Triona's Tech Tips

Microsoft has released Service Pack 1 for Windows 7 (and, for those using it, Windows Server 2008 R2). If you have Windows 7 you will eventually get this update via Windows Update, or you can download it yourself at microsoft.com.

A service pack is a collection of bug fixes and security improvements for Windows. It’s important to be on the latest service pack for the best security and performance, although it’s equally important to investigate each new service pack to make sure it doesn’t introduce more problems than it solves. Fortunately Microsoft has gotten better at that over the years.

In the case of Windows 7 SP1, there are no reports of widespread problems. However, there are no pressing reasons to install it immediately either, other than the security aspect. Most of the fixes are minor and will probably not affect you unless you are using obscure features like XPS or HDMI. A handful of programs have reported incompatibilities with Win7 SP1. You can find information about those here.

That being said, I usually recommend that people install the latest service pack as long as there are no major problems reported with it. Service packs contain previously-released hotfixes (updates that fix individual bugs or security issues), so by installing the service pack you’re making sure you have everything you need. Also, future hotfixes may require SP1 before they can be installed. However, although problems have not been reported, it’s always possible that something could go wrong with the install. Therefore you should make at least one and preferably two or more backups of your system. But don’t feel you have to rush right out and download SP1; you’ll be fine waiting for Windows Update to give it to you.

Microsoft will eventually discontinue security fixes for any version of Windows not on the latest service pack, which is why Windows XP users should be on Service Pack 3 and Windows Vista users should be on Service Pack 2. Here’s how to tell which service pack you have installed:

• Windows XP users, go to Start, Control Panel, System.
• Windows Vista and Windows 7 users should go to Start, Control Panel, System And Security, then the System link.

A lot of people follow the “wait until the first service pack” philosophy on when to upgrade to a new version of Windows. If that’s true for you, you can feel confident that Windows 7 is ready for prime time (and has been for a while now). And, if you’re still on Windows XP like so many of us are, bear in mind that your days are numbered. Microsoft ended sales of preinstalled Windows XP last October (although you can still buy a Windows 7 computer and downgrade), and while they say they will continue to support Windows XP SP3 through 2014, in practical terms you will probably find it unusable long before then. Because Windows XP is so old, it is highly susceptible to viruses and cannot be secured as well as Windows 7. Also, newer software will not be compatible with it (notably Internet Explorer 9 whenever Microsoft gets around to releasing it). If you haven’t already made plans to upgrade, now is the time to do so. You can find out about Microsoft’s lifecycle policy here.

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