14 DAY TRIAL // As was the case for its predecessor, Microsoft is not making Windows 7 customers wait for the first major upgrade in order to taste the evolution of the operating system.
Instead, the Redmond company is serving bits and pieces of Windows 7 Service Pack (SP1) ahead of the actual upgrade through Windows Update.
This is not really new for the software giant, as Windows Vista was treated the same.
In fact, some users might remember that Vista RTM was better and better, as Microsoft delivered multiple performance, stability, reliability and application compatibility refreshes through WU.
This is part of a strategy to reduce the relevancy of service packs in the context of Windows’ evolution.
Traditionally, SP1 has marked the maturity milestone for various Windows releases, including for Vista.
This catalyzed and fueled the tactic, especially for business users, to wait for the release of SP1 before they planned or started migration to a new Windows release.
Even some end users adopted this practice, and delayed upgrading to a new Windows OS until the platform had spent at least one year on the market, by which time SP1 was usually delivered.
Following the advent of Vista, Microsoft revealed that it intended to cut the customers’ reliance on major upgrades.
The company emphasized that the growth of Windows Update meant that users could benefit from the advances normally synonymous with a service pack, but without the hassles of a major upgrade.
Instead, improvements would be delivered as updates through WU, automatically, in a process designed to go by almost unnoticed by end users.
Confirmation that Windows 7 did not need SP1 in order to be ready for deployment has been given extremely early during its development.
As Windows 7 hit Beta, the consensus was that that the Build felt like a RTM rather than just the first public testing milestone.
The consensus over the quality of Windows 7 continued after the product was released to manufacturing and after it hit General Availability.
Windows 7 RTM continues to receive rave review for its compatibility, performance, stability and reliability.
Yet, Windows 7 SP1 is indeed coming. The first Beta development milestone of Service Pack 1 is now up for grabs, with the final version planned for release in the first half of 2011.
But, after the RTM of Windows 7, Microsoft started delivering a variety of updates, improving various aspects of the platform, including performance and app compatibility.
In this context, users need not wait for SP1 in order to enjoy some of the enhancements that the Redmond company has planned early.
I put together a list with recently released updates available to Windows 7 customers ahead of Service Pack 1.
Application Compatibility Update for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2: August 2010 (KB2272691) “The Windows Application Compatibility Update is a software update that improves the compatibility experience in the following Microsoft Windows operating systems: Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2,” Microsoft stated.
“Microsoft regularly releases application compatibility updates for these Windows operating systems.”
The refresh is designed to change the behavior of applications, via a compatibility refresh by introducing:
“Hard block - The update puts a hard block on the application. A hard block prevents an application that is incompatible with Windows 7 and with Windows Server 2008 from running on the system.
Microsoft enables Windows to put a hard block on a non-Microsoft application only if the manufacturer of the application gives its consent.
Soft block - The update puts a soft block on the application. A soft block notifies you when an application that is incompatible with Windows 7 starts to run.
Update - The update improves the application’s functionality in Windows Vista SP2, in Windows Server 2008 SP2, in Windows 7, and in Windows Server 2008 R2,” Microsoft stated.
In the case of this specific update, Sensible Vision FastAccess was updated. The Redmond company notes that the refresh “updates the soft block to make sure that the soft block only applies to FastAccess 2.4.7 and earlier versions.”
Here are the download links:
Download the Update for Windows 7 (KB2272691) package now.
Download the Update for Windows 7 for x64-based Systems (KB2272691) package now.
Download the Update for Windows Server 2008 R2 x64 Edition (KB2272691) package now.
Download the Update for Windows Server 2008 R2 for Itanium-based Systems (KB2272691) package now.
Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 Application Compatibility Update through Dynamic Update: August 2010 (KB2272717)
KB2272717 and KB2272691 are essentially one and the same, however, the delivery process varies.
KB2272717 “is available through Dynamic Update during the installation of these Windows operating systems,” the software giant explained.
“If the computer is connected to the Internet when you upgrade the operating system, Dynamic Update prompts you to download important content. You have the option to skip Dynamic Update during setup.”
An update is available for Windows 7 and for Windows Server 2008 R2 which provides new functionality and performance improvements for the graphics platform (KB2028560) “This article describes an update for Windows 7 and for Windows Server 2008 R2. This update is a separate package of changes that must be installed in addition to Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2. This update provides new functionality and performance improvements for the graphics platform,” Microsoft explained.
Here are the download links:
Download the Update for Windows 7 (KB2028560) package now.
Download the Update for x64-based Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2(KB2028560) package now.
The QueryPathOfRegTypeLib function does not return the correct path for a 32-bit version of an application in a 64-bit edition of Windows 7 or in Windows Server 2008 R2 (KB982110)
“You have a computer that is running a 64-bit edition of Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2. You run a 32-bit version of an application that uses the QueryPathOfRegTypeLib function to retrieve the path of a registered type library,” the company noted.
“However, the QueryPathOfRegTypeLib function does not return the correct path. The path of the 64-bit version of the type library is returned instead of the path of the 32-bit of the type library.”
Here are the download links:
All supported x86-based versions of Windows 7
All supported x64-based versions of Windows 7
All supported x64-based versions of Windows Server 2008 R2
All supported IA-64-based versions of Windows Server 2008 R2
A hotfix rollup that improves the reliability and the performance of an Advanced Format disk with a 4KB physical sector size on a computer that is running Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2 is available (KB982018) The update “improves the reliability and the performance of an Advanced Format disk on a computer that is running Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2. Advanced Format disks report themselves as having a 4KB physical sector size,” the software giant explained.
The Hotfix in question is available for download here.
Description of the System Update Readiness Tool for Windows Vista, for Windows Server 2008, for Windows 7, and for Windows Server 2008 R2 (KB947821)
KB947821 is a very interesting update, and one that Microsoft keeps rereleasing. The refresh is designed to help ensure that customers have no issues deploying updates, including Service Pack releases.
“Microsoft released the System Update Readiness Tool to resolve certain conditions that could cause installing updates and other software not to work,” Microsoft stated.
“You do not have to manually run this tool. This tool is offered automatically through Windows Update to computers that have a condition that the tool could resolve.”
Windows 7 Service Pack (SP1) Beta Build 7601.16562.100603-1800 is available for download here.
Windows 7 RTM Enterprise 90-Day Evaluation is available for download here.