Windows Vista SP1 beta due in September, final release in 2008

by Brad Linder on August 29, 2007 at 03:00 PM

Vista SP1
Microsoft has announced plans for Windows Vista SP1. As we've previously noted, a small group of PC users have been testing a pre-release version of SP1. Apparently this is pre-beta stuff, as Microsoft now says it will launch a private beta within the next few weeks. The full version of Windows Vista SP1 is scheduled for release during the first quarter of 2008. There will probably be a public beta somewhere between the private beta and the final release, but no word on when we can expect that.

So what's included in Windows Vista Service Pack 1? Microsoft has published a white paper on that topic, and here are a few highlights:
  • All of the updates that had been previously offered through Windows Update
  • Improved reliability and compatibility with newer graphics cards
  • Improved reliability when working with external displays on a laptop
  • Improved reliability of systems that were updated from Windows XP to Vista
  • Improved printer driver compatibility
  • Increased reliability and performance when entering and returning from sleep mode
  • Includes APIs by which third party security and malicious software detection applications can work with kernal patch protection on x64 versions of Vista
  • Improves the security of running RemoteApp programs and desktops by allowing Remote Desktop Protocol files to be signed
  • Enhances BitLocker Drive Encryption to offer an additional multifactor authentication method that combines a key protected by the Trusted Platform Module with a startup key stored on a USB storage device and a user-generated PIN
  • Faster copying and extracting of files
  • Improves the time to become active from Hibernate and Resume modes.
  • Reduces Internet Explorer 7 CPU utilization and speeds up JavaScript parsing
  • Improves battery life by not redrawing the screen as often on certain computers
  • Support for exFAT file system which will be used in forthcoming flash memory storage devices
  • Support for Secure Digital Advanced Direct Memory Acces
  • Support for Direct3D 10.1
Service Pack 1 will be about 50MB if installed using Windows Update. As you can see, there aren't many new features included, but there are a ton of fixes that should improve compatibility with your hardware and generally make Vista run more smoothly.

Tags: osupdates, service pack, ServicePack, sp1, windows vista, windows vista service pack 1, WindowsVista, WindowsVistaServicePack1