removing malicious code etc, which means anything that by-passes legit activation. Fortunately I always keep a recent image of my OS and restored prior to those "updates" then I re-updated but more carefully found those specific updates and selected to "hide" them so they do not install and everything STILL running great. As you say this service pack is sure to contain those also. Now if I can just figure out how I can install the service pack when it is officially released without those specific patches.......
@MaximumRD KB971033 is the one that should NOT be installed
A beta service pack? Am I the only one amused?
@JS yes.
@JS
You'll have to uninstall it when the final version comes out anyway. Hardly worth bothering really.
@JS I wasn't sure what that meant. I assume it meant until it ships as the retailer version, anyone know?
@JS
No
@JS Probably.
Does anyone know what the fixes and adjustments are that this Service pack brings?
@MichaelJJackson
It brings you back from the dead.
@MichaelJJackson
I really like how Engadget failed to mention that the SP adds support for the new RDP enhancements in Windows Server 2008 R2.
R2 is getting support for remote graphics rendering. That means that if you are remote desktoping into a WinSer08r2 machine, all the graphics are rendered locally on your machine. So I can use remote desktop and have Aero enabled while I'm using my machine that is several states away.
It's pretty awesome. Oh well, I guess this is why I go to Ars as well. Their coverage of such things is much more detailed.
Windows 7 rules! Only 2 things I like from Microsoft- this OS and my mouse 3.0.
@budoraga
No love for Clippy? But why... :(
@budoraga
Try the Zune HD. Seriously sweet interface.
@gpsxsirus - Agreed. Best touch UI ever
@gpsxsirus +1 for Zune HD. If MS had made a Zune HD phone instead of the kin, they wouldn't have had to kill it imo.
@Khav Check out Windows Phone 7. It's learned a few things from Zune HD. Also, I've heard the media player in WinPhone7 will essentially be the same as using a Zune HD. http://youtu.be/wlJ_fLPpmdM
Wow engadget this came out TWO days ago.
http://www.neowin.net/news/windows-7-sp1-public-beta-due-today
Nice and prompt with your reporting as always.
@thebettertwin
also this isnt really a public beta either:
"Please Note: This early release of Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 Beta is not available for home users. The SP1 Beta does not provide new end-user features, and installation is not supported by Microsoft."
nothing new in the service pack? that's a shame.
@davidgk
What did u expect? service packs are basically just a collection of updates and hotfixes. I guess people have been spoiled by XP SP2 which actually added a lot of features.
@davidgk
it enables the super secret magic mode, allowing your computer to excrete gold from your disc drive
@wack
Not to mention it can build you an island, then transforms into a f---ing jet and flies you there.
1.2GB WTF!
@Hobsie
Yes, and not even some new screensavers :(
@Hobsie Thats sort of misleading. Once its not in beta the actual SP1 will come in at half that size or much less as always if you download over windows update (which most people do, so your downloading a version specific to your version). You also need to realize that MS goes with a single service model now, which means that the final release of this will patch all versions of windows 7 and server 2008 R2.
Lastly, every incremental update from Apple (like 10.6.1, 10.6.2 etc) are always at least 650mb a peice and Apple charges you for their service packs (10.5, 10.6, etc)
Microsoft is not going to get many downloads of this. 75% of Windows users are still using Windows XP, the glorious pinnacle of Windows OS.