Windows Vista SP1 To Force Install on Windows Update as ‘Critical’ from April 18

Windows Vista SP1 provides much needed improvement, enhancements and bug fixes to Windows Vista since official RTM release in early 2007, such as system startup time, faster file copying operation speed and general improvement to system compatibility, performance and stability. In other word, the first service pack for Windows Vista is a must for all Vista system, and clearly Microsoft does think so too.

According to an internal source from a related corporation which probably close to Microsoft, Windows Vista SP1 will be forced install through Windows Update and Automatic Updates from April 18, 2008. The type of the Windows Vista SP1 (KB936330) will also be set as “Critical”, which will enable uses on Automatic Updates to automatically download and install the service pack in the background, and all Windows Vista clients connecting to Windows Update will receive an announcement that the Windows Vista SP1 update download and installation has been initiated.

Other points of the email including the instruction to the Windows Vista users:

1. As with any operating system modification, feel free to back up your data.
2. Remain connected to AC power and hard wired to the corporate network during the installation.

For the corporation, there are two methods of update:

1. Update the system via Windows Update, which may takes duration of 1 to 2 hours, depending of system configuration and network connection status.
2. Wait for System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM) to automatically deploy Windows Vista SP1. The schedule for the Windows Vista deployment is as below.

Windows Vista Deployment Schedule

• Current Status:

  All updates have been published to Windows Update, and mandatory installation package has been published to Windows Server Update Services (WSUS).

• April 1, 2008:

  Deployment starts, by April 5, the system should receive all updates.

• April 16, 2008:

  The dateline to force install Windows Vista SP1 through SCCM.

• April 18, 2008:

  The type of Windows Vista SP1 update in Widows Update notification will be change to “Critical”. All Windows Vista clients connecting to Windows Update will receive an announcement that the Windows Vista SP1 update download and installation has been initiated.

Microsoft has published Windows Vista SP1 for 5 core languages in wave 1, and SP1 for the rest of the 36 languages is scheduled to release early April expected to release in mid April, and has actually distribute SP1 via Windows Update and Automatic Update.making the roll out schedule above looks realistic.