Windows Vista Service Pack 2 released

[hurn]

The Windows Vista Service Pack 2 standalone package has been released for public download.

Unlike previous Windows service packs this is NOT cumulative.
Service Pack 1 is required to be installed BEFORE Service Pack 2.

32 Bit:
Download details: Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 and Windows Vista Service Pack 2 - Five Language Standalone (KB948465) (http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=a4dd31d5-f907-4406-9012-a5c3199ea2b3&DisplayLang=en)

64 Bit:
Download details: Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 and Windows Vista Service Pack 2 - Five Language Standalone for x64-based systems (KB948465) (http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=656c9d4a-55ec-4972-a0d7-b1a6fedf51a7&DisplayLang=en)

For those who prefer not to download the whole package, Vista Service Pack 2 will be released to Windows Update in the coming weeks.

[John Marsh]

Is it a good idea to install this straight away, or wait a bit and see if there are any reports of problems?

[piggybank]

I will let you know over the next few days, I pressed the update button a bit too fast I reckon. Its 343.9 MB download.

[piggybank]

Well that was a harrowing experience, hopefully never repeated. After the download, Vista said it needed to update my modem driver, One World ADSL. After a time it said update failed not mentioning now the modem would not work. Uninstalled SP2.

Tried the disk for the modem to reload the driver, Vista said "sorry" cannot use atachments to INF file, so could not load. I did a quick back up of recent files that had not been backed up yet. Was OK for a few then Vista said could not read/write from DVD drive. Turned the confuser off, started with the Vista Install disk in, and selected restore to an earlier point. It only gave choices from download of SP2. Message after ages was restore had failed. However, lucky day when I turned the computer on, no more SP2 and the modem works. It may be just a bad day, but I reckon I will wait a while before any more updates.

I may buy a new hard drive and put XP on it. A friend, wants to load XP after his drive had Vista on and gets message after 48% load that installation has failed.

[green granite]

Windows 7 RC is still available for free download and will upgrade from Vista.

[John Marsh]

Thanks piggybank & green granite. I'll look at stopping the installation due via Automatic Updates.

I can certainly relate to having a 'harrowing experience' with Vista. It's on a relative's laptop; after many hours of enjoying various 'features' of Vista, we're looking at the XP/Vista dual boot option.

[Saab Dastard]

John Marsh,

Please use a font size of at least 3 for future posts, as not all of us are using a microscope to view our screens!

I have increased the font size of both of your posts in this thread from 1 to 4, so that they are legible with the naked eye, which is what most of us are equipped with!

Thanks

SD

[John Marsh]

Sorry folks... it looks much bigger in Firefox when previewing.:uhoh:

Arial requires a font size of 4 to be a similar size to the default. SD

[marlowe]

Downloaded SP2 and its working fine, in fact have noticed an increase in the speed of IE8 and it doesnt freeze like it has been doing recently.

[hurn]

Windows 7 RC is still available for free download and will upgrade from VistaAnd I still wouldn't use it on anything other than my non critical test rig tbh. :=

Regarding Service Pack 2, I've had no problems with it on the machines I've installed it on since it went RTM a month ago. :ok:

[vancouv]

I installed SP2 today and it went smoothly. So far no problems.

[green granite]

And I still wouldn't use it on anything other than my non critical test rig tbh.


I feel like that about Vista.

My wife has just brought down her laptop and said it's running like treacle, it sure is done the usual clean out the crud and run various antiviral stuff switched of avg8.5 which has improved it a bit now trying to install sp1 which had failed several times under the auto-update system but got an error message.

[hellsbrink]

Go to

The Software Patch - Download site for patches, upgrades, service packs and hardware drivers (http://www.softwarepatch.com/)

for updates when WinblowsUpdates fails. They have various, common, driver updates too. A handy site.

[green granite]

Thanks for that hellsbrink, the laptop now dual boots with windows 7 which runs like greased lighting. :ok:

[Earl]

Just installed it here, so far no problems.
Everything including the sound drivers working normal.

