Rarely has a service pack received as much attention as SP1 for Microsoft’s Windows Vista, officially released Tuesday. And while some users are reporting smooth installation and better performance, many are reporting problems.

Vista SP1 was completed in early February, correcting a variety of bugs or performance issues in the Vista operating system. Shortly after its completion, it was shipped to computer makers, beta testers, big customers and subscribers to Microsoft’s TechNet and Developer Network services.

The software giant had said the full release of SP1 was delayed considering of problems with some hardware-device drivers, and it needed duration to supply new drivers or to block systems with poor drivers from installing SP1.

Available Manually

A notice on the Windows Vista blog Tuesday reported that it is now available through Windows Update — whether the user opens Windows Update and selects SP1. But whether self-moving downloading and installation through Windows Update is preferred, a user will

need to wait until mid-April. SP1 is plus beginning to be available through retailers.

Regardless of the method to obtain SP1, updaters are reporting both problems and successful fixes. A poster named huddy reported on a bit-tech.net forum that, after installing SP1, his X-F1 sound card caused his computer to crash. “At least neighbors are happy,” he reported.

Another user, moshpit, said his post-SP1 computer now “runs butter smooth and has been problem-free,” while someone named Akava said there were problems just downloading SP1.

Even the Vista blog has reports of problems. A user named butters286 said that, after the SP1 installation, there’s now no sound and the DVD drive doesn’t work. A commenter named SeppDietrich said that installing SP1 was not, “in retrospect, my finest decision,” calling it “a disaster” with all the Nvidia drivers being exiled to “the Bermuda Triangle” — that is, vanished. Afterward, SeppDietrich…

Original post by Top Tech News