How to opt out of Windows Vista SP1

While most Windows Vista users we know can't wait to get their hands on Service Pack 1 in the hopes of improving stability, reliability and performance, some people might want to hold off on updating their computers. For example, company IT managers who aren't looking forward to deploying an update that could mess up some of the software on hundreds of machines.

So Microsoft has issued a tool that will let users block Windows Update from automatically installing service packs. The tool isn't actually Windows Vista specific. It also works with Windows XP (to block SP3), and Windows Server 2003 (to block SP2).

There's no option to prevent your PC from downloading updates permanently. The Windows Server 2003 blocker will only work through March, while the Vista and XP tools will keep you from downloading the updates for up to 12 months following the official release of XP SP3 and Vista SP1.

[via ZDNet]

Tags: osupdates, service-pack, SPBlockerTools, windows-update