[eliptic]

Windows 7 RC is still available for free download and will upgrade from Vista Just for info to who that don´t know



Exploring Windows: Special Beta Edition -- Correction

Because you signed up to test the Windows 7 Beta, we recently sent you mail about the expiration dates for the Beta and Release Candidate. Unfortunately, we made a mistake.

We said the Beta would start shutting down every two hours on June 1, 2009. The correct date is July 1, 2009.


The rest of the dates in the mail were correct. Here’s a quick summary:
Version:
Starts shutting down every two hours:
Expires:
Beta
July 1, 2009
August 1, 2009
Release Candidate
March 1, 2010
June 1, 2010



We apologize for the error and any confusion it may have caused.

Thanks again for helping us test Windows 7.

[Loose rivets]

I found Vista so objectionable, that I've put the new Laptop in a drawer and forgotten about it.

I would like service pack "Windows 7 Free edition". If there were any justice, that would be what MS would be required to do - to compensate the World for its sadistic joke of an operating system.


One of the most glaring examples of fiddling with something that don't need fixing, is the overwriting of files. I routinely do a bit to a chapter then copy it over the previous one to back up. This is done to four locations every time. The :mad: at MS now make the warning the other way up. The old was was fine, "Do you want to overwrite?" kind of message. Now I have to think and read the verbiage every time I do it to be quite sure. It is sooooooo easy to lose work in this way, especially as an edited file can be smaller than the last offering.

[hurn]

Can we please keep this thread on topic regarding SP2 and experiences people might have with it, rather than turning it into another tiresome 'I hate Vista thread'. :ugh:

[green granite]

I've tried everything I can think of, and trawled out of the MS knowledge base, but still cant get SP1 to install and therefore can't install SP2, since my wife says she prefers 7 anyway I shan't bother any more.

[Sprogget]

I would think it reasonable to work out exactly what benefit SP2 would bring to the table before deciding whther or not to install it. As I understand from the kb articles, among other things it enhances device connectivity as new standards emerge, better resource management for sidebar gadgets & blu-ray recording capability.

Personally, I think if it ain't broke, don't fix it & I know plenty think Vista is broke out the box :p but mine has always coped well enough. I think I'll leave it for now.

[Ancient Observer]

Just finished SP2 instal on my daughters' laptop pc.s. (2 of). Both work fine. Took patience, but you are warned of that. So far, re-starts seem to be slower than before, and IE8 seems to be no different.......that is, it is too slow. Firefox seems to be OK with SP2.

Both required a long de-frag following SP2 installation. If you can afford the time for de-frag, I imagine it will be worth it............altho' as I did it by habit, I don't have real evidence for that.


Fortunately, my desktops are both XP, so no Vista grief there, (other than foolishly adding IE8 to one of them, as it is much slower than 7)..

[hurn]

Personally, I think if it ain't broke, don't fix it & I know plenty think Vista is broke out the boxVista was broken out of the box, well before SP1 anyway, which was a major improvement. :p

There's a few improvements in SP2, but its more of a roll up of all the former hotfixes and security updates since SP1, so to most wont be such a critical update.
Still no reason not to install though, remember you can also clean out all the old SP1 and previous hotfix files which will free up a decent bit of disk space.:ok:

From a repair techs' point of view, its nice to be able to go straight to Service Pack 2 standard instead of SP1 and having to spend ages downloading all the patches from Windows Update.

[Earl]

I have seen arcrosoft media converter with WDTV will not come up as normal, also avi files are playing with sound only, did system restore back to before service pack 2 and all back to normal.
There is some problems with this one.

[Squawk7777]

Here's one for you computer-gurus:

Few weeks ago I posted that Vista was unable to install update KB951847 (based on SP1). I received the error 800B0100 (Windows encountered an unknown error). I had followed Vista help but without any success.

I thought an update to SP2 would heal some wounds, but to my amazement the update process cannot continue due to an incomplete update of SP1...

Where's my hammer ... ?

[BladePilot]

ME now that really was a bag of sh:mad:t OS any issues with Vista pale into insignificance compared to ME:}