SP1 questions - potential problems?

[MaryL]

I received the standard "new updates available" notification in the taskbar
and saw that it was for SP1. I started the download process, then received
a message that I would first need to uninstall the "original" SP1 that had
been installed. There was also a link to information. When I checked that
information, it was page after page of links. Frankly, I don't know enough
to decipher all that information, and I am now leery of getting into a
process that I might not be able to complete. It is ridiculous for MS to
come up with "updates" that require half an hour of reading and still don't
know what some of it is saying. I opted to cancel the uninstall and then
use System Restore to revert to what I already had.

Is anyone familiar enough with the "new" SP1 to know if it is really a major
upgrade, and can it cause problems that are difficult to offset ("difficult"
for someone who definitely is not a techie)?

I am using a Dell 530 desktop computer and Vista Home Premium (full version,
not OEM).

Thanks,
MaryL

 

[Gordon]

I received the standard "new updates available" notification in the taskbar
and saw that it was for SP1. I started the download process, then received
a message that I would first need to uninstall the "original" SP1 that had
been installed.

Sounds to me as if you (or someone else) had installed one of the
pre-release versions of SP1....

You need to UNINSTALL it if that is the case ...

 

[John Bryntze]

Hello Mary,
There is only one Service Pack 1 for Vista, if you have any beta versions of
Service Pack 1 you will need to uninstall them in prior to install the final
release of the service pack.

There are however some programs that wont work with Service Pack 1,
Microsoft has listed some here:
http://support.microsoft.com/?scid=kb;en-us;935796&x=16&y=9

Also because of a court/twist with Google Microsoft had to change a bit how
the search funktion work in Vista.
/John

 

[MaryL]

I have not knowingly installed any beta versions. I do, however, install
just about everything that the MS notification "new updates available" icon
signals. I checked the "view update history" list, and it shows
installation of "2007 Microsoft Office Suite Service Pack 1" on 2/18/2008.
I have a very *long* list of updates, even though this computer is only two
months old, but I did not see any references to SP1 for Vista (just Office).
I do not have any of the programs that were listed on the page you sent.

So, I guess this means I should go ahead and install SP1. Incidentally, I
don't have the same dislike of MS that so many people do. However, one
complaint I have is that they include page after page of information with so
many links that it is impossible for me to really be sure if I want/need one
of their updates or not. Their warnings remind me of the inserts in drug
packaging -- so much information that people actually tend to ignore a lot
of it (and may lose sight of the important warning among all the minutia).

I do have a follow-up question before I do ahead and install SP1. What do
you mean about a change in search function? What type of changes am I
likely to see? I had a lot of problems with IE7 for awhile after I bought
this computer with Vista Home Premium (full version, not OEM). I finally
called MS and really did receive excellent help. However, the person I
spoke to had me uninstall all toolbars. She mentioned compatibility issues
with Yahoo! and Google toolbars. That solved the problem, and I am now
using the search bar at the top of IE7. Is that what you are referring to,
or would SP1 create still other changes? (I dragged the icon for Yahoo!
Mail to the taskbar because I use it so frequently.)

Thanks for your help.
MaryL