Prepare for PC improvement

Everything you need to know about the Windows Vista upgrade

By Marc Saltzman

As owner and operator of Elite Party Rentals in Moonstone, Ont., Kari Smith relies on her Windows Vista-powered PC to communicate with customers, process orders, design flyers and manage finances.

“It took me a while to learn my way around it,” says Smith. “But Windows Vista is very powerful, easy to use and has fast search, so I can quickly find something on my computer.”

Smith experienced only one problem after she upgraded from Windows XP: Vista didn’t recognize one of her printers. “I’m looking forward to getting the Vista SP1 upgrade,” she says. “From what I hear, SP1 fixes this problem.”

And it does. Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1) is a free downloadable update available to Windows Vista users. It includes support for many peripherals and helps improve performance.

“Anything that’s going to help me work better, faster and more efficiently is something I can get excited about,” says Smith.

What is Windows Vista SP1?

This service pack includes a comprehensive set of Windows Vista updates issued over the past year. It also includes new enhancements designed to optimize your computing experience.

“SP1 is a significant milestone for Windows Vista, which has already shipped more than 100 million licenses worldwide,” says Elliot Katz, Windows client product manager for Microsoft Canada.

Windows Vista originally shipped with more than 20,000 “drivers,” which enable support for hardware (such as printers, keyboards or monitors).

Coinciding with the availability of Windows Vista SP1, there are now over 58,000 additional drivers available from Windows Update, bringing the total to more than 78,000.

This means that if some peripherals (such as printers) previously had a hard time working with Windows Vista, the problems will likely be resolved if you run Windows Update (Start > All Programs > Windows Update) after installing SP1.

Windows Update can be found in the Control Panel under System and Maintenance.

How do I get Windows Vista SP1?

If you’ve got automatic updates turned on (which is the default setting in Windows Vista), starting in late April or early May, Microsoft will start automatically downloading Windows Vista SP1 to existing Windows Vista users. You’ll be prompted with a message window and can install SP1 immediately or select a more convenient time. If you do not receive the Windows Vista SP1 update in a timely fashion or if you do not have automatic updates turned on, you can click on the Windows Update tab (Start > All Programs > Windows Update) and manually download SP1 at your convenience.

Windows Vista SP1 - Turn on automatic Updates

Just a few clicks is all it takes to ensure your computer automatically upgrades to SP1 and any future Vista updates.

How long does it take?

Downloading the 65-MB SP1 file depends on the speed of your Internet connection. The installation itself takes about 20 to 30 minutes, and you’ll be asked to reboot your PC when the process is complete.

When your PC restarts, a message will pop up reading “configuring updates.” Your new and improved operating system is preparing SP1 for you to use it. This process also takes a few minutes.

Total installation time, from start to finish, should take less than 60 minutes. While Windows Vista might not look different after downloading SP1, since all the updates will have taken place behind the scenes, Vista will have improved performance.

Windows Update lets you set your computer to automatically go online, check for and install important updates.

“With this free download, you’ll benefit from a year’s worth of improvements including faster performance, better security, more reliable wireless connectivity and added support for connected devices,” explains Katz.

Installing SP1 won’t erase important files, but it’s always a good idea to back up documents, photos and other important data before you begin.

Click here for more info on Windows Vista Service Pack 1.